Judging by the quality of Chris’ promo for The Moths! I get the distinct feeling he owes his mates a beer or two. Either he enlisted the help of a small army to pull this one off or else he’s managed to do a Rumpelstiltskin and spin a professional grade promo from a budget of straw. The finished product is so well crafted that it would sit convincingly on MTV alongside videos made with several more 0’s.
The style of the video, shot on what looks to be a 70s super 8, suits the tone of the track perfectly [...] the idea is great - strangers passing secrets on to one another like a public game of Chinese whispers. It’s kind of like a more upbeat rendering of Jamie Thraves' video for Radiohead’s Just minus the implications of impending doom.
Although I’m usually against performance videos, or even performance being integrated into a narrative promo, the sections with the band are shot with such an eye for lighting, framing and staging that it’s obvious you’re looking at a director to watch. The promo also features a great selection of really well chosen locations that position the video within a specific visual landscape and help subtly set the tone.
The gem at the end is the way Chris manages to integrate the band within the story, inventively blurring the usual performance/narration boundary. I’m really keen to see what Chris does next as he’s obviously got an eye for what makes a good promo.
Stephen Whelan, Shots Magazine