All Is True

Whilst most musicians have lyrics with which to anchor the storyline of their music videos, those who focus on instrumental music have no such luxury.  For them the challenge is to express the emotions that they wanted to transmit not just through music but also image.  

This is an abstract exercise where the feelings underlying the music are often reliant on what the listener can discern.  Matching that to a visual representation can be tough.  Yet this makes it more challenging, not impossible.

The latest example of getting this balance just right lies in Tact’s “All is True”.  This music video tries to share the artist's emotions in an embedded visual form, portraying the concepts of diversity, humanity and the unpleasant beauty. A pure, simple, marvellous act of humanity translated into an endless motion. The urgency to convey, and the aspiration to create an inquisitive picture that intensifies, communicates and engraves in one’s morals the social disturbances of today’s reality.

The deep humanistic architecture of the video’s theme relates to a world of precipices and unstable equilibriums inspired by true stories. A motion that portrays imperfections and redemptions, anxieties and frustrations, persons who are stripped off their dignity and lay bare in the wilderness of society. A life full of illusions, memories and unexpected emotions, yet ignited with the slightest taste of hope. 

“All Is True” portrays and embraces the heart breaking virtue of piety. Three disturbed, yet connected souls in unstable balance between melancholy and nostalgia, damnation and salvation, light and darkness. Yet, the motion is softened by the flow of hope that crackles from the sudden laughter of the old lady; the mystery behind the unpleasant beauty.

Tact (Tartaglia's act) was formed in November 2009 by guitarist and composer Franco Tartaglia, releasing its first music album 'Brushworks' supported by the Malta Arts Fund (Arts Council Malta) in November 2015. Tact’s music is inspired around the architecture and skill of guitar playing and composition. 

The classical guitar, in its' simplicity as an instrument, is the foundation of the whole concept opening up to the freedom of the other instruments sustaining and blending with the guitar, and thus portraying a strong lyrical and percussive feeling. Tact’s current line up is bassist Charles Cassar, pianist Paul Torpiano and drummer Carl Matthew Camilleri, all of which contribute to Tact’s introspective music arrangement and song writing. 

“I wanted a concept video as that complements me as an artist.  There is an element of illusion with three characters who live different lives but perhaps are connected.  I wanted to focus on the concept of existentialism,” Franco Tartaglia explain.

The music video for ‘All Is True’ is directed by Jonathan Laferla and produced by Sergio Tartaglia, together with the director of photography and video editor Francesco Debono whilst Franco Tartaglia was the executive producer. 

This video relied on the support of a number of people including Jason Masini - The Splendid, Raċanċ, Joe Mizzi, Justin Pace, Jean Paul Buttigieg, Kumpanija Teatrali Dumnikani Beltin and Valletta Stars St. Dominic’s Bar throughout the production phase as well as the ground-breaking work and dedication of production manager Francesca Mercieca, production coordinator Claire Marantidis Cordina, all the actors and make-up artists.

At the heart of the artistic visual production of “All is true” is Valletta, the upcoming European Capital of Culture for 2018. The main parts were shot at the enigmatic, yet intriguing ‘The Splendid Hotel’ in Strait Street, at the ‘Sala San Duminku’ (at the courtesy of the ‘Kumpanija Teatrali Dumnikani Beltin’), at the “Valletta Stars Bar” in Saint Dominic Street as well as an innovative shot at the rampant ‘boathouses’ along the Valletta coastline, rediscovering the cultural hot spots within our Capital. 

The music video for All Is True can be seen below and is available on Tact’s Facebook Page and Youtube channel.