“Inspired by the song, I wanted to create something dark and elegant that took place inside of a haunted house. That’s just what the song sounded like to me–a dream-like world of slow-motion, macabre imagery. I also loved the idea of a first-person’s perspective where you are finding unsettling things in the dark with a flashlight–you look even though you don’t want to. This probably comes from growing up on a wonderfully creepy farm. The sisters, roses, and terrified children getting their picture taken were images that I had always wanted to shoot, but didn’t have the right song for. The Gravedigger’s Song worked perfectly.” –Alistair

Indeed, the song’s grisly and brooding sound certainly shapes the visuals and grounds the overall vision of the piece. It’s the perfect soundtrack for a world where otherworldly apparitions run rampant and even adorable little girls might be ghosts. “The Gravedigger’s Song” is a darkly delightful treat. The setting, too, seems to have been made for this project. Built on a secluded hillside near Salinas, CA in 1872, that house has essentially remained untouched since the retreat of its last residents. Still clad in taxidermied heads and dusty Victorian photographs, it’s just the kind of place you’d expect ghosts to play out the lives they were prematurely torn away from. When combined with Alistair’s dramatic visual storytelling, it’s enough to bring us into that timeless dimension where trivialities are stripped away until all that’s left is that tingle in your spine.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE GRAVEDIGGER’S SONG

The visceral landscape that Elliott captures allows us to connect to and meditate on each shot individually while also leaving us the agency to string the images together in our own ways. Every sun flare and portrait contains within it a connection to the core of the human experience that’s usually only found buried within a midnight drive or a much-needed glass of lemonade. In a world where we’re forced to constantly tune out the inundation of media and images, the ability to conjure up these feelings is not only unique but also much-needed.

“Colours” exists in two forms, both the original and the Armin van Buuren Remix. Take a look here at the remix and let yourself be consumed by the idiosyncracies that make every day an inestimable experience.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH COLOURS (ARMIN VAN BUUREN REMIX)

CLICK HERE TO WATCH TROLLS

So we settled upon Billy, a Masses-born dummy crafted from the finest Goodwill blankets, Trader Joe’s bags, and Duck Tape. We strapped him to the roof of the car and drove around Echo Park, where we managed to stop every quinceañera in its tracks. Then, when it came time for the big burn, we loaded ourselves into a truck and a Prius and headed east. It’d been a rainy couple of days, but the skies were clear and the moon was full so up to the mountains we went. A few creeks and some deserted campgrounds later, we found the perfect spot for our pyre.

When combined with the beautiful ash scenes, the result is a lovely video that celebrates the many ways a group of friends can cope with the loss of a close friend. It’s perceptive, charming, easy to relate to, and definitely worthy of a watch or two.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH “DOG DAYS”

Les Stations Balnéaires leads us into a world where circumstances can change at the drop of a pin. A gang of skateboarders loose on the banks of the LA River grind the pavement amidst a visual feast of colored smoke. Two finely-aged women find their afternoon tea interrupted by a cool downpour. And four twenty-somethings enjoying a rooftop banquet find their feast erupting into a full-fledged food fight. But in one moment they all throw caution to the wind, relinquishing their self-restraint in exchange for a carefree state of joy. As their smiles grow wider and the music swells, the impossible happens and bodies begin to float above Los Angeles.

The power of the video matches the strength of the song, bringing viewers into a state of childlike elation. If you want to learn how to let loose and fly a little, this video is a good place to start. After all, in a world where nothing’s certain, what can you do but enjoy the moment for what it actually is?

CLICK HERE TO WATCH LES STATIONS BALNÉAIRES

December 18th at 7:00pm, The Masses will hold its annual end-of-the-year screening with a $10 entry, with all proceeds going toward Cinefamily. Several Masses directors will be screening their work from over the past year including: Eli Stonberg, Ben Kutsko, Raul B. Fernandez, Ben Fee, Matt Amato, Spencer Ockwell, Abram Pineda-Fischer, Chris Coats, Ariana Natale, Alex Pelly, Elliott Sellers, June Zandona, and Alistair Legrand.

The wide range of artists includes Alexander, Busdriver, Crystal Antlers, Data Romance, Sister Crayon and We Are Augustines. 

The Masses program commences on the heels of Cinefamily’s main fundraiser. Beginning December 17th at 12:00pm Cinefamily will hold their 24 hour Telethon Screening, which you can attend for free at The Silent Movie Theatre on Fairfax, or watch live via broadcast on their website. Cinefamily is a non-profit organization devoted to finding and presenting interesting unusual programs of exceptional, distinctive, weird and wonderful films. The Cinefamily goal is to foster a spirit of community and a sense of discovery while reinvirgoating the movie-going experience, a goal which The Masses firmly supports. The upcoming Telethon event will feature; a show and tell with Spike Jonze, Doug Benson with surprise guests, the return of “Jim Henson: Commercials and Experiments!” and much more! The full line-up is viewable here.

