FACT and Liverpool Sound City have joined forces to launch an exciting open call to find the best new music video directing talent in the North West.
They are asking budding directors to submit storyboard and film ideas for a video to accompany a song by celebrated Liverpool band Outfit.
The winning treatment will then be made with expert help from FACT, who will offer £500, loan of equipment and use of their editing suite to perfect the video. Not only that, the finished result will go on public display as part of the FACT exhibition The Art of Pop Video, which opens on March 14.
Outfit’s song Performance – the title track of their soon-to-be released debut album – and the competition brief is downloadable to competitors at the FACT website, fact.co.uk.
“The song is stark and bold, quite stripped back for our style, and we think a visual accompaniment should convey the song’s romance in a non-literal way – and should be seductive and enveloping,” said band member Andrew Hunt.
With a closing date of February 14, FACT and Liverpool Sound City want to prove that it is possible to make a high-quality, memorable music video quickly and inexpensively. Completed videos are not expected by this date, but storyboards and initial cinematography to give an idea of how the finished product will look will be accepted. FACT will offer a wide range of support for the winner, allowing them access to top class production facilities and expert advice.
Entries are welcome from everyone. A ‘DIY’ ethos is encouraged, and filmmakers are free to use any format, moving away from standard industry production to create something more representative of the future of the pop video in a digital age.
The winner will be added to The Art of Pop Video exhibition at FACT, which runs until May 26. In the first exhibition of its kind in the UK, more than 70 video clips will tell the story of the pop video, marking the medium’s substantial contribution to popular culture. Artists featured will include Björk, Michael Jackson, Pet Shop Boys, Fred Astaire, Man Ray, Madonna, Daft Punk, Lady Gaga and Radiohead. The winning video will also be shown at the Liverpool Sound City Expo, where it will be seen by music industry experts and insiders.
FACT director Mike Stubbs said: “This isn’t about big budgets and lavish special effects – these days, more and more people have the tools to film and even edit video clips in the palm of their hands with their mobile phones, allowing them to express their creativity in a quick and easy way. We are very excited to see what people will come up with.”
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