We’ve long been fans of Australian-born, London-based video maestro Dave Ma, but his latest offering for “This Momentary” by Manchester trio Delphic infuses his distinct visual aesthetic (washed out colour, quiet kinetic touches, snatches of the mundane and his photographer’s eye for framing) with the devastating gravitas of the video’s eerie surrounds. Chernobyl, Ukraine – site of the 1986 Nuclear Power Plant disaster.
He’s one of the most exciting video Directors working today and his latest work is easily his best. Any frame in the below four minutes could be blown up and hung on a wall, which is no surprise as Ma is an avid photographer first and foremost. As his lens lingers voyeuristically over the area’s casualties Ma’s flair for composition skillfully finds the quiet beauty in destruction and whether it’s dilapidated gymnasiums or stoic elderly women the sense of loss is palpable.
Seriously he’s on some next shit – when a restless horse is juxtaposed to ballet dances in the song’s surging breakdown your jaw will be on the ground. I guarantee it. With regard to the twin criteria of a good film clip: emotional resonance and visual beauty, this is easily my video of the year and I can’t imagine that changing by the time December rolls around either.
From basically being Foals’ in-house video man, to a recent video for Lost Valentinos (of which his brother Jono is a member) Ma’s back catalogue is definitely worth a look. Do yourself a favour and check out some of his work below…
DELPHIC – THIS MOMENTARY
FOALS – OLYMPIC AIRWAYS
LOST VALENTINOS – SERIO
