knotted gold was directed by Tom Dream and Arlo Parks as part of Dazed x Gucci’s ‘Absolute Beginners, a short film series which sees nine creative talent do something they’ve never done before: get in the director’s seat’ – Dazed.

‘Having this opportunity to give a platform to so many brilliant people and locations in Margate was a dream, and also the positive impact of working with People Dem Collective and the young people they support through mentor programs added so much to both the creative process and the outcome, as is evident in this film’ – Tom Dream

“I’ve always wanted to shoot by the sea and capture the power of nature, the interesting local characters and the architecture of seaside towns. I wanted this intersection of elegance and comfort. Making this made me feel like I really expanded my horizons as an artist and having Tom Dream co-directing made me feel so supported and creatively free. I learnt that no idea is a bad idea and that preparation is key.” – Arlo Parks, Director

“Being a behind the scenes photographer on this shoot for Dazed and Gucci involved getting complete access to document everything which was just fantastic. I was peering in and capturing shots you’d normally miss. Being asked to be the Assistant Director to Tom Dream gave me a new experience and the opportunity to see everything from another perspective, which was just incredible” – Sterling Chandler, Assistant Director and BTS Photographer