Will Hooper kicks off the New Year with an impeccable promo for Rag’n’Bone Man’s All You Ever Wanted. 

Visualising the song’s social commentary on overpopulation and gentrification, Hooper presents the idyll of a pristine model village, bringing his trademark charm and wit to the table.  As the track progresses however, the layers are peeled back to reveal the reality hidden beneath: an unhinged dystopia playing out in live action.

Every detail in the video had to be meticulously planned out through a series of animatics and storyboards. This took place weeks prior to shooting, in order for the model village set build - led by Jennifer Kidd - to work with the matchframe scenes in the live action.

This attention to detail has paid off - the video is a stunning and unexpected take on very important themes, with an unforgettable aesthetic and visual style, which perfectly complements Hooper's recent steps into the bizarre and uncanny. 

WILL HOOPER: 

We wanted it to be fun and playful - but possess quiet observational messages.

"There is a clear vein of social commentary that runs through the lyrics and it was important to Rory for it to be addressed in the visual. So, I initially wrote this concept about a model train being this constant, ever-circling a model village as it changes over time.

"In the first draft I had Rory’s face planted on the front of the train, Thomas The Tank Engine-styley. But that was quickly reined in - probs for the best - and we ended up going with Rory as a passenger on the model train as he watches the changing landscape out the window.

"One of the biggest challenges was to get this right tonally. We didn’t want this to be a preachy, 'feel shit about everything' video. We wanted it to be fun and playful - but possess quiet observational messages."