When a music video has a total of four crewmembers, and one of them is credited as prop master, it’s clear those elements play a significant role in telling the story of the video. In the music video for “The Snow” by AK, director Kristina Carucci was able to alter her own bedroom into what feels like several different environments, mainly through the use of different props, practical effects, and doorknobs. We talked to Kristina about the video, working with prop master Madeline Jacobs, and what happens when you change the doorknob on your bedroom a bunch of times.

Doug: How did you first get involved with video?

Kristina: I went to school in Boston and I used to go to these shows that we called Hootenannies. It was basically a group of rotating folk singers who would perform for maybe 50 or so people in an attic. AK came on, I guess you could call it the stage, but really there was no stage. I was just blown away by her voice. I actually never met her during that time. Fast forward a few years later, I found out through Facebook that she had put out a new EP and that she was living in New York. I reached out to her and I said, “I think we would be a great match in terms of our aesthetics.” She agreed and we met up. From there, it took off.

Doug: Did she hand you this particular track?

Kristina: Originally, I wanted to do a different song called “Stars.” It was a much more upbeat song, which is more of what I’m used to working with. I tend to do videos that are really colorful with a lot of fast cuts, so I immediately gravitated towards that song. She informed me that she had actually already filmed the video for that song so she sent me a few more options. When I heard “The Snow,” I just fell in love with it. Even though it wasn’t my normal speed, I just thought it’s a really beautiful and inspiring piece. I had a lot of visuals easily come to mind when I listened to it.

Doug: A lot of the visuals that play out in the video are primarily done through practical effects. There are few post effects in there, but they all have this in-camera core. I’m curious why you chose to use practical effects versus doing them in post-production?

Kristina: It’s really important to me that everything I make has a certain handmade quality to it. I think when I first discovered that about myself is when I started watching videos by Michel Gondry. When I watched his videos, and particularly his feature films, it suddenly became very clear to me that being able to see how something was executed, and not trying to hide that with a computer, can not only be OK, but can actually enhance something. When I saw The Science of Sleep, and I could see the fishing line holding the little cotton balls up, that was so much more magical and imaginative to me than just adding clouds later on in After Effects. I just never really let go of that idea, it just works for me.

Doug: You had a prop master working on this video, Madeline Jacobs. What was it like working with her? Did you just give her some notes and ideas and let her go nuts, or was it a more collaborative process?

Kristina: Originally, I had a production designer, but she decided that she didn’t have enough time to dedicate to the project. I felt a little uneasy and untrusting going forward, because in this video the production design was so important. I decided to take on that role myself, even though it was very stressful at times. I’m glad that I did, because I was able to be very particular about the doorknobs and what color the rabbit was, things like that. Madeline came on board about a week before the shoot. I was pretty specific with her in terms of what I was looking for. She was a life saver on set. There were some genius techniques that she had, like when the yarn spells out the lyrics - she executed that so brilliantly in a way that I never would have been able to come up with. Also, the anti-gravity scene with AK's hair, within 20 minutes, Madeline built this contraption that involved a broomstick and a bunch of fishing line. That was her real contribution to the shoot, was on set, just being like a MacGyver and just coming up with really awesome ways to execute the ideas.

Doug: I see you also have one production assistant credited. Is that basically the whole crew on set, you, your DP, Madeline, and then one PA?

Kristina: That was it. Originally, we did have the production designer and a different DP. Leah was supposed to be a camera operator but she ended up stepping up to DP. I think in the end, it actually worked out. I think it was nice to keep the crew really small. We’re working in a small space and it just kept everything really intimate and fun. It was just the four crew members and AK and that was it.

Doug: What was this space? Where were you guys shooting?

Kristina: We actually ended up shooting in my bedroom. It was perfect because the emotions that she’s projecting and this idea of her trying to escape this room is very much something that I live in that space. We actually also had another location at one point, but I think shooting in my room turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

Doug: How similar is your room to what we see in the video? Is it dressed up for the video, or are a lot of those elements already there?

Kristina: I would say 90% of the tchotchkes and the props that you see in the video are mine and everything else is borrowed or rented. We replaced the curtains; the night before I moved out my bed. We rearranged some furniture, but that’s my bicycle, that’s my desk, that’s my clock. It’s very much me.

Doug: Did you have to change the doorknob in your bedroom a bunch of times?

Kristina: We did, we did - and we did it in such a goofy way. There’s actually a piece of paper that I had to put over my real doorknob hole because the knobs are each so different that it was impossible to make them all work with the door. Sometimes the doorknob is actually non-functional and poor Madeline was actually in my closet, holding the other end of the doorknob while AK turned it.

Doug: So did you have those doorknobs already? They're a major part of the video - did you have those going in?

Kristina: Actually, the very first image I had when I listened to this song was the doorknobs. There was nothing else before that. It was very important to me that each of the doorknobs was very distinct from one another. I felt like that was the best way to communicate to the audience that she was going through these alternate realities. It’s not the same doorknob, even though it’s the same room. Meaning, while she’s in the same physical space, she’s not in the same environment.

Doug: So none of them actually work for your door? Is your real doorknob boring compared to those cool ones from the video?

Kristina: None of those worked for my door. My real doorknob, currently, I cannot figure out how to put it back on. I am just without a doorknob on my closet right now. That’s what I get for shooting in my own living space.

Doug: I guess it’s better than ruining somebody else’s space.

Kristina: Yes, that actually was a big source of relief for me - with that and with the gold glitter - knowing it was my room. I’m still currently finding glitter throughout my apartment. I’m glad that I didn’t impose that on anyone else.

Doug: Did you do a lot of performance direction of AK for this video?

Kristina: This one wasn’t terribly complicated in terms of performance. I’ve seen AK perform so many times that I trusted her to sing in an attractive way, in a way that would look nice on film. She’s very good at keeping her face soft and not looking like she’s straining. I did have some direction in terms of emotions that she was feeling, things like that. But, she wasn’t really moving terribly much in the video, which made it pretty simple.

Doug: You said it was very specific that you had a brown rabbit. Do you have a lot of experience with rabbits? From what I hear, they’re shitty to deal with.

Kristina: I could have dealt with a black rabbit or as well, but it’s really important to me that the rabbit looks like it came from the forest. That scene was supposed to be a very woodsy scene. That’s why we focused on that deer as well. I just didn’t want it to look too pristine, so I didn’t really want a white rabbit. Madeline actually is the one who found the rabbit. It was one of those things where it was almost like a chain letter. We’re asking all our friends, and asking our friends to ask their friends. There ware many Facebook posts, I think Twitter - I don’t know how to use that, but I’m sure there are some tweets about it. I think it was someone three degrees away from Madeline. Finally, James sent her a photo of Johanna. I saw it and said, “He’s gorgeous. He’s perfect.” It worked out really well.

Doug: But as far as temperament, he wasn't bitey or anything?

Kristina: He did scratch her at one point. It totally was not the rabbit’s fault. It was just being held for long periods of time. He was a very hyperactive rabbit. As soon as James, the owner, opened up the case, he took off like a rocket. It was nearly in every corner of the room and sliding around. It was adorable. We were like, “We need you to chill out and sit in this girl’s arms for a minute.” Once in a while, it would buck and try to get free. He was trying to escape, very much like AK in the video.

Doug Klinger is the co-founder/content director of IMVDb and watches more music videos than anyone on earth. You can find him on twitter at @doug_klinger.