Marni Kornhauser is an art director and stylist based in Melbourne. Her eclectic use of bold colours, staging, and accompanying vintage feel make her works extremely unique and identifiable in the art director world. She’s worked with musicians Courtney Barnett, The Avalanches, Client Liason, sports star Darcy Vescio, and even worked with Target for some commercials, just to name a few. Basically you wish your life could look as cool as her work does.

Jess Ribeiro – ‘Love Is The Score Of Nothing’ (BTS Photo Credit: Nick Mckk)

“I like to conceptualise the tone, feeling and colour palette with the artist from the very beginning... I’m essentially bringing their stories to life and so I feel it’s important to understand how their music feels to them from a visual perspective.”.

Love is the Score of Nothing plays like a European drama from the 1960s – between the beautiful outfits, larger-than-life beehives (courtesy of Ginger Light, hairdresser extraordinaire who is also featured in the clip) and vintage car; you could easily mistake this for a French New Wave film. In addition to that, Jess (Ribeiro) holds a minimal expression throughout the clip that allows it to be read in a few different ways. This ambiguity really adds to the piece and gives it that dramatised element.

 

Jess Ribeiro – ‘Love Is The Score Of Nothing’ (BTS Photo Credit: Nick Mckk)

For Love is the Score of Nothing Jess and Marni discussed colours they felt drawn to and how they could use them to “catch the eye”. Marni says the time period was Jess’s concept for the clip, “so we worked together to combine the period with our colour choices and locations, and of course Ginger’s beautiful car!”.

All of Marni’s projects are so distinct. When asked how she incorporates her unique stamp into each piece of work, Marni replied: “Music videos are always a bit crazy and lacking in pre production time, so I always have an endless source of props and clothing on hand to add to the madness! I guess my use of strong colours and patterns always seem to make their way into each job I do one way or another!”.

“What a pleasure it is to work with talented friends!  Nick and Jess and are so enthusiastic and brought together a great bunch of people” which included Ginger and “her adventurous sidekick/pooch Marianne.”. – a real showstopper in all her puffed-up glory.

Jess Ribeiro – ‘Love Is The Score Of Nothing’ (BTS Photo Credit: Nick Mckk)

Though Jess and her girl gang are of course the eye-catchers of the clip, it’s hard to dismiss the use of location. To the untrained eye we could be anywhere, but to the residential Melbournian it is clear the team chose to film in Fitzroy, just off Smith Street. This acts like a little Easter egg and really adds to the inimitable Melbourne music scene, given that the North side of town is a highly-concentrated artistic hub. Though she runs a busy schedule Marni always finds the time to fit music videos into her year because she is “a huge fan of the music scene in Melbourne and it’s always been my way of giving back to the community”.

Her dedication certainly pays off.

Here is the official video for “Love is the Score of Nothing”