Frank Ocean

To say Frank Ocean is creative is an understatement. His songwriting ability has made him one of the most sought-after artists in the industry, penning songs for Beyonce ('I Miss You') and appearing twice on Jay-Z and Kanye West's platinum album 'Watch The Throne'. The fact that he is a member of the controversial hip-hop collective Odd Future, broadens his appeal between both the rap and r'n'b worlds. His debut mixtape, 'Nostalgia, Ultra' received superb critical acclaim, with many websites and magazine stating it as one of the best of 2011. Ocean's stunning yet rugged voice was clear to see, with his retrospective and 'nostalgic' storytelling apparent on songs such as 'Strawberry Swing'.

Due to the success of his mixtape, he released two visuals for the songs 'Novacane' and 'Swim Good'. Both directed by Nabil Elderkin, Swim Good was a particularly stand out for me. The video is dark to say the least, with Ocean's unpredictability breaking away from the conventional r'n'b mold. We see close ups of his blood drained sword, as he looks remorseless and cool in his samurai robe and hi-top trainers, would you expect to see that in a Jason Derulo video? The use of the 1970's Lincoln car adds to the retro feel of the song, with the setting alight and burning of the car providing an intriguing twist to the plot at the end of the video. I am a big fan of the slow-motion running that takes place around the 3:05 mark, just as the song breaks down. I feel this is a suitable editing technique, and something that I would like to incorporate in my own feel, as I think it gives a dramatic effect without being too corny or cliche. The video as a whole is very narrative based, something that I admire and wish to take inspiration from, with the lack of clarity and twisted cohesion providing a smart video to a delightful song.

Another Frank Ocean video I applaud in terms of it's creativity and feel is 'Acura Integurl'. The song is beautiful, with a stunning piano melody running parallel to Ocean's remarkable vocal performance. The video has a similar feel and ambience that I wish to use in mine, with the night time setting, the lights of the car and the street and the close up of the singer himself, as well as some nice editing effects such as the rotation of the screen, creating a short yet succinct visual.

Frank Ocean is certainly a man to watch, as his unique and retrospective take on modern music will potentially create critical and commercial acclaim.