The Masses event will be hosted by Frosty and Morph0 with featured musical guest NOW. We couldn’t be more excited to show you guys our work from this year. consider this your official invite to come support your favorite directors at The Masses and the Cinefamily community!

Featuring roller chases, mummy monsters, and of course the Baron himself, “Rosebud” is one of those videos that you certainly don’t want to miss.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO

The woman (Barbie Q.) takes sweet relief in the perfectly pink world that greets her eyes when she awakens from what she assumes to be a bad dream. However, she is immediately plummeted back into reality and away from her delusions of perfection. She is shown the true face of her situation–demonically painted figures illuminated by strobing black lights, furniture that evolves and attacks, skeletal hands that claw and pine for a taste of her flesh…in this place, running and hiding will do no good. When the woman finally musters the courage to confront her attackers she is briefly rewarded with the delusion of her dream world once more, but is again thrust into her nightmare reality.

The frenetic beat of the song meshes with the dark and yet cartoonish style of the video to create a captivating tale of an existence that fluctuates back and forth between corporeal and fantastical. The stylistically inventive video premiered today on Pitchfork–tune in to get the full idea!

CLICK HERE TO WATCH KISS ME BACK TO LIFE

Alex Pelly contributes to the return of disco in her new video for Miguel Migs’ single “Everybody” featuring disco legend Evelyn “Champagne” King (known for early 80′s hits such as “Love Come Down” and “I’m In Love.” In a retro homage to the art of 80′s green-screen, Evelyn “Champagne” King sings and dances in full disco gear against a myriad of sparkling funky backgrounds as a dance party rages on around her. The people oblige to King’s call to dance without hesitation, thus capturing that purely disco attitude–don’t stop, can’t stop, won’t stop dancing.

One instant, people bounce on a floating checkered floor against colorfully changing surroundings. The next, silhouetted figures groove in an updated take on rudimentary green screen technique, emulating the spirit of your favorite funky 80′s videos. As a whole, Alex effectively uses this campy approach to give the song the fun loving treatment it calls for.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH EVERYBODY

Between the confetti, the silly string, the capes, the sloths, the scavenger hunts, the bands, the shopping carts, the green screens, and of course the cameras everywhere, it’s probably safe to say that OMG! CAMERAS EVERYWHERE! was one of (if not THE) greatest week in all of music video history. But what, you may ask, made it so spectacular??

Well, OMG! CAMERAS EVERYWHERE! began as a dream this summer when a few of us music video folks decided we wanted to share what we did with the next generation. After a few feverish think-tank sessions, we put up a Kickstarter, dug up some cameras,  and decided to give the camp business a whirl. We set out to organize a week-long series of workshops, the goal being to provide these kids with a unique opportunity to experiment creatively, develop artistically, and learn new skills. We’d hoped that by looking through the lens of a camera, they’d be able to expand their worldview and start seeing the universe as a place subject to their own creativity, open to manipulation by their imagination. After all, the program was founded upon the belief that the increased accessibility of cameras to everyone today can potentially give kids the tools they need to create and communicate like never before. We chose music videos not only because it’s what we know, but because it’s also something that they are all familiar with. In doing such, our goal was to establish OMG! CAMERAS EVERYWHERE! as a place for kids to collaborate, develop confidence in their work, and just be kids for awhile.

So we took the leap of faith and hosted a week-long series of workshops for kids in the Los Angeles area from August 29th-September 2nd. In addition to a bit of our own scouting, we also partnered with two amazing organizations, Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA) and HYPE Los Angeles, to recruit some of the best and brightest minds in this city. We ended up with an incredible group of twelve kids aged 9-16 who proved themselves to be absolute naturals. From dancers and horror buffs to actresses and comedians, together they made one heck of a film crew.

In only five days, they wrote, planned, directed, and acted in a total of five music videos, a live takeaway video (cameras everywhere style), and dozens of short films. (By the way, many of these videos are now set to be released as official videos for the artists). For each project we partnered a group of kids with several working directors with the ultimate intention of fostering an open, creative environment. Every now and then we’d throw them a time restraint or a “no green screen” rule, but turns out that just got their wheels turning even faster! Once they’d learned the basics of perspective and DIY effects, the “restrictions” just seemed to open up an infinite universe of loopholes and possibilities. In the end, it turns out that we were the ones who’d been taught a thing or two about film. Sure, we showed them the basics of camera operation and how to frame a shot, but they’re the ones who reminded us that nothing is impossible when you’ve got a camera and some friends.

