Film : [W I N G S O F L O V E] │ datshredboi
Director : dat shredboi
In a world that moves at the speed of light, W I N G S O F L O V E emerges as a bold exploration of the hypnotic allure of the urban landscape. Directed by Birmingham-based electronic composer and visual creator datshredboi, this experimental short film weaves together the sensory elements of the city with music, offering a dreamlike experience that pulls audiences into a mesmerizing daze. Through repeating patterns of light and motion against an industrial backdrop, the film invites viewers to lose themselves in the rhythm of city life. Here, we sit down with the director to dive deeper into the vision behind W I N G S O F L O V E, its artistic influences, and the power of music and visuals in creating a fully immersive cinematic experience.
About Film :
An experimental short film about becoming lost in the hypnotic pull of the city, set to music.
About Director :
datshredboi is a Birmingham based electronic composer and visual creator. Heavily influenced by the music and visuals of experimental cinema; datshredboi brings a unique lo-fi style to each project he works on.
The
Interview
datshredboi, let’s start with the questions.
1. What inspired you to create W I N G S O F L O V E and why did you choose to explore the theme of the city’s hypnotic pull?
This film grew out of an idea I just couldn’t get out of my head. I had wanted to create some inspired by found footage for a while, and I felt such an idea fitted a track I had written a few months prior. So I went into the city and filmed all the swirling colours and high rise buildings. Being in that environment, the hypnotic nature of the buildings began to present themselves. So I chased that direction and leant into it in the final edit.
2. In your director’s statement, you mention creating a “dream-like daze” through the sights and sounds of the city. Can you explain how you used sound design and visuals to achieve this effect?
The track itself has an inherent meditativeness to it, complemented with the muted tones of the camcorder footage and the overlays I used in the edit. Stacking footage on top of footage to create these dream-like images you wouldn’t naturally see in reality.
3. Your background as an electronic composer and visual creator seems to heavily influence the style of this film. How does your experience with music inform your approach to filmmaking?
It influences my approach to filmmaking in a very strange but interesting way. I usually create the music and sound design first, then add footage afterwards to accompany that already established atmosphere.
4. The city serves as both a backdrop and a character in W I N G S O F L O V E. How did you approach capturing the essence of urban life, and what elements of the city were most important to highlight?
The way we approached the film was very stripped back. Me and the actor Farren walked around the city shooting buildings and movements. Letting ideas freely flow and capturing life as it was in front of us. This way we gave prominence to the cityscape, and made sure to capture life exactly how it was in that moment. This was very important to us both, as we wanted to capture what we see everyday exactly as it was, a true reflection of our environment.
5. What do you think is the quality of a great actor in creating the best performances?
Lights and movements are things we see numerous times a day, but they are often overlooked. We wanted to highlight these unrepeatable moments that can happen in life. A flickering street light, or the way someone’s shadow moves across the pavement.
6. How did you choose the soundtrack for W I N G S O F L O V E? Did you have a specific vision for how music would interact with the visuals, and how does the music guide the viewer’s emotional journey?
If anything, the soundtrack chose the film! I had written the track as part of an album and I felt it really called for visuals, so everything began to take shape from that point.
7. As an experimental short film, W I N G S O F L O V E is quite different from traditional narratives. What were some of the challenges you faced in conveying emotion and meaning without relying on conventional plot structures?
For sure you really had to trust the process. You couldn’t lean on any more conventional narrative techniques. So in the edit you had to become lost in the music, letting the sounds guide where the emotional beats would land.
8. Where do you see yourself in five years? Would you continue making films?
I’ve always loved found footage and sov films. I feel that with more polished mainstream projects they can sometimes feel far away from an audience.. Whereas with an internally lo-fi approach, you can approach a viewer on a more intimate level. Lo-fi visuals might trigger memories of home videos or films made with friends over the summer. It is an approach that carries a heavy load of nostalgia with it and I feel when handled in the right way such a thing can be both powerful and memorable.
9. Birmingham, your home city, has a rich cultural backdrop. How has the city influenced your work, and are there any particular elements of Birmingham’s character that are reflected in this film?
Absolutely. Birmingham is a place where both the organic and industrial meet. In this film I wanted to capture this. The swirling views and scenes I would see often walking through the streets. Showing people that there are many layers and dimensions to the city even in the seemingly small details.
10. What do you hope audiences take away from W I N G S O F L O V E? Is there a particular feeling or thought you want to leave them with after watching?
I hope that people take away a feeling they can’t shake, that it makes them think about things from a different angle. Looking up at the buildings as they leave a screening and thinking, that looks cool, how did I miss that for so long.
11. Experimental cinema often invites the viewer to interpret meaning in their own way. How do you balance giving creative freedom to the audience while ensuring your vision is effectively conveyed?
I feel like with experimental cinema, you have to make decisions based on feeling. How does this scene feel? How do I want the audience to feel in a given moment? Use that as your guide.
12. Looking forward, how do you envision your style evolving as you continue to merge music, visuals, and experimental filmmaking in future projects?
Going forward I want to hold onto the lo-fi look of my films but I am interested in filming with built sets and very planned out spaces. One of my many lessons from this film is that environments can be very powerful, and I want to explore this idea further.
13. Finally, W I N G S O F L O V E offers a powerful sensory experience. Are there any new creative risks or themes you’d like to explore in your upcoming projects?
Absolutely! I feel experimental cinema is a medium you can always push and mold in many ways. However, I would like to explore nostalgia and lost memories especially. As I feel the camcorder can really serve such ideas well. Very excited to see where and how future projects could take shape.
As we close this conversation with datshredboi, it’s clear that W I N G S O F L O V E is not just a short film but an immersive experience that explores the relationship between sound, sight, and space. The city, with its electric pulse and relentless movement, becomes a living, breathing entity, shaping and shifting with the rhythm of the soundtrack. In embracing the lo-fi and experimental, the director invites us to see and feel the urban environment in ways that are both familiar and surreal. For anyone seeking to lose themselves in the hypnotic beauty of a city, W I N G S O F L O V E offers a captivating journey.
Follow datshredboi on:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/datshredboi/
Website: https://datshredboi.bandcamp.com/
Contact us: [email protected]