Devon and Cornwall Film

Mounting the Scaffold - The Weaver Twins. Directed by Darren Jones

Darren Jones had just finished his take on the The Weaver Twins’ video Mounting the Scaffold, and his music videos cover The Quails, Hey Molly, Obedientbone, Nicky Swann and others of Devon’s finest, including Arthur Walker. Lee Morgan walked the woods with the man some people call monkeyzombie

For some unknown reason it seemed like a good idea to meet up with the creative force behind the Weaver Twins’ video to their tune Ugly Children in a dodgy wooded area.

Ugly Children - The Weaver Twins. Directed by Darren Jones

“We shot that in a wood in Galmpton,” said Darren Jones, whose artistic vision of a malign spirit in the wood had him hiding in the bushes covered in black molasses. Not something seen everyday by your average dog walker, and it didn’t even make it to the final cut. The video does contain footage shot by woodland kids themselves and has that twist-to-innocence that is a Weaver Twins trademark.

There were no imps, tree spirits or treacle-covered trolls espying us, so we continued walkin’ and talkin’.

“We’d filmed Nixon and the Burn at Oxjam 2006, and I met Steve from the band in a pub. We found we had the same taste in films and music and shared a dark sense of humour,” said Darren.

Aware - Obedientbone. Directed by Darren Jones

The luscious and technically plush Obedientbone video was from another Oxjam connection. “That video was an experiment in using a green screen,” said Darren. He claims the technical side of filmmaking isn’t his strong point, and prefers enjoys editing, which is probably an echo from is his background as a visual artist.

In Too Deep - Nicky Swann. Directed by Darren Jones

His first film was a documentary called 100 Days as a Sheep, about an intrepid paintballing adventure. He’s in the midst of a documentary at the moment about another Bay area filmmaker, John Tompkins. And has worked with another Bay filmmaker Ashley Wing, whose eagerly awaited Poppies is nearly completion (check out some production stills).

Following on the success of 100 Days as a Sheep, Darren developed a wedding videoing business – capturing every detail of couples’ Big Day is a big responsibility, and has springboarded him into to covering live music events, documentary making and music videos. He’s even got a script all ready to go for a modern-day Hammer type film, which was spawned during his time as a comic book illustrator.

There’s a distinctly English flavour to Darren’s work and influences, whether it’s the scope of Terry Gilliam, the attention to detail of Peter Greenaway or the downright kooky and uncomfortable chill of the Wickerman (and we’re included Brit Ekland’s stunt behind in the naked shimmy with the partition wall). And the summer looks like maintaining that taste of England with a shoot of a production of A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream. But it’s an ethos of bold vision and experimentation with nuanced dark undercurrents that marks out his style, rather than something more chocolate-boxy - although, he’d make a good fist of the fourth series of Rosemary and Thyme, if there is one…

Al Capone - Hey Molly. Directed by Darren Jones

Next, along with the weddings, documentary and theatrical filming, will be Arthur Walker’s first music video to I am a Skull and I am Evil, plus more from The Quails, to name but two.

I Smile - The Quails. Directed by Darren Jones

• Check out some of Darren Jones’ films on his youtube page.

• and check out what he’s up to on his myspace.

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