Not inspired enough yet to submit your video to the Radiohead Video Contest? Well perhaps Motomichi Nakamura can whip you into shape. His new Flash-animated music video for Temposhark’s track Blame keeps it simple – using black, white and red colors to create a lasting impression. Head over to SubmarineChannel to watch the full video.
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A little over a year ago, we featured James Reitano’s brilliant music video for Cut Chemist’s single Spat. He’s now joining us for a Radiohead/Aniboom Contest interview.
AARON SIMPSON: How did you “pitch” the concept of the Spat video to Luke MacFadden, otherwise known as Cut Chemist?
JAMES REITANO: I actually wanted to make an educational video with Jurassic 5, kind of a Schoolhouse Rap thing. Luke had seen the All Caps video, and wanted one for his upcoming solo record. After a failed start in early 2005, we revived the idea in spring of ’06, and got it going.
AARON: How did this string of animated music videos all come about?
JAMES: I think I fell into it by accident. KutMasta Kurt talked me into doing an animated video for his Masters Of Illusion LP with Kool Keith. I had never taken on 3 minutes of animation before, so I was hesitant. Kurt kept assuring me that it was doable and we wrapped it up in 2 months, and the reception was really good. From there, Biz Markie asked for one, and, the ball just got rolling. And I also have a deep love for music, so it’s kind of not too surprising that I’d be involved in one way or another.
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After challenging the conventional album distribution system last Fall, Radiohead has turned its attention to how animated music videos are produced. On March 17th, the band announced that it had teamed up with Aniboom and Adult Swim for a groundbreaking music video contest. The concept of a user or listener-generated music video contest goes back to Madonna and MTV’s 1986 Make My Video competition, but when a band of Radiohead’s size is paired with the connective possibilities of the internet, we’re likely to see uncommon results.
Those results will arrive in 4 stages, starting with the April 27th deadline for the storyboard submission round. In this initial phase, animators, writers and other artists can submit a clip displaying their concept for a music video – using any song from Radiohead’s #1 album In Rainbows. The field will be subsequently whittled down to 10 semifinalists, who will each be awarded $1,000 to make a 1-minute music video. These 10 are culled to 5 finalists, whose work is then presented to the band.
Finally, on June 30th, the winner will receive $10,000 to make a full version of their video (complete schedule and rules)
The 4-step process is a clever approach to the ever popular world of user-generated content, or UGC. It lowers the bar for entry, allowing artists to dip a toe into the contest without committing a month of their life to a submission that may not even make the finals. It’s actually an analog of the traditional method employed at major animation studios: concepts are presented, a rough pass is produced and then the final work is revealed to scrutinizing executives. Only here, the “executives” are one of the coolest bands in the world.
And while we know Radiohead for their progressive approach to the music industry and their unique blend of sonic experimentalism and alternative rock power, they know a thing or two about music videos. Jamie Thraves’ music video for Radiohead’s 1995 track Just is often listed amongst the best music videos of all time, and another three, Fake Plastic Trees, Karma Police and Street Spirit (Fade Out), have received similar acclaim. Their music videos are simply legendary. It’s enough pressure to make an animator freeze up in fear.
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