Apple Tree - Winterbourne

The Brief

James and Jordan were kind enough to provide us with a breakdown of the album, both conceptually and as a mood board, of which we then could storyboard an idea of ‘Apple Tree’. The overarching sentiment was that most of the album is centred around a guy called Daniel and a girl called Ally. And the general feeling is that they live in a world they don't understand which is keeping them apart.

Now, the first thing to know about Winterbourne is they have a specific aesthetic that defines them; visually, tonally and just as an overall vibe… and it works. Really well. We wanted to respect this vibe and make sure our work snuggled nicely into their catalogue of music videos, while also offering up some narrative aspects that we feel is a strength of ours.

The song ‘Apple Tree’ starts off introspective and moody, but quickly turns contagiously uplifting. We developed a concept around Ally, who struggles with feeling out of sync with the world and disconnected from Daniel. He pulls out of supporting her passion and she’s left to go at it alone. To persevere. Despite setbacks, she reminds herself to keep going, and eventually finds herself surrounded by people who affirm her worth.

In the music video, James and Jordan appear as silent supporters in the background, representing her journey towards self-confidence. By the end, ALLY finds her place in the crowd at a concert, where all outside negativity is drowned out by the joy of belonging.

Pre-Production

After developing the concept, we created a storyboard with visual references for the band to review. Knowing the shoot would span several weeks around other commitments, we kept the pre-production schedule flexible to accommodate everyone’s availability. This adaptability was key to completing the project.

Once the concept was approved, we moved on to scheduling, gathering test footage, selecting locations, and casting. Ultimately we decided that the best way to maintain control over the changing conditions was to cast Karina as ALLY; this proved to be the most efficient choice given she was already involved as a producer.

Shoot Schedule

As Winterbourne’s Australian tour wrapped up, we aimed to make the band’s Sydney show the final set piece for the music video’s narrative. A run & gun filming style, amidst real fans with professional concert lighting and the band’s showmanship, elevated the overall production value and cements the final moment for ALLY as something the audience can truly feel a part of.

Having worked with the band and their manager to gain access for our crew and the set list ahead of time, allowed us to prepare for the lighting, crowd, and performances of the band. Dividing our camera team, with one focusing on the band and the other on capturing Ally’s performance, ensured we were ready when the song began. While stressful  (because a live event means anything can happen) it also meant the energy in the room was real, and that vibe translates to camera better than manufacturing it with a staged concert.

The remaining shoots were divided into three locations: the house, the car, and the street. We began at the house, where we could control the environment, limiting scenes to the bedroom and bathroom to streamline lighting and maximise efficiency. While James and Jordan were on set, we made sure to capture additional handheld shots of them performing Apple Tree, which became crucial during editing.

The car shoot presented challenges due to unpredictable weather, requiring us to film over three days. This demanded careful attention to continuity in costumes, weather, and performance, as the video takes place within a 24-hour period.

Finally, the street scenes were thankfully only focused on Ally, allowing us to shoot around our other client’s schedules and without needing the band’s availability. We just had to wait for the weather… and once we had that, we were wrapped and could move into post!

Post-Production

As with our production being split up over several weeks and differing schedules, our post production was spaced out. Our editor, George, assembled sections as we filmed, providing a helpful reference for performance, lighting and camera setups during future shoot days.

As mentioned above, Winterbourne’s aesthetic is very intentional, and as the band had already released one music video for the Act of Disappearing album, they had established an autumnal colour palette. George worked within the band's visual style to curate the music video’s colour grade, while adding a filmic touch to the footage, giving it a more cinematic feel.

We then shared the music video with some trusted colleagues and creatives to ensure the narrative was translating as intended. This gave us some helpful notes to follow when making revisions. After going through several iterations, we sent the final version off to James and Jordan to review.

The Results

James and Jordan were impressed with the cinematic quality of the music video, praising our shot choices, editing, and seamless transitions. James specifically highlighted the colour grade as “Winterbourne AF,” acknowledging how well we aligned with their brand and style.

Though the process was challenging and required patience, working with the duo was liberating. They placed great trust in our concept and execution, and we’re proud to have contributed to their catalogue while achieving our creative vision.