We Will Rock You: The Music Video
Contents
- Introducing the music video for We Will Rock You
- The making of the video
- The concept and story behind the video
- The cast and crew of the video
- The locations used in the video
- The production design of the video
- The choreography of the video
- The special effects used in the video
- The editing of the video
- The release of the video
The “We Will Rock You” music video was directed by David Mallet and released in May of 1981. The video features Queen performing the song in a concert setting.
Introducing the music video for We Will Rock You
The music video for We Will Rock You was released on October 31, 1981. The video was directed by David Mallet and filmed in London. It features the band performing the song in a live concert setting, intercut with footage of Queen performing at various live concerts.
The making of the video
The iconic music video for “We Will Rock You” was directed by Mike Mansfield and released in May of 1977. The video opens with the band playing the song in a stadium, intercut with footage of a live audience. As the song progresses, the stadium audience grows increasingly restless and eventually starts rioting. The band continues to play as the violence escalates around them, and the video ends with the stadium being destroyed.
The video was produced on a shoestring budget, and Mansfield had to get creative in order to make it work. He shot the footage of the band playing in front of a green screen and then added in footage of the live audience later. The riot scene was shot on location at an actual concert, and Mansfield had to bribe security guards to let him film it. Despite all of these obstacles, Mansfield still managed to create one of the most iconic music videos of all time.
The concept and story behind the video
The concept and story behind the music video is that it is set in a future world where music has been banned and only Queen’s songs are allowed to be played. The people in this world are forced to wear headphones that play Queen’s music, and they are not allowed to dance or move to the music. The video follows a group of rebels who are fighting against the government’s rules and trying to bring back music. They find a secret underground club where people are dancing and enjoying themselves, and they start a revolution.
The cast and crew of the video
The video was directed by Russell Mulcahy and features the band performing in a range of locations including a city street, an abandoned warehouse, and a photographic studio. The video also features cameo appearances from chess champion Anatoly Karpov and British physicist Stephen Hawking.
The locations used in the video
The band wanted the video to look like a news report from the future, with them as the world’s only rock band left fighting the establishment. To that end, they built a giant set at Long Marston airfield near Stratford-upon-Avon, which represented a dystopian London in the year 2095. The band also shot footage on location in Northampton and London.
The production design of the video
The “We Will Rock You” video was directed by British photographer Simon Fowler, who had previously worked with the band on the “Somebody to Love” video. The video was shot in a single day at Elstree Studios in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire. It was produced by Dick Carr and edited by Michael Bradsell.
The video is set in a post-apocalyptic world where a group of rebels are fighting against an oppressive regime. The production design of the video is very striking, with its use of bold colors and futuristic setting. The video also features some impressive special effects, including a scene where the band members are transformed into robots.
The choreography of the video
The choreography of the “We Will Rock You” music video was created by Paul Roberts and Michael Jackson. Jackson also helped create the look of the video, with his own dance moves and signature style. The video was shot in one day, and was edited to look like it was shot in a concert setting.
The special effects used in the video
The special effects used in the music video for “We Will Rock You” are quite simple, but effective. The video begins with a close up of a guitar neck, and as the camera pulls back, we see that the guitar is on fire. This is done by using a small flame to ignite a string on the guitar, and then shooting the footage in reverse. This gives the illusion that the guitar is being consumed by flames.
Another effect that is used several times throughout the video is stop-motion animation. This is when each frame of film is slightly different from the one before it, so when played back at normal speed, it appears that the objects in the frame are moving. This technique was used to create the effect of Freddie Mercury “playing” an invisible piano in mid-air.
The majority of the video consists of footage of Queen performing live during their concert at Wembley Stadium. However, there are also some shots of them lip-syncing to the song in a studio. These shots were most likely included because they would have had a better sound quality than if they had been filmed live.
Overall, the special effects used in the music video for “We Will Rock You” are relatively simple, but they help to create an engaging and visually stimulating product.
The editing of the video
The video was edited by Julien Temple, and it was released on October 31, 1981. The video is a compilation of live footage from their North American Tour in support of their album The Game, as well as footage from the Wembley Stadium concert on July 11, 1981, and intersperses shots of the band with scenes of Freddie Mercury’s close friend Peter Freestone ironing his shirt.
The release of the video
The release of the video caused controversy due to its graphic nature. Many parents felt that it was too violent for children to see. The video was banned by many television stations.