MUSIC VIDEO CASE STUDY - STUDIO 2: BLACK BOX STUDIO
Production company Gunpowder House shot the music video for Ritho's 'Call My Bluff' in the Black Box studio at Klatch.
Watch the music video here:
About the artist:
Ritho is an alternative artist who writes, records, and produces all of his music independently. His work centres around the narrative of two characters, Thea and Quinn, who were created during his childhood as a way to better understand himself. Thea personifies his struggles with depression and anxiety, while Quinn represents joy. These two opposing forces are in constant conflict, and Ritho's music explores their story from their unique perspectives, offering a deeply personal and introspective look at his inner world.
About the Music Video:
Director and Creative Producer Srishti Chhabria from Gunpowder House gave this description of the project:
"When it came to the visual style of Call My Bluff, we focused on creating a sense of unease and uncertainty. To achieve this, we shot using a mix of handheld and SteadiCam techniques, ensuring constant movement—whether through the camera, the subject, or the environment. This choice amplified the emotional tension, giving the video a raw, dynamic feel.
Half of the video was shot in black and white to evoke a sense of nostalgia and reflect the starkness of darker emotions like anxiety and depression. To further immerse the viewer in the emotional landscape, we played with frame rates—oscillating between normal speed, slow motion, and faster motion. This shift mirrors the way anxiety distorts our perception of time, making moments feel either stretched out or fleeting, and adding to the disorienting feeling of being out of place.
We also incorporated a Tide Optics linear prism filter, which added a fragmented, dreamlike quality to certain shots, enhancing the sense of distortion and displacement. These visual tools, combined with Ritho’s raw storytelling, created a powerful and immersive experience.
We chose Klatch's Black Box space, a decision inspired by the creative brief from Ritho. Stylistically, Ritho gravitates towards large, empty black spaces to emulate a void. Our challenge was to enhance this atmosphere, making the space feel cold and isolating.
To achieve this, we carefully designed the lighting to create a chilling, distant ambiance. We also added prop snow and ice on the instruments, reinforcing the sense of coldness and isolation.
Given the vastness of the Black Box, we wanted to introduce a dreamy, cinematic quality, which we achieved by using a haze machine to give the air a tangible weight. This combination of elements helped transform the space into a visual reflection of the emotions at the heart of the song—empty, cold, and detached, yet deeply introspective."
Behind the Scenes Photos:
About Gunpowder House Productions:
"This year has been an extraordinary success for us as filmmakers and creatives, and we’re just getting started! We’re a full-service production company founded by directors and producers, who love to transform ideas into captivating cinematic experiences. Our speciality is in crafting engaging content that resonates with our audiences and leaves a lasting impact. A music video was the natural next step for us, blending our eye for cinematic visuals and love for music into one project!"
- Gunpowder House Productions
Links:
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Credits:
Production Company: Gunpowder House
Starring: Ritho & Beth McAlpine
Director and Creative Producer: Srishti Chhabria
Cinematographer/SteadiCam Operator: Sam Lowsley-Williams
Editor/DIT: Alicia Stroud
Production Manager/Set Decorator: Rory Bannister
First Assistant Director: Harry Norton
First Assistant Camera: Freddie Logan
First Assistant Camera: Yash Mistry
Gaffer: Sameer Baria
Spark: Siddhant Kode
Choreographer: Johanna von Salmuth
Hair & Make-Up Artist: Leandro Annunziato
Colour grader/DIT: Dylan Looney
BTS Photography: Kanhaiya Trivedi
BTS Videography: Joe Thomas
Very special thanks to Becka and Joanne at Klatch Studio
Kit from: CVP, Klatch Kit and Tide Optics