Kanye. Geting his crass on.

         

i like it.. has its moments... and at very least has lots of nice ta-tas

         

Good video - lighting/cinematography leaves a little to be desired, but I mean no one's really looking at shot composition when this video's playing anyway.

         

whoa, that's sooo weird..I like tits and ass too. Cray-Cray.

         

Well, that was stupid.

It's actually embarrassing that this is Drake's video and I firmly believe it makes him look bad. Don't get me wrong, I like TnA as much as the next guy and that's not my problem here.

Instead, I take issue with the film school level DP work, the After Effects quality coloring, the lazy direction, and the overall wackness of the video as a whole.

Drake is better off with no video at all over this juvenile and unpolished caricature of a promo.

K

         

i actually think the cinematography and the coloring is quite nice! i would love to see how you would light kalstark, please send us a link to your work! i think the video gives good light to the real feeling of gym lighting, versus the over-polished crap that usually is entailed with the genre... sure it wasnt the best video but ..

         

you're wack. the DPing was terrific. polished but realist, not too glossy. but kanye man you took the tna just a bit too far, we don't really believe you are a gay fish, it's cool.

         

@werd: The lamest response to crticism is to ask the critic to prove they could do better. That's elementary school yard lame. Seriously, that faulty logic shouldn't fly with anyone older than 12.

In fact, if we hold to your argument's principle, we should also ask Roger Ebert to show us his films and Robert Hughes should paint or sculpt before he says another word, or perhaps Mike Tyson's coach could get in the ring and show Iron Mike how to really box?

Of course I'm not drawing a direct parallel here. I'm not suggesting I'm a Roger Ebert type critic or anything else. What I'm trying to illustrate is the absolute ridiculousness of your position.

That said, I do shoot better than the above but the very point of this discussion is to point out that it wouldn't matter one whit if I couldn't.

K

p.s. - are you really arguing that the lighting in this video is realistic? When was the last time you saw a spotligh on the coach in a darkly-lit gym during a basketball game?? Wow, I can't even believe I'm having this discussion right now. This is seriously surreal.

         

1. Really horrible editing. Although I wonder if a lack of coverage is to blame.
2. The Russ Meyer-style casting takes away any charm this song used to have. It makes Drake seem like a pervy weirdo.
3. Too many wide shots that make the video seem empty and boring.
4. The scene where he gives a speech towards the end is embarrassingly bad. The entire auditorium is so quiet you can hear a pin drop and the crowd just stands there, emotionless, watching Drake give his pep talk.

         

The criticisms are on point: The cinematography looks like a film school student's 1st-time 16mm project--sketchy contrast, excessively high keys, off-color balance, over/under saturation, etc. The rest, including the song ("There" rhymed with "there" 5 times. Seriously?) is so boilerplate it's not even worth discussing, other than how it's similarly as wack as Kanye's Spaceship video--which, coincidentally, he also directed. Stick to twistin' knobs, Ye. Next.

         

i can see your point kalstark.. especially about the lighting reference to the bball court.. now lets see your work. one that states that he can shoot better.. i would like to see, just out of curiosity. but if you would like to remain anonymous critiquing others than i can understand..

         

Lighting/Grade is a welcome relief from over-lit pop videos, Funny, self-deprecating and a bit silly in a good way.

         

This is not good.

Besides the mascot dunk/jib shot the rest of cinematography is amateur night. The lighting/grade is laughable.

The whole video just augments Drake's corny nature.

         

i like the song... but i agree with macguffin, the only great looking shot was the mascot dunk, everything else was pretty standard and dull. i actually liked the desaturization here, why does everyone think its so unnecessary? it kinda goes with the song.

         

What the hell happened here? Drake is a great rapper, and Kanye has proven that he could direct some good videos.

The video is suppose to tongue in cheek( or hands in pants), but all the jokes fall flat. Lighting was bad too. No point trying to make the lighting style "realistic" if the video is totally unreal.

         

you guys were really expecting the dude from degrassi to have an amazing video? hahah

I think my standards were low coming into it.

         

I agree with t_f, why would you use a "realistic" lighting style in a video that's so obviously meant to be a fantasy? I feel like I know exactly what Kanye was going for, but horrible execution and really awful decisions make this borderline unwatchable. This is a huge mis-step for Drake and kills his momentum. I'd say pull the video.

