Summer DeRoche at SXSW – day five

SceneOn, Melbourne filmmaker Summer deRoche, who uses modern media platforms to engage with audiences, is covering SXSW exclusively for Campaign Brief

During my youth, the words “music video” meant a late-night Rage session on ABC. On the couch, sleepily hypnotised by video after video. Then, when a particularly terrific clip would come on, I’d go scrambling in search of a spare VHS tape (one my sister hadn’t broken that little square off of) to record it.

My favourite music video when I was growing up was Soundgarden – “Black Hole Sun”.  Although the effects have dated, I still think it’s amazing. It tells a story that fits flawlessly with the song – a suburban neighbourhood getting sucked into a black hole. Perfection.

Yesterday my music video screened at the Alamo Ritz, and what stood out to me was how far the “music video” umbrella has expanded since those “Black Hole Sun” days. Specifically the arrival of documentary/narrative/music video hybrids. Docu-vids? Or music-docu-videos? Or Docu-mus-vids?

Paolo Nutini – “Iron Sky”, directed by Daniel Wolfe, was my personal favourite. It gave me chills, and had I been watching it from the privacy of my own home, I would have certainly let some of those hot tears out, rather than sucking them back into my tear ducts. The story and visuals partner perfectly to Nutini’s soulful song. The clip is so raw and organic I was uncertain if I was watching actors or real situations.

Congratulations to Wolfe, who took home the Jury Award for Music Video.

I’d totally be recording his clip to VHS if it were 1994.