Austin Music Video Festival 2017

Presented by conservationist film + education festival EARTHx, this screening features videos that showcase land, sea and city in the most cinematic fashion. 

Planet EARTHx
Zebra "Tree Song" Directed by Marwan Abdalla 
SIYYU "Stop Us" Directed by This is Felo 
The Arch Directed by Iryna Nikolaienko and Anton Shatohin
GravelTooth "Ask Yourself" Directed by Aaron Wiess
CRi "Rush" Directed by Didier Charette 
Mandy Sloan "Drift" Directed by Beca Rodriguez 
GRYGRDNS "Brocade" Directed by Amy West 
Kais "Ain't Going Nowhere" Directed by Richard Paris Wilson
"Black Bird" Directed by Haonan Wang
Saints of Valory "ESCAPADES" Directed by Brad Feeser

Zebra "Tree Song" Directed by Marwan Abdalla 
Axe in hand a lumberjack solemnly makes his way towards his next target. The approaching danger sends ripples through nature itself and the dimensions between civilisation and nature begin to shift.

This struggle of nature is told through striking imagery and experimental animation. Slow camera movements blend perfectly with this electric ballad from Zebra to create a hypnotic viewing experience in which a subtle drama unfolds slowly but surely.

SIYYU "Stop Us" Directed by This is Felo 
«When mirrors don't necessarily offer a reflection, but rather a portal into another reality.»
Steven Gottlieb, VideoStatic, USA

«Wonderful video. Beautifully filmed and conceived.»
Nick Knight, SHOWstudio founder, UK

Mandy Sloan "Drift" Directed by Beca Rodriguez 
A young woman hitchhikes the West Coast in search of her identity and peace of mind. Her emotional journey is of loss, turmoil, frustration and eventually hope. The majestic landscapes reflect how insignificant she is in the scope of the universe, showing how little control she has of her own life and the adversities around her.

Kais "Ain't Going Nowhere" Directed by Richard Paris Wilson
The story of a man trapped in a dark and claustrophobic world as he seeks to find some kind of peace. Mixing surrealism with Southern Gothic imagery, the video is an elegy of a man trying to find his place in a world he doesn't quite understand.

This was a real passion project, and we made it with a small crew during the summer of 2016.

We wanted to create something that represented the feeling of carrying the weight of the past around with you, and how sometimes that weight can do no more than pull you under.

We also wanted to create something that was visually rich in texture, hinting at further mythology and mystery. We wanted to embrace the possibilities for abstraction, while also crafting a short, engaging, and hopefully satisfying story.

We hope you enjoy our mini-movie.
May we all escape the darkness.

"Black Bird" Directed by Haonan Wang
The journey of a man escaping the concrete jungle of the modern city with help from spiritual black birds.

I have always been rather interested in animation and have been wanting to combine animation and live action for a long time; and I think for me, this experimentation on the 'Black Bird' project had broken the boundaries of film as it created an unique expression.
For the project itself, I wish to discuss the relationship between cities and people, and to raise the question of under the circumstances of high-speed developing cities and economy, how would we face the environment we live in as well as the nature itself.

Saints of Valory "ESCAPADES" Directed by Brad Feeser
ESCAPADES is more than just a music video, it's a subtle call to action and a reminder that we should all live life to the fullest.

Featuring the Saints of Valory, an American alternative rock band from Austin, Texas, and filmed by independent creative Hearty Films, ESCAPADES takes us on a trip to Africa, Austria and a few places in between while traveling to support a local non-profit that delivers water solutions to those in need.

Both adventure and water are the central themes here (Water being the less obvious of the two... which is often the case, as it's something most of us take for granted). On the surface, the theme of adventure is reinforced by the fast cuts, epic landscapes and the music's uplifting tempo, while the not-so-obvious water component is discretely disguised in the background, seen as a lake, river and rain. Aside from the obvious juxtaposed wet and dry locations, these "water" elements have more of a subconscious effect on the viewer. This was done intentionally so audiences could lose themselves in the adventure rather than feel a sense of obligation to a cause (which is mentioned at the end of the video).

Filmed over 3 weeks. Cameras: Panasonic GH4 and GoPro Hero 4.

A special thanks to Sarah Evans, the founder and director of Well Aware, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, and her "Rafiki" crew. Also, big thanks to Matt Reppert for hosting us in Austria and to Geoff Ryder for providing support whenever it was needed.