We've happily noticed that pretty much every local release of note these days comes with a music video. It makes sense I guess, as so many of us stream our music these days instead of buying physical and this way there's something nice to watch as we check out a load of new music.
Here's a sample of recent releases that have gone the extra mile and produced a slick mini-movie - and a little bit of background info as to how they went about it....
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Escobar - Sirens
The Concept: Another straight band performance - until you see the pyro and masked dancers...
Directed by: Tommy Keery (Dog Kennel Productions)
Notes: Another glamorous location for this one - The Ignition Skate Park in Lisburn!
Budget: Around £1200 for the shooting, editing, location hire, set dressing and all important pyro.
Warning: Please note this video contains some flashing imagery.
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VerseChorusVerse - Three
The Concept: Shadowy, menacing shots of the protagonist and some weird computer imagery attempting to portray the heartache that clearly inspired this brooding monster of a song.
Directed by: Adrian Rowe & Emma Dodds, aka ‘Industrious Dark’
Notes: Mostly shot in Tony Wright (aka VerseChorusVerse)’s granny’s house the day before it was sold. The fact Tony ‘spent many a happy Christmas’ in this house partially explains why he looks so moody….
Budget: An astonishing £50 for what’s a very slick, beautifully shot and perfectly edited six minutes. The fact Tony was in a band with one of the directors has clearly made it a labour of love - for both parties.
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Go Wolf - One More Night
The Concept: Seems like a straight forward recording of the band performing in a studio. Then you notice that those (female) heads don’t belong to those (male) bodies. A girl singing a boy's vocal adds to the slightly uneasy feel.
Directed by: Gregg Houston
Notes: Gregg Houston is the man behind ‘Babysweet’ and has made numerous interesting and beautifully shot documentaries and live recordings for many local acts. To work with the very hip Go Wolf, however, he moved operations to Hackney, a very hip suburb or London.
Budget: A rather substantial (compared to the others, at least) £2000.
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We Cut Corners - Blue
The Concept: A suitably dramatic tale of insects and nose bleeds for the Dublin duo’s latest single.
Directed by: Antoni Sendra, a videographer and animator from Spain.
Notes: Shot entirely in Spain apart from green screen footage of the band, shot in a Dublin living room.
Budget: €1000 (The band have pointed out this is a ‘fiscal miracle considering the level of work and personnel involved in the video's realisation')
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Wonder Villains - Marshall
The Concept: The brightest, most colourful band in the country hit up the brightest and most colourful location in the country - Barry’s in Portrush!
Directed by: Robin Morgan & Bradley Quinn
Notes: The band wanted to shoot a summery video but it was winter and (in their own words) ‘somewhere colourful seemed like a good way around the Northern Irish weather’. The guys at the legendary arcade and funfair accommodated the Derry four piece for two full days as they prepared for the summer season.
Budget: ‘We wanted it to look as good as possible so we spent more money on it than we maybe could have. But we feel it was worth it’
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Ciaran Lavery - Left For America
The Concept: We see a bearded man’s dancing which is as curious and warped as Ciaran’s wonderful brand of folk music. Also, bonus points for that impressive beard.
Directed by: ROCAnimation
Notes: Actor Ro Graham prepared for his routine by watching videos of James Brown.
Budget: ‘A shoestring’
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The Twenty - Have You Seen Her?
The Concept: Boy eyes up girl at a club, loses girl in club. The ultimate nightmare! As simple as this little pop punk gem.
Directed by: Colm Lavery (of A Northern Light) and Nikki MacRae
Notes: Extras, tempted by free booze gathered at The Limelight in Belfast while the band were shot at their rehearsal studio on The Springfield Road.
Budget: Zero. Everyone involved was a friend of the band or directors.
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ABandCalledBoy - Cliff Richard
The Concept: This one seems to be an homage to Cliff Richard including some extreme tennis and very large, bright jackets. Which is weird enough before you consider abandcalledboy make a very noisy brand of straight up rock.
Directed by: The band’s bassist Mark, working with Odhrain Soanes, a friend.
Notes: Mostly shot in Warrenpoint and Rostrevor, with Newry Arts Centre volunteering a studio which wasn’t being used.
Budget: £0. According to the band, various props were ‘begged for and borrowed’.
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Freak's - Number One
The Concept: The number 1 falls in love…with the number 2, ably serenaded by Freak’s performing what may well be my favourite track of the year so far. An idea as silly and cute as the song itself.
Directed by: Ronan Doherty
Notes: Shot in various ‘hotspots’ and living rooms across Strabane.
Budget: £2.60 (the price of the pint featured in the video).
