Synopsis

Anna Calvi performs "Piece By Piece" alone against a dark, empty backdrop as a large spectrum of colored light slowly shifts around her. The hues change, intensify and gradually drain away while Calvi remains fixed at the center, delivering the song with controlled stillness and mounting emotional force. The uncluttered setting puts all attention on her face, voice and physical presence. As the colors disappear, the video arrives at a stark, nearly monochromatic finish that mirrors the song's theme of memory fading piece by piece.

Factoids & Trivia

• The visual concept grew from the lyric about color fading. The filmmakers' initial idea was described as a "big wheel of color," eventually becoming a spectrum that slowly drains away.

• Rather than using projected images, the production created the changing color entirely with lights. The lighting sequence was meticulously programmed and timed to the music.

• The video was shot on film, chosen because the filmmakers wanted the colors to register with a particular richness and precision.

• The performance was captured in a single take. The team filmed 10 versions, then selected take six because it carried the strongest emotional quality, even though the first take was considered technically the most perfect.

• The minimal setup was deliberate. The filmmakers felt that the song already contained so much musical activity that adding extra imagery would overcrowd it.

• The video supports "Piece By Piece" as the third single from Anna Calvi's 2013 album "One Breath." The track was released as a digital-only single on March 31, 2014.

• Production credits list Natalia Maus as producer, Jake Scott as director of photography, The Mill for post-production and My Accomplice as the production company.