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Directed by Endeavor Media (www.iendeavormedia.com)

From No Fat Clips:

"One thing I like of this video is that the performance shots, abundant like in every metal video, rather than ruining the atmosphere, manage to grow the tension between the narrative bits. Also, the band doesn't look like a bunch of posers."

         

this ain't no metal.

         

why is it in every endeavormedia video the band is performing in a dilapidated room? are you guys just using the same treatment over and over? at least youre booking right?

anyways, what was your treatment for the underoath vid that got canned?

         

what the fuck... the band performance IS posing at it best (so bad). The clothes, the look, the way the play guitar. this sucks.

I can hear the director saying: verrry good, but you have to look angrier into the camera... and you have to play the guitar with more "impression"...with more "energy"...

The Drummer ist the worst of all. Headbanging, etc... LOL !!!

• black liquid caming out of the bath. First: We need a trashy locking bath. (Fuck that!)

Second: black Liquid is commercial Style. Turn on your TV. Evry beer commercials got slowmotion liquid. The director copied "commercial" shit into a "metal music video".

metal? ...This is boring pop rock.

• Film Look scratches and flickering lights... like "David Fincher" did a lot in the 90s. Don't do that. Its not cool anymore.

         

the UNDEROATH vid that got pulled from them was done by WALTER ROBOT

         

Jesus Christ, people take no prisoners on Antville. From what I understand, Endeavor is a fairly small DIY operation that's picking up some steam. Whether you like the song or not is irrelevant to the effectiveness of the video. I appreciate seeing someone get great production value out of what's most likely a modest budget, and I don't think Fincher invented the flash frame. If the actual director posts their own video, some constructive criticism is nice. Drawing and quartering someone from the comfort of your own computer is a little much.

         

I doesn't matter if big or small. You can make a good music video with a 1-Chip DV Cam. It has something to do with creativity. And of course you can use flash frames... and of course you can use bath rooms in future clips and film. But in this clip its only "style". It looks like they good a lot of skills. And thats it. Not really a story or idea. I don't "sucks".. I wrote soemthing and this IS constructive criticism. I don't have to share my own films. This is no competition. Which is better.. "Spiderman" or "Batman". know what I mean? This is the video. So lets talk about this video.

And btw... I hate the flash frames Fincher did in music videos. But in Fight Club the use of the flash frames makes sense. a stylistic device.. for Dissociative Identity Disorder.

         

luk, I'll be the first to say that this video isn't anything great, but I think you're being a little harsh here. I believe that the reason this video is "only style" has a lot to do with the limitations of today's budgets. Let me break it down:

If the budget here is 15-20k (I'm totally guessing, but I think that's a good estimate), then the director has to make a decision: after paying for the necessities of the shoot (camera package, crew, location, etc) he's left with just enough money to either attempt a bit of 'style' or a bit of a 'concept'. Either way, you're not going to be able to do anything too crazy. In most cases the band and label are going to be happier with a video that has a "movie" look at the expense of a great concept, rather than a video with a cute concept but an amateurish style. This is also a much safer way to go when you consider how many little videos have been scrapped this year as a result of a lofty concept being attempted on a shoestring.

I'm not saying this video nails the style it's going after (I agree about the performances), but it's in the general ballpark of something that I'm sure the band is proud to show their friends and fans. "It kind of looks like Fight Club" is probably a huge plus in their book.

         

budget: I understand you completly. But thats the huge problem in our world. Maybe I build a computer. Or make furnitures. I have to produce them in China. Becouse of the market. It's the same with music Videos or films. I'm an indipendence Film maker. I only will get money if a write an mainstream screenplay. You say... the band and the label will be happier... it has something to do with the market. An not with music.

Create a music video with that look it's like selling your music for an i pod commercial. I know a lot of people from the US that says: hej. I wrote that music for my own. If apple pays me alot of money... and also more people will hear my music... No Problem.

But it's advertising. And advertising sucks. In Europe i know many filmmakers that don't do advertising. Even if they get lots of money. They don't want to do this. And also musician like Notwist don't sell their music for advertising spots.

This video is here is just a product. And the director, the label, the music... eveything is part of a marketing concept. You can smell it. If we can create this look MTV will play this... etc.

There are enough musicians and directors and labels out there that "fight" against that. For example "The Knives" don't show their faces and don't play concerts. And it's not a marketing trick. They just don't like it.

Of course. This way is much harder. And many bands don't get the fame they deserve. But thats becouse bands like this produce stylo music videos... and than they tour from radio station to radiostation ... doing promition stuff.

Music Magazines told labels that they should wait with the release date of this album... etc.

It's a market. And that sucks.

But its a global problem with other things, too. Like Medicin. here are some pills, have fun. Or funitures, or movies, or food! If you look at this there are "closed systems" that are observe each other. It has something to do with the industrialisation.

Its not important if the book is good or not. Its important how many people will buy the book. You don't know the reader anymore. It becames a system, a market. And every singel person can decide not to be in this system. Do not sell yourself becouse someone told you: do it like this or you will not earn any money.

