That'd be cool enough right there. But she went one step further, and used video itself as a piece of agitprop, using Flash-style animated graphics to neatly illustrate the various component costs of producing a video -- like that $200-a-day production assistant pictured above -- and how much each would buy of food, tools, medicine, or whatnot in Africa. You could argue this is overly preachy, but hey, she's a folk singer -- it's her job to be numbingly didactic. Plus, she's kind of, y'know, right.
But, putting on my info-nerd cap here for a second, the video is also remarkable for its sheer interfacial elegance. Check out those modernist-a-go-go animated icons; watch the simple but effective visual metaphors it builds up. It's like one of those 1970s edutainment animation film-reels they used to have kids watch in grade school. Just lovely!
Posted by Clive Thompson at November 11, 2004 10:43 PM
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So how many people would the cost of the designers (agency) hired to make this video feed?
Posted by: nowak at November 12, 2004 2:10 PM
Maybe things are different in the music video world but as a PA in television, I don't think I got more than $500 a week.
Posted by: Mike at November 12, 2004 5:37 PM
Posted by: Romeiux at November 14, 2004 2:26 AM
You splet her name wrong Clive =) But thanks for linking the site, I knew I was in love with her for a reason.
Posted by: Carrots at November 14, 2004 6:46 AM
It's cheesey but props to McLachlan for putting her money where her mouth is.
Posted by: Andrea Chiu at November 17, 2004 9:25 AM
Posted by: Clive at November 29, 2004 6:53 AM
It wonderful what she's done, alot fo money in hollywood is squandered, of course those people do need the money too. I just would love to know all the film people that donated their time and efforts to help Ms. McLaughlin make this great video, I think they deserve some credit
Posted by: bendy at November 30, 2004 11:18 AM
McLachlan really didn't put her money where her mouth is. She put the money that was allocated to her for the production of a video where her mouth is. Not really anything special, taking the money given to you to make a video and use it to make a video that draws attention to yourself. Also, it seems like such a pompous idea for a video, and I don't think it says anything that any human being hasn't ever said. What's the message? Poverty is bad? There's alot better things to do with money? Who hasn't had that shoved down their throat already? It's another one of those, "Look how much I care." kind of things. I'm not complaining that she gave to the poor and all that. That's good. But she used those people who she helped for further gain to her image and ultimately her bank account. Plus, to get ridiculously technical, the video costed more than $15 to make, because even though the company who filmed it donated their time and "talent", they didn't donate their camera's and equipment, so it costed someone wear and usage on some equipment. Plus they probably had catering or something. That's really not important, though. Bottom line is, I just found a way to waste a few minutes.
Posted by: Forty at December 3, 2004 5:10 AM
Every comment posted here is overlooking the entire point of the video. Sarah McLachlan didn't make this video to make herself look better or to show that she's different from other musicians. THE POINT of the video is to show people like you that WE ALL squander money on meaningless shit EVERYDAY. We are blessed to have what we have (health and fortune) and we should be grateful and humbled for it and we should BE THE CHANGE WE WISH TO SEE IN THE WORLD. It's just a stepping stones, you fool. BE THE EXCEPTION to the rule of humanity's cruelty, not the rule itself! It's out moral duty!
Posted by: Sayon at December 7, 2004 3:11 PM
Posted by: Omelet at December 8, 2004 8:42 PM
This video exposed all the unneeded expenses in the music industry and showed people what could be done instead. We come from a place that all that matters is what we have and what makes us look good. But the whole point of this video was to expose the inequalities in this world. So in doing so automatically people think she did it for her own good...but if she was just out for her own good she would have ignored the whole idea of this video...she was doing well before wasn't she??? So on a whole she did do a good thing for a country it was not about herself. It was about the good of those people. It was a change in a way of thinking From the world of the haves...to that of the have nots. This was a bold move. Tomorrow try to convince your boss to allocate money for you to donate to people in Africa. Just think about it a little...
Posted by: Vickie at December 9, 2004 11:02 PM
This video exposed all the unneeded expenses in the music industry and showed people what could be done instead. We come from a place that all that matters is what we have and what makes us look good. But the whole point of this video was to expose the inequalities in this world. So in doing so automatically people think she did it for her own good...but if she was just out for her own good she would have ignored the whole idea of this video...she was doing well before wasn't she??? So on a whole she did do a good thing for a country it was not about herself. It was about the good of those people. It was a change in a way of thinking From the world of the haves...to that of the have nots. This was a bold move. Tomorrow try to convince your boss to allocate money for you to donate to people in Africa. Just think about it a little...
