“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.
See 34 Gorgeous Photos of Beyoncé
Beyonce arrives at The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating "China: Through the Looking Glass" on May 4, 2015, in New York City.
Evan Agostini—Invision/AP
Beyonce performs onstage during the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards at The Forum on August 24, 2014 in Inglewood, California.
MTV/Getty Images
Beyonce performs onstage during the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards rehearsals at The Forum on August 23, 2014 in Inglewood, California.
Kevin Mazur—WireImage/Getty Images
Beyonce performs onstage during the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards at The Forum on August 24, 2014 in Inglewood, California.
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Beyonce performs onstage during the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards at The Forum on August 24, 2014 in Inglewood, California.
Jeff Kravitz—FilmMagic/Getty Images
Beyonce performs onstage during the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards at The Forum on August 24, 2014 in Inglewood, California.
Kevin Winter—Getty Images
Blue Ivy Carter, Jay-Z and Beyonce speak onstage during the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards at The Forum on August 24, 2014 in Inglewood, California.
MTV/Getty Images
Beyonce performs onstage at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards at The Forum on August 24, 2014 in Inglewood, California.
Jason LaVeris—FilmMagic/Getty Images
Beyonce performs during the "On The Run Tour: Beyonce And Jay-Z" at Minute Maid Park on July 18, 2014 in Houston, Texas.
Larry Busacca—WireImage/Getty Images
Beyonce performs during the "On The Run Tour: Beyonce And Jay-Z" at the Rose Bowl on August 2, 2014 in Pasadena, California.
Larry Busacca—WireImage/Getty Images
Beyonce performs with her sister Solange onstage during day 2 of the 2014 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Club on April 12, 2014 in Indio, California.
Jeff Kravitz—FilmMagic/Getty Images
Beyonce performs onstage during the 56th Grammy Awards at Staples Center on January 26, 2014 in Los Angeles, California.
Kevin Mazur—WireImage/Getty Images
Beyonce performs on stage during "The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour" at the Barclays Center on December 19, 2013 in New York, New York.
Larry Busacca—WireImage/Getty Images
Beyonce performs on stage during "The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour" at the Barclays Center on December 22, 2013 in New York, New York.
Kevin Mazur—WireImage/Getty Images
Beyonce performs on stage during "The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour" at the Staples Center on December 3, 2013 in Los Angeles, California.
Larry Busacca—WireImage/Getty Images
Beyonce performs on stage during a concert in the Rock in Rio Festival on September 13, 2013 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Buda Mendes—Getty Images
Beyonce performs on stage during "The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour" at the Barclays Center on August 3, 2013 in New York, New York.
Kevin Mazur—WireImage/Getty Images
Beyonce performs on stage during "The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour" at the Izod Center on July 31, 2013 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Larry Busacca—WireImage/Getty Images
Beyonce performs on stage during "The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour" at the Staples Center on July 1, 2013 in Los Angeles, California.
Kevin Mazur—WireImage/Getty Images
Beyonce performs during the Pepsi Super Bowl XLVII Halftime Show at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on February 3, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Kevin Mazur—WireImage/Getty Images
Beyonce performs during the Pepsi Super Bowl XLVII Halftime Show at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on February 3, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Christian Petersen—Getty Images
Beyonce and Bibi McGill perform during the Pepsi Super Bowl XLVII Halftime Show at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on February 3, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Christian Petersen—Getty Images
Beyonce performs during the Pepsi Super Bowl XLVII Halftime Show at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on February 3, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Win McNamee—Getty Images
Beyonce performs during the Pepsi Super Bowl XLVII Halftime Show at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on February 3, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Ezra Shaw—Getty Images
Beyonce sings the National Anthem at the inauguration for U.S. President Barack Obama's second term of office.
Chris Maddaloni—CQ-Roll Call/Getty Images
Beyonce headlines the Pyramid Stage at the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 26, 2011 in Glastonbury, England.
Samir Hussein—Getty Images
Beyonce headlines the Pyramid Stage at the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 26, 2011 in Glastonbury, England.
Samir Hussein—Getty Images
Beyonce onstage at the 2009 BET Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on June 28, 2009 in Los Angeles, California.
John Shearer—WireImage/Getty Images
Beyonce performs on the main stage at the 13th Annual 2007 Essence Music Festival presented by Coca-Cola in the refurbished Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Skip Bolen—WireImage/Getty Images
"The Beyonce Experince" Tour featuring Beyonce plays to Philips Arena on July 7, 2007 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Rick Diamond—WireImage/Getty Images
Beyonce performs during the Destiny's Child "Destiny Fulfilled" Tour in Los Angeles - September 2, 2005 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.
John Shearer—WireImage/Getty Images
Beyonce performs during a Destiny's Child in Concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City, July 29, 2005.
Theo Wargo—WireImage/Getty Images
Beyonce poses for a photo during a portrait session for the cast of "Dreamgirls" at the Carlton Hotel's Orange Lounge during the 59th International Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 20, 2006.
Carlo Allegri—Getty Images
Beyonce performs during Rockin' the Corps Concert at Camp Pendelton in San Diego, California.
J. Merritt—FilmMagic/Getty Images
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