Directed By, Spotify’s documentary-style series that pulls back the curtain on the collaborative work behind music videos, is back with a new episode. Go behind the scenes with athlete-turned-visual-artist Savanah Leaf as she and Kelsey Lu build the visual world of “Running To Pain,” leaning into trust, vulnerability, and the song’s emotional core.
Created in partnership with Android, Directed By follows a music video’s journey from early ideas to the full realization of a shared vision. The first episode featured Maisie Peters and director James Ogram’s work on “Audrey Hepburn” and “You You You,” and the second episode followed FKA twigs and director Jordan Hemingway as they developed the video for “HARD.”
In our third and final installment, Savanah and Kelsey talk through how they captured a fever-dream feel for “Running To Pain,” and the trust it took to get there:
Spotlight: Savanah Leaf
Savanah Leaf is a British-American director whose work spans narrative film, documentary, and music videos. A former professional volleyball player and Olympian, she came to filmmaking after an injury ended her athletic career. She started out working at a commercial production company before moving into writing and directing her own projects as well as her feature film Earth Mama, which she wrote and directed.
Savanah and Kelsey’s creative relationship began through Earth Mama, which is about a pregnant single mother struggling to regain custody of her two other children, who are in foster care. Kelsey composed the score and created the film’s soundtrack. When it came time to shape the world of “Running To Pain,” they started simply by listening to the music together.
“Lu’s vision was to create a film that captures the full arc of the album, beginning with the release of ‘Running To Pain,’” Savanah said. “It explores that visceral, playful urge to run heart-first into situations that might be toxic and/or painful. We aimed to build an ethereal, dreamlike world, one where a dark fairytale styling is anchored by the raw honesty of the lyrics and performances. By balancing fantasy visuals with grounded emotions, we wanted to lead the audience on a journey from this first release through the entire record.”
“This album is the culmination of seven years of Lu’s world-building, and I think the audience will be captivated by the depth of what Lu has in store,” she added.
Check out the third episode of Directed By featuring Kelsey Lu and Savanah Leaf, then watch the official music video for “Running To Pain.”