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Rhys Lewis 'When Was The Last Time' by Mike Baldwin

Rob Ulitski - 7th Feb 2020

The emotional pain of a break-up is studied through a series of long takes in Mike Baldwin's video for Rhys Lewis. 

The video for When Was The Last Time starts by introducing the main characters in closeup shots, each in different settings but all connected by the tumultuous emotions that come with ending a relationship. Through slow, revealing zooms, each vignette unfolds to reveal their partner, and we realise we are witnessing the crucial moment of a break-up in each case.

Intimate and heartwrenching performances capture the mood of the track without revealing too much information. We never find out any backstory to these scenarios - we don't have to. DoP Benedict Spence utilises simple composition and camera movement to keep the focus on the heart of the concept, and the leisurely pace of the edit allows viewers to linger on each moment.

In each case its clear that the person we initially focus on is digesting the news that they are no longer loved. But in Rhys Lewis's own situation, Baldwin adds another twist. This is an emotional and very satisfying video for a sad song.  

  

MIKE BALDWIN: 

It was a brilliant opportunity to use the mother of anamorphic zooms. It looks more like a rocket launcher than a camera lens.

"Rhys’ song is beautiful and incredibly sad, [so] I wanted to make a video that was beautiful and incredibly sad. Having long, lingering zoom shots was to allow scenes to slowly, almost painfully slowly, unravel to capture the moment of a breakup and silence between couples.

"That hollow feeling of emptiness when time seems endless. It was also a brilliant opportunity to use the mother of all anamorphic zooms, which looked more like a rocket launcher than a camera lens."

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Rob Ulitski - 7th Feb 2020

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  • Director's notes
  • Narrative
  • Pop

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Credits

Production/Creative

Director
Mike Baldwin
Producer
Jamie Whymark
Production Company
Executive Producer
Jack Lightfoot
Production Manager
Emily Vincent
1st AD
Ty Hack

Camera

Director of Photography
Benedict Spence
Focus Puller
Dan Villanueva
2nd AC
Adam Farquharson

Lighting/Grip

Gaffer
Sonny Horweol

Art

Art Director
Jess Morgan

Wardrobe

Wardrobe
Abena Ofei
Hair
Elaine Lynskey
Make-up
Naomi Lake

Editorial

Editor
Mike Baldwin

Grading

Colourist
Stefan Perry
Colour grade company
Framestore 

Agent

Director's Representation
Lock It In

Commission

Commissioner
Emily Tedrake
Label
Decca Records

Other credits

CAMERA TRAINEE, Em Turner

SPARK, Richard Scott

SPARK, Craig Gambell

RIGGER, Max Schofield

RIGGER ASSISTANT, Rikk Harris

ART ASSISTANT, Nuha Mekki

CAST STYLIST, Mekel Bailey

STYLIST ASSISTANT, Connie Lewis

MAKE-UP ASSISTANT, Amy Whitehall

DIT, Louis Catlett

RUNNER, Linda Dorigo

RUNNER, Selby Tindall

Rob Ulitski - 7th Feb 2020

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