Blinkink director Raman Djafari unpacks childhood memories of growing up in the Spandau borough of Berlin as the foundation for this dramatic and dreamy solo CG music video for DJ Piper who hails from the same part of the German capital.

Raman Djafari: “The video for ‘RIP TXL’ consists of four small stories, all based on memories of my adolescence. I tried to capture the feeling of wonder and the overwhelming drama that this time in my life had.

“Everything felt so large, so charged with a sense of meaning. It was interesting to revisit these times and find a visual language that represents this aspect of my memories while also paying homage to actual places in Berlin that played an important role for me in these years. There is Gleisdreieck for example, the Rathaus Spandau, and a meadow on the outskirts of Brieselang.
 

“For the lighting, I looked at a lot of theater stage designs and painters like Caravaggio, in an attempt to make these places of my childhood look as big and important as they felt to me.”

 
“Since this was one of these projects that I did without a team, I tried to be economical with my use of animation. I like when the drama in my 3D work comes more from lighting and composition than from movement.

“For the lighting, I looked at a lot of theater stage designs and painters like Caravaggio (as I do so often), in an attempt to make these places of my childhood look as big and important as they felt to me.

“The music that Felix (DJ Piper) produced for this album gives the project a sense of coolness. The hip-hop instrumentals recall a 90s golden era flair, which is the music I listened to most during these years. It was the perfect soil for these childhood memories. Exploring the city, graffiti, long walks at night, the discovery of friendships and self.”
 
 

 
Artist: DJ Piper
Label: Kommerz Records

Production: Blinkink
Director: Raman Djafari
Animator: Raman Djafari
Graphic design: Dominik Keller