Lewis Andrews Directs Mind-Bending DRINK Music Video

In an arresting blend of horror and vivid dreamscape, filmmaker Lewis Andrews recently took on an unforgettable project – the DRINK music video which premiered on GRM Daily. This venture is a collaborative effort with Jake Molloy, a talented Manchester-based music artist. This project stands out in Lewis’s portfolio, as it perfectly encapsulates his unique style of incorporating horror elements into a dream-like narrative, heavily influenced by 80’s pop culture, Stranger Things, and the neon aesthetic of Blade Runner 1982.

The music video takes viewers on a surreal journey through Molloy’s struggles with alcohol abuse. The song, produced by Freeme and performed by Molloy, represents the artist’s difficult period of grappling with addiction. Lewis chose to represent this struggle through a distorted dream lens, delivering a visual metaphor for Molloy’s personal battles.

The project was facilitated by Music Mafia, an innovative A&R firm founded by Weezy. Lewis worked closely with Weezy and Jake, ensuring an authentic portrayal of the latter’s experiences. The result is a vivid representation of Molloy’s tumultuous journey, portrayed in a dream-like state.

Every element of the video, from the detailed costumes to the haunting set design, was meticulously crafted by Wonderfilm Pictures. The video features a range of distinctive elements, including a distressed red leather jacket with an embroidered Manchester bumblebee symbol, a menacing NHS ambulance attendant costume, and a green E-Type Jaguar that makes multiple appearances.

The video’s narrative, which mirrors the disjointed progression of a dream, provided Lewis with creative freedom. The video opens with Jake waking up outside an East London corner shop, an environment that feels strangely reminiscent of downtown Tokyo. As Jake delves deeper into the dream, the video takes on an increasingly bizarre tone, incorporating the welding man character inspired by Doctor Who 2005 and a Street Fighter arcade game scene.

Jake’s exceptional talent for writing, acting, and performing shines throughout the video. His charisma, honed from his years in West End shows, is palpable in every scene. Lewis’s approach to the screenplay was to plan meticulously but leave room for improvisation, mirroring the unpredictable nature of dreams.

The five-day shoot took place in various locations, including Chelsea, London, and the countryside areas of Hertfordshire. The project felt like a homegrown horror film passion project, with friends like Joe Carter and Richard Akam – AKA MUSIK – contributing to the video’s sound textures and editing.

Post-production was a significant phase, where VFX were incorporated to enrich the supernatural elements and align with the Blade Runner style. The dream-like essence of the video allowed for more abstract editing, leading with mood, and feeling rather than context or meaning. Before text-to-image AI generation was as prominent as it is today, a layer of AI-generated images was also incorporated, adding a psychedelic touch to the video.

The DRINK music video is a testament to Lewis Andrews’s innovative direction and Jake Molloy’s amazing acting skills.

Lewis Andrews, Director of DRINK Music Video is featured in Wonderland.