Directed by David Dobkin of RSA and Black Dog Films, this Maroon 5 music video, “Middle Ground,” features lead singer and rhythm guitarist Adam Levine, the band and their families recording the reflective acoustic song at a country house and adjacent barn.
Dobkin deployed a softly lit, observational style to convey the kinship of the day.
“When Adam first sent me the song, I told him we couldn’t put imagery to it. The lyrics are too good,” Dobkin recounted. “But then we kept talking and borrowed a page from Exile On Main Street, and decided to take a documentary-like approach and film the song being recorded at a house in the country…including the families hanging out. I’ve known Adam for over 20 years and the work together is always special to me. It’s been a great run!”
“Middle Ground” is Dobkin’s sixth video for Maroon 5. He also directed the viral smash “Sugar,” the video featuring the band crashing weddings all over the city as the wedding band, which amassed over 3.8 billion views. More recently, Dobkin directed “Girls Like You” featuring Cardi B and packed with female celebs, everyone from Ellen to Millie Bobby Brown, Tiffany Haddish, Sarah Silverman, Behati Prinsloo and many more.
CreditsClient Maroon 5, Interscope Production Company Black Dog Films David Dobkin, director; Jeff Pantaleo, Molly Bohas, Megan Dobkin, exec producers; Melissa Larsen, producer; Giles Dunning, DP; Christian Zollenkopf, production designer. Editorial Bill Yukich, editor. Color Company 3 Stefan Sonnenfeld, colorist
Top Spot of the Week: EHRAC, Animation Studio NOMINT Depict Life “In Limbo” As Families Search For Loved Ones
This animated film titled In Limbo depicts the journey of a heroic woman protagonist representing the countless families in the North Caucasus of Eastern Europe (where Chechnya is situated) searching for their forcibly disappeared loved ones. Utilizing theatrical elements, the film highlights the unnatural disruption caused by enforced disappearances and delves into the profound trauma these families endure. It emphasizes their long battles with the domestic authorities as they seek answers. The film also underscores the vital role of community support in helping these families cope and continue their fight for answers, serving as a compelling call to action for justice and human rights.
Through intimate storytelling, In Limbo raises awareness of the ongoing uncertainty that leaves families in a perpetual state of limbo, unable to find closure.
Directed by Afterman--the animation duo consisting of Tsvetelina Zdraveva and Jerred North--and created and produced by London-based animation studio NOMINT, In Limbo was commissioned by the European Human Rights Advocacy Centre (EHRAC).
In a joint statement, Zdraveva and North shared, “Our film takes place on a theater stage, highlighting how such tragedies are far removed from ordinary life,” they continued. “The stage is circular, resembling an artificial, perpetually spinning obstacle course, with a target—the red tail lights—just within sight yet never within reach, symbolizing the family’s never-ending quest for justice.”
“We used a limited primary color palette to contrast the two worlds all families are pulled between. Minimalist compositions of starkly silhouetted characters and environments create the ominous atmosphere of a deeply painful and... Read More