What do you think of the video album Directions?
         

I just sat down and watched the album as a whole and I really enjoyed it. This is certainly among the best video albums, and I've seen most of them.

It was surprising. I didn't give Plans the time of day when I heard it, but now I love the album quite a bit more. This is music I don't typically listen to in the car or anywhere, but in this setting it really became something entirely different for me.

The videos were also surprising. I haven't watched most of them individually, but as people have posted here, I fear they won't hold up as well taken one by one. But as a part of the album's overall flow, I am quite surprised how each individual director really highlighted each song and enhanced the entire experience of the album; and each video really is a good video - even Josh Victor Rothstein's Brothers on a Hotel Bed, which many ppl here said was Filmmaking 101. It may be that, but it fit quite well when part of the whole, and especially as a respite from the tension in Briet's What Sarah Said.

It was also surprising how prevalent children were throughout the entire DVD. And if they weren't there literally, they were there in spirit (through animation or lovingly-innocent storyline). Perhaps that's the influence of the music and Ben's singing and songwriting.

There were a few bumps here and there where things didn't quite line up. It took some time to accept Jeffrey Brown's animation style, which felt somehow outside the entire project. The special effect of Paul Brown's walls closing in was a bit off. And I'm glad the original ending of Stable Song made it. The final note was fantastic, though it did plod a bit. The other ending may have thrown a screw into the entire affair, so I'm glad it wasn't there.

The extra two vids are nice too - nice Koyaanisqatsi ref in Keith's vid, and Lance's vid was really creative and is nothing you would ever find on MTV.

Overall I'm well pleased with the entire thing. The music and visuals combine sweetly, and this is a very refreshing use of the video as a non-single, promotional entity. Kudos to all!

         

I have to give full credit to Rob Ryang for the 'director's alternate ending' to my video. That really was constructed by him.

If any of you have a chance to work with him, he's amazing.

You'd be amazed how many treatments featured kids that didn't make it. Funny too for an album that's about getting old.

I hope you appreciated all the treatments, etc, and wonder what you made of that. I fought for that.

Thanks for the comments, Kev.

         

oktaku, what is your relationship to this project?

         

I am credited with concept and as executive producer. I also directed one of them. Jill Kaplan, who was a commissioner at Atlantic and now is independent (she was behind Arno's video for Mates of State) is also credited as exec producer and in all the Directions press has not received enough credit for her contribution. She was integral and indispensible and I learned a lot from her.