... So, the question became how to give film the perception of an extra dimension. I was developing it for more than a year until I figured it out- to use split screens to fold that space a little bit more."
Kahn also ventured that this theory could be practically applied at an emotional level: three different events, three different timelines could be folded together to create a bigger picture. And not much later three guys named Blink 182 came along with a song which had the emotional resonance to go with his idea. "Complete serendipity" is how Kahn describes it. The result is the video for Always: mesmerising, entertaining, and (let's face it) not a little confusing.
Throughout the video the screen is split horizontally into three parts, where different takes of the same action run concurrently, but with crucial and increasingly pronounced differences. It starts with a girl welcoming a beau to her apartment. A different band member is in each field: she is having an affair with each of them, at different times of one very busy day. |
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And although the action quickly departs from any specific logic, with members appearing in each other's scenes, the overall effect is dazzling as the actors' movements in each strip remain constant while the backgrounds become increasingly disconnected.
Kahn's video is, definitely an intellectual challenge, and presumably it was not the easiest sell to the band or record company. In fact, the director points out he did not exactly advertise the video's sheer distinctiveness beforehand.
"Whenever I pitch the idea I try to avoid talking about the technique," he reveals. "But the beautiful thing was that the 182 guys were very savvy. They were probably the smartest guys I've worked with making a video, and very supportive."
This support was important because a real leap of faith was required. |
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