Here's the final video, directed by myself. It's the epilogue to Directions.

Amazing job. You turned my least favorite song on Plans and turned it into my favorite video on Directions. What's the back story?

P.S. Max Records has the sweetest name ever.

Max Records is one of the sweetest kids, ever. He recently, at the age of 8, led a protest for vegetarian options at his school cafeteria. He chose to be vegetarian at his age; was not prodded by his parents at all.

I'm not really into explaining how something was made, if that's what you mean by backstory. No disrespect meant, but I think we live in a day and age where too many people are cynical of what, say, magicians do. I know some good cheesy card tricks and most kids these days seem to only want to know how it's done, instead of just enjoying the illusion.

It's also my primary function as a filmmaker, I feel, to communicate what I'm trying to in the piece itself. If people cannot find the questions and emotions and notions I've buried in there without a posthaste explanation I've failed. Or at least I'm superstitious about that. I believe what the reader brings to the text is as important as what the creator brings.

I will say that I had an incredible, tireless, inventive, brilliant crew I can't praise enough. Especially considering what we did for the budget.

And the kids were all marvelous. I was warned that directing kids was going to be difficult, but I had a great time. I was sad for it to end.

Enjoyed this one - the mood, the mystery, the sort of hopelessness about it. This video and Summer Skin felt a little more "safe" - as far as the conventions of the music videos. But still - it was interesting and provocative.

It was what happened after the song ended that seemed a little heavy handed.

quote:

Originally posted by otakuhouse:
I'm not really into explaining how something was made, if that's what you mean by backstory... It's also my primary function as a filmmaker, I feel, to communicate what I'm trying to in the piece itself. If people cannot find the questions and emotions and notions I've buried in there without a posthaste explanation I've failed. Or at least I'm superstitious about that. I believe what the reader brings to the text is as important as what the creator brings.

I totally agree with this, but yet you did explain a lot - not the "backstory" of the video but the "subtext." When I heard the girl talking about trying really hard not to forget their faces, you immediately told me what to feel about them and undermined the subtlety and mystery of the video.

I saw the desperation in the girl's face, in the little brother's crayon frenzy, in the middle brother's anger. We didn't need the emotion restated. If you edit out the last monologue the video will be so much stronger.

But that is why I'm Joe and you're Aaron.

Congratulations on Directions! I think this takes both a music album and videos to a whole new level. I'm very excited for the release of the DVD and I hope that Death Cab will continue to do this with their future albums.

Cheers.

The only video to leave me rendered speechless at the end. Absolutely amazing job.

quote:

Originally posted by really_lovely:
The only video to leave me rendered speechless at the end. Absolutely amazing job.

same

that was quite a show. amazing job. a perfect ending for directions. i was blown away, awesome

i agree with everyone else.
i think it was a great video and you did a great job. an excellent ending to directions.

oh yes. very nice video. i loved it's mystery. it made me like the song more as well. great job, Aaron.

hmm...i wonder what the alternate ending on the DVD will be like.

Wow; that was sad. But the siblings hugging at the end was really sweet. I thought it was emotional and nice.

That was cool
Although I think adding all that extra time at the end with the girl talking was cheating
But I didn't care, I enjoyed the video, and that is what I find most important in any of these videos.

Before how artistic, emotional, "indie", or whatever else, I want to just enjoy watching it and be captivated by it, which I unfortunately could not say for a lot of the videos. They had artistic merit, but I didn't enjoy them as much.



Hard to believe it's all done now. Seems like yesterday I was watching Marching Bands of Manhatten (one of my favorite videos, I'll add). Now I just need the DVD for all the extras

quote:

Originally posted by otakuhouse:
I'm not really into explaining how something was made, if that's what you mean by backstory. No disrespect meant, but I think we live in a day and age where too many people are cynical of what, say, magicians do. I know some good cheesy card tricks and most kids these days seem to only want to know how it's done, instead of just enjoying the illusion.

It's also my primary function as a filmmaker, I feel, to communicate what I'm trying to in the piece itself. If people cannot find the questions and emotions and notions I've buried in there without a posthaste explanation I've failed. Or at least I'm superstitious about that. I believe what the reader brings to the text is as important as what the creator brings.

I will say that I had an incredible, tireless, inventive, brilliant crew I can't praise enough. Especially considering what we did for the budget.

And the kids were all marvelous. I was warned that directing kids was going to be difficult, but I had a great time. I was sad for it to end.

I completely agree. I am an aspiring filmmaker myself and a few students in my school have told me that they didn't understand one of my films. And just like you, I didn't explain anything to any of them. So it probably was a bit foolish to ask you the same question. I do believe that the most important thing to focus on as a director is the conveying of the ideas. I think you did an excellent job of doing so.

P.S. That card trick analogy was brilliant.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: A.J.,

I dunno Aaron, I bet you watched the show on fox where the masked magician revealed all their secrets.

Ok so I didn't think that any video could, for me, beat the crooked teeth video with PIRATES and ROBOTS. I was wrong, Aaron you managed to win me over without the use of either. Usually I would blab on about something here but I can't. I'm speechless...it was absolutely perfect. Excellent job sir.

I love the video. My favorite of the batch.


gj.

are they floating in space?