Fashion films can take their art too seriously but this work for Balenciaga by directing duo, Chaos (Lesly Lynch and Julie Reali), for Odda Magazine is also hugely entertaining.
It’s a nod to the timelessness of Demna Gvasalia’s designs for Balenciaga so the 100-second spot blends old Hollywood (‘20s-‘30s) and new (present day) film elements into its first half before launching into a psychedelic (‘70s) time travel trip.
The film features Balenciaga’s retro-futuristic pair of LED Logo Sunglasses.
Chaos comes from Studio Space Cowboys, a female-driven collective of international creatives in New York, LA and Paris with the united mission to explore the fluidity of gender and sexuality through artistic expression.
“We love to play with details as a key for the audience to unveil the meaning of our stories. Symbolism is at the core of the way we make sense of the world we are living in,” the pair stated.
Chaos and Studio Space Cowboys partnered with cinematographer, Fletcher Wolfe, and creative studio, Nice Shoes, to deliver the two different looks of the film.
Wolfe commented, “We wanted the colour scenes to feel like the audience is directly experiencing the sensations in the characters’ brains, sensations they couldn’t access in the grey world. We used very wide-angle lenses (a Zeiss 10mm Distagon, and an Innovision Probe with 9mm and 16mm) close to the models. We then worked with colourist, Maria Carratero, to amp up the bold colours and push the black and white contrast very high.”
Senior colourist at Nice Shoes, Maria Carretero, graded the film to reflect the dichotomy of the spot. The black and white palette in the beginning brings the retro feel and look of the film to life, which is then contrasted with the crazy, wild and vibrant colours in the second part.
Credits
Director: CHAOS @itschaos.tv
Starring: Ella Snyder & Duot Ajang
Production: Studio SpaceCowboys
Executive Producers: Lesly Lynch & Julie Reali
Producer: Sophie Mitchell
Production Coordinator: Toby Teitel
Creative Producer: Alexandra Hildreth
Creative Producer Assistant: Cecilia Gardner
Creative Director: David Martin
Wardrobe Stylist: Jessette
Production Design: Chelsea Finkel
Director of Photography: Fletcher Wolfe
1st AC: Marcus Odom
2nd AC: Bri Fronczac
Steadycam Operator: Kyle Thomas Derry
Gaffer: Kelley Nesper
Key Grip: Mika Hawley
G&E Swing: Jaelen Rodrigues
Set Photographer: Fanny Texier
Editor: Lesly Lynch
Colourist: Maria Carretero
Colour Studio: Nice Shoes
Colour Producer: Andrew Pandolfino
VFX: Million Dreams Studio
Sound Design & Mix : Virtual Sound
Music: Crash Test by Cassie Raptor
Special thanks to:
Fuji Ruiz @fujiruiz at Hello Management
Earnest Williams @ Muse
Shapira Bros
Patricia Gloum & Justine Villegrain @ Brawhaus
Zu Al-Kadiri @ Mayda
Cassie Raptor
Virtual Sound
Doubledown Lighting
Cinema Vision
Nice Shoes
