Beyond Farewell

"Beyond Farewell" is a narrative music video, envisioned as a companion piece for Jinzy's haunting melody, "Joi."

When the melancholic echoes of Jinzy's song first resonated with me, I was intrigued by the sense of weightless sorrow in her performance. The lyrics, telling a fragmented yet vibrant story, left me curious. Upon inquiring, Sydney (Jinzy) revealed that her inspiration sprouted from Ana de Armas' character Joi in Blade Runner 2049. The lyrics interweave abstract elements of the movie's narrative and the melancholic anticipation of separation between lovers.

A mere homage to another film in our music video would have been unfulfilling. However, resonating with Sydney's inspiration, I saw potential for a narrative about a love separation tinged with elements of sci-fi and artificial intelligence. This concept evolved into a quirky, retro-futuristic romantic comedy, featuring a bereaved AI engineer reuniting with her late girlfriend via homemade AR goggles—an homage to LGBTQ relationships in our digital age. Thus, "Beyond Farewell" was born.

Budget constraints, courtesy of Jinzy's label's hesitation to entrust funds to student filmmakers, informed some of our stylistic decisions. For instance, upon my first encounter with the song, I envisioned translating the weightless sensation in the music into a scene where the spectral girlfriend, masterfully portrayed by Taylor, levitates Sam, taking her on an ethereal flight across New York. Our producers, Chris and Jessica, however, convinced me that such a feat could exhaust our resources. Instead, I reimagined this concept with the budget-friendly substitute of spinning, culminating in my favorite scene, the whimsical shopping cart merry-go-round.

I aimed to visually differentiate the two phases of Sydney's character, Sam—before and after the reunion with her girlfriend, and ultimately, their final parting. I used distinct textures and aspect ratios to bring this vision to life.

I discussed with our production designer, Beatrice, my aspirations to design Sam's studio reminiscent of a '90s IT/sci-fi show. Consequently, she crafted an interior brimming with retro technologies, including an enduring old Macintosh. Her design harmonized well with the budget-friendly analogue cinematography and visual texture. Together with the director of photography, we agreed on the lighting reminiscent of a '90s TV show but invigorated with modern techniques. This approach gave birth to two unique textures: a "90s sci-fi TV show recorded on VHS" representing Sam's grieving state, and a "90s sci-fi rom-com shot on 16mm film" symbolizing Sam's reunion with her girlfriend. VFX artist and colorist, Hauton, beautifully brought these effects to life.

Sydney, Taylor, and I rehearsed twice, ensuring the actual shooting days remained efficient and weren't hindered by performance tweaks. Our camera and G&E teams excelled despite the complex setup and rigs we built, including the DIY spinning shopping cart rails. The principal photography process was engaging and enjoyable, barely feeling like work at all.

The final product left me astounded, especially considering it marks both Jinzy's and my debut into music videos. The essence of our collective effort is encapsulated within this project, and for that, I'm immensely grateful to my team.