Corin Hardy creates an intense drama for Devlin’s Watchtower – first single from the upcoming album A Moving Picture, and an interpretation of the Bob Dylan song famously covered by Jimi Hendrix – which sees the UK rapper and the track’s co-performer Ed Sheeran in a whole heap of trouble. The cops are closing in, Devlin’s girlfriend (played by Jaime Winstone) is keeping them at bay – but in the getaway car, Ed has a very nasty secret…
“The urgency and desperation in the track, presented a Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid-like image in my mind – two guys, no getting out of what they’ve gotten involved in, but against all odds they’re going to try,” Corin explains.
“I wanted the video to feel really cinematic and took cues from the song to develop a multi-stranded crime narrative revolving around ‘family’ that would through a series of reveals, give a suggestion of what may have come before. I knew I wanted to put together a great solid cast around Devlin and Ed and after seeing him in Kill List, immediately wanted Neil Maskell to play the detective on their tail. Luckily Neil was very generous with us and it led to us getting Jaime, Tilly and George who were all truly marvelous to work with, not to mention the little star that is Paige Lee Ditch, in her film debut.”
There’s also an extended version, which will potentially feature as an extra with the album. And of course millions of girls will need to know whether the lovely Ed lives or dies…
Devlin ft. Ed Sheeran
Watchtower
Director: Corin Hardy
Prod co: A+
Producer: Dom Thomas
Production Manager: Medb Riordan
DoP: Ula Pontikos
1st AD: James Dyer
Art Director: Laura Johnstone
Editor: Vid Price @ Family
Telecine: George Kyriacou @ MPC
Sound: Jack Sedgwick @ Wave
Cast:
Lead – Devlin
Accomplice: Ed Sheeran
Detective – Neil Maskell
Girlfriend – Jaime Winstone
Mother – Tilly Vosburgh
Brother – George Russo
Sister/Sissy – Paige Leigh Ditch
Watch: A+