CLIPPED Music Video Festival: how to make a standout clip

With the ABC’s iconic music program rage turning 30, reflections and tributes to recently departed aesthetic icons like Prince and David Bowie, and new innovations in augmented and virtual reality popping up with increasing frequency, it seems the music industry is falling in love with visuals all over again. So it’s especially exciting that CLIPPED – the festival dedicated to the art and industry of music videos – is returning in 2017 for its second year as part of VIVID.

Packed with video premieres and screenings, talks and workshops, and an interactive exhibition, CLIPPED will also feature its first international guest speaker, director and designer Warren Fu. Rising through the design ranks after winning an internship at Lucasfilm, where heworked on Star Wars– and was responsible for character designs including General Grievous – Fu went on to create iconic videos like The Strokes’You Only Live Once and developed ongoing creative partnerships with Daft Punk and Julian Casablancas, directing clips forGet Lucky, Derezzed, Instant Crushand more.

Fu is also the first announced judge for the CLIPPED music videoawards, where categories include animation, cinematography, directing and editing. Bands and video creators at all levels are invited to submit their work – videos released any time after January 2016 are eligible.

Entries close in a week, but you don’t have to have worked tirelessly on your vision for the last sixteen months straight to create something original and compelling – just ask Ryan Staake, the director of Young Thug’s hystericalWyclef Jean video, which went viral at the beginning of the year. Staake may have had a huge budget and a big-name star, but the genius of the video is in his refreshing, witty re-framing of the original vision after it all went wrong.

TMN asked festival director Sam Bright for his tips on what to focus on, whether you’re tweaking an existing work or want to dive in and create something new as the May 1 deadline approaches.

1: Have a unique concept

“The special aspect of music videos versus other genres is that there are no boundaries! Historically, it has been the chosen medium for radical experimentation. People enjoy to see something new, radical or be shocked, these are often the aspects that make a clip memorable.”

2: Grab the viewer’s attention, and keep it

“These days it is no easy task to keep all eyes on a music video until the last second. But when this is achieved, the filmmaker should take solace in the fact they’ve done their job. Keep it new and exciting. Try to get the audience guessing on their toes as long as possible. Whether it’s about being funny, sad, dramatic or outright strange, music videos need to be entertaining!”

3: Make it thought-provoking

“Although music videos have generally steered away from political and social issues (much like artists) in the last decade, the art-form still provides a unique opportunity to challenge viewers. Much like broader genres of filmmaking, finding an inner voice or message can give your work substance, communicate an idea or instigate discourse, often irrespective of the visual aesthetic.”

Submissions can be made via the CLIPPED website.