Chris Bristow on 90s Nostalgia and Delta Heavy

Electronic music duo Delta Heavy's latest promo sees the return of Microsoft's annoying digital assisatant from the 90s, Clippy the paper clip.

Following the character as he wages war on new tech forms having been forgotten in the face of modern advancement, the video makes for a nostalgic watch (if you're as old us us).

Below, Blinkink director Chris Bristow explains why he decided to bring the character back, how he went about it with a story based on truth and what the old school tech references mean to him.

How did the idea to base the promo on the paper clip character come about?

I read a book called The Internet Is Not the Answer by Andrew Keen and he talks a bit about the Internet before the dotcom boom: when it was about sharing knowledge rather than shameless self promotion or profiteering.

It made me reminisce on my time growing up without social media but using educational software like Encarta 95. So I wanted to highlight the difference between old and new in a funny way, and Clippy was the character I felt represented that innocence of the old web best. People hated him too! Which automatically gave him a sense of tragedy. I liked the idea that he was this ghost in the Internet, stuck in a post-apocalyptic twilight of old software ready to escape.

How excited were you about incorporating the old forgotten characters from yesteryear and how did you draw up the list – was it from your own memory and experience with PC tech?

It was lots of fun. I was obsessed with computers as a kid so I had lots to draw from. I love all those old screensavers, which is why there are so many of them in the video. I was also lucky enough to have a great team at the BlinkInk Studio who all contributed ideas. I think the nostalgia hooked everyone in.

Can you tell us a bit more about the story and what happens in the video?

Clippy has been depressed for years and he’s unable to hang himself successfully being a paperclip. So he just dangles there until a twitter bird carrying a message finds its way into his world. He catches a glimpse of a beautiful, Siri-like digital assistant called SHANiA and sets off on a quest to find her. He goes on an epic adventure through the old and to the new, getting exposed to crap apps, cat pictures and porn. Upon reaching SHANiA, whom he deems responsible for all the atrocities he’s just seen, he does the only honourable thing…

What was your favourite character to recreate and why?

It has to be Clippy! I was lucky enough to have the fantastic animator Andy Biddle involved who managed to inject so much personality into him. We turned Clippy upside down so that he has this permenant sad face. Then Andy put a little lip quiver in when Clippy is super frightened. There’s just so much to love about the character… hopefully we can make people like him again.

Delta Heavy are becoming known for their creative videos. Did you look at their previous ones or were you familiar with the material?

I actually directed their last video. My friend Ian Robertson directed their video for Get By, which was a massive viral hit. He put me in touch with them early last year and they liked my stuff so asked me to pitch for their song Reborn. I love working with them as they’re always open to creative, experimental ideas.

How did you get hold of the old computer used at the beginning of the video?

We borrowed the computer from a company called Computer Aid, a charity that provides ICT and the internet to some of the world’s poorest people. They were super friendly and happy to be involved.

Tell us about incorporating new tech references into the film, such as the Twitter logo and emoji icons…

There are a few references to newer tech, like the rotting apple, the Google Chrome coloured metal in SHANiA’s HQ, the aggressive Twitter birds. I’m not really trying to make a comment on the positives or negatives of the modern Internet. I love the Internet! It’s a bit more abstract: all these elements that you recognise brought together to form this surreal world.  

And what about the technique you used to comp everything in? Tell us about the production process…

It was a fairly mixed process. We didn’t have much time, the entire production was about five weeks. After I’d put together an animatic we split the video into clear scenes. I had a small team of Maya artists that we each gave a different scene. I also had a 2D animator that I gave the entire “cloud interior” sequence to. I would be busy comping in After Effects, whilst keeping the latest edit together in Premiere.

How has technology changed the role of the director over the years do you think? Or how has it affected the business of filmmaking?

I think directors are more hands-on now. With digital cameras and software so readily accessible it’s insanely easy to produce your own content when you’re starting out. These skills stay with you and technology becomes part of the design process. I think we’re very lucky to live in a time when we can learn almost anything we want on the Internet. It’s way better than Encarta 95.