Vincent Haycock on directing Florence Welch

[Carcunt]

You worked with Florence on Sweet Nothing with Calvin Harris, and then Lover to Lover – probably her last video project before this one. Have you been in contact ever since? And when did you start talking to her seriously about this project?

VINCENT HAYCOCK: Lover To Lover was Florence's last creative output before her break. We both felt like we hadn't finished what we started on that video. I wanted to continue working with her as an actor – we even spoke about doing a movie or something long form. Once I started hearing demos and speaking to Florence about life between albums, inspirations, heartbreaks, lovers, weather, music etc, we quickly began concepting a bigger story, and the idea of doing an entire album of videos grew organically.

How did the idea for the video come about? And is What Kind Of Man part of a more extensive project, and wider narrative?

What Kind Of Man is an extrapolation of stories that Florence told me about her real life, and themes that this album explores. We wanted something big and powerful for her first single back, so we held back on some of the narrative and let the performance take the foreground.

It’s the first chapter of the How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful odyssey. It's meant to set the tone, establish some of the themes, choreography and visual style for what’s to come. It’s obviously about relationships, but it’s also about Florence traveling through our version of the Divine Comedy. So in essence this video is the first layer of Hell.

How would you describe your and Florence’s creative relationship? And how has it developed since you first started working together?

Like any collaboration the more time you spend together to more trust you have. Florence is really open and honest with me, so it makes the process really easy. I’m able to write ideas that are meaningful to her, and because I’ve made them personal she performs them better. Most of the time she is deeply connected to the concepts.

Florence’s acting in the piece is tremendous and also she shows even more emotional honesty. Is she becoming a proper actress now?  

Florence is an incredibly talented performer and one of the most brutally honest people I've ever met. This combo makes good actors in general. She isn’t afraid of anything. I think she’s always been a great actress, she’s just never had any opportunity to show it. I want to direct Patti Smith's Just Kids with Florence playing Patti. I’m working on it...so if anyone knows Patti super-well, tell her were coming for it!

You’re pushing boundaries with the nudity and also the choreographed sequence. How did the choreographic elements come together? Were they there from the beginning?

When we started talking about doing this campaign, dance was a big part of the conversation. We wanted to be able to tell stories through the dance that we couldn’t really tell in the narrative. It allows you to explore very heightened emotions. Ryan Heffington choreographed the video and he helped create gestures that explored our ideas. We wanted the choreography to reflect Florence's emotional state. Sometimes she's in love, vulnerable, mean, helpless, hurt, etc... Each gesture defined these various emotions, creating its own narrative language.

As a narrative, it’s very suggestive and non-linear. Did you envision it that way from the beginning of the script process?

We actually shot more narrative but it didn’t feel right to reveal everything upfront or button it up too much. This is the first of many videos that will explore the world we created, so I didn’t want it to end in the first video.

Where did you shoot the video? How important were the locations to your vision for the video?

Merida, Yucatan, Mexico and Los Angeles. Locations are always so important, they set the mood. We purposely set a major part of the video at the Chateau Marmont because it felt more interesting to me than an apartment or a house. It added a distinct Los Angeles backdrop to create a sense of a real life purgatory.

The video features a remarkable, shocking, completely unexpected moment - the car crash! Could you give us some idea how you managed to pull that off, without killing anybody?

It’s actually all camera tricks and visual effects. We didn’t even crash a car...its surprisingly easy to do when you hire the right people.

What can we expect from the next Florence video?

I don’t want to give away anything but I will say that this album is really a pleasure to make videos with. It spans a broad spectrum of songs – some are slow and emotional, some are anthemic and raw. My goal is to create videos that will follow the music throughout, guiding us through each layer of the How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful odyssey.

[iurl=http://www.promonews.tv/interviews/she-isn’t-afraid-anything-–-vincent-haycock-directing-florence-welch]Source[/iurl]

[Cypher]

I can't say I really remember these videos, but I'll definitely go back and rewatch them to see what the finished products looked like!

[Carcunt]

I can't say I really remember these videos, but I'll definitely go back and rewatch them to see what the finished products looked like!

