Joseph Wilson Directs Patrick Wolf in "The Bowline Knot", a Melancholy, Monochromatic Short Film

Apr. 21, 2023

PRETTYBIRD Director Joseph Wilson has directed a short film for revered singer, songwriter, composer and producer Patrick Wolf, to coincide with the release of his much anticipated "The Night Safari" EP, Wolf’s first full body of work in 10 years.

The EP release has been unveiled alongside a monochromatic short film "The Bowline Knot", directed by Joseph Wilson (PRETTYBIRD). The beautifully cinematic, melancholic video provides a visual space for previous singles ‘The Night Safari’ and ‘Nowhere Game’, (the video of which was shared earlier this year and forms the second part of this short film) to exist in, tying the two tracks together through a pensive and brooding lens, full of vivid iconography and incredible costumery.

Director Joseph Wilson commented: 

"When Patrick first approached me, he mentioned that he had two videos that were being released. It had always been a dream of mine since watching Vincent Haycock’s ‘The Odyssey’ to create a short film that connected multiple tracks, so we decided to release ‘The Night Safari’ as a prequel to ‘Nowhere Game’. Patrick had introduced me to the thrilling ‘Night of The Hunter’ boat scene, which helped me to bridge the two films together, and shooting on water felt imperative to the music Patrick had created. We shot the video over three days, including a reshoot on the canal…I had to go out with my DP to break the ice with a rowing awe so that we could shoot. It was completely iced over! The edit was fused by my interest in Artist Moving Image and drew inspiration from Paul Bettell’s Queer psychedelic ‘Illegal Tender’. Some of the footage felt too ‘clean’ in post so I played around with crystal earrings and broken glass to make the shots feel more menacing and distorted. Getting to work with Patrick after all these years was a real privilege. I am so proud of the magic we created and grateful to Patrick for inviting me on board and letting my creativity run wild."

 

Patrick Wolf delves into the meaning behind "The Bowline Knot" here: 

"On one hand the bowline knot is used as a rescue knot to save people who may have fallen down a hole, or off a cliff onto a ledge, yet also it is used as a hunting knot, bowlines are used to create a loop that can easily be placed around an animal's neck, the ocelot slips the bowline knot but soon falls to prey, down the river Acheron, toward the nowhere game where the meeting of Archangel Zadkiel at the top of the tower at the end of our short film presents a challenge. To begin the journey all over again like Sisyphus or continue, cut the string, disappear to begin working out the way to enter the day."

 

Patrick Wolf is one of the most talented and idiosyncratic musicians of his generation, with a run of critically hailed albums, starting with “Lycanthropy” in 2003 to “Lupercalia” in 2011 which saw him incorporating everything from viola, celtic harp, dulcimer, baritone ukulele, piano, harpsichord, analog synthesisers and re-sampled field recordings in his music and collaborating with the likes of Marianne Faithfull, Tilda Swinton, Angelo Badalamenti and Patti Smith, among others. 

Joseph Wilson is a queer artist, activist and drag performer, living amongst the eclectic East London community. His work explores LGBTQ+ narratives, taking inspiration from his own lived experiences as well as documenting the people and places around him, amplifying their voices and celebrating their stories through his art. Joseph has had work premiered at BFI London Film Festival, BFI FLARE, IFFR, Go Shorts and San Francisco International as well as 4 premieres on global video platform NOWNESS. In 2020, he was selected as one of the FLAMIN (Film London Artists Moving Image Network) artists and had his work added to the archives and special documents department at The Bishopsgate Institute, London. In October 2021, Joseph was announced as the winner of the  DAZED X CIRCA Class of 2021 by Marina Abramovic and had his work screened on Piccadilly Circus, Shinjuku, Tokyo and K-Pop Square, Seoul. Most recently, Wilson presented his debut solo show ‘Fragments Between Us’ at New Art Projects gallery, London.