“If you want your average video,” says Swedish director Jonas Åkerlund, “I’m probably not your guy.” Considering the enterprise Beyoncé took on when she decided to make her self-titled 2013 project a visual album, it makes sense that she would choose to work with a director like Åkerlund. In a behind-the-scenes video released to accompany the new Platinum Edition Box Set of Beyoncé, Åkerlund discusses the artistic decisions the pair made in the videos for “Haunted” and “Superpower.”
Åkerlund explains that he gets as much footage as he can — for “Haunted,” two days’ worth of four cameras shooting — and makes the magic happen in the editing room. That video relied less on choreography than on nailing a particular aesthetic to match the movie score quality of the song.
For “Superpower,” Åkerlund wanted to create extreme visuals that stood in contrast to the song’s laidback tempo. The crew took over a gated area where, Åkerlund says, “We could trash it, we could burn it, we could do anything we wanted.” The result is an almost apocalyptic setting where people come together to find strength in unity and love.
Beyoncé’s Platinum Edition includes two new songs, four new remixes, photo books, a calendar, and a DVD of live performances.
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