I'm totally getting a whole "Electra Heart" vibe 

[Main Pop Girl]

I honestly really didn't like the 'Sweet Nothing' video, I thought it was so tacky and boring. So I'm hoping their new collaborations are a bit more interesting!

[Carcunt]

I honestly really didn't like the 'Sweet Nothing' video, I thought it was so tacky and boring. So I'm hoping their new collaborations are a bit more interesting!

Well, from the stills we've seen, it looks like it's going to be really enjoyable. 

[Beauty King]

I like that she's taking a different approach to the "video for each song" concept. Knowing her penchant for strong visuals, I'm sure the rest of them will be on par with What Kind of Man and How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful.

[Main Pop Girl]

I honestly really didn't like the 'Sweet Nothing' video, I thought it was so tacky and boring. So I'm hoping their new collaborations are a bit more interesting!

Well, from the stills we've seen, it looks like it's going to be really enjoyable. 

I'll reserve judgement.

[Carcunt]

I honestly really didn't like the 'Sweet Nothing' video, I thought it was so tacky and boring. So I'm hoping their new collaborations are a bit more interesting!

Well, from the stills we've seen, it looks like it's going to be really enjoyable.  

I'll reserve judgement.

From what we've seen, it seems to be typical F+TM. Flo doing something ceremonial (no pun intended) with a song of heavy drums and ritualistic vocals.

[Main Pop Girl]

I honestly really didn't like the 'Sweet Nothing' video, I thought it was so tacky and boring. So I'm hoping their new collaborations are a bit more interesting!

Well, from the stills we've seen, it looks like it's going to be really enjoyable.  

I'll reserve judgement.

From what we've seen, it seems to be typical F+TM. Flo doing something ceremonial (no pun intended) with a song of heavy drums and ritualistic vocals.

Ugh, not really here for that tbh. The two songs we've heard so far had me excited that she was trying some new sounds and moving away from the typical chanting and emotive vocals she's been using for her past two albums...I hope she doesn't disappoint.

[Carcunt]

I honestly really didn't like the 'Sweet Nothing' video, I thought it was so tacky and boring. So I'm hoping their new collaborations are a bit more interesting!

Well, from the stills we've seen, it looks like it's going to be really enjoyable.  

I'll reserve judgement.

From what we've seen, it seems to be typical F+TM. Flo doing something ceremonial (no pun intended) with a song of heavy drums and ritualistic vocals.

Ugh, not really here for that tbh. The two songs we've heard so far had me excited that she was trying some new sounds and moving away from the typical chanting and emotive vocals she's been using for her past two albums...I hope she doesn't disappoint.

Lungs and Ceremonials were very different, though. Lungs was more fun, while Ceremonials was a bit more serious, I think. They have a similar sound, but I don't think it's a bad sound.

[Main Pop Girl]

I honestly really didn't like the 'Sweet Nothing' video, I thought it was so tacky and boring. So I'm hoping their new collaborations are a bit more interesting!

Well, from the stills we've seen, it looks like it's going to be really enjoyable. 

I'll reserve judgement.

From what we've seen, it seems to be typical F+TM. Flo doing something ceremonial (no pun intended) with a song of heavy drums and ritualistic vocals.

Ugh, not really here for that tbh. :'( The two songs we've heard so far had me excited that she was trying some new sounds and moving away from the typical chanting and emotive vocals she's been using for her past two albums...I hope she doesn't disappoint.

Lungs and Ceremonials were very different, though. Lungs was more fun, while Ceremonials was a bit more serious, I think. They have a similar sound, but I don't think it's a bad sound.

It's just not something I'm a fan of tbh, which is a shame because I love her voice and I like her a lot as a person. That's why I was looking forward to a new production style from her.

[Carcunt]

I honestly really didn't like the 'Sweet Nothing' video, I thought it was so tacky and boring. So I'm hoping their new collaborations are a bit more interesting!

Well, from the stills we've seen, it looks like it's going to be really enjoyable.  

I'll reserve judgement.

