Monday, 25 June 2012

quote [ I heard this song on a friend's car radio last year and thought it was beautiful and sad, but when I saw the video later it wasn't what I had imagined. This is my alternate version, shot with some friends. ]

Password = "someone"

I've enjoyed the art and music some of you have shared over the years I've been coming here and would like to return the favor. Feel free to Unworthy Self Link me to death, but I hope you like it.

The truth is, I think the original video is pretty unimaginative and was probably just an excuse to get an all-expenses-paid trip to Paris. While it's not a genre or an artist I would normally listen to, I do think the song is beautiful and deserves a good video, and I was inspired.

[art] [by hellboy@3:20pmGMT] [+10 Good]

Comments

Tsunemori said @ 4:08pm GMT on 25th Jun
It's hard trying to see any video behind those filters

hellboy said @ 4:35pm GMT on 25th Jun
I made the password more obvious.

I'm trying to avoid a takedown notice from the record label, but if people really don't want to be bothered with a password I'll consider taking it off for a day or two.

spazm said @ 7:16pm GMT on 25th Jun
Vimeo seems pretty laid back when it comes to usage of music and shit, they're not as bad as youtube at least. i think if you state clearly that it isn't commercial they won't be too hard on you. And what sometimes helps is linking to the label or at least a place where people can buy the track.

lalanda said @ 11:41pm GMT on 25th Jun
I'm not sure those are the filters he's talking about.

azazel said @ 6:00pm GMT on 25th Jun
Yeah, the official video isn't very good. I still think that her performance on the Brit awards was and should be the official video.

mrcucumber said @ 6:12pm GMT on 25th Jun
What was the extent of your involvement?

hellboy said @ 7:41pm GMT on 25th Jun [Score:1 Interesting]
I directed it, shot most of it, edited it, and did all the VFX.

Cakkafracle said @ 6:22pm GMT on 25th Jun
fuck Adele.
good work, but such effort on a ditchy song *sigh*

bltrocker said @ 1:30am GMT on 26th Jun
As in, being full of ditches? Anyway, how does anyone deny her vocal talent and writing ability? I would like to see her write something other than breakup songs, but even the guys I know who are into all metal with a side of bluegrass know she's amazing (even if not for their tastes).

Cakkafracle said @ 1:54am GMT on 26th Jun
vocal talent in spades.
writing talent in junior high.
I love her voice until 1/3 through any given song, by then the droning patterns of both musical and lyrical variety grates on me.

We could have had it aaaaaaaaaaalllll
We're rolling in the deeeeeeeEEEeeeeep
oooooooverr and ooooooverrr and oooooooooooooover aaaaagagggaaaaaiiiinnnnn

verycleanteeth said @ 2:01am GMT on 26th Jun
rumor has it.... rumor has it.... rumor has it.... rumor has it....

rumor has it.... rumor has it.... rumor has it.... rumor has it....

rumor has it.... rumor has it.... rumor has it.... rumor has it....

Cakkafracle said @ 2:01am GMT on 26th Jun
ditto

bltrocker said @ 2:42pm GMT on 26th Jun
So repeating the refrain at the end of a song is now junior high talent? It's a four chorus song, and that doesn't seem excessive to me. Are you expecting her to branch out into some progressive rock or jazz fusion? Or maybe she should be hitting crazy runs like an R&B artist later in the song? It may not be to your liking, but I don't see how what she does currently devalues the song. Also, I wasn't writing like this in junior high:

I set fire to the rain,
Watched it pour as I touched your face,
Well, it burned while I cried
'Cause I heard it screaming out your name, your name

I set fire to the rain,
And I threw us into the flames
Where it felt something die
'Cause I knew that that was the last time, the last time

Cakkafracle said @ 11:56pm GMT on 26th Jun

THIS IS TERRIBLE

bltrocker said @ 3:27am GMT on 27th Jun
What a rude response

Cakkafracle said @ 5:50pm GMT on 28th Jun
Was it the red? perhaps if I went with light grey and pale blue...