The week culminated in a screening of the kids’ work on Saturday at Cinefamily. From the moment we read OMG! CAMERAS EVERYWHERE! on the marquee, the reality of what had just happened began to sink in. We were struck by how incredible the last five days had been, and by how much we’d grown to love every one of those kids. Watching them talk about their work during their director Q&A was truly something else. Not only were they confidently standing by their films, but they were also sharing bits of their individual creative processes and things that they had learned from the experience. And now that that’s happened, we can’t really imagine doing anything else.

So what’s next for OMG! CAMERAS EVERYWHERE!? Well that’s where the good news comes in—we’re now incorporated as OMG Everywhere, a California nonprofit organization, and are currently entering the 501(c)(3) process. So look out, because these talented kids aren’t going anywhere any time soon.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEOS AND FIND OUT MORE

**Special thanks to HOLA, HYPE Los Angeles, Cinefamily, Isaac Ravishankara, DANIELS, Jack Richardson, Matt Amato, Dugan O’Neal, Ben Fee, Ben Kutsko, Ariana Natale, Hiro Murai, Alistair Legrand, Doomsday Entertainment, Alex Pelly, David Altobelli, Raul Fernandez, Spencer Ockwell, Eli Stonberg, Larkin Seiple, David Myrick, Correatown, 3oh!3, Bryan John Appleby, Judson McKinney, and all our supporters on Kickstarter without whom this camp would not have been possible.

On Ditch Plains beach in Montauk NY, director Matt Amato filmed newly-formed We Are Augustines (from remnants of band Pela) playing a midnight jam session around a flickering bonfire. This scene would later become a large part of “Book of James,” the first music video off the band’s debut album, Rise Ye Sunken Ships. The project is an epic and intimate portrait of a troubled soul based on lead singer Bill McCarthy’s brother James (for whom the song was also written). The deeply personal account of the song’s composition and creation is detailed on the We Are Augustines website.

Naturally, with such a meaningful piece, McCarthy was cautious about approaching someone to interpret the story behind the song. After considering some forty directors, the Masses’ own Matt Amato was chosen to undertake the direction of the video. Struck by both the “Born in the USA” Springsteen-esque intensity of the song and the band’s earnest intentions (realized upon their first meeting at the Brooklyn Inn), Matt felt pressured (in a good way) to deliver a video worthy of the song.

He enlisted actor and friend Brady Corbet (who, in addition to being featured in the upcoming films Martha Marcy May Marlene and Lars Von Trier’s Melancholia, also appears in Matt’s Ima Robot video) to star. In every shot he gives a powerfully contemplative performance as a lost soul roaming around outer Manhattan. And, as FILTER magazine recently noted about the piece, ”you don’t need to be a New Yorker to appreciate the beauty and potential magnitude in a journey across the boroughs following a traumatic event.”

As the anthemic instrumentation of the song drives on, the young man’s journey persists, eventually interwoven with McCarthy’s memoriam-like journey to retrace the man’s footsteps. Although the ballad-like song is one to be sung to the rafters, the quiet intimacy of the video shows, in Matt’s words, “how through our memory and our work we attempt to honor the struggle of our beloved and the lives they led.” Though the video itself should be evidence enough of this, Matt describes how many aspects of the project seemed to exemplify this very concept. For instance, while filming on the beach in Montauk, they happened to cross paths with several paper lanterns that had been launched up into the black, starry night. As the band and crew watched these lanterns floating up into the Milky Way, a wave of catharsis swept over them that seemed to encourage the healing process, leaving an atmosphere that’s certainly palpable in the final product.

WATCH “BOOK OF JAMES” HERE

But the fun didn’t stop there! To create the undulating web/pattern visuals, the crew ventured into the realm of Cymatics (the study of visual sound and vibration). They built themselves a Chladni plate that enabled them to send specific sound frequencies through their concoctions, thereby creating some completely unique patterns and some of the coolest science that you will ever watch.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH OBJECTIVE LENS

Big news! Elliott Sellers’ lyric video for Christina Perri’s song “Arms” has been nominated for an MTV O Music Award! Centered around a home video slideshow, it features more than 3,000 pictures worth of impeccable stop-motion. Voting ends October 14 and can be done several times a day, so check out the video and spread the word!

CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR “ARMS”

The end of summer is kind of an odd thing for those of us who live in the land where seasons never change. Sure, the kids go back to school and the beaches clean out a bit, but the sun doesn’t stop shining just because we’ve flown past Labor day. That’s why “bigbright h i g h” by director Ariana Natale for yuk. should be kept on hand at all times to ward off any looming end-of-summer blues. With its psychedelic sound bytes and wonderfully saturated colors, this melting popsicle wonderland epitomizes that eternally warm aesthetic that seems to fit California so well. Featuring some dreamy underwater footage and lots of trippy melting effects, “bigbright h i g h” is the perfect way to carry summer with you all year long.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH “BIGBRIGHT H I G H”

Filmed in the terrific state of Louisiana, “Meantime” certainly isn’t suffering for lack of beautiful shots. Starting at dusk, the video chronicles the Givers’ journeys as they explore the mysteries of the bayou. As they lapse in and out of younger versions of themselves, they rediscover their ability to find adventure around every corner.

From dazzling kaleidoscopic silhouettes to some terrific performance scenes, “Meantime” is that perfect abandoned house adventure that you’ve always dreamed of (complete with a soaring finale). So pitch a blanket fort, grab your flashlight, and check out this great new video.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH “MEANTIME”

“I’m Around” begins with a few punctuated scenes that eventually thrust you into an ethereal world of textures and colors that seem altogether familiar yet somehow perfectly strange. As the breadcrumbs lead you deeper into this wonderland, you’ll find yourself questioning where exactly this place exists. Earth seems like a plausible option until you notice that both the deep sea diver/kosmonaut hybrid and the painted girl are too striking to have come from such an average place.  In fact, watching this video is a bit like being hit with a massive wave of deja vu: though you’ve certainly never wandered through these strange lands, somehow it feels like you’ve been there before. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the dazzling spectacle that is “I’m Around.”

CLICK HERE TO WATCH “I’M AROUND” BY SPIRIT ANIMAL

Yet perhaps the most endearing part of the video is the unwavering trust with which the girl approaches her new friend, the scarecrow.  With his patchy, yarn-wrapped skull and his reflective eyes, he’s not exactly the picture of docility. Still, the girl seems to have no doubts about his intentions–of course they’re going to be best friends!

That’s why it doesn’t matter if you grew up downtown or in the hills–no matter where you spent your summers, everyone remembers that innocent naïveté, that faith in the impossible, that made every day seem full of infinite possibility.  And that’s what makes “Handmade Sun” a video truly worth watching.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH “HANDMADE SUN” ON NO FEAR OF POP

Let’s Go

For the video, Madi wanted to create an “attainable dream state,” visualizing the sense of unrestrained joy that lives within the best of moments.  To express the point of view of the songwriter and musicians in the most immediate way, Matt turned to PowerShovel’s Harinezumi camera, the ideal of which is to capture “laughter and delight” in our daily lives.  Known for its dreamy, color saturated visuals, the Harinezumi’s tiny size makes it the perfect camera for unique moments.  “You are like a child looking forward to a field trip, hoping it won’t rain.”  According to PowerShovel’s philosophy, “a camera signifies hope.”

“I gave Kyle and Madi cameras as soon as I met them, and they immediately showed interest and got super creative with it.”  Matt escorted east coast based Madi and guitarist Kyle Ryan around LA, shooting his own Harinezumi footage while the two experimented with their cameras.  From Venice Beach to Elysian Park, the musicians captured great shots, many of which made the final cut.

Matt also dealt out Harinezumi cameras to fellow artists and friends, seeking authentic summer adventures.  Actor Brandon Lim shot in Hawaii.  Actress Jillian Federman filmed her exploits hiking, rock climbing, and surfing.  Writer/directors Abram Pineda-Fischer and Stanton Dean made use of a first date to shoot romantic visuals in a Minneapolis park.  Photographer Adarsha Benjamin focused on her sister’s visit and a subsequent photo shoot.  Musician Grant Leuchtner shot everything from day to day moments in his apartment to a trip to Magic Mountain.

The footage was fit into the framework of Madi’s creative life, comprised of moments of reflection, songwriting, and performance.  “The song has this whole new life,” says Madi, “and the vignettes punctuate it with so much personality that we would never have been able to witness.”  To further the energy and spirit of the video, The Masses hosted a party and concert for Madi, capturing her performance with luminous, atmospheric photography courtesy of cinemtographer, David Myrick.  The Harinezumi vignettes mixed with HD footage create a piece that is both fresh and nostalgic.

“It was a fun project because every element was set up to seem organic by the time we filmed it,” says Matt.  “Everything did flow together naturally, which gave the camera something genuine to record.  We laughed a lot.”

