C&I has an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the making of Lee Ann Womack’s new music video.
Lee Ann Womack’s latest collection of songs, The Lonely, The Lonesome & The Gone, is a culmination of a journey that began with Womack’s 2005 CMA Album of the Year, There’s More Where That Come From. With vivid storytelling, a profound sense of self-awareness, and a variety of genre blends, the album displays Womack’s experience and talent as a songwriter, vocalist, and musician.
The track “Hollywood” stands out. A classic country song, it paints heartbreak in a devastatingly realistic manner, portraying a shattered portrait of a couple staying together out of habit, but isolated in forlorn self-reflection.
The impressive and highly original music video does justice to the strong lyrics. Directed by Chris Ullens (Rex Orange County, Fergie), it reinvents a story of Tinseltown heartache, using intricate stop-motion animation, miniature sets, and custom-made dolls to convey the deathly silences and uncomfortable pretending that signal a relationship in terminal trouble.
"It was great to be given the opportunity to go so far creatively on this video for a track that lent itself beautifully to the concept. It was a real challenge to adapt the rear projection technique to miniature stop-motion but thanks to an amazing team effort, the result is far beyond my expectations. I'm delighted with the film,” says Ullens.
Mainly set in a desert motel, the video features golden-hour footage of iconic California landmarks like the Hollywood sign and wind farms — poignant visual backdrops by which to witness a relationship unravel.
“The whole video is about faking it. I’m not much on explaining things as I’m much more interested in individual interpretation but, Hollywood: faking it. Plastic dolls: faking it. Relationships: a lotta people are faking it. Take from it what you will,” says Womack.
To see how the artistic feat of the “Hollywood” video was achieved, watch below.
For more information on Lee Ann Womack, visit her website. Photography: Courtesy Ebru Yildiz.