Cakkafracle said @ 2:01am GMT on 26th Jun
in fact, GLEE produced a far superior version of her compositions
by mashing two of her songs together.
they actually sound complete as a mashup.

'scuse me, i have to go wipe my opinion now

blibblob said @ 3:58am GMT on 26th Jun [Score:1 Insightful]
I love how a lot of metal guys will get down to some chicken pickin' bluegrass.

Mr. Langosta said @ 9:03pm GMT on 25th Jun
Kudos.

Are you interested in my polite criticisms? If not, I'll gladly fuck off, but I had some thoughts.

hellboy said @ 1:37am GMT on 26th Jun
Sure, I'm always interested in feedback.

Mr. Langosta said @ 7:01am GMT on 26th Jun [Score:1 Insightful]
Good on you. Here goes.

Having spent the last ten weeks reading Tom and Lorenzo's Mad Style, an in depth blog analysing costuming on AMC's Mad Men, I've developed an eye for wardrobe. Having never sucked dick, consider the former sentence the gayest thing to ever come out of my mouth. Anyhow, when we first meet our female protagonist, the wardrobe choices are less than flattering. These shots establish the character, and while bulky coat and bulletproof scarf certainly encapsulate post-breakup wear, and recognizing on a shoot like this they were likely provided by the actress, they do her no favors. Later in the scenes where she's frolicking in a field with her ex, I was surprised to see what a nice figure she was hiding under all that clading. I would have empathized with her more and earlier had I seen that she was a cutie and not a bag lady. Because we care more about beautiful people.

It's as old as Wizard of Oz, but ultimately you pulled off the color vs black and white - however some shots were more original than others. The split screen in the grass just didn't click for me and called to mind an early 80s tv depiction of a phone call. The scenes against the wall at the beach were the best use of this visual effect. Interestingly, it would work reversed as well - with the girl in color and the memory in b&w. The distance of fading memories, not as vivid, ect.

Finally, avoid literalism at all costs. It's so tempting in a music vid, but don't show us a sped up shot paired with the lyric about how time flies or even a closeup with a lyric about a face. A video should be a broader interpretation more concerned with a novel take on the themes of the piece rather than a 1:1 visualization. In other words, don't put Michael Stipe in a corner in a spot light stamping on a bible.

Ending with compliments, I thought your best shot was the man with the sun at his back and the flare momentarily bloting out his face. That 1st person POV was a great touch being as that's how memory works. No one recollects in the third person. I would have welcomed more of those shots.

Good on you for doing this in the first place. I've never gone beyond story boards.

azazel said @ 12:29pm GMT on 26th Jun
No one recollects in the third person.
I did when I was a kid.

leareth said @ 11:28pm GMT on 25th Jun [Score:1 Informative]
Thanks for sharing. I enjoyed the video and the composition.

Weirdly enough I didn't know this was an Adele song. I had only heard it on Peter Hollen's recent album.

I think I like his version better... but... I really like his voice.

http://youtu.be/zsvGveI0jxg

Mind you I discovered him, shortly after a recent (and unexpected) breakup and the this song in particular nearly undid me.

http://youtu.be/Ih7Zh9YduRo

*Edit* I should add I discovered him through the cool Skyrim duet he and Lindsey Stirling did.

http://youtu.be/mgPienNLSyk

I have turned into a bit of fanboy.

leareth said @ 11:32pm GMT on 25th Jun
Crap. Got my HTML reversed.

Try these:

Turning Tables / Someone Like you

Sleepwalking

Skyrim

bltrocker said @ 12:58am GMT on 26th Jun
Good job, man. Wish you had more money for the FX, but was good nonetheless. Sometimes the simplest concepts are the most powerful.

-_- said @ 2:17am GMT on 26th Jun
Lovely work ... glad you shared.

joe_mannix said @ 2:55am GMT on 26th Jun
Very cool, fits the mood of the music very well.

Maybe have a scene or two of her reflecting while sitting in a bathtub, while showing some bewbs (since this is SE...)?

gm1970 said @ 9:08pm GMT on 26th Jun
That was great. +1 Worthy Self-link

discoLemonade said @ 6:02am GMT on 27th Jun
I love this.