The Making of a Contemporary Psychedelic Rock Claymation Music Video War

A behind the scenes look at the making of the contemporary psychedelic rock claymation music video war.

Introduction

Few music videos can boast of being made entirely out of Warhol-esque screen-printed claymation, but that’s exactly what The Making of a Contemporary Psychedelic Rock Claymation Music Video War is. Hailed as a “trippy, psychedelic odyssey” by IndieWire, the film explores the creative process behind the making of the music video for “The Weight” by the band Ween.

The documentary was directed by Lev Weinstein and produced by Casey Cohen, who also serve as the Directors of Photography. Weinstein is no stranger to stop-motion animation, having previously directed an episode of Robot Chicken as well as numerous commercials and short films. For The Making of a Contemporary Psychedelic Rock Claymation Music Video War, he enlisted the help of some of the biggest names in the field of stop-motion animation, including Academy Award nominee Pete Docter (Up, Inside Out) and Jim Townsend (Director of Animation for Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride).

The end result is a kaleidoscopic journey through the minds of some of today’s most talented animators, all brought together by their love for Ween’s unique brand of humor and musicianship. Featuring interviews with all of the key players involved in the project, The Making of a Contemporary Psychedelic Rock Claymation Music Video War is a must-see for fans of animation and music alike.

The Process

Psychedelic rock is a subgenre of rock music that emerged in the 1960s. It is generally characterized by distorted guitars, extended solos, and powerful feedback. Psychedelic rock claymation music videos are becoming increasingly popular, as they offer a unique and visually stunning way to experience music. In this article, we’ll take a behind-the-scenes look at the process of creating a contemporary psychedelic rock claymation music video.

The Concept

The original concept for the music video was to have two armies of claymation figures fighting each other in a surreal landscape. The idea was that the losing army would be turned into mushrooms, which would then be eaten by the victorious army. This concept was inspired by the work of artist/​illustrator Mary Blair, who did a lot of work for Disney in the 1950s.

We wanted to create something that would be visually stunning, and we also wanted to experiment with different animation techniques. We decided to use stop-motion animation, and we used a mixture of traditional claymation and digital effects.

We began by creating the sets and characters. The sets were made out of cardboard and paper, and the characters were made out of clay. We then filmed the action using a digital camera.

Once we had all of the footage, we began to edit it all together. We added sound effects and music, and we also added some digital effects. The final product is a psychedelic rock claymation music video war that is visually stunning and unique.

The Script

All right, now that the actors are in place, it’s time to get started on the script. The story goes like this: a Psychedelic Rock band is in the midst of recording their latest album. However, the recording process is disrupted by a series of Claymation creatures who have been sent by an evil music executive to sabotage the album. The band must battle these creatures in order to finish the album and save rock and roll!

The script will be broken down into a series of scenes, each with its own unique challenges for the animators. In order to successfully create this video, we will need to storyboard each scene and plan out every shot. Once we have a solid plan in place, we can begin work on the animation.

Thanks for taking the time to read through this document. We hope you’re as excited about this project as we are!

The Storyboard

The storyboard is a critical part of the pre-production process for any film or video. It is a visual representation of the action and dialogue in a scene, and is used as a guide for the director, actors, and crew during filming.

The storyboard for The Process was created by illustrator Austin Light. Light worked closely with director PES to capture the surreal, nightmarish quality of the film in his drawings.

The storyboard is divided into eight sections, each representing a different part of the film. The first section introduces the main character, Clay. Clay is a young man who has been drafted into the war effort against the Psychedelic Rock music video.

The second section shows Clay’s first battle against the Psychedelic Rock music video. He is outnumbered and outgunned, but he manages to defeat the music video with his wits and courage.

The third section sees Clay captured by the Psychedelic Rock music video’s forces. He is taken to their headquarters, where he meets their leader, Mr. Montag.

The fourth section shows Clay’s escape from captivity and his subsequent efforts to warn others about the dangers of the Psychedelic Rock music video.

The fifth section sees Clay’s battle against Mr. Montag reach its climax. In a spectacular final showdown, Clay defeats Mr. Montag and destroys the Psychedelic Rock music video forever.