Posted by: Vickie at December 9, 2004 11:03 PM
Agreed. We complaint all the time about stupid stuff that circles around the money and the material things we have, not realizing that there are people whose sole purpose in life is surviving to the next day.
Posted by: Romeiux at December 11, 2004 4:23 AM
Posted by: online poker at January 26, 2005 10:35 PM
So how many people would the cost of the designers (agency) hired to make this video feed?
Posted by: nowak at November 12, 2004 2:10 PM
Maybe things are different in the music video world but as a PA in television, I don't think I got more than $500 a week.
Posted by: Mike at November 12, 2004 5:37 PM
Responding to nowak:
Actually, all the people that worked on making the video donated their time and talents, so the video actually cost $15, which was the cost of the video tape ;)
Chek out this:
http://yubanet.com/artman/publish/article_14059.shtml
Posted by: Romeiux at November 14, 2004 2:26 AM
You splet her name wrong Clive =) But thanks for linking the site, I knew I was in love with her for a reason.
Posted by: Carrots at November 14, 2004 6:46 AM
It's cheesey but props to McLachlan for putting her money where her mouth is.
Posted by: Andrea Chiu at November 17, 2004 9:25 AM
Yes, totally.
Posted by: Clive at November 29, 2004 6:53 AM
It wonderful what she's done, alot fo money in hollywood is squandered, of course those people do need the money too. I just would love to know all the film people that donated their time and efforts to help Ms. McLaughlin make this great video, I think they deserve some credit
Posted by: bendy at November 30, 2004 11:18 AM
McLachlan really didn't put her money where her mouth is. She put the money that was allocated to her for the production of a video where her mouth is. Not really anything special, taking the money given to you to make a video and use it to make a video that draws attention to yourself. Also, it seems like such a pompous idea for a video, and I don't think it says anything that any human being hasn't ever said. What's the message? Poverty is bad? There's alot better things to do with money? Who hasn't had that shoved down their throat already? It's another one of those, "Look how much I care." kind of things. I'm not complaining that she gave to the poor and all that. That's good. But she used those people who she helped for further gain to her image and ultimately her bank account. Plus, to get ridiculously technical, the video costed more than $15 to make, because even though the company who filmed it donated their time and "talent", they didn't donate their camera's and equipment, so it costed someone wear and usage on some equipment. Plus they probably had catering or something. That's really not important, though. Bottom line is, I just found a way to waste a few minutes.
Posted by: Forty at December 3, 2004 5:10 AM
Every comment posted here is overlooking the entire point of the video. Sarah McLachlan didn't make this video to make herself look better or to show that she's different from other musicians. THE POINT of the video is to show people like you that WE ALL squander money on meaningless shit EVERYDAY. We are blessed to have what we have (health and fortune) and we should be grateful and humbled for it and we should BE THE CHANGE WE WISH TO SEE IN THE WORLD. It's just a stepping stones, you fool. BE THE EXCEPTION to the rule of humanity's cruelty, not the rule itself! It's out moral duty!
Posted by: Sayon at December 7, 2004 3:11 PM
agreed
Posted by: Omelet at December 8, 2004 8:42 PM
This video exposed all the unneeded expenses in the music industry and showed people what could be done instead. We come from a place that all that matters is what we have and what makes us look good. But the whole point of this video was to expose the inequalities in this world. So in doing so automatically people think she did it for her own good...but if she was just out for her own good she would have ignored the whole idea of this video...she was doing well before wasn't she??? So on a whole she did do a good thing for a country it was not about herself. It was about the good of those people. It was a change in a way of thinking From the world of the haves...to that of the have nots. This was a bold move. Tomorrow try to convince your boss to allocate money for you to donate to people in Africa. Just think about it a little...
Posted by: Vickie at December 9, 2004 11:02 PM
This video exposed all the unneeded expenses in the music industry and showed people what could be done instead. We come from a place that all that matters is what we have and what makes us look good. But the whole point of this video was to expose the inequalities in this world. So in doing so automatically people think she did it for her own good...but if she was just out for her own good she would have ignored the whole idea of this video...she was doing well before wasn't she??? So on a whole she did do a good thing for a country it was not about herself. It was about the good of those people. It was a change in a way of thinking From the world of the haves...to that of the have nots. This was a bold move. Tomorrow try to convince your boss to allocate money for you to donate to people in Africa. Just think about it a little...
Posted by: Vickie at December 9, 2004 11:03 PM
Agreed. We complaint all the time about stupid stuff that circles around the money and the material things we have, not realizing that there are people whose sole purpose in life is surviving to the next day.
Posted by: Romeiux at December 11, 2004 4:23 AM
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Posted by: online poker at January 26, 2005 10:35 PM