Tyler T Williams: YOUTH LAGOON Montana

Set to a muffled piano and faraway vocals, Tyler T Williams’ music video for track Montana brims with a nostalgia and sorrow that subtly captures American newcomer Youth Lagoon’s emotive musical tone.

Fusing together delicate cinematography and a narrative that touches on memories and loss, the collaboration came about from Williams’ friendship with Youth Lagoon musician Trevor Powers and was born out of the director’s fondness for the 50s lifestyle and aesthetic.

“The story is about a youthful boy who has absolutely nothing to worry about until his father passes away during a war,” explains Williams, “and, as he grows older, the boy has to deal with these haunting feelings of sorrow. That feeling of loss, where you wish you could bring someone back just for a little bit, really takes you into another reality, which separates you from the ability to do normal things such as work and even love.”

“I wanted the story and pacing of the piece to be a waterfall of short vignettes, kind of how we usually interpret memories,” he explains. “They can sometimes be the littlest things, yet they’re engraved into our minds like it was yesterday.” Flashing back and forth between the boy’s early experiences and his modern day world, the piece was filmed in and around Williams’ adopted home, the Idaho capital Boise.

Raised in the mountains outside Santa Barbara, Williams’ passion for filmmaking had been instigated by many a teenage boy’s pastime – shooting skateboarding videos with his friends. But, serious about a career in film, the California native followed a route into the business and at 19 took a production assistant job at a VFX house working on the effects for Sin City.

However he soon decided he wanted a more personal filmmaking experience and set out for the Pacific Northwest, where he started shooting music videos.

“I figured music videos were a great way to get your name out there quicker than just a short film,” continues Williams.

“Directing and having the ability to make your vision come to life through cinema is gratifying. Just being able to bring your imagination to the table and make it happen truly fuels me. The end result when it is all finished puts a smile on my face. The pressure may be great at times but it is all worth it when it’s done.”


Currently working with Paris-based production company Henry de Czar, Williams has a collection of music videos under his belt, including another one for Youth Lagoon, this time with a sci-fi twist.

In the future, he’s aiming to open the door into the commercials world and he’s also got ideas for a feature film.

And what would his dream project be?

“To make a film that captures the audience in a manner that allows them to juxtapose the film with their own life,” he says. “I always want people to relate to my films and to interpret them in their own way.”