Patrick Wolf delivers The Bowline Knot

PRETTYBIRD director Joseph Wilson has directed a short film for revered singer, songwriter, composer and producer Patrick Wolf, to coincide with the release of his much anticipated The Night Safari EP, Wolf’s first full body of work in 10 years.

The EP release has been unveiled alongside a monochromatic short film The Bowline Knot, directed by Joseph Wilson. The beautifully cinematic, melancholic video provides a visual space for previous singles The Night Safari and Nowhere Game, (the video of which was shared earlier this year and forms the second part of this short film) to exist in, tying the two tracks together through a pensive and brooding lens, full of vivid iconography and incredible costumery.

Director Joseph Wilson comments: “When Patrick first approached me, he mentioned that he had two videos that were being released. It had always been a dream of mine since watching Vincent Haycock’s The Odyssey to create a short film that connected multiple tracks, so we decided to release The Night Safari as a prequel to Nowhere Game. Patrick had introduced me to the thrilling Night of The Hunter boat scene, which helped me to bridge the two films together, and shooting on water felt imperative to the music Patrick had created. We shot the video over three days, including a reshoot on the canal… I had to go out with my DP to break the ice with a rowing awe so that we could shoot. It was completely iced over! 

The edit was fused by my interest in Artist Moving Image and drew inspiration from Paul Bettell’s Queer psychedelic Illegal Tender. Some of the footage felt too ‘clean’ in post so I played around with crystal earrings and broken glass to make the shots feel more menacing and distorted. Getting to work with Patrick after all these years was a real privilege. I am so proud of the magic we created and grateful to Patrick for inviting me on board and letting my creativity run wild.”