Contigo o sin tí
A music video based on the concept that we are conceived as numbers since our first steps into society. This interpretation of life now days is translated also to the art, where the number of views or listeners is the final goal of artists. This music video expresses that.
“Beautifully framed, lush colours, wonderfully shot. It’s impossible to stay still watching it”
In Depth with the Director - Miguel Silva
Hello Miguel, tell us a little about yourself and your background in filmmaking
I am a director and cinematographer based in Bogotá, Colombia. I feel filmmaking as my passion and, for me, is a way to recreate or re-visualize not only reality but all the images I have inside me. I have been obsessed with filmmaking since I was a little kid and after many years of learning, watching and doing music videos, short films, fashion films, commercials and many other content, i just feel that there is a lot more to show and create. I think that, as with all arts, filmmaking is a never ending process that lets us explore the infinite possibilities of blending time and space on the screen.
How did Contigo o sin ti first come together as a project?
Sabi is one of the best songwriters and artists I have met and the same day I met her in a studio while she was recording her album we knew some day we would create together. Effectively, a couple of months later she called me and told me that she wanted me to direct her first music video. Of course I accepted and felt honored. We had a couple of meetings together and after listening a lot the song I came with the concept of the video. I made the approach and she loved it, then I shared with my producer and we started to assume the challenge of this production, that I must say is one of my favourites.
You have said that the music video deals with people being “conceived as numbers since our first steps into society” Can you tell us more about this idea?
This idea is the very core concept of the music video. When Sabi told me about the inspiration of the song, she told me that it was some kind of protest of today's music market where everything is measured with numbers. For example, sometimes for the industry what determines if you are a better or a worst artist are the number of followers, the number of likes, the number of listeners or the number of views. Creativity, genius, the message and craft are many times left behind and obscured by the numbers. How many great artists haven't we listened to because they just don't have the numbers that say they are really good?
So with the music video I extrapolated this situation to our daily life where, indeed, we are seen as numbers. And I think this is a process of social indoctrination where we replace fundamental valuable things for measurable numbers. In this sense, everything in the music video expresses this concept. It is filmed in a school as a metaphor that is the very first place we are conceived as numbers. Choreography expresses the uniformity of everybody doing the same, mechanically following the patterns. The same happens with uniforms and also the recurring perspective lines and symmetrical compositions emphasize the rules and the scheme society demands to let you be part of it. In this way, we can see that the music video is a process of liberation from the number-conceived human being into a unique being with unique characteristics. From the uniform to free dressing, from choreography to free dancing and so on.
Breaking uniformity is a wonderful theme, and you break uniformity with your fantastic and bold use of colours. What work did you put into the colouring of your film?
I feel honoured by your words. Color scheme was conceived within the approach. The use of color is fundamental in my films and I like to be aware of it from the very beginning. With the art director we explored different colour palettes for the costuming and we were also very careful on the scouting to find the perfect location that suited it. We did many colour tests with the camera and we also tested lighting with the DP until we found the perfect configuration to execute it. I personally did the color grading and I like doing it because it lets me control every aspect of the image. I really love the final result.
We love the final result too. We also love the all-female cast and back up choreography. Was this by design or chance?
Chance is a good friend during shootings because it lets the magic of the moment intervene in the creation. But in this case the female cast was completely designed. This element, once again, is a sign of protest. Speaking again with Sabi and her experience as an artist in Colombia, she told me how hard it is for women to be recognized in an industry dominated by men. And we can find this also in many other (if not all) aspects of society. So the female cast is a scream for justice inside the music video.
Each one of them gave all of their magnifique talent to this music video and I feel honoured to have the opportunity to meet them and work with them and I hope to be on set together once again. I will never stop to thanking them for being part of this music video. They all are happy for the nomination and I dedicate this official selection, especially, to them.
We've been amazed by the wonderful music videos and films coming out of South America this year for the festival. Tell us more about the film scene in Colombia.
The growth of the film scene in Colombia is one of the things I feel most proud of. A decade ago, the only good quality Colombian productions were soap operas that mostly never came out from local broadcasting. Today, we are one of the biggest production centers in South América and Colombian films are constantly rewarded in big international film festivals. I think it is part of the process and the filmmakers from the past have opened the road for the next generation and so on. With little steps we find today in Colombia laws and programs that have helped the country to accelerate the growing film industry.
However, in music videos especially we find something similar. Colombian music talent is being recognized worldwide and with it the demand of high quality productions. The urban music boom has put Colombian talent in the spotlight and, in other genres also, we find a generation of creative people that are joining forces to grow as a creative country and filmmakers are a fundamental piece in this story.
What projects are coming for you in the future?
I love making music videos. I think I will never stop doing them so I hope artists feel my work interesting so we can create more together. Independently of that, I am finishing writing my feature film and there are other Short Films in pre-production stage I am looking forward to shoot very soon. As I said before, filmmaking is a never ending learning process and I want to become better at it with every experience and this official selection motivates me to never stop doing what I love.
Do you have any message for our Melbourne audience?
I feel thankful for the opportunity of having one of my favourite music videos being screened in one of my favourite cities in the world. Thanks for watching and supporting this film festival that opens windows to many creatives. Art joins us together and there is no more important moment to remember this because right now we find division and polarization in many parts of the world.