And this music video is a very good example. It's kinda of "non mainstream" music. Kinda "individual" and on the other side... this is totaly advertising. The music, the look. Everything. It's so fucking boring. Maybe the kids will love it.. 12 year old boys that never saw a prodigy video will say: "hej, i saw a video with black water and it was so dark." But i'm not 12.

Don't tell me that i'm being harsh to this Video. I only write one comment in a blog. I think this video is harsh to me. Couse when i make films i don't get a job becouse labels are no artist and they just want sell alot of records in a short time. And if more and more videos cames out like this... they will produce it like this.

And this is realy harsh to all the creative minds out there.

         

Luk, I understand what you're saying a little better, so thank you for clarifying more, and Budget, thanks for the breakdown, that's really helpful. It makes sense, and my guess is that a somewhat lesser known band with a small budget wanted a video that looked dark and professional and like something you'd see on MTV2. I think they probably got what they wanted in terms of look, which is what Budget was saying. The video isn't totally fresh, but at the same time I think it's in a style that is popular, and that's what they were hoping to achieve. I just feel like Endeavor were putting in a good effort and achieved something pretty slick looking. I don't think they are making a commercial commodity out of music videos, but I think they are probably trying to achieve the look of some videos that have commercialized "edgier" music in the past because that's what gets played, and the band obviously wants a bigger following. I'm just surmising here, I really don't know their intentions, but I think it was a good effort and that they achieved what they were going for. I do understand your point better though, Luk, so again, thank you for your explanation.

         

just to throw a wrench into the discussion; i remember this track going out with a 60k budget (US$).

         

60k for this! I hope the directors pocketed at least 30k.

         

2 things:

1. Luk, sorry man, but all music videos are advertisements. It doesn't matter if it's for Beyonce or The Knife, in the end the video is being made to get the word out on a product (a cd, a live show, merch, whatever). The only difference is that separate audiences are being reached- Beyonce makes glossy pop videos because that's what her fans want to see, and The Knife makes weird, esoteric videos because that's what their audience expects. If this frustrates you, its understandable, but maybe you shouldn't be making music videos then. I feel like your expectations for this video are unrealistic; the band probably really wants to be on mtv/the radio, and this video will help them do that way more than an art-house video that only a few people will understand. I used to work at a label full of indie/alt-rock bands and anytime we got a new video in that was all about the "art" everyone would groan because it meant that 1) TV wasn't going to play it, and 2) it was probably going to be really difficult to get anyone but diehard fans to care on the internet. I think all of your criticisms are valid- it does look like low-rent Fincher, the performances are a bit awkward, and unless you really dig the song, you probably aren't going to stick around for the whole thing. However, none of those factors will matter when it comes time for MTV2 to pick their playlist.

2. If this really was 60k, consider me shocked, cause it looks 15k tops.

         

budget: I don't think that all music videos are advertisements. Its to simple to say "the knife" (for example) have to make such videos because of their image they wanted to create. For example "Terry Gilliam". As he works together with hollywood in ends in a big fight becaus he wants that in "Teh Brothers Grimm" the Actors are wearing wrong noses. And "Hollywood" Producers say: no way.

In Music video is the same. It's about freedom. And creativity. Freedom in creativity.

And. Very important. Video for Music are not only made as advertisements. Look ar Sokar Fischinger. Or "Cris Cunningham". He made this Rubber Johnny Video and its "art". It's a short movie (and also a music clip).

For me, music Videos is an art form. Strip it down.

When you hear music people are dancing. When you drive a car... music works good with it. "car driving music". Because of the movement that is going on. No matter if you dance or drive car. It has something to do with motion. With time!

As a kid... when i listen to music and close my eyes i see landscapes in the dark.

Music works on time. And so does movement, images, Videos!

It became advertisement. But take "Street Spirit" from Jonathan Glazer or... soem old "Jimi Tennor" Videos. These are little word. Music Videos are short films. Narrativ, experimental. In germany there is only Arte on TV that brings up short films. "Short Films" are an own art form. (For me) And Music Videos for me... is art.

         

Be honest, are you high?

         

This is awful, by performance videos are concerned. It seems like that's the only way to go, performance, cut, gimmick, performance, cut. It's the equivalent of a movie plot generator, and that's the template. Seen too many of notice, yet I side with Luke in the discussion. Unless you've got pull (Gondry, Hype,) the process of making your pitch dictate how videos look and feel (Fight Club, in this case), and labels get the upper hand. It's not a matter of blame, rather of creative fulfillment. What's the best video that can be made with the resources alloted? I think majors want the same nickelback style coverage, while independents go for more creative stuff. The quest goes on, it's all about the video, and this one isn't a very good example...of why we should care.

Good videos are and always will be made, yet the ones that succeed at what they do either embrace formula, or present new ways to escape it. Putting a band in a random scenario and have them perform while weirdness abounds is the pitch anyone can write, yet that's the pitch the record company almost always buys. The problem may be the sum of the two, unless you're skillful any video doesn't have to be good to be a selling tool.

Otherwise, all videos would have to be good to make the case.