As part of their 25th-anniversary celebrations, pop-rock band The Itchyworms released the music video for “The Life I Know” from their fifth studio album, “Waiting for the End to Start.” Helmed by award-winning filmmaker and close friend of the band, Marie Jamora and her husband Jason McLagan of Indie Pop Films and animated by Apartment D, the music video is a stunning short stop motion film that shows a uniquely Filipino perspective on childhood.
According to Jamora, the project happened when she was contacted by the band to create a music video for them.
“Knowing the Itchyworms since college, and having a band with Jazz and Kelvin in the past, I’m very close with them. So when the album came out last year, Jazz private messaged me. He said: “Would you be interested in making a video for us?” and I said sure. I’m very lucky to say this, but Jazz said, ‘You could choose the song you want.’” she said.
In an instant, Jamora knew she wanted to use “The Life I Know” due to its “infinite ideas.”
‘It was my absolute favorite song on the album,” she explained, “Something about it really haunted me. I just knew that song was special,”
With the song chosen, it was time for her to choose the concept. Eventually, she settled on exploring the themes of childhood and the safest spaces for a child, which was heavily informed by her own experience as a mother of a two-year-old girl.
“Being a new mother myself and remembering the experience of having a baby in my own womb, I always wondered what was going on inside, whether there was a different universe that my baby lived in. This all inspired and informed me for our video. I don’t think I would have ever thought of this concept if I didn’t go through this experience.”
The short film follows Awit, a toddler who has to grapple with the fact that she is about to get a sibling who she views as a threat to her safe space. With its lush texture inspired by T’boli weavings, the film is able to create a beautifully Filipino portrayal of how a child thinks and feels in a way that only stop motion could do.
“We ended up doing stop motion since we focused on feelings of childhood and introspection and a lot of interior thoughts and feelings. Stop motion really works well since it’s so textural, and like when you’re a kid you’re touching everything. So it really does evoke childhood,” explained Apartment D director of animation Cami Kwan.
“It’s a privilege to be able to tell stories that don’t often get told. And a little Filipino girl, it’s just her story and her experience and her feelings and it’s so beautiful and valuable to be bringing that into the world, now and forever,” she added.
“The Life I Know” short film and other Itchyworms’ 25th-anniversary media is now on YouTube and is also now available for streaming on WeTV in partnership with Sony Music Philippines.
The 25th-anniversary story of the Itchyworms continues on WeTV in August with the release of the special feature on their new album, aptly called Sala Set: Waiting For The End To Start, followed by a documentary on the band’s journey – all of which will be premiering on WeTV. Rounding out this musical celebration will be the release of the band’s anniversary single Eto Na, followed by the music video of the album’s title track Waiting For The End To Start. Coming soon will be an Itchyworms mockumentary, and their podcast Worms Upon A Time.
Band photo by Bernard Testa. Behind the scenes photos courtesy of Marie Jamora.