presidents of the united states of america - postman
music video shot entirely on mobile phones, a novel idea that doesn't really achieve much in this context for the band Presidents of the united states of america.
doesn't achieve much indeed. would it have been so difficult to construct even just one idea into this? pretty dumb track too.
A little harsh - I suspect you underestimate the work involved in actually making the music video. I am the Executive Producer of the clip - be pleased to discuss the process if you are interested.
on the contrary - serious props for pulling this off (was it REALLY only phones?). i'd half joked that the recent eels video had done this - i guess it was in the air.
what i meant was: there's nothing particularly phone-y (if you get what i mean) about the video. it could just as well have been shot with a bunch of dv's, no? if you're going to do this phone thing, make it NECESSARY. do something you could only ever do with phones - and make sure this comes across. it doesn't - or not to me anyway. (as for the track, de gustibus...)
Ian, it's an interesting idea that, just kind of loses steam. I don't doubt a lot of work went into it, but a lot of work goes into a lot of videos.
the coolest thing about camera phones is that people have them at all times and whenever they feel compelled, can take a picture - anywhere, anytime.
wouldn't it have been more interesting if they worked off of that theme and ran around town w/ a ridiculous rig of 100+ cameraphones? I mean, by definition limboland is uninteresting visually.
Captain your right a lot of work does go into a lot of videos - mobile phones - ever tried to pitch the idea to a band ??? Believe me its not easy Grant the director tried for 18 months to sell this idea and did tests but no one but PUSA had the balls. Moreover mobile phones dont handle movement which is why we shot it at half pace and complex b/gs such as city scapes become messy and tear - we tested it all . The reason it is so sharp is because the shots were so tight that the image resolved un pixalated and unfettered. Given that the data was blue toothed into a mac - no sexy f/x at all - no flame , no shake but we did t/c on a da vinci 2 k telecine. You are right any one can do it - this is lo-fi.... thats the point of the exercise. Thats the point really these are just toys with an unbelievable result through time and patience...
Btw .. we are www.film-headquarters.com.au in Australia.
read the story here
not to poop on your well-earned pride, but the simple fact that you had to open the video with a shot of the rig is quite self-defeating. without it, noone would ever have guessed that this was shot with phones. only a suitable narrative idea could have done that job (viz. the eels vid i mentioned)
another case of nifty technological planning, but somehow for the wrong purpose. kind of like NIN's "only"...
Very "high brow" progosk... of course you are right.
i think making use of the low quality resolution and pixelation that is inherant to cell phone images would have made a more interesting video. getting the best image possible out of a mobile phone might be a worthwhile technical pursuit, but probably doesn't go towards making the best music video. besides, low-res images can be monstrously beautiful.
true that. one of the coolest things about phone videos is the way the picture warps when you move the camera. and you cant do that on other cameras.
here's an example of the fit i mean between concept and technique (dir. chris palmer; it's a commercial)
No. No. No. No.
www.ebaumsworld.com
Dead. New links: mov, flv. Directed by Grant Marshall.
