>>PREVIEW
INDIE MUSIC VIDEO FESTIVAL
Saturday, June 16
Broken City
Is the music video an endangered medium? Given the ever-increasing presence of reality television in place of videos on MTV and MuchMusic, the future of the music video appears to be on the decline.
Independent music videos have never enjoyed much television play in the first place. And while the Internet has played a huge role in the proliferation of indie videos, watching a video on YouTube can’t compare to seeing it on the television. That’s where the Indie Music Video Fest comes in.
Founded in 2002 by Vancouverites Nicole Steen, Marcus Rogers and Frank Yahr, the Indie Music Video Festival seeks to provide a forum for audiences to view independent work in a whole new way.
Cadence Weapon’s "Black Hand" is one of 20 videos that will be shown in seven cities across North American at this year’s festival. The video was directed by Fluorescent Hill – a Montreal-based collective comprised of artists Johanne Ste-Marie, Mark Lomond and Darren Pasemko. After being approached by Cadence Weapon’s label, Upper Class Recordings, Fluorescent Hill was given the opportunity to make a video for an artist of their choice on the label’s roster. Pasemko was already a fan of the label, and was enthusiastic about working with Cadence Weapon. "It’s a new record label, and they’re doing something pretty different," says Pasemko.
For the members of Fluorescent Hill, making music videos is an art school dream come true. "I just love music," says Pasemko. "There was a time when I came out of art school when I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do, but I felt like being able to do a music video for an artist would be almost the best thing in the world."
The collective has certainly found success in its work. "The festival has been pretty substantial in getting our stuff out there," says Ste-Marie. In fact, "Black Hand" is Fluorescent Hill’s fifth video to be shown at the festival. Videos for the Heavy Blinkers "Try Telling That To My Baby," 33HZ’s "Hot Flashes," Pilate’s "Alright" and Boy’s "Joey" have all been screened in past years.
So, is the music video on the decline? Not according to Ste-Marie, who points out, "We’ve always relied on the Internet and festivals to get the videos out there. We’ve always dealt with alternatives." This year’s festival features six Canadian entries, including Arseniq 33, Cadence Weapon, Elizabeth, Lily Frost, Plaster and Stinkmitt. "It’s a great eye-opener for people," says Ste-Marie of Canadian presence at festival.
The Sixth Annual Indie Music Video Festival takes place at Broken City on Saturday, June 16. Screenings begin at 8:00 p.m. Admission is free. |
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