Prism Prize Videos: So Loki - Athlete’s World

By External Source

Last week, the Prism Prize announced the Top 20 Canadian music videos competing for the annual honour, to be handed out May 13 at TIFF Bell Lightbox in Toronto.

Leading up to the Prize, we are profiling some of the clips in contention. More information on the Prize here

So Loki - "Athlete’s World"

"Athlete’s World" by So Loki (and directed by Lucas Hrubizna) is a delightfully absurdist and farcical take on the extremes of fan culture. The video begins with the So Loki duo appearing on a generic morning show program where the overly chipper host tells the viewers about their chance to win a So Loki performance in their very own home. All they have to do is send an email proving that they are So Loki’s biggest fan.

As the camera zooms out, the viewer is quickly plunged into the narrative of an older married couple who are watching TV together. They both appear to be passively paying attention rather than actively engaged with the content, but that quickly changes when the husband discovers that his wife is secretly obsessed with So Loki. His paranoia grows as he searches through her computer, seeking proof of her fanaticism. He begins seeing the So Loki duo everywhere and is unable to escape their presence. To the surprise of no one, his wife wins the contest and So Loki, accompanied by a horde of press people, show up at the front door.

For the first time, we see her smile as she sways back and forth to So Loki performing in their living room. Like a medieval knight, her husband swoops in mid-performance to grab the microphone away. He starts freestyling in an attempt to reclaim his wife’s affection and to defend his own honour but no one is particularly impressed (least of all his wife, whose dour expression is back in full force).

Director: Lucas Hrubizna

Producer: Madeleine Davis

Director of Photography: Blake Davey