Timberlake sells 50,000 videos on itunes
Story here: www.ipodnn.com
Video in question: videos.antville.org
As sad as it is that people spent their good money on such a poor video, it's somewhat encouraging to know that music videos can still garner this amount of attention (and cash).
We haven't had a bona fide "event" video in a while, though I remember being really excited when MTV premiered Michael and Janet Jackson's "Scream" video, and in fact MJ's videos where the first ones that really got me interested in the form as a kid. So anything that gets the masses excited about music videos is probably a good thing.
If anything we are probably going to see more of these lavish "Director's Cut" videos in the near future as a result, and hopefully they improve with time.
I'm not sure why people are slagging this vid so much. The writing in 'full-length' mv's - for instance Guns n' Roses' epics - is never feature-worthy, and they're not supposed to be. This isn't a highly stylized clip, but it isn't out of place for Justin. He seems to want to explore the long-form, as evidenced by SexyBack (by, of all people, Michael Haussman). Cheers to the endeavor, I think this is a good video.
I think it's good. Even though the video is questionable, it's a sign that there might be work down the road for us aspire-ers.
I just saw this on TV again, and it's like watching a totally different video compared to even the best-quality online vid. I'm really annoyed by that because I'd like us to have a level playing field, at least.. Here's HSI's Quicktime copy.
Its an interesting idea that tries for something more and it is simply getting results for it. Well, that and Justin Timberlake and Scarlett Johanson's names. But the edit is gorgeous and the filming is impecable.
i bet ya he just wanted to bone her and therefore got her to star in a video. actually he probably double boned her and bayer.
It IS a good sign that a video can garner this kind of attention. I am skeptical of the sales figures that are quoted and they sound VERY press-releas-y, just like the original iTunes "one quintillion served" announcement.
As far as this being an "interesting idea" - I am not so sure. I saw it again on TV and it looks great but is boring as hell. I guess I am not the guy to simply say "good try". I expect a director/writer/artist/cameo of this quality to keep me riveted, something this clip did not do except when I was marvelling at the dated swing&tilt plus mid-90s rave-girl-with-fire combo.
kev - you are correct about the writing here being no worse than other EPIC videos of the past. I have two things to add to that issue. One, why is it okay for the writing and story to be mediocre? A love triangle that ends in a car crash?!? That just seems so lazy and hack. 20% of the videos on Fuel have the same storyline. Two, there is a big, on-screen writer credit at the head of the clip. THAT is a great reason to expect more in my book. If there was a giant "DP-ed by Crash" at the front of a video, I would certainly anticipate more than typical. so-so cinematography. The people involved here (artist/dir/label) raised the expectations bar - which is a great thing - but to me, they just didn't deliver.
I had to look this up, but there were writing credits at the beginning of Don't Cry, and the definition stuff at either end of Estranged. If you don't like GnR's epic vids I'm not sure I can convince you otherwise. ;) That said, this just barely touches the relevance/awesomeness of those vids, imo
i agree with kev. i would also like to add that you cannot under estimate the influence of an international music star's on a concept/storyline. when an artist is at this level more times than not they have a rough idea of what they want (ie:"umm, love triangle ending in car crash.") To us it's cliche because we know vids inside and out, but to many artists this would seem like a stroke of genius narrative. dont get me wrong, i love JT and applaud his efforts to do long-form videos, but sometimes artists are better left out of the initial stages of writing.
So Timberlake might have some say in this? Whoda thunk? I wish I knew more about the way this worked. If only there was some blog I could read ...
I still say the director (plus the writer if he is going to put his name on it) are responsible for making it good, no matter how much others meddle. I too, applaud JT's interest in a longer form video, but I would applaud it more, it I thought the finished product was good.
...if only it were that easy. sometimes things read better on paper to an artist. sam isn't trippin on the concept, he's laughing all the way to the bank on this one.
someone wrote that!? like, what: "there's this bitch. she dies."?
that was singularly crap. a lame song, sam's tired ol' bag o' tricks; even manages to uglify jt. (toddyok: you jest, right?)
UPDATE: just saw that obtusy already said all this. nailed.
so, junk like this marks the future of mv's? tell me it ain't so...
Let us not forget the last video Timberlake apparently had a hand in writting himself: videos.antville.org
And of course, who could forgot Timberlake's writing debut? I heard he also shot 2nd unit.
