Important note: I will be away from blogging after today until Tuesday, October 29. I will resume the blog on that date.

When shooting a music video it is important to be organized. You must plan each shot carefully. Let’s take a look at this plan for the music video for Give It Away by Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Working backwards from the video, I was able to create the director’s list of shots along with his notes. These appear below.

1. Since the song is about sex and having it, make sure to get some crotch shots.

Director’s note: Just had an amazing idea. What if I use a guitar to represent a penis? (I think I might be a genius!)

2. Mouths are sexy. Do mouth close ups.

Director’s note: Brightly color lipstick? Probably too subtle. Better go for sparkly lipstick.

3. Horns. Horns on heads.

Horns on pants.

4. Fill in the rest with frolicking in a field.

Possibly a little rollicking?

Ok, it’s PTD again. Don’t worry, old daddy’s back.

I’m not sure why a video that is mostly frolicking is so good. Maybe it is the silvery-ness of everything? Is it the spiral hair and make-up?

There are some great ideas. There’s the backward footage to go with the backward guitar solo.

Still photographs can’t portray it, but this picture is backwards. The next thing the guy in the picture does is actually the thing he did right before the picture.

There’s also this sweet idea:

Why isn’t everything surrounded with spirit fingers? I think the world would be a better place. People would be happier. There’d be a lot more spirit.

I think the key to the video, though, is that it looks like the band is genuinely having fun. I’d like to spend time with these people. When you listen to the song you are having an instant party. The video reinforces that idea. It’s like there’s party in a field, and Red Hot Chili Peppers are invited.

-PTD