directed by Anthony Mandler
Some videos, though directed by highly talented and well-seasoned individuals, can still miss the mark. I recently came across a music video called ‘Rehab’ by Rihanna and Justin Timberlake. Although I am not a fan of either Rihanna or Justin Timberlake, I have seen director Anthony Mandler’s work before on other music videos for people like John Mayer, The Killers and Maroon 5 and I’ve always appreciated his use of lens flare and lighting effects to create feeling in a clip. However, I was very disappointed with his use of lighting in the ‘Rehab’ music video and thought it would be good to explore why this particular clip does not work.
For starters a lens flare, for those of you who don’t know is: ‘the scattering of light through a lens system through image formations, such as internal reflection’ – Wikipedia, 2010.
If you look at these photos you can note a few things, firstly the different colours of lens flares, the anamorphic streaks (horizontal streaks of light), the use of the basic glow and the contrast of light and dark (or day/night shots). Now the use of one or more of these, if combined the right way can convey or further push an emotion. However, if they are overused as evident in this video, they end up creating a sense of confusion and boredom. Like anything, too much of a good thing is not too good after all.
If you look at these photos you can note a few things, firstly the different colours of lens flares, the anamorphic streaks (horizontal streaks of light), the use of the basic glow and the contrast of light and dark (or day/night shots). Now the use of one or more of these, if combined the right way can convey or further push an emotion. However, if they are overused as evident in this video, they end up creating a sense of confusion and boredom. Like anything, too much of a good thing is not too good after all.
Let’s break this down further, the use of the anamorphic streaks are a favourite effect of Mandler’s and are present in many of the music videos he directs. There are other music videos where he has used lighting and lens flare techniques sparingly and it is greatly effective, such as on The Killers video, ‘A Dustland Fairytale’ (see below).
He manages to enhance the night scenes and create a good flow of the video with re-use of the streak when the band is performing. The light and dark portions of the video are balanced out, without the over use of lens flare and lighting effects.
The ‘Rehab’ video on the other hand is completely dowsed in lens flares, coloured lighting and streaking effects to the point that it overpowers any story or emotion the clip is trying to convey. I’ve watched this video a few times, once with the audio and a few times without and each time I tried to understand what emotion and purpose Mandler was trying to portray using the green coloured flares. The best I could come up with was something to do with alien abductions which I am sure, is far from his intentions. The green flares I think really bother me more than any of the other shortfalls of this video, it is too distracting and does nothing to enhance the song, does nothing to convey an emotion and is just too much that it becomes pointless.
Other areas that I think could have used a bit more thought are in the black and white, and day and night scenes. Once again this is an area where Mandler has proven time and time again that he can master, however this video lacks any melding or uniformity as a video. Though the cuts are quick and could work, the overall composition of the shots and over use of the lens flare leave everything to be desired.
There are plenty videos where a director chooses to go from day to night and full colour to black and white and there may be no special transition or gaudy effect. But, there is a thread in the video that makes it work as a whole from start to finish, even if it is not a storytelling video; so whether that means the composition of frames, the movement of the shots, a prop, or even a lighting effect. Something has to make the clip cohesive, even if being in-cohesive is the thread that makes it work, it has to be achieved on some level.
John Mayer’s video ‘Who Says,’ also directed by Mandler uses the day and night and black and white flawlessly. Though it is a storytelling video and the cuts are strong, the video works on a whole and it is Mandler’s expertise in both composition and use of lighting that attributes to the success of that video.
In summary, some things to keep in mind when making a video: lighting effects and lens flares can add just as much as they can subtract, so it is important to use them sparingly. Videos do not have to have a story or a point, but they do have to have a thread that makes them work as a whole. Audiences do want to see progressive videos that push the boundaries, but over using something you know that has been proven to work simply to be progressive or because you can, is not the way to the set a benchmark. Below is the music video 'Rehab' for you to judge for yourself.
