BAFTA-nominated Joseph Wallace Creates Stop-Motion Video for Sparks

BAFTA-nominated animation director Joseph Wallace has created stop-motion music video for the legendary American pop band Sparks.

It is puppet versions of Russell and Ron Mael find themselves in Paris, and then engaged in hot pursuit of an elusive bird of paradise. So is brought to life with Wallace’s recognizable blend of wiry puppets, cardboard sets and painted backgrounds.

 The song is a tribute to the French cabaret singer, actress Edith Piaf, who was an icon in the 1940s and 1950s. She died at the relatively young age of 47 in 1963, after years of alcohol abuse and a series of car accidents.

 Ron and Russell Mael issued this statement about the video: "Perfectly capturing the mood of the song 'Edith Piaf (Said It Better Than Me),' the video is also a rapturous work of art in its own right. Wallace said:“I didn’t want to illustrate the song too literally as the lyrics were fairly clear and the sentiment was really strong for me, so I tried to create a metaphor that would almost visually score the music and hopefully enhance the meaning of the song.”