War in the east and economic turmoil notwithstanding, Ukraine seems to be becoming a popular location for the filming of music videos, with directors attracted not only by the country’s spectacular scenery and interesting culture, but flexible labor and cheap prices.
For
instance, Grammy-winning British band Mumford and Sons recently posted a video
for their song “Ditmas” on their Facebook page in which a Ukrainian Cossack in traditional dress and hairstyle
is the main character. Footage of the Cossack breaking and riding a horse is
interlaced with shots of the band performing their song.
The video,
in which the warrior also performs tricks while riding on the black horse, was
“shot on location in the beautiful
countryside surrounding Kyiv by director Alex Southam,” according to a
statement on Mumford and Sons’ official Facebook page.
“Whilst recently
filming in Ukraine, I started doing some research and learning about Ukrainian
Cossacks – their heritage, history, and associated spiritualism,” Southam said
in a press release issued by the band’s music publisher.
“I was
surprised to learn that there is a small but ardent population who keep the
traditions going,” Southam said.
“The
narrative for Ditmas came about whilst discussing another idea for the band, when
the suggestion of a Cossack was mooted. Cossacks are synonymous with incredible
horsemanship, so it felt like a natural fit.”
Another
British indie-rock band, Foals, have also shot a music video in Ukraine. The
video for the band’s song “What Went Down” was filmed at two locations – the
Kyiv Reservoir and an almost post-apocalyptic-looking site in Kyiv’s Troeschina
district.
Viktor
Ruzenko, a director at the Vitj video production studio in Kyiv, says
foreigners are picking Ukraine as a location for their video shoots for many
reasons.
“Firstly,
it’s much cheaper,” Ruzenko told the Kyiv Post. “Something that costs $7,000 in
the United States, for example, can be filmed here in Ukraine for $3,000. And the
result is in no way inferior.”
The shooting
process in Ukraine is also easier than it is in the United States, Ruzenko said.
“Here people
will work without any complaints for 16 hours, when the official working shift
is 12 hours. People broad appreciate human resources more than we do (in
Ukraine).”
Other
well-known artists and bands that have shot their music videos in Ukraine
include Natalie Imbruglia, Lonely
The Brave, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, and Rudimental.
Kyiv
Post writer Veronika Melkozerova can be reached
at [email protected].