         

you all just don't understand, the only person who can afford to direct music videos in today's economy is Kanye West. Not even trust fund kids can afford to do them these days.

As for why you'd use gritty lighting on a fantasy, uh, did you see a movie like Eternal Sunshine? Why is a romantic melodrama like Public Enemies shot on hidef? Personally, my dreams don't look like Michael Bay ads. Again points to Kanye and his DP for doing something different.

         

Or, is it possible that the lighting/art direction is the result of a lack of experience and foresight? I mean, it's possible that Kanye wanted to try a risky lighting style that would juxtapose the theme of the song with a gritty style. However, judging by the careless nature of the rest of the video, I kinda doubt it's intentional.

         

Look...I think the lighting is great.. I think we all agree that the song and the visual are much better separate than they are together... I think that for a breakthrough single like this, you deserve a treatment with a little more staying power...i can only watch tits jumble around for o so long, as crazy as that sounds.

         

I wonder what aggghhhh has to say about this.

         

i dont because that's obviously not kanye. hah

         

love the opening. the boom mic can be seen during the final speech...

         

The cinematography is actually the first thing that stood out to me here, i thought it was great along with the color, and i have a feeling if this was a Milk (not to draw the obvious relationship into the mix) video you all would agree. The tNa is kina the video so dont really get the complaint there either.

         

These two shots come almost one after another and are meant to represent the same scene at roughly the same time:

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

In A, the image is less contrasty, cooler, and blue in the shadows.

In B, the image has much more contrast, it's warmer overall, green in the shadows, and the backlight is harsher.

More than that, look at the color of the wall to the right of Drake in both pictures; it's almost an entirely different color.

Now, I know much of this can be laid at the feet of the colorist but if we're going to laud DPs when videos look amazing then we should also have them shoulder some blame when videos look crap.

Going back to my main point, these two images are meant to feel seconds apart to the audience! Ugh, c'mon, we're not really going to call this good cinematography are we??

K

         

Why do we even care about this video? Obviously just because Kanye directed it. Next he will be running for president... Amateur cinematography aside this is an idiotic and amateur video. Treatment = Tits an Ass at a bball game in slow motion. Genius!

         

Kal, I could live with some of the coloring (which is really bad), it's the haphazard framing and awful lighting that gets me the most. In both of those shots it looks like the room was lit without either actor in mind, and the camera follows the action without any intent, just bobbing around trying to pick a shot on the fly. Don't even get me started on the lens choice here. Add the lack of art direction (Not one, but three blank white walls!?) and you've got 2 really unappealing shots. Repeat that same formula across 3 1/2 minutes and you have a really unappealing video.

Look, the idea here is bad. Anytime someone relies on T&A- even if its meant to be ironic- 9 times out of 10 you have a lame video on your hands. But the whole production feels really amateurish and sluggish too. There's no excuse for this on a video for an artist with this much star potential and a song this hot. Didn't they have enough money? Isn't Kanye able to pull enough favors? Didn't anyone have the balls to question the intelligence of using this treatment? Baffling.

         

Kal and budget what videos do you think have great cinematography? I bet most the videos you list are all outdoor natural light OR have Maxi Brutes and Kinos in the frame.

         

Alright, Spence, I'll bite:

(in no particular order) Missy Elliott 'I'm Really Hot' Bjork 'All is Full of Love' Chris Isaak 'Wicked Games' Jamelia 'See It In A Boy's Eyes' Fiona Apple 'Criminal' Jennifer Lopez 'Waiting for Tonight' A Perfect Circle 'Judith' Justin Timberlake 'Cry Me A River' Madonna 'Frozen' Marilyn Manson 'The Beautiful People' Robbie Williams 'Feel' Robbie Williams 'Road to Mandalay' Nine Inch Nails 'Closer' Pink 'Just Like a Pill' Gary Go 'Wonderful' Radiohead 'Street Spirit' Korn 'ADIDAS' Red Hot Chili Peppers 'Can't Stop' Tenacious D 'Wonderboy' Britney Spears 'I'm a Slave 4U' UNKLE 'Rabbit In Your Headlights' Fatboy Slim 'Weapon of Choice' Janet Jackson 'Got Till It's Gone'

I've given you lots of examples of videos I think have good to great cinematography. So what's the game now? You pick one or two out of the list and use it to try and stereotype or invalidate my taste?

Or do you re-watch some or all of the videos and see just how low on the totem pole a video like Drake's really is?

