"I thought that shooting in China would be the perfect setting to explore the visual possibilities for this song. The depth of their history, the beauty of the culture and the passion of the people inspired a story that left us as a band changed forever." - Jared Leto.

Yahoo embedded, "short" 7min version on youtube, or spend your hard earned cash on a HD version.

         

Anyone know how much this cost? I'd find the broad exoticism offensive if it actually seemed to assert itself as a portrayal of anything. It is not coherent enough to do that.

They sure like to dress up.

         

promo WMV, making of WMV

         

And it was apparently the first US vid shot entirely in China? Anyone remember anything else shot there? I keep thinking of Hungry Like the Wolf when I hear stuff like that.

         

This could have been filmed on a univeral back lot and I wouldn't be able to tell the difference...

         

30 Seconds to Mars is abysmal. To think, this budget could have been used to fund two dozen good indie videos. -j

         

I'm sorry. Can anyone help me make the connection between 30 Seconds To Mars and China. Where's Mr. Norton when you need him most. Hopefully he feels like destroying something beautiful...one more time.

         

I think Mr. Norton is Japanese. I happen to be Chinese though. The asian invasion!

         

I have heard from several sources (not the director) that shooting in China was actually Paul Fedor's idea and eye-liner boy liked it so much he directed it himself. Oobleck, indeed.

         

This video is far too epic for this banal song.

         

Why would you rip off a director's idea, shoot it yourself, and then create a Hornblower-esque pseudonym to go on the final product?

Furthermore, why would you travel all the way to China to film a video that ultimately doesn't have a single interesting idea in it?

         

The edit is horrible. I think that's the main reason Paul Fedor and Jared stopped working together. What a wasted opportunity. Oh, and be careful what you say on here, Jared sits around googling himself all day and might read it.

         

"from yeisterdai..." - I hate such music. My Chemical Romance also sucks. Maybe i'm getting old.

"The depth of their history, the beauty of the culture"... ? ist this the promotion text from the record company? (from the director... whatever)

         

luk, from the director/artist on 30secondstomars.com

         

just curious... what is considered high budget these days in music video?

         

mva- two buttons and some pocket fluff.

         

30f has good sources - it was Paul's idea, and Leto did steal it. Leto = probably the worst "artist" to work for in the edit - I can't imagine anyone more frustrating, anyone who fits the cliche stereotypical hollywood "rock star" persona more embarassingly well. Jim Hawkinson, the DP who shot this, has worked with Paul a lot - I think it's really nicely shot....but yeah.

www.paulfedor.com Paul's site has some interesting stories. He's a nice dude who IMO should be making a lot more videos.

         

from the NY Post a few days ago:

Leto Leaps, Pride Falls

EYELINER-loving Jared Leto injured not only his face during a 30 Seconds to Mars concert in El Paso, Texas, last Thursday night - our spies said his pride is hurt as well. Reports of the actor/rocker's broken nose and injured foot emerged yesterday, but our sources said it was a stage leap - not a mad rush of fans - that caused his bruises. "He flung himself directly off the stage into the crowd," said our spy, "and nobody in the crowd caught him." The audience member add- ed, "We were given no warning. Jared landed really hard on the ground, and people were accidentally stepping on him." Security helped him back to the stage. Leto and his band will perform in Miami on Friday and deejay afterward for the birthday of his brother, who is in the band, at Cameo nightclub. A rep for Leto insisted, "Jared did not jump onto the crowd. He went into the audience while singing 'The Kill.' His injuries were a result of the crowd rushing towards him in their excitement to be close to him."

         

First The Shining, now The Last Emperor.

         

What an enormous dick bitch. Isn't Jared a little bit old to be into the whole Emo, eyliner thing? What is he, like 42? At least when most of these kids look back at the day they got "My Chemical Romance" tatooed on there forehead they can say, "at least I was young and stupid." Next time Leto should jump from something a bit higher.

         

what a pretentious video. jered letto is a penis.

         

I've read that this horseshit cost $13m. I did read it on wikipedia but still...