I've just had something happen that is opening my eyes a bit to what folks here probably go through on a regular basis, but not quite sure what to make of it just yet.
I decided to make another entry to a music video contest I've entered before, where filmmakers from around the world submit videos that can potentially become the official music video of major label artists. The site has run contests for Alicia Keyes, Moby, OMD, Duran Duran, and others. One entry I made was even a finalist for Norwegian techno-pop group Royksopp. Their current contest is for a song by
Ringo Starr called "Wings".
So I start recruiting friends to help out in front of and behind the camera. The song is a pop love song, and as I take stock of friends available and willing to help, the best 2 people for the leads happen to be a couple of young women.
Now, I readily admit that I probably wouldn't have started thinking about the possibility except for the fact that they were in a relationship together, but after a moment's thought, it was logical to both the practical situation I was in, and the artistic vision I had for the song: a barista falls in love with a singer performing at the cafe, but is too afraid to start a conversation.
So, we shoot the video, I edit it down into something I'm very happy with, then upload it to the site for the contest. A few hours later, I get an e-mail saying "We're a platform for official music videos and we felt that the quality of your video wasn't up to the standard required for that." (quoted directly from the e-mail)
This was really disappointing, because making music videos is something that I've worked really hard at as part of the video and TV work I've done over the past 3 years, and I was looking forward to seeing how my work stood up against filmmakers from all over the rest of the world.
But as I see the videos that have been approved, I don't see works that are clearly better than mine, but instead, a mixed bag of works that do some things better than me, and some things worse. Nothing that stands out as exceptional or deserving of "official music video" status. Now, eventually there will be some stunning entries that absolutely deserve to win, and I never thought I had something that good yet, but I
know this stuff well enough to put something solidly in the pack each time I enter.
So I wonder how much of their decision was based on content instead of quality, with the staff at the site who make this first cut not being comfortable with presenting my video to the record company and to Ringo as one of the options for them to watch and make a decision about.
Even if I didn't win, we all talked on the set about how it would be nice to see a positive-message video in the context of an event for one of the biggest pop stars on the planet.
So anyway, maybe you all can help me figure out whether this is just personal disappointment talking, or whether there's something more to the story. :smallsigh:
My video of "Wings".
Where to see the other "approved" entries.