Through the Editor's Eyes | "Her Mother’s Eyes"

“This music video required elegance, something which demands more than the default tools in an editing suite. Part of achieving elegance befitting a wedding day took the form of me designing custom-built dissolves—subtle transitions that felt organic rather than uniform.”
This image is the example of how compositing the placement of the mirror to avoid discontinuity distracting the audience was pitched to the team.

Through the Editor's Eye
Youseff Mutawe / Editor
”Her Mother’s Eyes” Video / RBT

I’ve always been drawn to the romanticism of weddings in how they weave together past, present, and future into a singular moment. But what this piece had been designed to do well before my inclusion was distill much of that into the moment preceding the wedding. My only goal as editor was to further tie those themes together simply and effectively.

As an editor, I’ve learned that achieving simplicity is rarely a simple process as it requires iteration and collaboration to get there. Rosanne and our director Yeimy are great collaborators, thankfully, and our back-and-forth discussions allowed the piece to be shaped into what it is, although to be fair, their singular vision from the conceptualization phase made this a much easier process than it could have otherwise been.

This music video also required elegance - something which demands more than the default tools in an editing suite. Part of achieving elegance befitting a wedding way took the form of me designing custom-built dissolves - subtle transitions that felt organic rather than uniform (the way dissolves typically appear). The goal was never to call attention to the effect itself, but to seamlessly transition from one moment to the next beyond what is typically seen in a way that is even less noticeable than we’re all used to.

Furthermore, nearly every shot involved some level of compositing, whether blending past and present versions of the daughter into a single shot or selectively replacing elements like her shoes or dress in the background, or even the mirror in the foreground. These weren’t technical choices, they were narrative ones. By controlling what stayed and what faded during dissolves, I aimed to ensure the audience’s focus remained on what mattered most.

Love isn’t bound by logic, and so neither be the edit. Instead of rigidly adhering to traditional editing “rules” (I have a bone to pick with the concept of ‘rules’, but that’s a conversation for another day), I relied on emotion to guide every cut. Love is experiential, and I wanted the final piece to feel that way, and my method for doing so was to experience the footage as it was intended to be, and allow that to guide my decisions before anything else.

I don’t have children of my own, but I’m lucky to have young cousins who do. Watching the footage, I saw my cousin’s children in Eva’s (the young actor’s) performance. The warmth Yeimy and Artem (Director of Photography) captured on set was palpable. It just felt real to me because I could see and hear that they were all enjoying the time together. The genuine joy that Eva was experiencing allowed her to function as a proxy for the kids I hold dear to me. In some form, this music video allowed me to translate my affection for them into something material. Natalia’s (the bride’s) emotions were just as vital as Eva’s, yet emerged in a much more reserved capacity. I wanted these expressions to share the spotlight rather than compete for it.

Thankfully, the variation already allows for an emotional ebb and flow, and the moments where the two break from their default emotional state transitions them into the same place as the other (see Eva sitting quietly on the couch and Natalia’s big smile that appears later on that same couch). How much of this was planned, I don’t know, but those are both some of my favourite moments because it allows the two past and present versions of the same person to be in conversation with each other.

All in all, to be allowed to edit this was a wonderful experience, one which harkened back to past family weddings I attended and allowed me to relive some of my favourite memories with family. Yes, it’s always daunting to edit something which seems to demand a more feminine perspective, but I do my best to distill my paternal sensibilities and romanticism into something pure enough where someone can perceive it as maternal, as they both share a foundation in love.

At the end of the day, all I can do is thank those who allow me to be a part of their creative process and hope it results in something affecting for whoever is watching.

HER MOTHER’S EYES : The Video HERE

Song : Written & Performed by Rosanne Baker Thornley 
Directed by : Yeimy Daza
Cinematography and Colour : Artem Mykhailetskyi
Producers : Yeimy Daza, Rosanne Baker Thornley, Artem Mykhailetskyi
Editor : Youseff Mutawe
Featuring : Natalia Aranguren and Eva Luna
HMU : Audrey Guegan
BTS Photography : Taylor Thornley-Schollar
Casting : S.A.M. Agency (Sam Ottaivano)
’Barbra Allin’ Bridal Gown courtesy of Becker’s Bridal Boutique
Equipment : Ontario Camera
Filmed in Toronto, Canada at Studio Bon Soleil
Audio Production : Will Schollar
Mixing : Benjamin Pelchat
Guitar, Bass, Keys : William Schollar
Drums : Mark Kelso
Recorded at Kensington Sound, Toronto
Mastering : Andy Krehm at Silverbirch Productions