Synopsis

Jeff Buckley cycles through New York City toward a diner, where an ordinary stop takes a bizarre turn. After settling in among the customers, he discovers that a group of gorillas has stolen his bicycle and sets off in pursuit. As the chase unfolds, Buckley strips away his clothes in the fading light, while fragmented performance images of him and his band interrupt the narrative. The result is a surreal, dreamlike journey that shifts between deadpan humor, unease, and nightmarish fantasy.

Factoids & Trivia

• The video was filmed in New York City during the Grace era and was publicly associated with the single in 1995.

• The concept was developed after Buckley and the production team met in Paris. The resulting treatment deliberately embraced a strange, dreamy, nightmarish tone rather than presenting a conventional performance video.

• The production faced a major setback immediately before filming when its budget was cut in half. The shoot went ahead regardless.

• The video received very little television exposure after its release. According to the Jeff Buckley estate's official website, Buckley considered "So Real" his favorite of his own music videos and the one he was most proud of.

• The video was shown at Buckley's memorial in Brooklyn Heights in August 1997, shortly after his death.

• The song's central guitar riff originated with Michael Tighe, who later became a member of Buckley's touring band. Tighe also co-wrote "So Real."