the beginning of the music video.
Nothing captures the decade of the 80s like the music video. compared to now a-days original music videos are hard to come by but at the beginning anything was possible. which meant a lot of hits and just as many misses. in this decade it went from humble beginnings to a full scale masterpiece of visual art. nothing kick started the music video revolutions like the world of MTV. and everyone had to get on board, even if it meant they were dragged there.
Queen - bohemian rhapsody directed by Bruce Gowers.
the visual extravaganza that kick started what is now called the music video. its original purpose was so the band could be on top of the pops without going to to top of the pops' studio because they were on tour. they used a crew that filmed sporting events and asked them to film a practise. not until later in the 80s music video channels appeared.
The Boomtown Rats- i don't like mondays.directed by David Mallet
Another video to shape the 80s. it was the one of the first school based video which is common with many genres today. Most people believe and still believe that the song is about not liking going to work on a monday. Bob Geldolf wanted to challenge this idea and show it could be more then just work. about an event in america in which a small girl came in and shot everyone. the school kids spooky eyes were based on the village of the damned.
David Bowie- ashes to ashes directed by David Mallet
it has a huge effect on the public. it blew away other music videos away and other musicians. bowie knew exactly want he wanted. he knew from the start he wanted to be a clown. from an hour of talking they had fleshed out most of the music videos. this video was before post production colours and to make the sky look black was a challenge but the director discovered by accident discover how previously. every effect that is on the video was done on set because there was no other way.
nothing kick started the music video revolutions like the world of MTV. and everyone had to get on board, even if it meant they were dragged there.
the Buggles - video killed the radio star directed by Russell Mulcahy
it was done for fun. the first video MTV ever showed. no one had any idea what impact it would have. the song was not about MTV it was about how fast technology was moving. the woman who is seen jumping over the tv had ten men to catch her. there was little health and safety and no netting. for 14 hours the woman was attached to a harness wire being swung about.
Ultravoxs - Vienna directed by Russell Mulcahy
meant to be nour based story. filmed around several locations around london. including covent garden. mimicking the era. like a short film on TV. it changed the landscape. you didn't have to play instruments in the films, they could be an actor.
Duran Duran- girls on film directed by- Godley & Creme
controversial film instantly. heavy censorship. airway banning. huge publicity and a big cult status. they wanted something to get them noticed and nothing does like sex. the idea was meant to be a catwalk but more then just walking up and down happened. it featured nipples and ice cubes. topless mud wrestling
Duran Duran- Río directed by Russell Mulcahy
accidental film. Duran Duran was on holiday after working in america and the producers sent over a film crew because they needed a video. based on high fashion photo shoots. the ship was filmed after because they didn't have enough footage for the whole song. the saxophone footage was made after the crew went home on a german tourists video camera.
Elton John - I'm still standing. directed by Russell Mulcahy.
filmed in france. elton john turned up with nothing organised. after an accident in which the director fell off a pier filming elton, he soon realised that nothing was planned so after finding a new camera and drying off the director elton john told them not to worry they will go out tomorrow and basically lark about and see what turned up. the whole video invented on the spot.
Queen - i want to break free directed by david mallet
after battling with dismal ideas they came up with a drag video. freddy's character came last and was dressed as a liverpuddlen slag. freddy mercury demanded to have the whole of the royal ballet for the middle interpretive dance sequence. MTV believed it to be disgraceful and banned the music video
Michael jackson-billy jean directed by steve barron
the beef was- something magical. jackson's manager requested if it would be posable for micheal to dance as he'd been practising in the mirror. originally all pavements were meant to al interactive but they had such a small production budget they could only get 11. originally mtv refused to play the video because Michael jackson was black. the next 3-4 weeks were tense negotiation including going to the supreme court to change mtv's decision. another director wayne who worked with jackson later on was a helper and had to clear up behind the tiger.
Herby Handcock - Rokit directed by Kevin Godley
first music video to heavy feature animatronics. the only problem to get on MTV was because he was black. won the most MTV awards of the first awards ( more then thriller).
Godley & Creme - cry directed by themselves. a video that streams people faces changing fading into one another singing the song. mixing between the too and a soft wipe allowed it to change between one another. no morphing was involved it was simply that the wipe allowed it to change as if it was
Mick Jagger and David Bowie- dancing int the street directed by David Mallet
in one 24 hour session to preview to a live audience for live aid. recorded in the afternoon and recorded straight after without anyone hearing it they started recording. 9 feature film crews turned up for free because it sounded fun. finished filming at 5am and finished editing by 7pm.
Duran Duran- wild boys directed by Russell Mulcahy
an enormous budget on 3 sound stages. based a pon the directors failed film project. an accident happened on set in which the windmill stopped working and one of the singers was stuck under water. for Duran Duran was the pinnacle of over the top 80s.
The Cure- Close to me directed by Tim Pope
robert smith was attracted by the naughtiness of the director. after hearing. pope had the idea of filming it in a clostaphobic surrounding. filmed in a wardrobe. the biggest mistake according to pope was that the band had indian for lunch. the video actually finished the song as robert smith ( singer of the cure) and director went back into the studio and remixed it.
Aha- take on me directed by steve barron
an example of a song that with a video became massive. it had already been realised and no one was playing it and instead of dropping it they decided to create a music video. on a basic budget. the original video was just the band in a blue room singing. jeff arrow from warner said it was a great song and that a classic video to go with it. there had to be a purpose not just animation for animation sake.
George Michael- Faith directed by Andy Morahan.
already a lot of credit already in both UK and America. stardom was inament. george was heavly involved. especial in editing so george was happy with the shots of him. at one point the director was pulled out asking if the shots of Georges shaking butt was nessacery. Michael's insisted it would be funny. infect george isn't playing many of the correct notes, he can play basics but nothing like the video suggests.
Bon Jovi- Living on a prayer directed by Wayne Isham
lead the way for epic music videos. Bon Jovi were on the cuff of being huge stars. john bon jovi hated the director and refused to work with him originally. they opened an abandoned boxing stadium called the Olympic in California and mocked up a show. bigger then life style to make it look huge.
Guns And Roses- November Rain directed by Andy Morahan
the concept of the idea was actually from axle rose. it was a big budget film. guns and roses were always plugged in and actually playing as they did not want to be a band that mimed. Which, drove the crew crazy as they had trouble communicating. everything was shot out of order. the wedding scene was shot first. the kiss was real and lasted a good few minutes. the iconic church is actually in mexico which slash plays his solo out of. for the reception scene Morahan had to keep the band up at night as he put it "they were like vampires. they only come out at night. contacting them could only happen between the hours of 6pm to 8 am". the funeral had 4 rain machines. 200 extras, 17 cars. the biggest funeral he could muster. he didn't even know what the story line really was " it was like spinal tap. with money"
information curtsy of the music videos that shaped the 80's (TV show) on sky arts.
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