Teino Evans, Staff ReporterTHE POPULAR saying 'seeing is believing' appears to be true with music videos, as artistes, directors and fans all agree that a moving visual to go with the song is a major investment that can boost the popularity of performer and song tremendously.
"All of this is promotion and that is a part of the promotion that people like to see. People like to see the visual so as to be able to better relate to the storyline of what the song is saying. Right now video is one of the best ways to promote a song in Jamaica, because we have more cable stations now, and especially for artistes weh jus a bus people want to know the artiste and know wah dem look like," said Alkebu-lan, former publicist for the likes of Fantan Mojah, Junior Kelly and others.
"It (music video) very effective, because when yuh mek a music video the fact is that it visual an people a si yuh. Di video was one a di ting weh really propel Weddy Time, 'cause di people dem si di directions an people wi know what it's all about. If is a dancing song or it have dancing in it, it show di people dem wa fi do an' if not. People can really get weh di song really a seh. Look pon man like Gyptian and Gentleman; mi use to hear dem, but a when mi si dem video a it mek mi get fi love dem song," O'neil of Voisemail said.
A number of music video directors have been emerging in Jamaican recently. They say that music videos can even give artistes their big break.
Asha Mchail, director of photography/videographer at his Sling Shot Video and Film company, said he has been in the music video business for over 15 years and has seen the massive effect that music videos could have.
"Visual is powerful. For years people wi hear a artiste, but once dem see dem on television in dem living room, is a greater strength. As they say seeing is believing and the power of television is great, 'cause we have more cable stations and so on. When di artiste walk on pon stage show now, di people dem wi seh 'oh a him or she did do da tune deh', suh di artiste dem a si seh video is a must yah now, whether is low end or high end budget," Mchail said.
While admitting that not all artistes could afford the expenses of making a music video, Mchail said there were times when he does 'no budget' videos, but only if he thinks it is worth it.
"A nuh everybody can afford fi spend $200,000 or even up to a million dollars to shoot a music video, but sometimes yuh wi have man weh wi all do it fi like $60,000. That's probably the lowest figure that an artiste can get a video done for. But sometimes wi hear a song an love it, but di artiste nuh have no money fi mek a video fi it an wi guh tru an do it same way. Wi call it 'no budget video'; wi jus back di artiste," Mchail said.
Mchail said that people sometimes compare US videos to local ones, but in many instances that is unfair.
"A low budget video in the US could be US$30,000 which is couple million in Jamaica, and we would consider that high end in Jamaica," he said.
Mchail has shot videos for the Jah Mason (Can't Stop Us), Lady Saw (Been Dreaming Of You) and Lutan Fyah (Nuff A Dem Can't Believe), among many others.
Another noted director, Ras Kassa, who has been getting a lot of praise for some of his recent projects, such as Junior Gong's Jam Rock, agrees with the marketing power of music videos, but is bitter towards those who he says have been holding back the industry due to 'bad mind' and payola.
"It (a music video) definitely helps and right now in Jamaica most of the disc jockeys become producers and, if not, they have their producer fren weh dem play. I never hear man like Egyptian play on di radio, but dem mek a video fi him an him start get some notice. It help fi bus nuff artiste. I am even thinking of producing some songs, but before I do dat I goin beat two disc jockey off di radio 'cause dem nah guh waan play di music unless yuh a gi dem a money or buy dem Rolex watch," Ras Kassa warned.
DECREASED QUALITY
Ras Kassa said the quality of music videos has declined, as persons were not taking the time to learn the intricacies of the business.
"You have some likkle directors weh a hussle di business. Dem come charge $100,000 an do all five videos an' mek a money an guh buy a car. An when dem done, none a di video dem nuh really add up to one," he said.
The first and second generations of music video makers, he said, beginning with the likes of Big Daddy and Trevor Bailey and then Kevin Lee, Anthony and himself, had been putting out some quality work. However, much is left to be desired of some in the current crop.
"We did our thing and it was good, but afterwards everybody pick up a camera an a do a ting and I think that in this third generation the standard has dropped. Delano Forbes, Andrew Val, Lala, dem people yah I respect them; these are people to look out for. But other people need to take time out to learn the intricacies of the business," Ras Kassa said.
He says while some may say that his price is too high at times he is making no apologies, bas that is what it takes to make a quality video.
"People may say that Kassa charge a lot, but I have no regrets. I charge for what I think I would need to make your music video look good. So I get an assistant director, lighting manager, grips, make-up, catering team and all a dat," he said.
In outlining some key factors that upcoming directors should take into consideration, he identified good cinematography (lighting) and good composition (for example angles that you shoot from).
"The video must have feeling and flow from one shot to the next. The props that we getting from Jam Rock is great and come next month, it's going to be on every station in the U.S.," Ras Kassa proudly informed.
