Behind The Video: Daedric Take Us into the Haunting World of Their “Coldharbour” Music Video

A creative venture from Dallas/Fort Worth-based vocalist and artist Kristyn Hope, Daedric draws inspiration from an eclectic array of sources, including David Bowie, Anthony Green of Circa Survive, Sia, and the popular open-world role-playing game series Elder Scrolls, from which the Daedric name is derived.

Late last year, Daedric released the haunting music video for “Coldharbour.” In the latest of our Behind The Video series, we sat down with Kristyn to talk about the video, the inspiration, how it came together and much more.

Before you head into the interview, check out the haunting video for “Coldharbour” below

Who directed the video?

Daedric: “‘Coldharbour’ was directed by Brittany Davis, Clay Schroeder, and Kristyn Hope in a collaborative endeavor to bring together striking aesthetics and modern music.”

What’s the concept behind the video? Help us to understand the video’s concept in more detail and how it ties into the lyrics.

“The concept behind ‘Coldharbour’ is recreating an atmosphere found in The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim that feels almost like a cold and desolate hellscape. I wanted to focus on texture and movement to highlight expression and emotion from the song.”

Video Still from Daedric’s “Coldharbour” Music Video

Where was it made?

“We filmed in two locations: a public park/forest and my own kitchen. All of the wide outdoor shots were shot in a mesquite tree forest behind a dog park, where we shot close to sunset in order to achieve a dull twilight look throughout the video. The closer shots of the faces were all done in my kitchen using fabric and an Aztec clay mask for textured effect.”

What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever had to do or seen being done during the making of a music video?

“I’ve done a lot of strange things for the sake of art and music, but I have no shame about it. For this video, I walked around the public park with massive layers of black fabric encasing me, so I’m sure I looked terrifying. A couple kids stopped to ask what we were doing, and I told them I was haunting the woods.”

Video Still from Daedric’s “Coldharbour” Music Video

What should a music video set out to accomplish? Do you feel like yours did that?

“A good music video should tell the story or vibe of the song it’s created and paired with. It should make the audience feel strong emotions or even ask questions about themselves. I do feel that the ‘Coldharbour’ music video echoed the song and enhanced the emotions for anyone watching and listening.”

Is there any part of the process you’d do differently now?

“What would I do differently? I would film when it’s not super hot outside so I don’t feel like I might suffocate and pass out while performing.”

If money was no issue, what would be in your perfect video?

“If money was no issue, I would hire a VFX artist to create hyper-realistic landscapes and creatures to further cement the otherworldly feeling I’m aiming to establish with Daedric’s visual art. I want dinosaurs, dragons, spirits – you name it, I want it.”

Do you prefer writing a video around the theme of a song or just going to a warehouse and banging out a live performance?

“There’s absolutely a time and place to produce a performance-only video, but I will always prefer to fabricate narratives that add to the track. I’ve always been a visual artist, and I don’t think that’s something I can let go of easily.”

Video Still from Daedric’s “Coldharbour” Music Video

Is a well-made DIY video just as good or beneficial as a professionally-made/directed video?

“When a DIY video has the right minds and determination behind it, it can be just as striking as a full-production video. It’s quality over quantity every time, and if you have one brilliant person on a project versus ten unmotivated people, the one person is going to outperform the others.”

For more information on Daedric, visit their Instagram Page.