Youth Lagoon – Montana Music Video

Tyler T. Williams directs this cinematic epic for Youth Lagoon’s “Montana,” perhaps capturing a snippet from the life and mind of Youth Lagoon’s Trevor Powers.

Says Powers: “My whole life I’ve dealt with extreme anxiety. Not anxiety about passing a test or somewhat normal things, but weird.. bizarre things. Things that only I know. I sometimes feel like I’m literally being eaten up inside. So I started writing these songs. Not just songs about my anxiety, but about my past and my present. Songs about memories, and all those feelings that those bring. I know that if I can be honest about what is inside my mind, there will be others that will be able to relate to it.”

 

Spaced out and nostalgic, this song and video near some visual and contextural similarities to cinematic epics like The Tree Of Life or Winter’s Bone. Rural and set in nature, the video for “Montana” revolves around traditional American families and generally follows three male characters through some hard and easy times alike. What is it Powers has gone through? His statements, and the video, certainly make his upcoming album, The Year Of Hibernation, seem tantalizing.

Director, Cinematographer, Editor: Tyler T Williams
AD & Editor: Ron Torres
Starring: Tim Pakutka, Ryan Phipps, Joel Kliebe, Jaki Covington
Camera: 5DMKII and 7D – 20mm 2.8, 35mm 2, 85mm 1.8

Written by
Vee Hua 華婷婷

Vee Hua 華婷婷 (they/them) is a writer, filmmaker, and organizer with semi-nomadic tendencies. Much of their work unifies their metaphysical interests with their belief that art can positively transform the self and society. They are the Editor-in-Chief of REDEFINE, Interim Managing Editor of South Seattle Emerald, and Co-Chair of the Seattle Arts Commission. They also previously served as the Executive Director of the interdisciplinary community hub, Northwest Film Forum, where they played a key role in making the space more welcoming and accessible for diverse audiences.

Vee has two narrative short films. Searching Skies (2017) touches on Syrian refugee resettlement in the United States; with it, they helped co-organize The Seventh Art Stand, a national film and civil rights discussion series against Islamophobia. Reckless Spirits (2022) is a metaphysical, multi-lingual POC buddy comedy for a bleak new era, in anticipation of a feature-length project.

Vee is passionate about cultural space, the environment, and finding ways to covertly and overtly disrupt oppressive structures. They also regularly share observational human stories through their storytelling newsletter, RAMBLIN’ WITH VEE!, and are pursuing a Master’s in Tribal Resource and Environmental Stewardship under the Native American Studies Department at the University of Minnesota.

View all articles
Subscribe
Notify of
guest

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Written by Vee Hua 華婷婷
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x