Tie Me Down

Tie Me Down is a music video for Dutch rock band DE STAAT featuring Luwten, built around a single image: two people moving through wind, gravity, and shifting ground pulled toward each other by forces neither one controls.

“Alongside the thundering chorus comes the monochromatic styling of the video directed by Ruben Van Leer”

— ELICIT magazine

giving in to natural forces

Shot in a stark black-and-white world, the video follows Torre Florim and Tessa Douwstra (Luwten) as they navigate a landscape governed by elemental force. Wind that bends them. Earth that shifts beneath their feet. Gravity that refuses to be ignored. Throughout, they plant flags: his black, hers white marks of territory that are also, unmistakably, marks of freedom. The flags are both a claim and a surrender. So is love.

Torre on the song: "The video plays with the idea of love and attraction being a literal force of nature. Pushing us together. We used the flag because it symbolises freedom, but also marks territory."

The video ends in a yin-yang pose; two bodies finally still, having made it through. Not despite the forces that opposed them. Because of them.

"Tessa and Torre make their way through hazardous winds, risky quakes and compelling gravities to surrender in a yin-yang pose. I loved the song for giving stage to an epic visual journey that fits one of the most imaginative Dutch pop bands of my generation." — Ruben Van Leer

“Tie Me Down uses flags as symbols of both freedom and the marking of territory.”

— BOOOOOOOM TV

We go behind the scenes to reveal the perfect storm of visual effects for De Staat’s track “Tie Me Down” ft. Luwten. The video plays on attraction as a literal force of nature, so prepare to be blown away. Director – Ruben Van Leer Concept – Tessa Douwstra, Torre Florim, Ruben Van Leer Creation – RVL_studio Produced by Mr.Frank Producers – Sjoerd Dekker, Miguel Teixeira, Mathilda Hedberg, Ruben Van Leer Director of Photography – Mick Van Rossum NSC Editor – Philip Smeulder Choreographer – Antonin Comestaz 1st AD – Eritia de Jonghe 2nd AD – Senne de Beul Art Department – Jelier & Schaaf Art Director – Ralf van Lanen Set Dresser – Huib Raeven Assistants – Mara Baas, Silvana Araoz Stunt Department – Stuntteam de Beukelaer Stunt coordinator – Marco Maas Stunt rigging – Brian van der Vooren, Paul Koops, JP Dekam, Saskia Neville, Staz Lazdan, Joey van Rijthoven Postproduction – Darlings VFX Manager – Robert Okker VFX Supervisor – Lise Prudhomme 3D – Tim Van Helsdingen, Alex Doss Compositing – Lise Prudhomme, Randy Roemeon, Ruben Van Leer Grading – George Balatoni Roto & Paint – Noa Graphics Studio Managing – Moolchand, Narendra Moond, Shivani jindal, Jatin jindal Team Lead – Rajan Balana Paint Artists – Nagendra moond, Nitasha Rani Roto Artists – Vinod Kumar, Komal Rajput, Vishal Sharma 1st AC – Vincent Geijsel Gaffer – Paul Wilens Best Girl – Karina van der Berg Grip – Tim de Heer Styling – April Jumelet Make-up & Hair – Ellen van Exter Assistant – Dominique Rikken Sound FX & Audio Mix – Guido Maat (Audentity) Production Assistents – Adam Crick, Kathy Shiavong, Nadine Haselier, Billal Slimani Camera Equipment – Cam-a-lot Light Equipment – Lites Amsterdam Grip – Gripwise Studio – Amsterdam Studios Windmachines – Elementum FX Stock – GettyImages Special thanks to – Henk de Vries, Bo Polak, Berthine Van Dalen, Joris Oosterman, MoolChand Moond, Arjo Klingens, Jelle Schotanus

credits

Direction
Director	Ruben Van Leer
Choreography	Antonin Comestaz
1st Assistant Directors	Eritia de Jonghe & Senne de Beul
Performance
Starring	Tessa Douwstra & Torre Florim
Camera
Cinematography	Mick Van Rossum, NSC
AC	Vincent Geijsel
Gaffer	Paul Wilens & Karina van der Berg
Grip	Tim de Heer
Set Photography	Petra Katanic
Stunts
Stunt Department	Stuntteam de Beukelaer
Stunt Rigging	Marco Maas, Brian van der Vooren, Paul Koops, JP Dekam, Saskia Neville, Staz Lazdan & Joey van Rijthoven
Art & Styling
Art Department	Jelier & Schaaf
Art Direction	Ralf van Lanen, Huib Raeven, Mara Baas & Silvana Araoz
Styling	April Jumelet
Make-up & Hair	Ellen van Exter & Dominique Rikken
Post-Production
Edit	Philip Smeulers
Post House	Darlings, Robert Okker
VFX Supervisor	Lise Prudhomme
3D Animation	Tim Van Helsdingen & Alex Doss
Compositing	Lise Prudhomme, Randy Roemeon & Ruben Van Leer
Roto & Paint	Noa Graphics Studio
Grading	George Balatoni
Sound
Sound FX	Audentity, Guido Maat
Production
Producers	Sjoerd Dekker, Mathilda Hedberg & Ruben Van Leer
Production	Mr.Frank
Creation	RVL_studio

---