Well executed regardless of content and I am happy to see something like this reach so many people regardless. I am actually not a fan of the "title sequence" at the beginning or end of videos. How many videos does Justin Timberlake have that ends with an explosion? videos.antville.org
Isn't this a bit obvious? I don't think people should pay too much attention to such a record - This video was made to sell as downloadable content. Nobody writes headlines saying 'Timberlake sells 50,000 singles', because everyone is used to that.
In 3 years time people will look back and think 50,000 is laughable.
Well done all involved, but it is by no means something to brag about.
Re-reading this post got me thinking about the idea of music videos being an 'event', and how people on this site seem to complain that music videos don't garner the same amount of attention that they used to. Correct me if I'm wrong, but could that sentiment be a little off-base? Seems like I've been hit with a zillion "exclusive video premiers" in just this month online and on tv, and have seen more collective anticipation for certain spots across the web than evr before.
Demand for music video is still definitely there, it's just been pushed into a million corners. Once music video finds a solid pop cultural homebase again - something only television can provide - event videos will feel more momentous.
don't go holdin' yr breath, k...
Kevathens - I think this feels pretty momentous already. How many videos are of this length, of this quality, with such big stars involved both behind and in front of the camera?
I would love to see videos like this being shown in the cinemas aswell - that's where they will really shine.
The more I watch this the more I love it. It's exactly the kind of work that gets me excited about music video again, like Michael Jackson's long form videos did. Personally, I don't care that it's pretentious or clumsy in parts. It's just good fun.
More please!!!
APPLE TV!!! Go get one its awesome!
The new golden age of music videos is upon us. I'm calling it now. Unfortunately, it'll end abruptly in Fall of 2012 when Steve Jobs unveils the iGondry automatic music video generator software.
hahahaha! Its so true.
cutcutcut: A pile of on-demand desktop video doesn't feel as momentous to me as much as an entire channel that premieres the same video to a rapt audience in broadcast quality.
Still, I get your point. I like the vid too. It's the age old question of how you like to spend your time. I still feel a little cheated by the entire digital / online experience. (I've been on here since 1990.) I think most people would agree with me, which is why I'm incredibly excited for Apple TV and its oncoming brethren.
I agree with your cinema point 100%. Music video's big tragedy is that it's a tremendously artful medium, but most people are turned off by it because it enshrines pop culture. I feel very strongly that MoMA (or the Museum of the Moving Image) should have a music video historian/curator. Music video is the bastard child of several media, and is, I feel, our culture's least appreciated artform. (At least in America. I blame that new MIMS video.)
hakai: You have it?
Kev: Yes I do! Its great. 720p HD music videos/movies don't exist on iTunes yet but I have converted one of our videos over to Apple TV and its great. All we need now is HD content from iTunes. If people are paying attention to this JT video and the Apple TV we should start seeing more content for it. Longer form content, uncensored content, etc... I might be dreaming but I think this is it guys. The future is here! Hopefully...
what, hak? so you're happy to buy your music television 2$ per vid?
either there's something i'm missing (might be - i gots no tv) or else this new gizmo sounds like just another proprietary set-top shopping aid.
only optimistic note: someone's hacking it into shape.
ps: can hardly believe that such a wreck of a video has y'all waxing lyrical about the future. if this is what we're looking forward to... i'm off to pre-order the direct-to-cornea youtube adapter.
I said "like" and that it's a "good" video. I didn't include it in the monthly best-of or anything: no fawning here. But it's tons better than Diddy's "Victory."
And the whole idea is to open up content even further and get us off of these damn desks, both of which I thoroughly anticipate. Having no TV is unfortunate, as is having content only available to watch on a computer screen or iPod.
With regards to seeing good videos full res on your telly:
I know someone who works for MTV- he has tried getting the music programmers to dedicate a music hour to good videos- a music hour aimed at people who are interested in the videos themselves.
The response always is that 120 minutes on MTV2 is there to serve that purpose... and it is pretty darn good. It just doesn't seem to be that recognised. I'm fairly new to this board but no one ever mentions it. I've watched it a few times and it is pretty darn good. You are guarenteed some absolute gems over the two hours- a mix of old and new corkers (although granted there is sometimes a skew to classic music more than classic videos).
