A Winged Victory For The Sullen, known for their evocative and atmospheric compositions, released “Aqualung Motherfucker” as part of their album ‘The Undivided Five’. While the track itself is serenely elegiac, the title hints at a darker undercurrent, a duality perfectly captured in the accompanying music video. Directed by Jonas Govaerts, the video production, initially considered for Los Angeles, found its creative home closer to the band’s roots, in Belgium.
The decision to film in Belgium, specifically Antwerp and its surrounding province, was a fortunate one. Govaerts, familiar with the Belgian landscape, acted as a de facto location scout, choosing settings that resonated with the track’s atmosphere. While Adam Wiltzie from the band playfully requested a villa with a tennis court, the final locations – the city of Antwerp for set pieces and rear projection scenes, and the villages of Kapellen and Wilrijk for location shots – provided the ideal backdrop for the video’s narrative.
The absence of lyrics in “Aqualung Motherfucker” allowed the visuals to become paramount in interpreting the song’s essence. Govaerts aimed to enhance both the beauty and the underlying darkness of the composition through imagery. The title itself, with its contrasting elements of “Aqualung” and “Motherfucker,” served as a key inspiration, suggesting a tension between serenity and menace. The video deliberately avoids demystifying the music, instead opting to complement its enigmatic nature. Nikolai, the video’s protagonist, embodies this mystery, with his internal thoughts and motivations deliberately left ambiguous.
Behind the scenes, the video production was a blend of meticulous planning and happy accidents. As Wiltzie recounts, filmmaking is often a race against time, where even minor adjustments can consume valuable hours. One particularly challenging aspect was filming the scene with the “corpse with the axe in the head.” To ensure authenticity, the production team consulted Bobby McGlynn, a prosthetics expert from the TV series “Vikings,” renowned for his experience with realistic depictions of death. Initially, the idea was to use an extra, but McGlynn advocated for a dummy corpse, expertly crafted by Saskia Verreycken. His confidence rested on the power of realistic fake blood – specifically, Robert Smith silicone flow blood, considered the industry gold standard – to elevate the scene’s impact, famously stating, “I’ll bring the yuck, and it’ll be great.”
Govaerts’ vision for the video was significantly shaped by Wiltzie’s initial input, which included not just the music but also a treatment and mood board. These elements provided a strong foundation, suggesting the use of slow motion, slow cross-dissolves, and rear projection techniques, all of which contribute to the video’s distinctive aesthetic. However, Govaerts was also encouraged to embrace spontaneity, leading to some of the video’s most captivating moments. The seamless match between Nikolai’s glazed-over eye and the subsequent tunnel image, for example, was unplanned. Similarly, the single tear rolling down Nikolai’s cheek at the end was a serendipitous result of repeated takes. These unplanned moments, Govaerts emphasizes, are often what truly make a video resonate.
When asked about the video’s message, Wiltzie humorously downplays any grand intentions, suggesting it touches upon the “duality of man.” While initially focused on existential themes, the involvement of Bobby McGlynn and the collaborative spirit injected a welcome dose of levity into the process. Wiltzie highlights the importance of collaboration and finding individuals like Govaerts, who understood the initial vision, and McGlynn, who brought both expertise and humor to the set. Ultimately, Wiltzie concludes, the video’s creation underscores a broader truth: “All truly good and meaningful work is done in defiance of management,” perhaps a playful nod to the freedom and creative autonomy that fueled this unique project.
This collaborative and somewhat serendipitous approach resulted in a music video that effectively amplifies “Aqualung Motherfucker”‘s haunting beauty and underlying tension. It’s a testament to the power of visual storytelling in enhancing the listening experience, offering a compelling interpretation of the Aqualung Song’s enigmatic character.
