IN DEPTH: Kasabian "Me Plus One"

The new Kasabian video "Me Plus One" is a fine illustration of how music videos — or any creative medium — can work on a couple levels, depending on the audience. "Me Plus One" appeals to sophisticated types with thought-provoking images, unusual juxtapositions and allusions to other works of art including, most prominently, Salvador Dali's appropriately titled "Human Skull Consisting Of Seven Naked Women's Bodies." Cretins like me, however, merely snicker like Beavis as we get to see some naked chicks on screen.

Anyway.

Director Scott Lyon was kind enough to share the thought process behind the video and some details on the shoot.

Scott Lyon: "The idea came from the mood that is set with the music rather than anything particularly to do with the lyrics.

My first thoughts were to do something that had a black magic feel, but it seemed a bit  alien to who the band are and I didn't want them to be playing characters.

This led to the idea of doing it as a subconscious thing, but it needed to come from somewhere. The obvious thing was that it should happen after a show when they are all hyped up and full of adrenaline in their dressing room and getting hammered.

The use of the Dali skull reference was as a device to get us into the next scene. A way of introducing the girls in the room that fit the situation.

From here the images followed what was going on with the music. As the eastern sounding section came in there needed to be a change in what we were seeing, so it felt right to introduce colour and have something dramatic going on with the girls. I wanted this to have the feel of a religious mural, like the Michelangelo painting on the Sistine Chapel.

The location was somewhere I wanted to shoot at for a while. It's a Masonic Temple that was discovered when an old hotel got renovated in London about five years ago. The door to the temple was sealed up behind a wall. It was undiscovered for about a hundred years and is in pristine condition."

--> watch "Me Plus One " in Quicktime or Flash

Kasabian "Me Plus One" (RCA)
Scott Lyon, director | Zeno Campbell, producer | Factory Films UK (Oil Factory in US), production co | Dan Landin, DP | Tom Linsay, editor

BOOKED: Say Anything - Shane Drake, director

artist: Say Anything  
song: "Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too"
label: Doghouse/J Records
director(s): Shane Drake
production co: Merge @ Crossroads 
rep: Labuda Management

SHOT: Jason Mraz - Jon Watts, director

This video tie-in with the hit ABC series Ugly Betty will cleverly highlight the maxim that serves as the song title.

artist: Jason Mraz
song: "Beauty In Ugly"
label: Atlantic
director(s): Jon Watts
production co: Smuggler
rep: Labuda Management

NEWS: Call For MVPA Awards Submissions

The Music Video Production Awards has sent out a call for entries to their annual MVPA awards show. All submissions must be made online this year; Full details — including cost and upload instructions — can be found at their website mvpaawards.com. All submissions are due by Sunday, February 11.

NEW RELEASE: Cold War Kids "Hang Me Out To Dry"

Directing team The Malloys conjure up a fake preview for an equally fake film noir in this debut video for the totally for real band Cold War Kids. Goofy critical blurbs  — "The film wraps its crooked fingers around your heart and yanks at its strings" is a good example — and only slightly bogus credits appear onscreen as The Malloys unfurl a fittingly obscure storyline. The song itself is an insidious groove that will wrap its crooked fingers around your heart and yanks at its strings. --> watch "Hang Me Out To Dry" at Revver.com (features a streaming flash version and a downloadable Quicktime)

Cold War Kids "Hang Me Out To Dry" (Downtown)
The Malloys, directors | Billy Parks, producer | Black Dog, production co | Barry Norwood, DP | Tim Wheeler, editor

BOOKED: Bright Eyes - Patrick Daughters, director

artist: Bright Eyes
song: "Four Winds" 
label: Polydor UK/Saddle Creek   
director(s): Patrick Daughters 
production co: The Directors Bureau   
commissioner:  Jill Kaplan/Skyway

BOOKED: Menomena - Lance Bangs, director

Shooting in Portland, OR...

artist: Menomena
song: "Wet And Rusting"
label: Barsuk
director(s): Lance Bangs
production co: Field Recordings
commissioner:  Jill Kaplan/Skyway

VIDEO/CONTEST: Grahan Coxon "Standing On My Own Again"

This b&w performance video for former Blur guitarist Graham Coxon has been out for quite some time, but we've dug it up to coincide with a little CONTEST. The prize is a limited edition double 7" vinyl copy of "I Can't Look At Your Skin" and "What's He Got," with the B-sides "Time For Heroes" and "Outta My League, Dear." It's a nifty package with all the artwork done by Coxon himself. And, since we live in a digital age, we'll also throw in a copy of Coxon's Love Travels At Illegal Speeds CD. To enter, please send an email with your name and address to coxoncontest@videostatic.com. All entrants must be over 18 years old (sorry kids). We'll randomly select and notify the lucky winner on Tuesday, January 30 .

Now, back to the video. It's a pretty simple affair, using nothing more than a large black border an occasional negative effect to enliven the performance. Simplicity, in my opinion, is usually a good thing, especially if the intended focus is on Coxon's ability to churn out an indie rock buzzsaw while channeling the spirit of vintage Elvis Costello. --> watch "Standing On My Own Again" at YouTube or in Real or  Windows Media

Graham Coxon "Standing On My Own Again" (Astralwerks)
Barnaby Roper, director | Charlotte Woodhead, producer | Flynn, production co | Robbie Ryan, DP | Nick Allix, editor

BOOKED: Christina Aguilera - Matthew Rolston, director

artist: Christina Aguilera
song: "Candyman"
label: RCA
director(s): Matthew Rolston
production co: @radical.media

SHOT: Trick Daddy - R. Malcolm Jones, director

artist: Trick Daddy feat. Baby
song: "Tuck Ya Ice"
label: Slip-N-Slide/Atlantic
director(s): R. Malcolm Jones
production co: @radical.media