Chew Bear - The Morning
A Dreamlike Exploration of Longing and Connection
Directed by Molly Shears
Canadian writer-director Molly Shears brings a blend of poetic realism and surreal absurdism to the screen once again in The Morning, a new music video for Chew Bear. Known for her deeply humanist lens and nuanced depictions of misfits and dreamers, Shears crafts a liminal world where waking life and dreams blur into one.
In The Morning, we follow a young woman who slips into a recurring dreamscape, drawn each time to a mysterious, faceless companion. Together, they share moments of connection until she wakes. It’s a haunting, tender portrayal of companionship, longing, and the bittersweet nature of dreams.
What initially drew you to Chew Bear’s “The Morning,” and how did the idea for the dreamlike narrative come about?
I had the pleasure of being introduced to Chew Bear's music a couple of years ago and had met Michelle, the lead singer, a few times. Before I had even heard 'The Morning,' I knew I wanted to work with them. Once I heard the song, I loved the shoe-gazy aspects and emotional undercurrent, there's a quiet urgency in the track, which sparked some visual ideas.
The video follows a woman as she returns to a liminal dreamscape in search of a faceless companion. Can you talk about how that concept came to life?
Sure! The concept really began with Michelle. We knew we wanted to work together, and then one night she had a sudden burst of inspiration and sent me a voice note with some early plot points for 'The Morning.' I then took her vision and developed it further, making her travel companion a mysterious figure that was neither good nor bad, but just was present with her throughout her dreams.
The figure became a kind of emotional stand-in, representing an elusive sense of longing.
There’s a very delicate use of lighting and mood throughout, and it feels like we’re watching her memories unfold in real time. What were your visual references or inspirations for this tone?
The wonderful cinematographer Luke McCutcheon and I drew a lot of inspiration from 'Lost in Translation,' especially from the scenes when they're wandering the night time streets of Tokyo. I love the isolated feel in these moments, and that really resonated with the tone we were aiming for. We also looked at a lot of photographer Todd Hido's work, who is a master at creating that dreamy nocturnal atmosphere.
“The music video became less about telling a linear story and more about capturing a mood.”
You’ve mentioned in past work your interest in poetic realism and misfits trying to find a voice. How does The Morning sit within your broader body of work?
I'm interested in finding the narratives that exist on the periphery. I love exploring the emotional aftermath rather than the main event itself. In the music video, we rarely see the character in her waking life, and instead only see her in her dream world. This choice reflects my interest in exploring how people process things beneath the surface. Like a lot of my work, it leans into following a character who doesn't quite fit, but is searching for clarity or meaning in their own way.
How do you approach directing music videos differently from your narrative or experimental film work? What do you enjoy most about the format?
I love music videos because I can be a lot more loose in the narrative structure and I can experiment a lot more on the shooting day. The music video became less about telling a linear story and more about capturing a mood.
Additionally, Michelle, who is the lead singer of Chew Bear, has never performed on screen before so I love the realism that brings to her performance.
What do you hope viewers feel or take away from The Morning after watching it?
The music video is really just a mood, and I hope that it resonates with some of the audience. The Morning is about longing and memory that does not have a resolution, but is more about sitting in an in-between space.
If it leaves viewers reflecting on their own unprocessed memories, then I think it's done its job.
What's next for you? Are there any upcoming projects you’re excited to share?
I'll be shooting my next narrative film in early July, which I'm really excited about! It's currently untitled, but explores the concept of sensationalism through the lens of true crime.
I also have a couple other projects in development I'm looking forward to sharing more about soon!
Director - Molly Shears
Cinematographer - Luke McCutcheon
Editor: Ted Husband
Gaffer - Alex Poutiainen
Assistant Camera - Shane Pikelin
Colourist - Jordan Benegbi
Production Supervisor - Shanan Kinsella