Synopsis

Styled like the opening credits of a long-lost 1970s television adventure, the video follows a glamorous cast through sun-drenched beaches, boats, pools, cars and helicopter flights. Men and women in period clothes pose, flirt, chase mysteries and project the cool confidence of vintage spies, detectives and action heroes. The images do not form a conventional storyline so much as a playful, atmospheric introduction to an imaginary series, with bold titles, slow-motion gestures and disco-era style turning Sydney into a retro fantasy.

Factoids & Trivia

• The video was designed to resemble the title sequence of a fictional 1970s action show, drawing on the visual language of James Bond films, "Charlie's Angels," "Starsky & Hutch" and similar productions.

• The original concept went much further than the finished clip. The production team imagined a fake DVD box set, complete with outtakes, interviews and a documentary about the show's supposed history, cast scandals and decline. The limited budget and schedule meant that only the opening sequence was completed.

• The visual concept was partly inspired by "Boogie Nights" and early James Bond films.

• The shoot used a Red One camera with vintage Carl Zeiss Super Speed lenses associated with 1970s cinematography. The aged appearance was achieved largely in-camera rather than through extensive post-production.

• Production took place around Sydney, including Tamarama Beach, Rose Bay and The Ivy. Additional aerial footage was filmed near Byron Bay after the crew drove overnight to avoid bad weather.

• Rain forced the team to reschedule the shoot three times. The helicopter material was captured during about 45 minutes of flight time, with the camera operated handheld after the helicopter door was removed.

• The production began with a budget of about A$4,500. A further A$1,500 was added for the helicopter and additional shots.

• The speedboats were supplied by Premier Marine, while Merivale assisted with the pool and other locations.

• The title design used Lee Bold, a typeface associated with 1970s visual culture and previously used for "Charlie's Angels" title graphics.

• "Foreign Language" was nominated for Australian Video of the Year at the 2012 J Awards.