The Paper Kites - Bloom

What this video is

Released in 2010 as the debut single by Melbourne five-piece The Paper Kites, 'Bloom' was distributed as a hand-made CD single in a limited run of approximately 500 copies before spreading organically online. It predates the dominant Spotify era and exemplifies the last generation of pre-streaming grassroots indie virality — spread through blog networks, YouTube embeds, and fan word-of-mouth. The song and its video…

Why it matters

A landmark document of Australian indie folk's entry into international consciousness. 'Bloom' established The Paper Kites as a defining act of the Melbourne folk underground and demonstrated that micro-budget, emotionally direct music videos could achieve outsized cultural reach in the early…

The director

Pete Seamons is an Australian director and cinematographer. He co-directed the 'Bloom' music video for The Paper Kites alongside vocalist Sam Bentley, and also served as cinematographer and editor on the same production. He is additionally credited as…