Spinner

Imogen Heap, 'First Train Home' -- Video Premiere

The name Es Devlin is not well-known to music fans, but the British set designer is a rising star in the scene, having collaborated with Kanye West on his 'Touch the Sky' tour. However, Imogen Heap became familiar with Devlin through electronic artist Nitin Sawhney, who they've both collaborated with. "She directed this very graphic, very visual beautiful piece that she did for Nitin Sawhney and it was an hour-long piece and only the 300 people in the IMAX cinema while Nitin was performing saw it," Heap tells Spinner. "It was great because I was one of the only people that saw it, but it's a shame because it didn't have a life after that."

Heap is rectifying everything by giving Devlin the opportunity to showcase her talent on a much more enduring scale. Devlin directed the video for 'First Train Home' -- the first single from Heap's new album, 'Ellipse' -- a pairing that came about the night of the IMAX film. "Also my friend Mika had worked with Es on a stage set design, so I had two kinds of people on the same night who knew her very well," Heap recalls. "So I ended up chatting to her and it turns out she's a fan and she really liked one of the ones I'd done with Nitin and she was really into my music and I just said, 'We have to do something together.'"

"This is her first directing video and so it was a bit of a kind of a challenge for both of us," Heap continues. "Es had never made a video before, but I knew we had a great relationship. I really like her as a person, I think she's a genius creative person and I just thought, 'Two girls together...' I've never been directed by a girl either and I thought we could do something really great together."

According to Heap, having a woman director made some things easier. "She's an amazing woman and I felt very at ease around her, I felt I could talk to her on the level of even my body and making sure I was happy with the way I looked and just being able to be very open with her," Heap says. "But if you talk to a man about any kind of woman-y thing they slightly twist around awkwardly." In fairness, Heap gets that. "I'm equally awkward when a man talks to me around man things." Enjoy the exclusive premiere of 'First Train Home' below.

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16 Comments

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casey

This is a beautiful video! It's so simple and when she kicjs down the boxed room and runs.... WOW! Also her facial emphasis on the end " got to got to got to get to get to get to get out out out out now now no now" her face is so amusing and shes really feeling it. The entire video is amazing. Is she making another one?

August 21 2009 at 12:25 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jason

Being a die-hard Imogen Heap fan, I loved the video. It was super weird and creative, just like her. You have to keep in mind, the director of the video, as you can read above, has never made a music video before hers, so I have to say bravo on a great 1st video, and you couldn't have chosen a better artist to be in it. Love the song too, and I can't wait for her album to drop!

:0)

August 19 2009 at 4:13 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Tim Smith

It's actually not that bad a video as long as you don't come into it with expectations of what it's going to be like.
It's very simple, but I did think it was rather artful.

August 18 2009 at 1:18 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Ebony Thorpe

I love Imogen Heap! Her live "Just for now video" is absolutly amazing and beautiful!!! Check it outif you can.

August 18 2009 at 3:55 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Elisa

Dunno what y'all are talkin' about, I loved it! :D

August 17 2009 at 7:17 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
David Naumann

I think it makes complete sense, I feel the lyrics and story behind the video are exactly what are portrayed. I feel the sense of claustrophobia, and the want to just out. Which is I think the feeling that was trying to be given. I think it could have been done a little different, more splash of color.. and dark scenes, but.. Well done for a first video of this cd, I mean, Imogen heap was never known for making the most amazing videos. Simply complex, to the point, and creative. Good deal

August 17 2009 at 4:59 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Derek

Check out my review and what Imogen Heap had to say to me about this video personally!

http://www.worldasiderseeit.com

August 17 2009 at 1:47 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Space of A

I really like this video! I like the interdimensionality of it and the varying perspectives. Illustrates the frustration and disconnect she experienced on the night that inspired the song.

August 17 2009 at 1:40 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to Space of A's comment
Cyndee

I agree. I love how it turned out. She's captured how she felt (lyrically anyway) perfectly.

August 17 2009 at 3:39 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Space of A

Yes, and I also like the Alice in Wonderland feeling, and "Big Immi" talking to "Little Immi," and eventually heading off with that little capsule of time under her arm. Very cool.

August 17 2009 at 5:09 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jnbo

Whoa, what an epic fail. Imogen's been making (IMO) strange creative choices since she finished the album - from the infamous 'holding gases' cover to not-so-catchy SFY-sounding single choice and now this disposable video. On another note, the album promises to be a sure AOTY contestant.

August 17 2009 at 1:19 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Nowyouseeme

Yikes...that was painful...not unlike watching a car crash. I love all things Imogen...some of the imagery was quite nice (towards the end) but the rest looked like it was filmed with a cheap camcorder in someone's living room...bad times. Still, I'll look forward to the alternative version...good times!

August 17 2009 at 1:13 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply