We The Kings 'No 1 Like U' by Oscar Ryan

Oscar Ryan recreates the feeling of '90s teen movies and similar-era music television in his video for US pop-punk outfit We The Kings.

Set in the bedroom of a young lad who has the hots for the attractvie girl next door - who he's spying on - Ryan and DoP Rik Burnell create a fondly nostalgic updating of that Nineties/Noughties style. It was filmed in London, with the band's individual Covid-safe performances captured remotely and added to era-specific TVs.

OSCAR RYAN:

It was finding that balance between the clichés... and still hold up as a current and engaging visual piece.

"Having listened to We The Kings during a pretty lengthy phase of US pop-punk in the Noughties, receiving a song from them focusing on American high school romance and nostalgia was pretty exciting.

"I wanted it to be fun and playful - but still be as authentic as possible in terms of not looking out of place, if we’re to be put next to music videos of that era.

"The first main challenge was how to incorporate the five band members into the video, from their separate households around the US due to COVID restrictions. The look and image texture of old CRT TVs are beautiful, so greenscreened footage shot remotely in Florida and Connecticut, combined with VFX, worked wonders bringing them into that world on set in London.

"Jack and Annabel, the two cast members were great to work with and really brought to life the narrative of a young teen's crush on a girl very much out his league. Know the feeling for sure.

"The key for me was finding that balance between knowing full well how on the nose and clichéd the video is - due to its direct influences of '90s ‘girl next door’ movies and the likes of Stacey’s Mom, etc - and still hold up as a current and engaging visual piece. I hope it comes across as a slight piss-take of those Hollywood movies but done with sincerity and love for what they are.

"Genuinely a massive thank you to everyone that worked on it, it wasn’t an easy project. Special love for Ellis Fox, Rik Burnell and James Bradley."