In the Deep Shade celebrates simplicity. No captions. No flash-cuts. No voiceover. With a photographer’s eye, poetic sensibility and painterly aesthetic, Masterson examines the ever-evolving relationship between five musicians who’ve known each other for many years. That’s the story, and in its understated way, it’s an uncommon one.
“When the 20th anniversary was approaching I suggested filming at one of their smaller gigs, to get some footage in a more intimate venue, close up,” says the filmmaker, who has photographed the band since 1998. “Glen had seen a personal art film I made in Paris and suggested I make a film with the same loose, roaming aesthetic. My initial reaction was sceptical as I had no interest in making a music documentary, but I knew the band was comfortable around me and realised there might be an opportunity to do something interesting.”
“What appealed to me was the chemistry and the family spirit that they all have. I’m hoping that it can be seen as a film about a collective whose chief concern is playing music well. I think it’s rare to have a collection of high-achieving, talented men who have worked together for this long and are still healthy.”
“I was wary of making something that looked good but had no heart,” he concludes. “We are in an age when we’re all a little ADD from an intensely fast internet-orientated world. People see so much online and watch so many things in small chunks that it’s crazy. You can’t compete for that attention, so I tried to make a film that needs to be watched as a film. This is my first feature-length work, a film about old friends and their relationships as they make music. I felt if I could make a film that touched on those ideas, that looked good, featuring The Frames’ music, then it might be a nice piece of work.”
