Four of The Beach Boys’ most timeless and legendary songs – “Barbara Ann,” “Don’t Worry Baby,” “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” and “God Only Knows” – serve as the soundtrack to a stunning, unprecedented four-part video series that builds on itself to become one long narrative when watched in order or can be enjoyed individually. Directed by Andrew Litten, who’s worked with Anderson .Paak, Pusha T, and Earth, Wind & Fire, the cinematic story, which was beautifully filmed in South Africa with a local cast of actors, captures what it’s like to be young and in love as it traces a high school romance between surfing-obsessed Helena (Zoe Manoek) and Lucas (Toby De Goede), an aspiring photographer who’s the new kid in town, and the difficult decisions they each must make as graduation looms and their futures beckon.
The video series will play out over back-to-back weekends and kicked off ON SATURDAY with the first installment, “Barbara Ann,” which introduces Helena, a young teen who spends her waking hours daydreaming about surfing and getting out of her small town. The story of Lucas, a boy who moves to town with his dad, will be told in the ensuing video, “Don’t Worry Baby”.
“Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” which details the pair’s relationship, will premiere next Friday, September 16th at 9 am PT and it will all culminate with “God Only Knows” on Saturday, September 17th at 9 am PT, where young love is at a crossroads as high school comes to an end. Each chapter explores an aspect of escapism for the two main characters who are at the intersection of innocence and adulthood and mirrors the sentiments of the songs which were written in the mid-1960s when The Beach Boys were teenagers and young adults themselves and which resonant as strongly today as ever.
Director Andrew Litten said, “A recurring theme throughout The Beach Boys’ music is the feeling of being young and in love. Their most iconic songs were written when they were between the ages of 15 to 21, so there’s this exciting view on life that’s immortalized in their lyrics. I wanted to do the same with the music videos by capturing the spontaneity and playfulness of being a teenager, fantasizing about the future, pursuing new passions, and falling in love. I wanted to capture the feeling after your first kiss or how it felt leaving home for college. Each video builds on itself to become one long narrative but it was also very important that each video could stand on its own. If you’re watching chronologically, you become more invested in the characters.”
In addition to the emotionally engaging story, the videos are filled with several Easter Eggs that pay homage to The Beach Boys legacy.
Video Schedule
- Friday, September 9th @ 6 am PT/9 am ET – “Barbara Ann”
- Saturday, September 10th @ 9 am PT/12 pm ET – “Don’t Worry Baby”
- Friday, September 16th @ 9 am PT/12 pm ET – “Wouldn’t It Be Nice”
- Saturday, September 17th @ 9 am PT/12 pm ET – “God Only Knows”
