100MPH directed by Alia Hassan
Allegorical is a Visual arts collective that specialise in creating interesting video experiences for their clients and in turn their audience. The word Allegorical means having hidden spiritual meaning that transcends the literal sense of a sacred text, an idea that Creative Director Alia Hassan and his team of talented creatives aim to do with the visuals they create.
London rap collective House of Pharaohs are a frequent collaborator to the Allegorical production company, being involved in the music videos for HOP songs such as 1:11, Mean Muggin' and RAID. That being said it is no surprise that member of the HOP collective AJ collaborates with the Allegorical team on his latest visuals.
100MPH is a very engaging project, titled as a music video but is definitely a little more than just that. The visual begins with that seems to be a reflective interview as an audio backdrop to a ride around London shot from the backseat of the car. The 100MPH video has a specific aesthetic that is carried out through the visual. The graphic cuts use of super 8 stock adds an excellent texture to the visuals
Allegorical describes the visual as
Dissociating from the status quo, AJ comes bearing a purpose. Leaving university and embarking on his own path towards self-liberation, his independence seeps through a frank voice-over, where expresses his passion for creative innovation as opposed to idle conformity. Finding a personal outlet as a form of self-expression is crucial in this sense, for adhering to the norm is tantamount to individual abandonment. With shots of night traffic contrasting the idyllic scenery of Kensington’s Italian Gardens, AJ’s appreciation of London is pronounced through this short film’s sensory intimacy between sight and sound.
The short film transitions into a music video around the 5 minute mark. B rolls of featured model Biba Williams set the tone and change in energy and tempo of the video along with the sonic engineering, which creates a beautify ambience during this transition.
100MPH is an atmospheric, cinematic presentation that tells the story of AJ's journey as a London based artist finding his way to a greater version of himself.
Shot on a Canon C100 and Canon 310XL (Super 8)