The video makes its premiere on IFC.  Filled with light, color, and life, Let’s Go captures the beauty of youth, relationships, and the joy that an adventurous spirit can bring.

LET’S GO

Well folks we’ve got some great news for you–the Masses Lab is expanding! The venture that began with a handful of young, promising directors has exploded into something more fantastic than we ever dreamed! In just a few months, the Lab is proving to be a colossal success. That’s why we couldn’t be more pleased to announce our first addition to the Lab–Elliott Sellers!

Elliott’s one of those people who manages to keep us guessing. With a look that’s more Mumford than Metallica, it came as quite a shock when we found out this once home-schooled kid from Arizona started touring the world as a death-metal drummer when he was only sixteen. Lucky for us he did, though, for it was on the road that he first discovered an affinity for visual media. And thanks to the rapid demise of the VHS, his self-education was cost-efficiently comprised of discounted classics picked up a truck stops.  Then, one day, his life arrived at a turning point: “Before, my friends were telling me about good films and what I should watch. Then, slowly I started asking them if they’d seen things.  It escalated until I really wanted to start doing it.”

It was only a matter of time until Elliott packed up his life and moved to Los Angeles to study film at the Musician’s Institute in Hollywood. Here he met Alan Calzatti, “an amazing teacher and even more amazing cinematographer” and friend Dean DeBlois, who were working on fantastic projects like Sigur Ros‘ first film, “Heima.” Eventually, their work resulted in an opportunity for him to edit a pile of footage they had just shot in Iceland for Jonsi’s solo project. Within a matter of days, he had completed the edit and was named chief editor of the project, “Go Quiet.”

Elliott’s work for Jonsi opened up doors that he’d never imagined existed. Through it he discovered that his percussive background and natural sense of rhythm integrated quite nicely into his film work, especially when it came to editing.When he was asked to do a lyric video for Atlantic Records artist Christina Perri, he said yes even though he wasn’t exactly sure what the project would entail. But the lyric video is, of course, charming, and you would never know from watching the impeccable stop-motion that it was one of Elliott’s first directorial efforts.

“For the lyrical projects, I think people are used to seeing an all-post video, and that’s really uninspiring. I wanted to introduce practical effects and cinematic elements to give a project like this new life. These kinds of videos show people you can make something out of nothing and I love doing that–especially with no money.”

A little more fate and a splash of curiosity eventually lead Elliott to the Masses. He reached out to us in the hopes we might someday collaborate, but had no idea we just so happened to be scouting out new talent. When we hinted at the possibility of forming an alliance in the near future, however, Elliott hesitated. “I didn’t want to force that relationship–I wanted to make The Masses want me, not to feel obligated to include me–so I waited.”

When Masses director Matt Amato called him up a few weeks later to propose a collaboration for his upcoming Explosions in the Sky project (Taking Care: 6 Visual Interpretations), it seemed like a prime opportunity for Elliott to prove his worth. Thanks to some brilliant surfing footage and a feverish weekend of editing between Coachella sets, the duo emerged with a video that compliments the cathartic and stirring subtleties of Explosions perfectly. And so it was through this very project that both the Masses and Elliott felt the time had finally come for Elliott to join the Lab.

Though chance/fate seems to have played a large role in bringing him to us, that certainly doesn’t mean he isn’t capable. Most recently, Elliott directed a stunning piece with the help of friend Bryan Dos Reis (a frequent collaborator and a visionary in his own right) for progressive fusion band Symphonic Circles. Despite having a minimal budget and limited resources, they made an outstanding video that exceeded all expectation. Of course Elliott, in his typical humility, is quick to point out that he wouldn’t be where he is today if it weren’t for friends like Bryan who challenge him to try things he may not necessarily show immediate interest in.

“The more I do it, the more the art form begins to reveal itself. So many things have been done but at the same time, there’s still many voices to be represented. People are seeing things like they have never seen them before, but there’s still a little bit more to be done; I’m hoping that little bit could be my contribution.”

CLICK HERE TO WATCH ELLIOTT’S REEL

Ben Fee and Matt Boman’s new video “Return to Me” for BC X Delivery is a color-infused visualization of the implicit community that lives within the night club.  Propelled by a throbbing dance beat and constantly shifting geometric shapes, the video is filled with a psychedelic energy that immerses you in the surreality.  The feral costumes, make-up and hair styling depict the animalistic nature of man that is revealed only during the adrenaline rush on the dance floor, and the juxtaposition of the club with the desert serves to deepen the metaphor.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH “RETURN TO ME” BY BC X DELIVERY