In terms of shot selection, camera movement, coloring, lighting, lighting consistency, framing/composition, and even lens choice this video is subpar.

It's only my opinion but it's an opinion that I feel I can back up with decent arguments and 'evidence'.

K

P.S. - just take another look at the sloppy shit that acts as one of the video's main performance setups:

THIS

VS.

THIS etc, etc, etc...

         

^^^^^^ christ kal

cinematography, sure

but what really surprised me about this video is that kanye, a guy that prides himself on being different (e.g. his fashion, concept album, girlfriend, stuff he posts on his blog – y'kno, bein a blipster) would direct something so formulaicly 'rap' and culturally stagnant.

funny we're all criticizing the grading, which to me is (disappointingly) the most 'kanye' thing about the video.

if this mv more reflected 'ye the tastemaker,' i'd be more willing to overlook the rookie sloppiness of 'ye the director.'

         

kanye needs to keep making great music and hiring innovative directors, it's like spike jonze making a record... no...

         

Or David Lynch writing music. Or Chris Cunningham co-producing an album...

         

wasn't really playing games, just wondering, obviously your list has radically different styles, which to an extent is why video cinematography is so fun, this video definitely had a style that they stuck too, i don't think much was left to chance, most everything was definitely pre calculated.

         

This was the cinematography reference:

Say what you will, it was a one day shoot, and that's a hell of a lot of set-ups to try to cover. Respect.

         

i agree with cmilk, respect to Kanye for being a renaissance man, And its too simplistic to compare unlike for unlike,

         

I like it, not the artist. My trouble is...people over analyzing it just because Kanye directed it.

Nothing that a reframe can't fix (boom mike seen at the opening).

Another, this could be the result of deadlines, looks like the post work was tight and the video suffers from it. It's the #1 reason why I think a lot of videos are ruined. Polished post fixes what you're in a hurry to cover in a day. Anyone here know that it's time that's the enemy. If kanye solidified what the approach was (ESPN meets teen wolf? tatas?) vid would feel the same. I kinda like it. Don't like the artist.

         

I don't particularly care for Kanye and rarely comment on his dope, I have to say though such comments as kanye needs to keep making great music and hiring innovative directors, or it's like **** making a record Or **** writing music. Or **** co-producing an album...are a little like auld King Canute commanding the tide to go back..... Little more than ifs and buts, 'bout as pointless as professional still togs bitterly complaining about their digital darkroom efforts and skills being bypassed for some Citizen Journo's 'auto level' Flickr frames

Besides hasn't Jay Chou set a precedent already?

         

It's VERY silly to suggest someone who is a musician can't - or shouldn't - be a director (or anything else, for that matter). I listed a couple examples, but there are lots more.

         

sorry familiar, didn't clock the sarcasm in ur post, my mistake!

         

Seeing the Cinematography reference, I understand what Kanye was trying to go for, but the spot had Baroque music to go with the Baroque style of the spot. More or less, the video doesnt fit with the song.

         

michel gondry was a drummer in a fairly successful french outfit before a director. i can't believe this much time should be spent on a video that's essentially an homage to ladies in short shorts and bountiful pontoons. get over it. i wanna see more kanye directed vids.

         

Also, if I may humbly add...artists sometimed like to add director credits to videos even if they weren't behind the camera, just for ego just for kicks. Mariah Carey + Brett Ratner, Busta Rhymes & Hype, Spike Jonze + Kanye? If I had an artist writing the check but contributing nothing artistically to the video other than showing up, why would I want to give him director credit? happens quite often.

Off topic, back to kanye.

         

Hey C. Milk, congrats on the golden pencil!! :)

         

this is definitely the dumbest thing I have ever seen.

         

While I think Kanye is great at picking and working with innovative directors, this is complete crap. Besides the obvious bad production values from cinematography to color correction, here's the main issue regardless of the concept (which some try to defend):

Rule #1 for music videos...make your artist look good and know your audience.

Drake looks terrible in almost every frame in this video. Compare this to his first video shot years ago from Little X and you see a big visual difference.

Second, Drake's audience is mostly women. The T&A from mostly lightskin women is nothing but Kanye's stupid selfish fantasy come to life. This video only caters to Kanye, and does not pertain to the audience that will actually buy his record.

I can understand why someone would think Kanye could direct a good video from his own choice of directors, but geez, this is not even passable as good.