Translating such an intimate vision into film required a shared creative sensibility. For Apollo, distilling the vastness of their emotions and imagination into a structured, practical shot list initially proved to be overwhelming, requiring them to find a way to translate the fluidity of dreams into a tangible cinematic vision. Working closely with cinematographer and co-director Charlie Stamatogiannis, Apollo was able to bring their vision to life, with Charlie’s collaborative approach helping shape the video’s visual identity. Together, they developed a striking contrast between natural landscapes and artificial environments, allowing the dreamer’s emotional experience to dictate the world around them. As Apollo elaborates:

The result is striking. Bathed in lilac purples, contrasting blues, soft pinks and natural bright greens, the video unfolds through a palette that feels in equal measure, nostalgic and otherworldly. Images layer over one another like delicate fabrics draped across a camera lens, while pearls shimmer and light glistens across the frame. There is a tender reminiscence to its beauty, as though the film is reaching towards a world that does not yet exist, but might someday be within reach. Drawing on surrealist cinema and the hazy romanticism of 2010s indie pop and queer media, the cinematography combines natural lens flares, reflective textures and soft focus to create an immersive visual experience. Through an exchange of references and a careful consideration of each frame, Apollo and Charlie sought to give form to a world that had previously existed only in Apollo’s imagination. Speaking further to this, Charlie detailed:

The video’s art direction, co-crafted by art department contributor Cait Nelson, draws on the symbolism of mythology and the natural world, with production design serving as a bridge between the song’s sonic textures and its dreamy landscape. Oceanic imagery, iridescent details and flowing fabrics evoke the unconscious as a place of mystery and creation, while pearls and shell-pink organza lend the video a distinctly mythological sensibility. Taking influence from the sensuality and mysticism of Greek goddesses, these elements transform the dreamscape into something almost sacred, where love becomes both a source of beauty and a creative force. From the shifting waters of Merri Creek to the delicate interplay of costume, makeup and symbolism, Cait’s contributions help shape a world suspended between the earthly and the divine, as they explain:

“Motifs that began in the production of ‘Love Dream’ sonically were carried over into production design for the video. I think immediately of the evocation of oceanic imagery as a symbol of the unconscious dreaming mind. There are costuming and prop elements, like the ready inclusion of pearls and the pleated shell-pink organza that conjure up the Birth of Venus for me; a very fitting nod to love as a creative force. Our first filming location, the gorgeous Merri Creek, was also a fantastic choice for the story we were telling; an idyllic but changeable water corridor and a potent source of everyday magic to the city dwellers nearby, providing an ethereal respite from reality you might otherwise only find in your dreams.”

While the video’s mythological references draw on Apollo’s longstanding fascination with Greek mythology, these influences extend beyond its aesthetic, informing the intimate yet otherworldly atmosphere of ‘Love Dream’. As Apollo explains, this childhood fascination helped configure the video’s styling, makeup and production design, drawing on the sensuality and mysticism of mythological figures to create a world where love takes on an almost divine quality:

“Greek mythology was the birth of my stage name, Apollo Blue, named after Apollo; the God of music, poetry, light, healing and prophecy. The immersive stories of Greek Mythology were an early fascination of mine as a kid. The sirens and Goddesses of Greek mythology were often depicted with a sensual yet mystical power that I adored. This really inspired the styling, makeup and production design of the video. Sheer fabrics, glistening makeup, pearl details and symbolism through objects and colours were all used to portray the intimate yet otherworldly world that is ‘Love Dream’.”

Within this dreamscape, however, the mythology gives way to something deeply human. The dream lover, whose face Apollo has been “dreamin’ of”, is portrayed with gentle magnetism by Kaio Pagani, embodying both the profound joy and inherent vulnerability of true intimacy. Their presence “fills the screen with warmth and radiance, while their absence casts a cold shadow,” revealing the emotional duality at the heart of Apollo’s vision. What began as a recurring dream that felt almost prophetic became an opportunity to explore not only the beauty of an imagined love, but also the grief and darkness that can accompany its loss:

“In the recurring dreams, it felt more like a prophetic glimpse into the future. Within the video I wanted to expand on this and contrast the joy with the grief and darkness that also comes with love […] I (also) wanted the video to tell the truth. And the truth is that queer love is an expansive, natural, limitless force. So it was less my idea and more just a reflection of reality.”

For Apollo, revisiting this recurring dream has offered a way to reconnect to their younger self, processing and reflecting on their evolving understanding of identity, intimacy and queer love. What began as a deeply personal vision has since grown into an invitation for others to recognise the beauty and purity of their own experiences, unburdened by the expectations or limitations that have been imposed upon them. Through ‘Love Dream’, Apollo hopes to inspire other queer people to embrace love in all its tenderness and possibility, celebrating the freedom to love openly and unapologetically – an experience they describe as “so freeing”. In giving form to a world that once existed only in their dreams, Apollo has created space for others to imagine one where love, in all its expansiveness, needs neither justification nor permission:

“I hope people leave with reflections on their own love, loss and life. I hope it evokes an emotional truth, a resonance that stays with them. My hope for young queer viewers is that they know their love and identity is beautiful! I want them to feel pride and possibility in everything that makes them feel different or less than. Queer people have always existed and we always will.”

The sonic and narrative world-building of ‘Love Dream’ has also allowed them to process what these recurring dreams once meant to them. Not only has their understanding of these dreams deepened, but the process has also offered an opportunity to reconnect with their younger self and reflect on the vulnerability of those formative years spent discovering and embracing their identity. In bringing this once-elusive vision into the physical world, they have since come to recognise the importance of honouring the parts of ourselves that may otherwise remain tucked away in the subconscious, finding freedom in the purity of loving without judgement or shame:

“It helped me understand what a delicate time it is when you first come out and open your heart to not just the world but yourself. The purity of loving without judgment or shame is so freeing. […] It deepened my relationship to the dreams. There were so many moments of creative joy and divine friendship while working on this music video with such a beautiful group of friends. It made me realise the power of honouring your dreams, literally and figuratively!”

Beneath the mythology, magnetic iridescent textures and dreamlike imagery lies something far more intimate; an expansive understanding of love, and the freedom that comes with allowing it to exist without judgement or shame. 

Here is the official video for “Love Dream”

Music Video Credits