Guys, it’s the last funding round of the original $5000 music video funding. Our journey is finally coming to an end (or is it?). We start with helping the community, bored in the old office, a fairytale, glam in the shadows, chilling at the park, and a twilight skate.
Adeaze “Rise & Shine”
“Rise and Shine” was Adeaze’s final funded video and it’s a really nice one to go out on. Rather than just shining a light on the troubles of society, the Tupai brothers get out and show people helping. The video follows around a community soup kitchen truck, bringing meals to low-income families, including lots of children. Adeaze also play their part by busking to raise money for charity. The song itself is pretty unremarkable, but the video adds a lot of depth.
Director: Zac Blair
Andrew Keoghan “Bright Idea”
Andrew Keoghan is the younger brother of Phil Keoghan, which is fairly thrilling in itself. “Bright Idea” was his first funded video and it sets the sweet indie pop tune in an old office space. It looks like it’s used as rehearsal room, and while Andrew is kind of busy working on his music, a young woman mucks around with office furniture. There’s a nice spirit to the video, and I especially like how it reclaims the bleak former office as a creative space.
Director: Stephen Ballantyne, Carla Brereton
Nga Taonga Sound & Vision
Anna Coddington “Free”
“Free” gets creative with fairytales. It’s set at night in the forest and we meet three different versions of Anna: ordinary Anna, Little Red Ridinghood Anna and Wicked Witch Anna, though all in regular clothes hinting at the characters, rather than in fancy dress. The three wander through trees festooned with teacup, sweets and other delightful things. We also meet two young girls who are happily having a serious tea party. The song is very gentle and light, but the video adds a bit of depth and darkness to things.
Director: Sally Tran
Nga Taonga Sound & Vision
Annabel Fay “Already Home”
This song is pretty boring, but all the YouTube comments are from people who love it. The video goes for a very gentle and glamorous look. It feels like a better version of Annabel’s debut video “Lovin’ You Baby”. Here’s she older, a moe experienced performer and she carries herself with more confidence — no longer a nervous teen. “Already Home” was the last funded video from Annabel Fay — but it wasn’t her last video. She released a number of singles, including “Warrior” in 2013. A promised third album did not eventuate and Fay is now studying psychology in California.
Director: Anthony Plant
Annah Mac “Celia”
“Celia” is a cute pop song with and the video keeps up with the cuteness. Anna and her band (including the unmistakably coiffed Jesse Sheehan) are found performing the song in a park. There’s lots of golden light and lens flair and it all gives the video a dreamy look and fits right in with the song. There’s a bit about the video production on this blog.
Director: Darren Simmonds
Artisan Guns “Heights”
Why is a recent music video, made with public funding, not available on YouTube anymore? Why is the only way to watch it via a slightly dodgy website that doesn’t quite feel legal? This should not be happening and it makes me angry that it has happened. All these videos should be online, at least for viewers in New Zealand to watch.
Anyway, “Heights” is a dreamy song and the video is just as dreamy. It takes places in the early evening, where a guy casually skateboards around. There are also scenes from a party, where everyone is surrounded by clouds of a hazy smoke. Oh, one of those parties.
Director: Reuben Stephens, Matthew Hope
Awesome Robyn,
What a massively epic undertaking to review all of our videos. A task even more gargantuan than trying to make a cool video for $5000 (which can be pretty overwhelming at times)!
It probably felt pretty arduous from time to time, but you kept on in there – so well done. I loved all the cool details you noticed in many of the clips, it shows a passion for what you were doing and a great eye.
Thanks for appreciating our efforts (even the patchier ones) and giving our work new life.
Arohanui,
Jimmy Barr
Thanks, Jimmy! One thing this whole adventure has given me is appreciation for the people involved with making videos – having a small budget and limited resources but still managing to make something bigger out of it.