From what we've seen, it seems to be typical F+TM. Flo doing something ceremonial (no pun intended) with a song of heavy drums and ritualistic vocals.

Ugh, not really here for that tbh. :'( The two songs we've heard so far had me excited that she was trying some new sounds and moving away from the typical chanting and emotive vocals she's been using for her past two albums...I hope she doesn't disappoint.

Lungs and Ceremonials were very different, though. Lungs was more fun, while Ceremonials was a bit more serious, I think. They have a similar sound, but I don't think it's a bad sound.

It's just not something I'm a fan of tbh, which is a shame because I love her voice and I like her a lot as a person. That's why I was looking forward to a new production style from her.

Well then you're in luck because she has a solo album that's supposed to be in the works right now, as well as this album with The Machine     She's gotta cater to ALL the people lmao because I'm sure she's aware that some people don't care for that style

[Main Pop Girl]

I honestly really didn't like the 'Sweet Nothing' video, I thought it was so tacky and boring. So I'm hoping their new collaborations are a bit more interesting!

Well, from the stills we've seen, it looks like it's going to be really enjoyable. 

I'll reserve judgement.

From what we've seen, it seems to be typical F+TM. Flo doing something ceremonial (no pun intended) with a song of heavy drums and ritualistic vocals.

Ugh, not really here for that tbh. The two songs we've heard so far had me excited that she was trying some new sounds and moving away from the typical chanting and emotive vocals she's been using for her past two albums...I hope she doesn't disappoint.

Lungs and Ceremonials were very different, though. Lungs was more fun, while Ceremonials was a bit more serious, I think. They have a similar sound, but I don't think it's a bad sound.

It's just not something I'm a fan of tbh, which is a shame because I love her voice and I like her a lot as a person. That's why I was looking forward to a new production style from her.

Well then you're in luck because she has a solo album that's supposed to be in the works right now, as well as this album with The Machine    She's gotta cater to ALL the people lmao because I'm sure she's aware that some people don't care for that style

For real? I would love that tbh! She better work with Calvin again for the solo album, but maybe even on some like slower songs, not the typical EDM we expect from him. Is this album she's releasing now even featuring The Machine tho? They're not listed on the cover so I was kinda confused...

[Carcunt]

I honestly really didn't like the 'Sweet Nothing' video, I thought it was so tacky and boring. So I'm hoping their new collaborations are a bit more interesting!

Well, from the stills we've seen, it looks like it's going to be really enjoyable.  

I'll reserve judgement.

From what we've seen, it seems to be typical F+TM. Flo doing something ceremonial (no pun intended) with a song of heavy drums and ritualistic vocals.

Ugh, not really here for that tbh. :'( The two songs we've heard so far had me excited that she was trying some new sounds and moving away from the typical chanting and emotive vocals she's been using for her past two albums...I hope she doesn't disappoint.

Lungs and Ceremonials were very different, though. Lungs was more fun, while Ceremonials was a bit more serious, I think. They have a similar sound, but I don't think it's a bad sound.

It's just not something I'm a fan of tbh, which is a shame because I love her voice and I like her a lot as a person. That's why I was looking forward to a new production style from her.

Well then you're in luck because she has a solo album that's supposed to be in the works right now, as well as this album with The Machine    She's gotta cater to ALL the people lmao because I'm sure she's aware that some people don't care for that style

For real? I would love that tbh! She better work with Calvin again for the solo album, but maybe even on some like slower songs, not the typical EDM we expect from him. Is this album she's releasing now even featuring The Machine tho? They're not listed on the cover so I was kinda confused...

How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful is Florence + The Machine (The Machine never is featured on the cover of their albums, Idk why but she just isn't ;- but Florence Welch has a completely solo album she's working on but not a whole lot is really known about it, as far as I know. I haven't heard much about it, but I've heard from other fans of hers that she's working on it, as well as HB3. And it's supposed to be a different sound, so that's what I'm waiting to hear, really...

[Main Pop Girl]

(The Machine never is featured on the cover of their albums, Idk why but she just isn't ;-