Associação Cultural Videobrasil

During the 15 years of its existence, pop video has revolutionized all aspects of the moving image in popular culture. An entire generation has grown up seeing the world through music videos. Although they may have forgotten how to read newspapers, they have acquired in the process a heightened visual literacy, appreciating the impact of camera movement, use of color, different film speed, motion control, etc. This new fluency in the language of film has allowed videomakers to communicate in more purely visual ways with the young audience.

Despite the conservatism on the part of the record companies, video production is remarkably open. No other form of filmmaking allows you to reach such a large audience world wide, with so little interference with the original idea. It is also the most spontaneous way of filmmaking: you can have an idea as you go to sleep for a music video and with the right artist two weeks later it can be played to larger audience than E.T. all over the world. Since silent cinema, no other form of fimmaking has been so universally appealling. Music video speak through the combination of music and images to a young audience on a global scale.

Music video has encouraged the emergence of numerous new young directors who would have to wait years to direct in other fields. This constant injection of new personalities and ideas into the laboratory of music video means that the best work is always moving forward and pushing the boundries of what is visually possible.

Although it is fashionable amongst middle aged film critics to bemoan the impact of music video on tha traditional narrative film, this is a very short sighted attitude. Music video responds quicker than any other form to to the realities of the world we live in and most clearly reflects the way in which the young audience sees it. To reject its impact, is to behave like an ostrich, with it's head in the sand, unwilling to accept that times have changed, wheather we like it or not.

ASSOCIAÇÃO CULTURAL VIDEOBRASIL. "9th Videobrasil International Festival": 21st to 27th September 1992, pp.65, São Paulo, Brazil, 1992.