Noted independent film fest Slamdance — aka the other film festival unfurling this week in Park City, UT — reinforces its image as the scrappier antithesis to the more upmarket Sundance Film Festival by launching its first ever music video component. Slamdance Executive Director / Chair of Music Video Programming Drea Clark — known to many in the video industry from her years working for the MVPA — says about the move, "Besides being biased to the format due to my own history, adding a music video line-up this year seemed like a no-brainer, what with the paradigm shifts in the music industry and the artists’ easy access to talented low-budget filmmakers." Word.
The inaugural line-up of Slamdance Music Videos runs as follows...
Adele “Chasing Pavements”
Matthew Cullen, Writer/Director
2008 / USA / 4 Minutes
A surreal dance links an accident and a broken relationship.
Blonde Redhead “Top Ranking”
Mike Mills, Director
2007 / USA / 4 Minutes
Miranda July performs one pose per second.
Darker My Love “Two Ways Out”
Toben Seymor, Writer/Director
2008 / USA / 3 Minutes
A performance within a black void of distorted perceptions and shadows.
Don McCloskey “Mister Novocaine”
Peter Rhoads, Writer/Director/Producer
2008 / USA / 4 Minutes
In a fever dream where hands are people, one hand fights the pleasure of the bottle by telling his story through song.
Feist “My Moon, My Man”
Patrick Daughters, Director
2008 / USA / 4 Minutes
Transforming the bustle of the staid, humdrum world of the airport terminal into a fantastic, synchronized spectacle.
Gnarls Barkley “Who’s Gonna Save My Soul”
Chris Milk, Writer/Director
2008 / USA / 3 Minutes
This is the story of a girl who dumps a boy who tears out his heart for her… literally.
Kaiser Cartel “Okay”
Grizlet, Writer/Director
2008 / USA / 3 Minutes
A hand-drawn world where missing someone seems to lead the way back home.
Omodaka “Kokiriko Bushi”
Teppei Maki, Writer/Director
2008 / Japan / 4 Minutes
A mutational fusion of music and motion graphics, where a dancing skeleton is mastered by a disembodied hand.
Meaghan Smith “A Little Love”
Roboshobo, Writer/Director
2008 / USA / 4 Minutes
Performance and animation blend in the cutest kind of way.
My Morning Jacket “Touch Me I’m Going to Scream Pt.2”
Mixtape Club, Director; My Morning Jacket, Writers
2008 / USA / 4 Minutes
Set deep in a verdant jungle on a dark night, starring a furry, timid creature with gigantic eyes.
The Myriad “A Clean Shot”
Josh Forbes, Director
2008 / USA / 5 Minutes
The band take on puppets, crossbows and woodsy sojourns.
Sia “Buttons”
Kris Moyes, Director
2008 / USA / 3 Minutes
Sia pushes buttons and makes faces.
Thunderheist “Jerk It”
Noel Paul and Stefan Moore, Directors/Writers
2008 / USA / 4 Minutes
Skin jiggling in slow motion, strobing animal prints, a rooster and a girl.
Woodhands “I Wasn’t Made for Fighting”
Asif Mian, Writer/Director
2008 / USA / 4 Minutes
People frozen in time become inspiration for the band to manipulate.
