By Simon de Bruyn
The Sydney based duo behind new production company Straighty180 have kicked their business off with a bang, after their first project – a music video for Australian band Whiskey Go Gos – screened in official competition in France’s prestigious Festival du Clip last week.
Daniel Reisinger and Max Brown directed the clip, for the single Rodeo, shortly after starting the company eight months ago. Reisinger told Inside Film that Warner Music Australia approached them seeking something different to the run of the mill music video.
‘When we started eight months ago we said we would never do one of those boring band videos that shoots a band playing in a warehouse. When Warners called us, they wanted us to produce a music video that wouldn’t just be played once on Rage at 4am and then forgotten,’ he said.
He said the duo hit upon the idea of juxtaposing images, and produced one music video that led astute viewers to a website where another, darker themed, video played alongside the first.
‘The clip was sent out to broadcast, peppered with clues that hint to viewers, that they aren’t seeing the full story. Viewers then followed a trail of breadcrumbs across the internet to find a second darker clip and the full plot, on a secret website. The website had the original clip in a split screen alongside a second video which revealed a much darker and risqué story and didn’t have the censorship issues of television.’
Straighty180 was the only Australian representative in an international lineup, which included videos by the Chemical Brothers, UNKLE, Scissor Sisters, Kaiser Chiefs, Fiest and the Paul McCartney and Bjork clips directed by celebrated music video director Michel Gondry.
While the clip didn’t win any prizes, Reisinger said their success in being nominated is testament that a great idea well executed can win over big budgets alone.
‘Here is a $10,000 clip that was competing with $500,000 clips from the best production companies in the world,’ he said.
The full set of videos can be viewed here: http://www.festivalduclip.com/