(cross-posting a comment elicited by an amusing skit over at sro)
i've been wondering how this idea of selling music videos is panning out.
i'm no marketer or sales analyst, but here's what i've found being reported:
- itunes store started with 2000 music videos in october '05. after 19 days they'd sold a million of those (avg. 26 downloads per vid per day); early hits were "weapon of choice" and "thriller".
- itunes sells music videos at $1,99 a pop (of which record co's pocket $1,40)
- the riaa estimated music video download sales at $3.7mil til end of 05
- during '06 itunes upped their music video catalogue to 9000+.
- according to the ifpi '07 report, music videos accounted for 3% of total digital revenues in the first half of '06
- jt's itunes-only video release scores 50000 downloads/sales in its first 4 days in feb '07
- the Official UK Charts Company, having recognised "the explosion of the music video download market" led by iTunes and mobile network 3, plans to count music video download sales towards the UK singles charts as of jan '07
- combined audio and video sales (50/50 split) on the ‘3’ network now surpass one million units per month; the company claims second place in the UK digital music market, behind itunes, with a 20 per cent share
- total video sales (mv's tv eps, movies, shorts) on itunes have quadrupled in '06 (jan '07: 50mil. tv eps + 1.3mil. movies sold)
- something like thirty million video ipods have been sold since oct '05
- the itunes music video catalogue is currently reported at 10000+
is it skewed to think their pace of mv sales will have increased from the early 1.5mil per month?
in the rather unlikely event it hasn't, here are a couple of hypotheses:
A. multiplying the original overall average 26 downloads per day times the number of vids available comes to roughly 30 million videos sold since Oct '05
B. assuming they merely held the pace of 1.5mil sold per month, you're still looking at 26 million videos sold.
either way, for the record co's this means a fresh new revenue stream worth somewhere between $37mil. and $42mil. so far.
i'd love to hear abler number crunchers' take on this.
Prog: Apple TV can display high res music videos/movies for free. In fact I have a request. People should start posting their videos in Apple TV format here!!! Just go to Quicktime Pro and Export to Apple TV format. Peace!
I'll vouch for the Apple TV and using it with free content. Nice way to get videos on the TV where they belong. We'd post ATV compatible files if we were allowed to post things anymore. Maybe for some of the true-indie stuff. And then there's the problem of getting a 720p video source. Good luck with that.
Hey record label peeps who lurk on this site: what the hell?
Prog: I've responded back on SRO.
Ah yeah, another proprietary format, with its proprietary player, that's what all were waiting for...
mp4 is proprietary? h.264 is proprietary? Since when?
iTunes Music Store does not equal iPod or ATV.
MP4/M4A has been proprietary since day one. It is just a media container, the basis of which is AAC. AAC/MP4 requires a patent license for use, but, unlike MP3, doesn't require royalty payments.
H.264 is a very powerful codec, but is open to those who can..
h.264 is da shizzz... i believe blu-ray discs use it as well.
As for getting 720p content, I'm asking directors who post here and final in HD to post HD 720p Apple TV/h264 versions of their work. Or even SD versions. booh yah!
Proprietary??? Uhm... I think most people in the industry use Quicktime... DOH!
Proprietary??? Uhm... I think most people in the industry use Quicktime... DOH!
So, why do you need a new file format?
dek: its not a new file format. its still h264. its just a convientient way to convert videos files to apple tv. plus "Proprietary" usaully means it can only be used by the creator (apple?). which inst the case here. its open to everyone. so post some videos for apple tv already!!! I need some content!
Proprietary means the technology itself is wholly owned by the developer, and must be licensed for use in other products.
The developers of the encoding/decoding software are the people who pay the licensing fees.
yeah ok but we can still use it. so whats the big deal? i consider rotoshop and zeno a different story...
hakai: I still don't understand. You talked about "go to Quicktime Pro and Export to Apple TV format." What format were you talking about?
I tried to search around, but it seems that the Apple set top box supports just MP4 (and maybe MOV?) containers.
So, if I encode a standard compliant MP4 file with an AAC audio track and AVC (or H.264 if you prefer) video track, using for example X.264 [*] instead of Quicktime Pro, will it play on an Apple TV?
[*] obviously, given that I'll disable those feature of X.264 that are not supported by Apple Quicktime.
