Prism Prize Eligible Video: Storry - Up

By External Source

The 2020 Prism Prize for Best Canadian Music Video was awarded to Peter Huang, for his clip for Jessie Reyez's Far Away. We will continue to profile noteworthy Canadian videos that were eligible for the prize, including this one from a Toronto singer/songwriter nominated for two Junos last year. 

Storry - Up

Storry, the stage name of Dina Koutsouflakis, is as tough as they come. Following her graduation from University, Dina was involved in a relationship that soon turned abusive, with her partner forcing her into work as a stripper but controlling both her finances and her social contact with friends and family.

She soon took matters into her own hands, escaping the sex industry and making music independently, which did not go unnoticed. This Canadian pop singer is a two-time Juno Award nominee, receiving nods for Reggae Recording of the Year at the 2020 Juno Awards for her single Another Man, and for Adult Contemporary Album of the Year for her album CH III: The Come Up.

The stop motion visuals for her single Up, which she wrote, directed, produced, and edited, took 4 months to complete. The video opens up with a couple on a walk, they see a rock on the ground and the man tries to lift it up; however, it’s too heavy, and his arms fall off from the weight. His girlfriend helps put him back together, until he sees a potion stand. He uses 25 cents he found to buy a potion to make you big and strong. Slowly he destroys everything in his and his loved one's lives. He becomes insatiated and his appetite for strength is too large. The girlfriend tries to stay by his side and pick up the pieces. 

Storry explains that "Often, we excuse people we love for their misbehaviour because we empathize and feel we know their true essence. But even killers have mothers or friends or partners who love them and who see the best in them. And we take it upon ourselves to clean up after their mess, hoping that they will change, hoping that they will soon return to their true selves."

Written, directed, produced & edited by Storry

Animation, character & set design & everything else by Storry, Charlotte Gaj, & Rollin Waugh 

Music written and performed by Storry & Yotam Baum 

Sound design by Eric Saucke-Lacelle

Colour grading by David Nwipko

Special Thanks to Ibtessam Haddad & Bryan Kubinec