Krista Henry, Staff Reporter

Left: Damion 'Junior Gong' Marley at the launch of 'Welcome to Jamrock' in September. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer   Right: Video director Ras Kassa. - File

A good director can bring a music video to the top of the charts thinking of concepts that are ingenious, colourful and expressive.

Coming up with the concepts for a hot video requires the skill of a good director. Director Kevin Lee has directed videos for numerous artistes such as Richie Stephens. He says "most times it's the director who comes up with the concept of a video. Depending on how open the director is, the artiste might get some input, or it's an agreement between the two".

Ras Kassa has directed videos such as Junior Gong's Welcome to Jamrock and for Sean Paul as well. He says the director often comes up with the concepts "but the artiste has an idea of what they want". Asha McHail, who has directed videos for artistes such as Yogi, concurs "it works both ways, sometimes the artiste is a person who has an idea for what their song is about".

What makes a good music video? Lee describes, "a good story helps to make a good video. But it depends cause there are different genres of music. Dancehall is all about the skin, sex, sex and more sex. If you listen to the music, it's about sex. Culture now is what the words are saying. Reggae is more about a world beat, there are the lyrics and the instruments. The video can be arranged to play with the words and the instruments," she explained.

For a video to work, Asha says "the concept, the look, the lighting and even the vibe. The style, dress and colour must come across to the audience".

Depends on the music

For Ras Kassa, the video depends on what the music says. "First you have to know what you're doing. Depend on what the song is saying, know your craft and you can make something beautiful. For me it always comes from the music. Music inspires me. Sometimes the attitude of the music and the artiste".

However, many persons complain that Jamaican music videos have a generic form. This is the problem some say with many dancehall videos. "There is a generic form of video, it's usually a dancehall video. Dancehall has reached a point where it needs to move from the level of sex alone. Sex is important but there are many other important things as well," Lee says.

One of the failings of the industry is the technology and the money needed to make better videos. That is often why there are usually two versions to dancehall videos. There's the Jamaican version, then the version that is re-taped for North American audience. Beenie Man and Miss Thing's Dude and Elephant Man's Signal Di Plane were both reshot for the overseas market.