Saatchi and Saatchi Bring On OK Go

Saatchi and Saatchi's Team Up With OK Go for their
Music Video Challenge

DEADLINE EXTENDED TO 21ST MAY!

Saatchi & Saatchi's New Directors' Showcase has long been a mainstay in Cannes delegates' seminar calendars. In recent years the S&S team have enhanced the presentation with the inclusion of the Music Video Challenge, a competition that encourages undiscovered filmmakers to shoot fresh footage for established acts.


For this year's contest the agency have collaborated with kings of the viral-promo OK Go. Known as innovators and admired for their collaborations with visual artists, OK Go have created some truly incredible music videos in the past, including 'Here It Goes Again' (aka - the one with the treadmills), 'This Too Shall Pass' (aka - the one with the Rube Goldberg machine), 'White Knuckles' (aka – the one with all the dogs) and 'End Love' (aka – the one that must have taken AAAGES). They are also no strangers to the Cannes Lions, having picked up 7 Lions at the 2012 Festival, including 3 gold and 1 silver Lion for the music video 'All Is Not Lost', and 2 bronze Lions for the music video 'Needing/Getting'.

Challenged to make a video for the band's brand new track 'I'm Not Through', the applicants will then be judged by a specially chosen panel headed up by OK Go's lead singer Damian Kulash - himself an award-winning film director as well as high profile musician – and members of the Saatchi & Saatchi Worldwide Creative Board and BUG.  First, from all eligible submissions received, 10 finalists will be selected by the judging panel, and announced on the Talenthouse site at the end of May. From the 10 finalists, the judges will select the Grand Prize Winner. The Grand Prize Winner will be invited to a full week at Cannes Lions in June this year, where the winner's film will be screened and winner announced at the Saatchi & Saatchi New Directors' Showcase.

We took the opportunity to chat with OK Go-er Tim Nordwind about the competition and the band's predilection for being on the cutting-edge of innovative filmmaking.

 
What brought about the decision to team up with Saatchi & Saatchi's New Directors Showcase for the Video Challenge?

While we're finishing up recording our fourth studio record we though it'd be fun to release a sneak preview song from the album and let someone else take a crack at making an OK Go video.  We'll obviously be heading into video making land soon once the record is finished, but we're really looking forward to seeing the crazy things that people dream up.  
 
You guys are renowned for your imaginative vids and their massive social media clout. Do you reckon it's a bit daunting for the expectant auteurs?
 
I'm hoping that this contest is fun for the expectant auteurs, and that the fun is translated into the video making.  Making anything should always just be about getting excited about a good idea.  I feel like the daunting task will be having to pick which video is best from so many great submissions.

What are you hoping to see from the films? Is there anything the filmmakers should avoid / strive towards?
 
The one thing I've really enjoyed about making OK Go videos is that we almost always work outside of the traditional film making world.  Most people we work with are people that just have great ideas, and are really good in their field.  Most of the time they've never actually made videos before.  So I'm hoping to see videos that turn video making on it's head.  I love seeing the process of how something works and being able to see the guts of the work displayed.  If there's anything to avoid I'd say too much movie magic and special effects.  Unless it just looks and feels really awesome, then do that!
 

You OK Go-ers are normally pretty involved in the creative process of your pop promos. How does it feel to be taking the back seat?
 
It's a little bit strange to hand over the video making responsibilities to someone else.  But I am genuinely very curious to see the work.  We will no doubt be back to making videos very soon.  So we're just going to relax and enjoy this opportunity to see some great work from young up and coming film makers.  
 
How did you choose which song would be used for the challenge? Do you feel it's one that can sustain lots of visual interpretations?
 
The song I'm Not Through was chosen because it feels fun and upbeat, and like a good candidate to inspire visuals.  Generally speaking we like to make things that bring a bit of joy into the world.  With this song, it feels like it is open for a lot of different interpretations visually.
 
Your previous videos have demanded a lot of endurance from yourselves, from the long set-up of 'This Too Shall Pass' to the multiple takes of 'White Knuckles'. Will you be rewarding directors who choose fortitude in their concepts?
 
Endurance of any kind is always an impressive thing to watch, especially if it's endurance pulled off with spirit and imagination.

What happens if you see too many ideas that make the cut? Can we expect a crowd-sourced visual-album from OK Go soon?

Yeah, I'm wondering the same thing.  I'm expecting to see a lot of great stuff, so I think we will really have to make a system for ourselves as to how best to judge.  A crowd sourced visual album for OK Go seems like a great idea.   
 

The 'Needing/Getting' content won some Lions at last year's Cannes. Are you looking to do more brand-led crossover work in the future? Have you retained your nifty driving skills?
 
We are most certainly always open to speak with brands who can help us make our ideas come to life.  Our driving skills are retained, and we've got many more ideas to go.  
 
What's up next for you?
 
We're finishing up our fourth studio record with Dave Fridmann (Flaming Lips, MGMT, Tame Impala).  We'll be dreaming up an entirely new live show over the summer, making new videos, and getting ready to go back out on tour come this fall and in 2014.
 
There are only 6 DAYS LEFT to enter the competition, so get your videos over to  http://www.talenthouse.com/saatchi-and-saatchi-ok-go-video-challenge

Posted on 1st May 2013