Mark Allen - my official artist profile -alivenotdead.com

Music Videos

This is a blog meant for discussion, I would be interested in hearing everyone's thoughts on this.

For someone who hasn't directed a great deal of music videos - I'm extremely opinionated about them. That said, the reason I've not directed a large number is because I have an enormous respect for the art. My first professional work after college graduation was writing and directing opera and music related performance art (including music videos)- so it's been a passion of mine for a while.

The problem I have with most music videos is that they do not enhance the song at all.

If a video is not enhancing the song, I feel it is taking away from the song.

By "enhance" the song - I mean that the video is expanding the scope of the material in some way - emotionally, intellectually, or aesthetically.

I feel like most videos are purely created by the numbers. Band plays on stage - shot of hot girl - band plays on stage - shot of hot girl - shot of opulence - repeat.

I think stage performances are for live shows.

Sometimes in an attempt to expand the song, the video completely ignores the song and goes off into it's own thing and makes something different. I don't think that serves the purpose of a video at all, it cheapens the song - it turns the song into a product placement in some other idea.

The last very common video style that bothers me is the "homage." Many videos basically mimic a famous movie or TV series. Unless it is somehow germain to the song (like the song is very specifically about Flashdance), this makes no sense because you are denying the song the opportunity to be it's own cultural phenomenon. Subtle elemental references are fine.

Many people have argued with me that "this video was very popular." Popularity can be bought. Put enough marketing momentum behind anything and people will go see it or it will get played.

So - let's get to it - Link some music videos you think that enhance the song....

II'll start with a few...

All Is Full of Love - Bjork

Video: http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ghwoa6t5Pas

Helena - MCR

Video: http://youtube.com/watch?v=WcwweoJDkV0

What's A Girl to Do- Bats for Lashes

Video: http://youtube.com/watch?v=n1wnOUH2jk8

接近 17 年前 0 赞s 18 评论s 0 shares

Mark Allen

Since you posted the Bic Runga link, I realized I'd never seen the official "Sway" video and watched it. I think it definitely adds something to the video in that it capture the moment that is reflected in the song. Personally I wonder if they could have gotten away without cutting to her at the guitar or at least so much, but.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w28ZREQe3_Q&feature=related

接近 17 年 ago

Mark Allen

You guys should talk a bit how the music videos you post are expanding the song for you when you post the links.

接近 17 年 ago

Ifat Kafry

THANK YOU! I've been saying what you wrote about for years and years!!! I helped produce this music video for Pras Michel 'Pop Life' illustrating that people should use their celebrity status for the better of the world not to party and waste their life away but rather to help mankind. 7 cities in 2 weeks. The Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9bGH8rsKMg The other music video that I love beyond belife and takes me with the music more than any other video I have ever seen is, Damien Rice 'The Blowers Daughter' OMG my eyes water up and it takes me with the music almost so that I want to stop breathing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ThuXEDvCZk The other that I love and takes me away is The Fray 'How to Save a Life' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKxnJ5iyC-w One artist that has been amazing with their videos and illustrated the song with her video has been Christina Aguliera 'Beautiful' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rko3wWhq2ac So why is that most sad videos take us away? I guess most of us can associate with that feeling more than any other. . . I actually liked your blog so much that it took me two hours searching for one happy feeling one atleast that translates the song so well into the video . . . I was brought up in the Carribean before gettin to Hong Kong so Jimmy Cliff (even though it uses Cool Running Video) 'I Can See Clearly' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIqLsGT2wbQ Hope it was useful for you . . . Kung Hei Fat Choi - Happy Chinese New Year!! MissyK*

接近 17 年 ago

Dan Burns-Findlay

The majority of music videos are made to sell the image of an artist / idol to a target audience. The song (as is often the case in the music business, especially higher up the money scale) is an irrelevent by product of the industry! The videos you quoted - and I know them quite well - are independent labels or extremely leftfield artists who enjoy thier art and do not really care too much for commercialism ... which is why they can get away with making MVs like that. The worst videos are the generic hip-hop ones on MTV. They are so cookie-cutter I don't even need to describe the here!!!

接近 17 年 ago

Mark Allen

You know, Dan, I would submit that it isn't the studio structure itself which leads people to a generic video - but fear if anything other than a misunderstanding of the medium. Music Video can help (and I think should help) sell the personality of the artist which is exactly what the studios would want, right? (MCR, btw, I would have thought was a big label band, I don't know them that well to know though.) Jaine - I think "Beautiful" would have been legendary had it used a bunch of faces that were not so obviously beautiful albiet unique. They had a chance with that song to take a bunch of normal looking people and really find the beauty. Not by distorting the face - but by sharing the humanity. So - that video has always been to me a problem video despite wanting to like it because of the song.

接近 17 年 ago

Kit Hung

wooo, I definitely agreed with that, indeed, I have share similar opinion with you, and have kind of a Chinese version of what wrote here, lol! I am giving same example as you used here as well - Bat for lash, Justice.... :D. A music video means to enhance a songs, and to add value and develop another prospective of the songs, but it is also very important to me is that the song have to be "inspirational" :D I personally is a big fans of long take, so I really like those one take music video - http://www.alivenotdead.com/kithung/Some+MVs-Selection-profile-51798.html and some of my recent favorite! -> http://www.alivenotdead.com/kithung/Some+MVs-Selection-profile-51798.html Hope to read more from you.

接近 17 年 ago

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语言: english
位置（城市，国家）以英文标示: Los Angeles, United States
性别: male
加入的时间: April 13, 2007