New York 2006

Chapter 25 MV
As soon as Thanksgiving is over, it’s Black Friday, a massive sale on all-American products, and the pre-Christmas shopping rush.Mother Sami is obsessed with going on a shopping spree. What about the hippie lifestyle she promised?What about resolutely resisting the reification of capitalism?What about the promised consumerism scam?
It's not like he didn't have money before, but now that Luo Ji gives his mother thousands of dollars every month, she has revealed her shopaholic nature.Luo Ji had no intention of criticizing this. He bought a plane ticket and went straight to Los Angeles.

A conference room at the headquarters of an oil pipeline company on Cherry Blossom Avenue in San Bruno, California, USA.Luo Ji, the YouTube company’s financial director, liaison, manager Braun, and the music video’s executive director Francis Lawrence.A group of people discussed the shooting of the MV.

Director Francis Lawrence, a music video and advertising director, shot his first feature film Constantine in 2005, with a global box office of more than [-] million yuan.He is considered a famous director in Hollywood and belongs to the MTV generation of directors.

The MTV generation refers to the group of directors with similar experiences who shot music videos in the early days and became famous on MTV, and later went on to make movies.

MTV has become a Harvard-like finishing school, producing David Fincher (Seven), Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), Tim Story (Fantastic Four), Michael ·Bay (Brave Island) and Mike G (Charlie's Angels) and so on.This group of people all became famous through the same path, so they are called the MTV generation by the media.

However, there are very few serious movies in Hollywood every year, but there are many directors, so many directors will shoot commercials and music videos to make money in their spare time. YouTube screened and chose Francis Lawrence.

With a budget of 50 yuan, in 2000, it would not have been able to hire such a director with hundreds of millions of dollars. But the music industry is going through a cold winter. There are layoffs everywhere, and the number of music tapes is relatively reduced. If there is business, just do it. That's right, they don't have to choose.

Luo Ji said, "You must have seen the inspiration for the song I submitted. The music mainly comes from Frida Kahlo's paintings, and the lyrics are mainly inspired by Emperor Louis XVI during the French Revolution."

Director Francis said: "Do you have any other requirements for the MV?"

Luo Ji thought about the original MV carefully. The original MV deliberately created lens cracks to express a sense of history, and used a lot of special effects in the background. However, the budget may have been too small, the special effects were too rough, and the overall picture looked very blurry.Not to mention the clarity is worse than the We Don't Talk Anymore MV in my mind.Even compared to today's movies, the clarity is much worse.

Maybe those special effects look good in today's era, but Luo Ji knows the clarity of future MVs.Giving up sharpness to pursue those special effects will not be worth the gain, and expressing a sense of history does not necessarily require lens cracks, which can also be achieved through film color grading.The rose spinning at the beginning is a bit weird, but the editing of the original version is particularly good, and the singer's dance also makes the MV look very energetic. After weighing the pros and cons, Luo Ji spoke.

"As the Internet speed continues to improve, the definition of YouTube videos will definitely increase. Therefore, the definition of my MV must reach the highest level today. Even if it looks like a few years later, there will be no problem."

Director Francis said: "We have to rent the latest and best cameras. It will cost a lot of money."

Luo Ji continued: "Secondly, I want to use 'Liberty Leading the People', the most famous painting during the French Revolution, at the beginning of the MV, and then write the song title Viva La Vida."

Director Francis recorded it one by one: "Okay, this painting matches the lyrics very well. The most important thing about the MV is that the rhythm of the editing must match the rhythm of the music. As long as the coordination is good, it will be a successful MV. Another point is that the MV must express Come up with a personal style, do you have your own unique style?”

Manager Braun said: "His image must be sunny, and his style must be very close to those of teen pop singers."

Luo Ji didn't know much about this and chose to remain silent.

Director Francis said: "He doesn't have to be like this. Those youth idol teen pop singers are all puppets of the record company. They are good-looking and have no creative ability at all. This song was composed by Logic himself. We should highlight his young genius. side. And genius must have a personality."

It seems that director Francis doesn't like this group of teen pop singers.

Manager Braun retorted: "But the image of teen pop singers is easily welcomed by everyone. Look at the Jonas Brothers. The sales of their first album are not high, but their commercial value is close to that of first-line singers. It's because of them He is handsome and possesses the perfect qualities of an idol group.”

