Back to Sender
Breaking free from a cyclically tiring relationship
Directed by Reece Daniels and Jivensley Alexis
Interview by Tatev Avetisyan
Immersed in the tumultuous currents of a draining relationship, one seeks to liberate oneself from the cycle of discontent and discomfort. Produced by NYC-based directors Jivensley Alexis and Reece Daniels, the music video Back to Sender, in collaboration with artists Zyodara and Yasmina, delivers a theme of liberation through 80s and 90s R&B inspired visuals.
In conversation with Jivensley Alexis and Reece Daniels, we delve into the story behind their encounter with the artists, the inspiration for the cheerful visuals and get a glimpse of their upcoming project on the horizon.
What inspired you to create Back to Sender? How did you meet Zyodara and Yasmina?
Jivensley Alexis: We met Yasmina years back; we all went to the Long Island High School of the Arts together, and we have done a couple of music videos for her in the past (we met Zyodara, her brother, thereafter). We heard a snippet of the song on Zyodara's Instagram story, and we instantly swiped up and practically begged them to let us do a video. I was immediately attracted to the song’s production, it sounded very cinematic, and the visual palette jumped right out to me.
How did you approach capturing the essence and style of the R&B music scene from the 80s and 90s in your video?
Reece Daniels: We wanted the video to feel visually influenced by the era because the song itself feels like a product of its influences in the best way. We researched a lot of videos from the 80s/90s, and we were inspired mostly by the camera movement in those videos. It is very smooth, and still, and has an alluring, almost seductive quality to it. We wanted the editing and the cinematography to have that same flow.
Did you draw inspiration from any iconic music videos or directors from the 80s and 90s R&B genre? If so, which ones and how did they influence your work?
J: We drew inspiration from cinematic references of the 80s/90s, such as Spike Lee and Brian de Palma. Return of the Mack by Mark Morrison was a big inspiration for this video's visual language, and we watched a lot of Prince music videos leading up to the shoot. All of these influences are more indirect (except Spike Lee's double dolly), we pulled mostly from the vibe of these influences., And, as mentioned, the flow. We wanted this video to be engaging and entertaining, so capturing that smoothness from shot to shot was vital to us.
“The most important part of any collaboration is trust; having worked with these artists previously made it very easy to create a shared vision with them. We strive to create a very synergistic environment.”
Can you remember any specific challenges you faced while directing this video and how you overcame them?
R: TIME! We were only allotted 8 hours to shoot this video. That may sound like enough time, but with gear load-ins and load-outs, a break for lunch, and setup time between each take, which included setting up PD, getting the dolly ready, and prepping the camera, 8 hours was not enough time. Still, much love to the Long Island High School of the Arts for even letting us shoot for the time they could allow, but the general feeling when we wrapped was "we could've really used a full 12-hour day." We overcame it by condensing our shot list a lot, and our DP Sean Chow, planned really well for shot setups. We prepared for pick-up shots, which are scattered throughout the video. Looking back, I feel like having more time is more valuable than having a free location.
What was the collaborative nature like between you and the artists? Did their vision align with yours?
J: The most important part of any collaboration is trust; having worked with these artists previously made it very easy to create a shared vision with them. We strive to create a very synergistic environment. And we love to have the artist be involved in every part of the creative process. Upon our initial treatment pitch, they loved the direction we had in mind, and we built on it from there.
Besides the visuals, the video incorporates a narrative that explores the relationship between the main protagonist and her past relationship, reflecting the song's suggestion of breaking free. How did you create the storyboard for this concept?
R: We usually don't storyboard for our films. We do a mix of written shot listing and visual references, usually frames, shots, or scenes that capture what we had in mind. The narrative element was already baked into the songwriting, so we had to figure out a way to bring it out in the visuals. We had this idea of depicting numerous past relationships in this amalgamated depiction of cyclical toxicity. We initially wanted to cast one actor and duplicate him. But the precision behind the VFX offered too many risks, so we opted for a character we could easily recreate with numerous extras. Jivensley, our producer Aashish, and a couple of other guys dressed as the boyfriends. The inspiration for the character design came from the painting The Lovers II by René Magritte.
Though the song is about a failed relationship, some details are quite cheerful and funny. Take, for instance, the relationship certificate that the artist signs before it turns to ashes. What other techniques or visual effects did you employ to enhance the overall aesthetic and vibe of the video?
J: A lot of the fun energy behind the video comes from the little touches, such as the certificate you mentioned. Other instances are the TV lowering in volume and the colourful silhouette shot, both thanks to the great VFX of Aashish Joshi. And we also had some "day-of" choices we made, such as the boyfriends having different actions in the door shots, the boyfriends nodding along to the beat in the crash zoom shot, and I wore glasses over my mask on accident because I need them to see. But we thought it would be funny to keep it in. I feel like these touches are attributed to who we are and how we operate; we are pretty unserious, and we are committed to being fun-loving, silly little guys.
Your film Bongo was also published on Curation Hour, yet it had a completely different aesthetic, narrative, and overall mood. How different is it from producing a short film compared to a music video? Do you have a special approach?
R: With music videos, we are definitely more adaptable in visual language than with shorts. With narrative work, I love the shaky, handheld look. I feel like it adds a layer of personality to the frame. For this video, we felt like handheld cinematography would be a disservice to the sonic palette of the song, and luckily our DP Sean has great experience in this visual style, so he was able to nail what we were looking for. Music videos are a lot more case-to-case in terms of how we approach it; the song tells you how to shoot the video. Narrative work is really where we let our style through the most.
Are there any future projects or collaborations in the works that you'd like to share?
R: We just shot a narrative short film, Damien's Gym, which will be completed by the end of the summer hopefully. It's a film about the current world of bodybuilding and fitness and follows a young aspiring bodybuilder as he throws himself into a situation he is aware he isn't ready for. The film is about my relationship with ambition– wanting to be the best, wanting to reach my goals immediately, and impatience with the process. Fitness is a core component of my life and sanity, so it felt like the proper outlet to share this idea.
Director: Reece Daniels
Director: Jivensley Alexis
Producer: Reece Daniels
Producer: Aashish Joshi
Key Cast: Shaakirah Nazim-Harris - "Yasmina"
Key Cast: Basharat Nazim - "Zyodara"