I absolutely loathe them low budget Pootube music videos. Their only quality - as far as I can tell - is that they're quirky and they go viral. So fucking what? So are STD's.
I come from a film school where they taught us how to carefully light up the floors and the walls, how to flesh out the characters or how to block the camera. But it didn't take me long to realize all these were in vain. Why? Because in this day and age when we're on the eve of the Apocalypse and budgets get ever smaller, one only needs a fucking cellphone and no talent whatsoever in order to shoot a (what they call ) video. It's desktop film-making and low budgets together with Pootube and Myshpace that took all the fun (and the money) out of video making. These, ma friends, are the four horsemen of the Apocalypse. Beware the heinous Pootube & co.
Why should I stay awake till the wee hours of the morning trying to figure out ways to spend a 300-quid budget? Maybe I am not cut out to be a music videos director, 'cuz I can tell you this: I feel much safer in the comfort zone of studio production for commercials. And say that I love a track so much that I decide to give it a go. Will I be happy with the end result? Is 300, or 200, or 100, or whatever enough money to even rent a proper camera? Leave alone hiring a decent crew. And all this, what for? For a generic 'artist' who wants me to help him persuade people into buying his music so he can provide for his family? What about me then? Am I some kind of flower, living off water and fresh air? Am I the equivalent of the surgically enhanced arm-candy, that needs no money but looks in order to survive?
Brethren, it's a jungle out there. Survival of the fittest. Of the money-wise. Of the budget-wise. Hallelujah.
So this is what I did. I've been talking to this female artist for quite a while now. She's recently launched her debut album, produced by one of the veterans in the trip hop/ downtempo music industry. I am shooting her second video, in a joint financial effort. She pays for the performance shots and secures TV media buying funding. In turn, I bring my own film stock, I am hiring the camera crew & equipment myself, out of my own pocket, the studio will be charging fees much lower than usual, etc. A rough guesstimate will give us a budget of a couple of thousands, money which will be paid out of her and my pocket. No favors asked and pro bono work, mind me. Why am I doing this? Because she's a wonderful artist, our promo will be shown on several music stations, and my show reel will get the much needed ego boost. It is both the first and the last time I am doing this, but I am doing it because I want to, because I know that money makes the world go round and music videos look great. Because, when all is said and done, I can proudly show my peers the video I made and say: 'hey, this cost me a coupla thousands. But it sure don't look like a crappy Pootube video, does it.'
well, between a hype video (you name it) and a lo fi video that goes viral, i always go for the former (although hype's last video re-mix for n.e.r.d. looks very much like an atari computer game, ill give you that)
but i find it pretty difficult to label a video like ok go treadmills as a piece of art form. (but thats just my - adamant - opinion). im not saying that everything with a budget of 100K + is the next masterpiece, all im saying that everything with a budget of 100 dollars is more likely to be the next master-piss.
as you know, film-making is one of the most expensive art forms. it takes money to shoot a decent (read good looking, well edited, properly lit, etc) video. in my opinion, no money equals shit videos.
offtopic: this video were shooting is for a spanish artist, btw
'Come around, watch a movie with the sound down
And get woozy'
what are you talking about?
i was the assistant for one of the top reps in the US and i can tell you that of the hundreds of briefs that came through, maybe 10% had the word "viral" in them. for every "viral" video out there, there are dozens of hype, mandler, muller, etc. videos. are you asking for the homogenization of an art form?
you just come off sounding as someone who's lost videos to viral directors. also, i can tell you right now, no one is impressed by how much or how little money you spent on a video. all they care about is the marriage of concept and execution.
if anything, "pootube" (clever) has slightly revived music videos. look at the top (US) videos of all time. avril lavigne, leona lewis, rihanna, alicia keys, chris brown, timbaland, my chemical romance, sean kingston...all mainstream, 100k+ videos - not "quirky," "std" videos.
hop off your soap box & go direct.