"But this type of teen pop singers are easily disliked by older people because they have no talent but can make so much money. As long as there is a little bit of negative news, the media will pursue it. Look at Britney. You know how the media ridiculed her when negative news came out."

Logically speaking, there is no need for director Francis to argue with his agent, he can just make money and leave.But now he is very serious about discussing his route with his manager, and it seems that he likes his songs very much.

The song of Viva La Vida is really great, a perfect combination of classical music and modern pop, and the lyrics are really well written. This song is very highly rated among the Kochi community.Lawyer Jamie, YouTube company executives, reporter Robin, and the director Francis in front of them all spoke highly of the song, and they loved the song very well.

Director Francis continued: "And there are a few teen pop singers who can become popular. They may become famous if they encounter any problems. It is different for powerful singers. The public is very tolerant of them. As long as they are not They made very serious mistakes, but they can write good music and people will still like them."

The perfect youth idol singer becomes famous very quickly and becomes famous very quickly. If there is even the slightest negative news, he will be besieged by the media.A talented singer with unique personality, he became famous slowly and for a long time, and he has strong ability to resist attacks from the media.Luo Ji thought for a while and then said: "Braun, director, listen to me. I personally prefer to be a strong singer with personality. This is not because of my personal preferences or anything like that, but because I As a person, if you look at me, you will know that I have no choice."

Director Francis and agent Braun fell silent upon hearing this.

"The biggest problem with mixed-race people is that they have no sense of national identity and belonging. Every ethnic group is exclusive. White people think I am Asian, and Asian people don't think I am one of their own. I stayed in Greenwich Village until I was ten years old. I was ostracized by the local Asian children in a small Asian community. After I was ten years old, I moved to a white community in an RV park, and the local white people ostracized me. Neither side recognized me!"

Braun said: "As long as you succeed, both parties will accept you."

Director Francis also said: "Yes, the world is always tolerant of successful people, and their farts are all delicious."

"Hahaha, I know. But in the United States, the mainstream media is still controlled by white people, so in the eyes of all media, I am an Asian. And in the field of singers, there has not been a successful Asian. When I succeed , all the media will inevitably observe me, an Asian who suddenly broke into the music scene, like Britney, and they will use a magnifying glass to observe every move I make. As long as I make a mistake, the media may magnify it and report it."

Brian said: "I understand, it was my lack of consideration. Therefore, you must become a capable singer with personality, imperfection, and temperament, so that when mistakes are made, the media will not destroy you. .”

The person in charge of the YouTube channel suddenly spoke: "You have seen clearly Braun, this is the virtue of the media. It is easy for them to destroy a perfect person, but it is difficult for them to destroy an imperfect person."

Luo Ji said: "Now that the style has been decided, let's continue to discuss the shooting of the MV. I am a male solo singer, unlike most male singers who debut in a band today. So how should we shoot the MV?"

The person in charge of the YouTube channel suddenly said: "Can you add some backup dancers? This is how many music videos are shot."

Director Francis said: "No, the tone of this song is epic. How about the accompanying dance?"

Braun suggested: “Incorporate some close-ups of the instruments being played.”

This kind of close-up was included in the original MV, and the overall feeling was pretty good. Luo Ji supported it: "This is possible, and it can highlight the mood of the song."

Francis nodded: "Yes, but it would be too monotonous to have just you dancing solo and playing instruments. Other elements must be added."

Indeed, the original version also features close-ups of the rest of the band, lost in thought.Luo Ji suddenly thought of his suggestion at the beginning to replace the roses with famous paintings to guide the people freely: "Can we find a few oil paintings that correspond to the lyrics in the song and put them in? It just echoes the previous and later."

Director Francis said: "Yes, the lyrics of "The late king is dead, long live the new king" can just be added to the oil painting "The Coronation of Napoleon I". Others can understand it however they want, and it also has symbolic meaning."

Braun said: "Both "Portrait of King Louis XVI" and "Execution of Louis XVI" can be added during your music video."

Director Francis nodded in agreement: "Then the tone of the MV has been decided. The warm colors have the temperament of oil paintings. The color of your clothes should also be close to the color of oil paintings. The style should also be close to Baroque style."

"Yeah," Luo Ji replied.

This is the same idea as the original MV. The coloring of their clothes is closer to the classic temperament.

"Then this will be much simpler. It will probably be done in a few days."

(End of this chapter)