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★★
Directed by: #VišnjaŠumonja
Written by: #VišnjaŠumonja
“Being of Light” music video is branded by creators as an international collaborative effort between Serbian conceptual artist Višnja Šumonja and American composer Scott Mclaughlin. Overseas collaborations are always to be commended, as all artistic content whether it be through music, Film, art or literature should be surrounded by many artists communicating their own styles and ideas to amount to an end product.
The title of “Being of Light” definitely contrasts the style displayed and yet is brought into meaning by the dancing figure and soundtrack. To label this film as a music video is a misconstrued concept. This is NOT a music video but an abstract form of expressionism. With Šumonja also manning most technical area’s such as editing, cinematography and visual effects, it would become easier to convey the message behind the imagery. Although the message behind this piece is not clear, the film is thought provoking and mysterious.
The black and white cinematography is elegant and enticing, offering an enchanting gothic atmosphere when drifting through the fitting scenery of twisted trees and ruins. The superimposed shots of the woman spinning works well in most moments, but in some cases over used. The superimpositions as a whole are also over-used and often distracting from the cinematography. Although necessary to evoke the enchanting theme, in this case less may be more. In addition, it seems as though a distortion effect has been added to some shots which although suits the gothic theme, takes away from the value of production.
An eerie soundscape that strikes a note of horror as you delve into its world of fantasy proves to be accomplished. The whispering female voices, however, add a step too far seeming borderline cheesy and outdated. Mclaughlin’s simplistic yet effective acoustic soundtrack compliments the cinematography in adding to the atmosphere. Essentially transforming the emotions of the footage from being melancholy and eerie to that of hope and compassion.
This stimulating form of experimental film certainly conveys emotions, ticking at least one box of its purpose. Although my interpretation may not be that of the filmmaker’s intentions, the accomplishment of successfully creating an atmosphere to interpret is something to be seen as a win. The collaboration of Šumonja and Mclaughlin has achieved a respectively compelling piece and although I wouldn’t go as far to say I enjoyed their film, I definitely caught myself thinking about its purpose and message. I’m sure with a lot more work the creators could achieve a higher calibre of content.
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