There are projects you finish and feel nothing but relief that they're behind you. And there are those where, after editing the last shot, you can only sit down, play the video from the start and watch what you've made in silence. The third and final video in the trilogy for the Varaždin epic black metal band Häxänking was exactly the second kind.

The song “Dance of Death”, the lead single from their second studio album “Troubadoom”, needed a visual approach that could match its force. The central theme of the video was Danse Macabre, the ancient, late-medieval motif of the dance of death, a reminder that death doesn't choose and dances with everyone, whatever their social rank. The priest, the nun, the knight, the nobleman and the peasant all leave the same way in the end. It's a powerful, archetypal European image that has kept its weight for centuries because it is universally true. My task was to tell that complex historical allegory visually across three completely different locations, a large cast in costume and a narrative structure that couldn't lose its rhythm for a single second.

We shot at Novigrad na Dobri Old Town, in Bosiljevo and at the medieval fair in Samobor. At the fair we had no official production arrangement, so we shot guerrilla-style, right inside the event. But that setting gave us the most valuable thing of all: authentic camps and historically accurate costumes you simply can't rent. There's no substitute for authenticity, and the passion of people who truly live that aesthetic really shows on screen.

The whole story came to life thanks to the brilliant members of the historical reenactment groups Red Čuvara Grada Zagreba (Order of the Guardians of the City of Zagreb) and Red Srebrnog Zmaja (Order of the Silver Dragon). Watching them bring these historical archetypes to life in authentic costumes was an incredible experience for all of us behind the camera. The cast did a brutal job and gave the characters tangible conviction. Lara Šarec perfectly embodied Death itself (Death), while the roles of the nobleman and noblewoman (Nobleman and Noblewoman) went to Deniver Vukelić and Eva Veselinovič. The clergy were brilliantly played by Leon Bošnjak as the priest (Priest) and Anamarija Brusić as the nun (Nun), and the atmosphere was completed by Slaven Pranjić as the troubadour (Troubadour) and Daniel Jambrek as the peasant (Peasant). Tension on set was raised further by Antonio Antolić as the debt collector (Debt collector), Lovro Radovčić as the enforcer (Enforcer), and Antonio Ritec and Lovro Kruljac as the gamblers (Gambler#1 and Gambler#2). The guys also took on the dangerous roles of the knights, with Lovro stepping in as Knight#1, while Juraj Kukić from the Order of the Silver Dragon played Knight#2.

Each location brought its own character to the video. A big thank you to Društvo prijatelja Novigrada na Dobri – Frankopan (the Friends of Novigrad na Dobri society) and Netretić Municipality for letting us become part of the rich history of that magnificent 12th-century fortress. Its architecture literally breathes history, and every stone wall tells its own story. Bosiljevo welcomed us with a monumental space and natural light falling through tall windows at such an angle that all we had to do was set up the camera and wait for the perfect moment. Samobor on the other hand, gave us a lively, dynamic backdrop and extras who naturally embody that aesthetic.

Invisible VFX and organic transitions

One detail especially stuck with me: a VFX shot where you see the priest's heart pounding through his clothes. It sounds simple, but it had to be executed precisely in post-production to look natural on screen. When we pulled it off, I knew it was one of the key moments of the whole trilogy, one that nicely completes the atmosphere.

I also paid a lot of attention to directing the transitions. Instead of classic computer effects, in the edit we used organic transitions through objects on a table, such as old maps, drawings and historical charts. The camera would move in on an object until it almost filled the frame, then “break through” the rough texture of the paper into a completely new scene. The result feels as if you're literally travelling through time while leafing through some forbidden ancient book. When they work as they should, the transitions are completely organic, because the viewer doesn't see a cheap trick, just a fluid, natural cut.

The colour grading I'm proudest of

If I had to pick one technical part of this project I'm personally proudest of, it's definitely the colour grading. It isn't hard to make an image that's just dark and murky. The real art and challenge in video production is keeping that darkness “alive”, rich in detail and with clear texture in the shadows.

I split the visual story into two contrasting worlds through precise colour choices. Warm, golden tones soaked in glow and halation dominate the scenes showing life “before”: wealth, power and the false security of social rank. On the other hand, cold, desaturated tones gradually take over the screen as the shadow of death closes in on the characters. That colour contrast isn't always loud or explicit, but subconsciously it guides the viewer's emotion through the whole video, right up to the ending, where the credits show real historical Dance of Death illustrations from the 15th to the 17th century.

This was an extremely demanding project. Three historical locations, a complex cast and advanced VFX that has to land pixel-perfect pushed me to my limits in editing and colour. But that's exactly where the beauty of this work lies. When a project is easy, the result often stays average. Only when the creative process pushes you to the edge do you get the chance for real creative growth, and that's what shines brightest on screen in the end.

If for your next music video, creative video project or advanced colour grading you're looking for a professional approach that combines historical aesthetics with modern technology in Varaždin and the surrounding area, get in touch. Let's create a story people will remember.