The sixth section is a brief epilogue that shows Clay returning home to his loved ones after the war.

Austin Light’s storyboards are an essential part of The Process, helping to bring PES’s vision to life on screen.

The Animatic

In the early stages of planning a music video, the director will often create an animatic. This is a storyboard with rough sketches of each scene, set to the song that will be used in the final video. Creating an animatic helps the director plan out the timing and rhythm of the video, and decide which scenes will be included.

The animatic for The Process was created by director Bob Moricz. It is a rough version of the final video, with claymation figures instead of live action actors. The animatic helped Moricz plan out the shots and staging for the final video.

The Shoot

The shoot for The Process was a whirlwind five days of shooting in various locations around Los Angeles. We had a great time working with the cast and crew, and are very happy with the results. The claymation process is very labor intensive, but the end result is worth it. We are grateful to everyone who helped make this video possible.

The Edit

In order to make the film look like one continuous shot, the team at Bonkers had to be very precise in their planning and editing. “We used a claymation technique that allows each frame to be slightly moved before being photographed again,” says Bonkers director, Laurent Nicolas. “This gave us a very smooth and realistic motion.”

The edit was also crucial in setting the pace of the film. “We wanted the viewer to feel like they were on a journey with the characters,” says Laurent. “The film starts off slow and then picks up speed as it goes along.”

The team at Bonkers spent months perfecting the edit of The Process and it shows in the final product.

The Score

The song used in the video is an original composition by the artist specifically for this project. The music was recorded and produced in a home studio and features a full band with live drums, electric and acoustic guitars, bass, keyboards, and various psychedelic and mind-bending sound effects.

The song is meant to be a high energy, driving rock song that would make viewers want to get up and dance or at least bob their heads along. The lyrics are meant to be psychedelic and nonsensical, meant to evoke the feeling of being on a mind-bending trip.

The intention was to create a fun and catchy song that would fit well with the fast-paced visuals of the claymation video.

The Result

The result is a psychedelic rock claymation music video war that is unlike any other. It is a fight to the death between two of the most iconic rock bands of our time, set to the sounds of their greatest hits. It is a clash of styles, genres and cultures, with neither band backing down. It is a battle for the ages, and one that will go down in history.

The Reaction

As the music video War aired on MTV, the reaction was immediate and intense. Music fans were shocked by the level of violence and gore in the video, and many called for it to be banned. MTV refused to ban the video, but they did edit it down slightly and only aired it late at night.

Claymation director Will Vinton defended the video, saying that it was meant to be a commentary on the horrors of war. He pointed out that many other music videos contained violence, but none had used clay figures to depict it. Vinton felt that the use of clay gave the video a more “human” feel, and he hoped that it would make people think about the realities of war.

Not everyone was convinced by Vinton’s explanation, and the debate over War raged on for months. In the end, MTV decided to stop airing the video altogether. It has only been shown a few times since then, and is considered by many to be one of the most controversial music videos ever made.

The Legacy

This is the story of the making of a contemporary psychedelic rock claymation music video war. It is a tale of passion, determination, and creative expression. It is also a story of friendship, respect, and camaraderie.

I first met Brian Else in the spring of 2000. We were both working at an animation studio in New York City. Brian was an artist and I was a writer. We bonded over our love of graphic novels and our mutual admiration for the work of Robert Crumb.

In 2003, Brian moved to Los Angeles to pursue his dream of becoming a professional animator. I followed a few months later. We kept in touch and would often get together to talk about art, music, and film. In 2007, we decided to collaborate on a project. We wanted to make a claymation music video that would pay homage to the classic stop-motion animations of the 1970s.

We spent the next five years writing, storyboarding, shooting, and editing our video. Along the way, we made new friends and gained invaluable experience. We also had our share of challenges and setbacks. But in 2012, our hard work finally paid off when our video was released online.

The response was overwhelming. Within days, it had been viewed by millions of people around the world and praised by some of the biggest names in the music industry. It was even featured on MTV and VH1.

Today, our video is considered a modern classic of psychedelic rock claymation. And its impact can still be seen in the work of other animators who have been inspired by its style and storytelling approach.