Something something about videos killing the radiostar

January 13, 2011 6:35 AM

I would like to read blogs and other internet resources on the appreciation and production of music videos. What are some of your favourites?

Recently, I've been fascinated by music videos and the techniques that go into making them after seeings things such as this making of, of the music video We Got Time by Moray McLaren dir. David Wilson, and this promo/music video directed by Sam O'Hare for The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, and the interview on how the video was made. Seeing things like that detailing the creative process and techniques used to create music videos has whetted my appetite and I'd like to read blogs, websites, vlogs - whatever resources you can throw at me about the art of making (and appreciating) music videos. Of particular interest are ones that discuss techniques, and critique music videos. Hook a mefi up?

posted by ultrabuff to Media & Arts (6 answers total)

Best answer: As annoying and pretentious as Pitchfork is sometimes, they have an interesting interview series called Director's Cut with directors of music videos. The interviews are super short, but can be quite enlightening. I particularly liked the one with Matt & Kim for their Lessons Learned video and learning about the genesis of Depeche Mode's Wrong video:

Pitchfork: It's a pretty violent video, did anyone get hurt during filming?

PD: No. But I was talking to Spike Jonze while making it, just trying to get my head around how to make it good, and he was like, "We should just drive around and crash into shit and film it!" He's kind of like Peter Pan where he's just like "Yay, let's do that!" and it just happens.

There's a part in the video where a random guy gets hit by the back windshield and rolls over the car. I had the guy jumping into the windshield already shot, but I didn't have him rolling off the front of the car. So I got Spike to do that stunt-- the part where the guy jumps off of the roof onto the hood and rolls onto the street, that's Spike. He's a pretty good stuntman, I gotta say.

posted by jng at 9:42 AM on January 13, 2011

Oh, my kingdom for an edit button. Direct link to Matt & Kim interview and one to Patrick Daughters' Wrong interview.
posted by jng at 9:46 AM on January 13, 2011

Antville may be what your looking for...
posted by svenvog at 9:53 AM on January 13, 2011

Best answer: You may also want to look into the "Director's Label" DVDs - each disc collects many videos from a particular director (such as Michel Gondry, Spike Jonze and Chris Cunningham) along with various additional features, including short films, interviews and making-of featurettes. The Jonze disc also has some audio commentaries.
posted by Electric Dragon at 4:26 PM on January 13, 2011

Oh, yes, definitely agree with Electric Dragon. I've only seen the Spike Jonze and the Michel Gondry ones, but both were revelatory. See for instance this short clip of Gondry talking about how he made Kylie Minogue's Come Into My World or this one about how he got the inspiration for the Daft Punk Around the World video.
posted by jng at 5:41 PM on January 13, 2011

Response by poster: Thanks guys, good stuff.
posted by ultrabuff at 6:58 AM on January 16, 2011