Luxembourg-based director Jeff Desom has created a nightmarish scenario for acclaimed musician Father John Misty's latest video, Mr. Tillman.
There are many, many wannabe music video directors in Luxembourg.
A slow trawl through some of the more popular city night spots will bring you in to shoulder rubbing distance of the creative herd.
Few have managed to attain the range of styles or the heft with which Jeff Desom has stepped around the box labelled 'the norm', however.
Now the Luxembourg director has shot and co-directed a music video for one of the indie scene's most precious darlings, Father John Misty.
Mr. Tillman
Taken from Misty's (real name J. Tillman) upcoming album God's Favourite Customer, itself subject to a leak before its release on June 1, the video is perhaps best described as The Truman Show gone bad.
Co-directed with Carlos Lopez Estrada, the cut depicts Tillman, nee Misty, as he checks into the, not quite right, Mint Hotel. Tillman promptly discovers he's stuck in a loop and can't check out, without, you know, 'checking out'.
It's a wonderfully surreal slice of macabre humour. Inspired, in parts, by The Shining and Groundhog Day - eagle eyed viewers can check the hotel's signing book for Desom's name also.
Desom has cut his teeth on music promo before, having directed videos for Health and Hauschka but it was his time lapse piece, where he stitched together a composite view from the titular location of the classic Hitchcock thriller, Rear Window, where he really shot to fame.
Rear Window
Jeff Desom is a writer, film director and visual effects artist. His signature, if you will, is combining live-action, found footage and digital effects.
A selection of his work has been selected and awarded at a number of festivals around the world.
He currently works between Luxembourg and Los Angeles.
Holorama
At the time of writing the video for Mr. Tillman had clocked up over 52,000 views in just under 24 hours.
We have approached Jeff for an interview and are awaiting further reply.
