Written, Directed and Edited by Ryan Raffa
Filmed by Senem Cinar, Umut Ozover, and Ryan Raffa

This project was the first music video I did for my band, The Mugs. In this video, I chose to use two intertwined narratives to describe my personal questions and feelings about communication through technology as well as confront my darkest fears of love and relationships.

Portions of the original song has lyrical content that discusses a long-distance love affair, and I used that as a jumping off point for my own investigation of what it means to me to have a digital relationship.

I recently worked at one of the finest record stores in New York City, Music Matters (which there are not many of them left), and I felt that would be a great location and commentary for how people used to meet in person and how online interaction has altered that. I imagined the store was actually a music blog, with regular visitors, new patrons, and by using the physical nature of the music store, convey my personal questions about how digital representations of actual things alter our perception of them.

In regards to the interactions between the young lovers and the villain, I am recently married, and I have been plagued by this nightmare that my wife and I are in danger and neither of us are able to help the other person. I used this video as a way to confront those thoughts and think through what might happen, how it may play out, and what it might mean to each of us.

The choice of location in the Gowanus (graffiti sighting and the fight scene) was inspired by photographs taken by Sam Horine, a close friend and inspiring photographer. I used his photos of graffiti (one Elbow Toe piece specifically) as a way to tie portions of the story together and lead the audience from one location to the next. The Gowanus location is also a place I’m very familiar with and feel at home. There are not many quiet places in New York City, and this one is a good one.

Below are the original source photos of inspiration by Sam Horine: