Sydney Opera House and Three Drunk Monkeys recreate an iconic song for an iconic building
Sydney-based creative agency Three Drunk Monkeys has teamed up with Sydney Opera House (SOH) to create a stunning music project that invites the world inside the iconic building and positions ‘The House’ as a contemporary cultural hub.
Set to a reworking of Nick Cave’s immortal ballad, ‘The Ship Song’, the film and song release features performances by some of Australia and the world’s preeminent artists including Neil Finn, Kev Carmody, Sarah Blasko, Angus and Julia Stone, Paul Kelly, Temper Trap, Martha Wainwright, Katie Noonan and Daniel Johns.
The following SOH resident companies also appear – Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Teddy Tahu-Rhodes with Opera Australia, The Australian Ballet, Bangarra Dance Company, Bell Shakespeare founder and director John Bell, Richard Tognetti and The Australian Chamber Orchestra.
SOH is one of the world’s most recognizable buildings and a UNESCO world heritage site. The brief was to open the doors of the building to all and showcase the broad range of artists and performers who create works of wonder regularly inside the famous sails. Substantial developments in the diversity and depth of programming substantiate the role of SOH as an accessible cultural hub for Sydneysiders, domestic and global audiences.
Award-winning director Paul Goldman, who has created music videos for artists such as Kylie Minogue, Silverchair and Nick Cave, shot the project over a 10-month period and it takes viewers on a beautiful, voyeuristic journey through the venue’rehearsal rooms and backstage chasms of the House while capturing each artist in an intimate performance of the same song before his or her evening show. Some are in final rehearsal, some in a quiet moment of reflection.
The music video will be shared on YouTube, social media channels and traditional broadcast, while composer Elliot Wheeler’s outstanding new arrangement of ‘The Ship Song’ will be released on I-tunes and other selected channels today – July 26.
Says the Monkey’s creative director Noah Regan: “This project has been a true labour of love. Throughout the process two things drove everybody involved; their deep love of The House and everything it stands for and a passion for the beautiful Nick Cave song and how fitting it is for this concept. We feel we’ve created something every Australian can be proud of and share and the world can appreciate.”
Says Sydney Opera House director marketing and communications Victoria Doidge: “We set out to create a piece of content that would celebrate the House’s role in the global creative community and as an icon for Australia. Our content strategy aims to democratise the creative experience for as wide an audience as possible no matter where they are – in doing so we take performances beyond the confines of our stages to be enjoyed online, mobile or watching television. The calibre of the artists who volunteered in this project is testament to the House’s special place in our national psyche. We couldn’t be happier with this beautiful interpretation of one of Australia’s most beloved love songs”.
In addition to this, documentary maker Greg Appel who filmed classic Australian documentaries “Long way to the top” and “Bombora” has directed a 30 minute documentary featuring behind the scenes interviews with the artists, residents and creators of The Ship Song project, to be screened this month on FOXTEL. The story is narrated by Australian actor, Guy Pearce.
The Ship Song Project is a love song tribute to Sydney Opera House’s place in Australia’s cultural fabric. It is a celebration of the artists, architecture and interior workings of this building which has arguably the world’s most famous exterior. It is also a call to arms to the community at large to come and experience ‘The House’, to come and ‘make a little history’ with the artists and performers that inhabit the iconic landmark.
THE SHIP SONG PROJECT
FILM
Executive Creative Director: Justin Drape/Scott Nowell
Creative Director: Justin Drape/Noah Regan
Art Director: Noah Regan
Copywriter: Noah Regan
Copywriter: Simone Louis
Head of Broadcast: Thea Carone
Production Co-ordinator: Lauren O’Shea
Group Account Director: Dan Beaumont
Content Director: Suzy Coman
Content Manager: Kate Behne
Director: Paul Goldman
Production Company: Exit Films
Producer: Caroline David
Music Director and Arranger: Elliott Wheeler
Music Producer: Emma Hoy
Music: Turning Studios
Editor: David Gross
Definition Films
Head of Marketing, Performing Arts SOH: Stephen O’Connor:
Director, Marketing, Communications and Customer Services SOH: Victoria Doidge
Executive Creative Director: Justin Drape/Scott Nowell
Creative Director: Justin Drape/Noah Regan
Art Director: Noah Regan
Copywriter: Noah Regan
Designer: Mike Witcombe
Art Buyer: Alice Quiddington
Group Account Director: Dan Beaumont
Content Director: Suzy Coman
Content Mana
ger: Kate Behne
Photographer: Simon Harsent
Retouching: Cream
Producer: Cameron Gray
Head of Marketing, Performing Arts SOH: Stephen O’Connor:
Director, Marketing, Communications and Customer Services SOH: Victoria Doidge
97 Comments
Wonderful.
Big brave idea and big brave execution. Fxcking awesome!
Sometimes good creative is letting great talent do it thing. That blew me away!
Nicely done. No doubt inspired by this a few years back… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJpQJWpVJds
Beautiful
Brilliant. Beautiful. Brave. Best thing i’ve seen in ages.
Breathtaking! Best thing to come out of the monkeys! Congrat’s to Noah and the Monkeys
Yup. What they said.
A perfect day for the Opera House.
goosebumps… tourism australia take note…well done noah!
never heard a cheer let out around an agency for a while at the end of an ad…awesome
Lovely. I got the same goosebumps as I did when I saw the BBC “Perfect Day’ spot from a few years ago.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJpQJWpVJds
total goosebumps…beautiful
This is fucking wonderful. Well done banana heads.
Wow. Beautifully crafted. Really great work all involved.
Jesus its conceptually identical to the BBC spot…
Where’s Airbourne??
Will Farquhar, the creative who did the original ‘Perfect Day’ spot is now coincidentally living in Sydney. Maybe he should also included in the Monkey’s credits. Lets just say it’s a really well made homage.
Well at least we know where the idea came from. The BBC spot is identical.
Beautifully produced. Well done Monkeys.
Its a lovely piece of work, beautifully arranged by Eliot and wonderfully directed by Paul Goldman.
Just accept it’s awesome and stop trying to dig some old ad up to compare it too! So much jealously on this blog!
10.57
It is awesome. But Perfect Day was awesomer, and first. And identical. It’s hardly an obscure ad either since it won numerous awards and has millions of views on YouTube.
At this level, the industry is all about originality. And however well executed, however much we like ‘Ship Song’, however much we like Monkeys, this is not original.
Ship Song, Ship spot…
Suppose the concept is similar, but it’s very bloody nice.
Goosebumpy amazeballs, well done!
that is incredible. well done.
Just made my day. Really great.
If by ‘similar’ you mean picks classic romantic indie song then uses a range of people including opera singers, actors, other musicians, indigenous singers etc to sing said song directly to camera, then yes.
Personally, I call that identical.
Love it. Beautifully executed. Huge fan of the print too, stunning!
Was expecting to see a fully rounded slagging of this one, but, oh no, it seems that, BBC ripoff comments aside, this is universally adored. Which is suprising cause I reckon it’s a hideous reinterpretation of a great song – incredibly cheesy and overblown. Kind of like a cheerleading song for an Olympic Games or a political party.
Monkey 1- ‘Hey, remember that Perfect Day spot from a few years back?
I just sold the exact same concept to the Opera house.’
Monkey 2- ‘You mean the one with Lou Reed, David Bowie and Bono?’
Monkey 1- ‘Yeah.’
Monkey 2- ‘Sweet. Who did you sign up?’
Monkey 1- ‘Paul Kelly, Kev Moody and The Temper Tra….. Oh, shit.’
Surely the Monkeys should have referenced this was ‘inspired’ by Perfect Day by the BBC by Leagas Delaney
Even if it wasn’t a rip-off, it’s just kind of okay.
That BBC spot is fantastic.
It is well done, but definitely not an original concept. As soon as it started I kept seeing and hearing ‘A Perfect Day’ in my head. Three Drunk Monkeys would have to have seen ‘A Defect Day’ – it’s just so close.
Monkey see, monkey do.
I don’t care if it’s a ripoff, it’s just great to see an ad that is entertaining and uplifting. So much screen advertising is like direct mail and for me ends up in the digital bin.
*CRINGE*
The emotion is so forced, and the concept so 80’s!! It would appeal to the over 40 Mum and Dad types, only your first problem is those people won’t even know who 75% of the people featured are. God. Way to kill music and creativity.
Pure cheese.
Even your expensive talent doesn’t save it. You might as well have thrown Bert Newton in there with Keri Anne… your end product would have been just as cool.
You all bagged Tinnings animal spot as unoriginal and then start giving this rip off kissy kisses. You guy are full of it.
Not as good as everyone wants them to be.
I instantly went online and booked season tickets at the Opera House, that I’d been procrastinating about for months! So it definitely worked for me.
I don’t think there is a campaign out there, that in some way, shape or form doesn’t remind me of some part of something that’s appeared in the past. It’s impossible to be 100% original these days.
It’s great, it’s relevant, it’s not the same as Perfect Day, and it works! Good one Monkeys.
PS – Geez CB this is the 2nd, 3rd, now 4th time I’ve entered this, your Captcha images are impossible to read!!
Debbie Does – I take offense to the use of “over 40 Mum and Dad types” as a stereotype of people who have no taste. Being an over 40 Dad and having just commented @ 1:52 that I think this is bottom-trawling advertising I would like you to revise your comment to read “over 40 Mum and Dad types with frontal lobotomies (and no understanding of music or culture)”. Thank you.
3:35 – Sadly, you’re correct.
We’ve all done work ‘influenced’ by others. Sometimes deliberately, sometimes accidentally. No problems if its either with me. Guess it just depends who you are, whether you get slagged or not. As for the spot. It ain’t original, but I like it.
Nice music clip.
why is it called a ‘project’?
Alright 3:48, you’re excused and I revise my comment to read. Not even over 40 Mum and Dad types think this is cool.
Few more lens flares? Another crane shot perhaps?
Maybe we could get the guys that shoot the channel 9 indents to make the performances look a little more real. I hope the guy that cuts the Master Chef montages is available to edit. I think he really gets our direction.
So cookie cutter crap.
The Monkeys do the BBC advertising as well – BBC Knowledge. Just feels a little to close to not be referenced.
9:32
I looked at the BBC spot again and nope, it hasn’t got the soul or the simplicity of this one. Monkeys win for me.
Well done to all involved …. absolutely stunning.
elliott wheeler kicks arse.
Defend it, spin it, talk it up… it’s an ad – and it’s been ripped off. It’s not art or a short or a music clip – it’s an ad, and it’s been done. If this wins awards it should only be for craft.
It’s a perfect day alright
awesome stuff.
absolutely perfect, it’s a Noah craftsmanship and he’s not one to copy or cheat. leave one of the few non cheats left in this industry alone. Someone with honest passion and real talent has done a great job on this congratulations Noah and the monkeys your hard work has paid off yet again.
6.05. Is that you Noah?
That is truly wonderful. Well done to Noah and the guys at Three Drunk Monkeys.
Hey. Just catching up on this thread. Yeah…..Some positive vibes and some bad ones as well. Here’s my take. I think they may have thought we had forgotten about the old BBC spot but we all remembered it and we all went to You Tube for another look and it still looks great.. There you go. As simple as that. I suggest there has been a lot of self comment on this thread regarding the beautifulness and the crane shots but that’s cool man cos those guys need some credit too. they just shot the stuff. And whats this about a project man? It’s an ad dude. Stay true my ad friends.
5.51. Self comment for sure.
That is breathtaking. Goosebumps.
i’d actually like to see what ‘debbie does’ but more than likely debbie just says…
I think the comment earlier about originality being what is expected at this level captures the problem with the spot.
I don’t think the Monkeys deliberately set out to duplicate the BBC spot, because they are not that kind of people.
I suspect they thought of the idea, and then presented it thinking it was original. And everyone fell in love. We’ve all been there. The amount of work involved to get this up would have been huge, both logistically and emotionally.
But I’m equally sure that someone in the huge list of credits must have considered the BBC campaign. It is too famous. From memory it was recently voted in the Top 20 ever.
But, because they were in love, they convinced themselves that the two campaigns were different. They probably still believe it and think those making comments like mine are ‘haters’ or some such nonsense.
The hardest thing in the world is to have a great idea, approved by the client and in production and then to find out it has been done before. The temptation is to go through with it. Especially for a charity and because you ‘know’ you didn’t knick the idea.
But, as mentioned above, this is one of Australia’s best and most principled agencies. As such, they should have pulled the plug.
Obviously the public will not know, or care, about the provenance of this idea. So no harm done there.
But I bet the team have gone from ecstatic to horribly depressed in a few short hours because they know they have fucked up.
All the Monkey’s had to do was say this was a tribute/homage or heavily influenced by the BBC Perfect Day Spot and come clean. If they had a lot of these comments would have been avoided.
How would the people praising this spot react if an almost identical ad to the ‘Old Spice’ commercial appeared on TV here for a similar local product? Same thing really.
We are all sinners. Noah and the rest of the Ark did their best. Unfortunately the elements when combined created an ad that doesn’t float. They are guilty of the unoriginal sin.
This is a beautifully composed spot. Better than the BBc’s I think but maybe that’s a local bias. Yes, it’s similar, but the public will see through that and enjoy it for what it is. Judging by most of the comments here, even industry types do too. It took 15 comments until there was a negative word spoken – surely that has to be a record for the grumpy bums on CB?
Yeah I see the similarities, but if we all had to cite references when crediting work nothing would ever seem original. Reference is regularly used to help clients understand the rough concept. I’m sure the people behind the BBC spot used reference, probably Band Aid from 1984 – a group of artists coming together to each sing parts of a song for the benefit of something bigger than all of them.
This fim is far more stunning than Bono shot against a green-screen. This backstage journey, through an incredible building, to a beautiful song, performed by artists who believed in the cause, is superbly crafted by all involved. Well done Monkeys. I can’t imagine how tough this job would have been to get to this point, only to have idiots ask you to credit the inspiration once it’s complete.
Seriously, what a bunch of jealous wankers. Its a very good spot you all wish you made.
I think you guys should be proud of this. I’m in London and have sent it twice already. Nobody is talking about perfect day. People just love it. I do. Yes there are famous people singing a song but this has far more of a narrative and storyline. So thanks for sharing. I’d love to be doing work like this.
Missed out again!!
8.21pm horribly depressed you have to be kidding. They just produced one of the best ads of the year which is getting unbelievable coverage and an amazing response. I think it would be all smiles at the monkeys and so it should be! Talk up what you want, it’s goes without saying on this blog that when something that good is produced and you had no part in it, that you have to bag it out and try to bring it down. I say well done and hats off to those clever monkeys!
Sorry its a blatant rip off of this one too
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpIhzFh0yw8
Why is Justin Drape ECD and CD??
Original is not always good.
Good is not always original.
This is good and that should be the end of it.
If ‘it’s been done before’ was a valid excuse to killing an idea, ‘Perfect Day’ would never have happened (the Geldof things in the 80s, even the original ‘Still Call Australia Home’ ad with James Blundell, Kate Cerberano et al). Ensemble cast singing is a technique not an idea.
If you don’t see how this cuts through to the heart of Australians, you’re in the wrong business.
Yeah, that BBC video was so original.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-w-CmCCF7k
It’s an old idea, but a good idea. As long as you’re putting a new spin on it and injecting something new, which Monkeys have done so beautifully, it’s ok. Everything’s gonna be ok. Ok? Ok. Let’s all take a deep breath. You ok up there? How ’bout you matey? Ok. Just breathe. In. And out. There you go. You’re already feeling better, aren’t you. You are. I can tell.
Hopefully this convinces those nasty Jihad types not to blow up our opera house.
Above average.
Where were MAMMOTH MAMMOTH?
A beautifully crafted rip off. Perfect day shits on.
Nurse: Doctor. This boy has a broken arm.
Doctor: Put a plaster cast on it then.
Nurse: Been done before.
Doctor: What about a fibreglass cast then?
Nurse: Same idea, very similar execution.
Doctor: Shame. It was bloody effective. How about two sticks of bamboo held
together by torn shreds of the patient’s shirt?
Nurse: Excellent… Original. Fresh. Yet nostalgic. And the use of the patient’s
own shirt gives him ownership and lends an authenticity to the
solution… Can we crowdsource the bamboo?
Patient: Just put a fucking cast on it.
It was so boring I couldn’t even force myself to watch the whole thing!
To everyone on here defending the work, your argument is:
‘Band Aid came first so that makes Perfect Day a rip-off. Therefore it’s open season on band ensemble commercials.’
So if Coles do it next month that’s ok then?
And Hyundai the month after that?
They’re still original spots?
2:17 that’s the lamest argument I ever heard…
When it comes to broken arms there’s no reason not to use a cast again and again.
But advertising is a bit different. Making such an obvious copy is not the done thing. Never has been, hopefully never will be. Otherwise what’s to stop Woolies taking the Coles red hand and doing an ad that sings prices are down at Woolies. So stop with the stupid broken arm comparisons.
Have you seen how hot Dan Beaumont is right now?
A lot of positive comments on You Tube that are suspiciously similar to the press release. A few clicks and you soon realise they’re from empty accounts that have never contributed to You Tube before. A couple more clicks and you see a large number of views coming from India. Looks like a case of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeding.
Good one Goldie!
Leave Brad Pitt Alone!!!
dull
on the BBC Perfect Day rip-off debate; isn’t that what Australian creative does in general though? Following, not leading..
Someone asked earlier, why was it called a project?
I guess you were insinuating it was a creative wank.
Maybe it should have been called an opus.You don’t seriously think this what like your average two day shoot, complete with catering for cosseted creatives, do you?
Eighty nine comments and no one has mentioned the unsung heroes here… the producers. Just to get the rights to a Nick Cave song for commercial use is tough enough, (I know, I’ve tried) but then to assemble that cast…fantastic effort to all concerned, especially Thea and Caroline.
Personally, I loved it, especially the ending. I wanted to throw money at that busker.
Drunk Monkeys,
Brilliant. Bravo. Beautiful.
Exquisite creative.
You get my standing ovation.
Honestly, a musical and performance artists ensemble video advertising the physical location where it all takes place, clearly modelled after another very famous artists ensemble video advertising the institution that broadcasts the same can certainly and very fairly be judged on its own merits, as well as compared to the original, which would of course been seen by the Monkeys’ creatives if not been their inspiration. Just as fairly it can be critiqued for having used the very same concept, narratively and emotional hook of the original.
That there has been no admission of the homage, or even a nod on the already exhaustive credits to the BBC’s Perfect Day is a bit sad really. Truthfully, such recognition would only have enhanced the very nice work done by the agency and director Goldman in what they’ve produced for the Opera House, an institution with the integrity historically to champion and protect artist’s rights, which are by and large all about creative origins.
A missed opportunity, and an oversight that can easily be corrected by the client, agency, and production team if they were to just make comment.
Today’s PR demands attention to social media, otherwise the story becomes something that could not have been intended my the makers of this campaign, and one that will, without correction, detract from their efforts and the worthy image of their client.
A film of middle aged middle class white people (with 3 notable exceptions I could see), made by middle aged middle class white people, for middle aged middle class white people. I guess most bloggers here are middle aged middle class white people
It has to be said this is the cheesiest outdates crap I have ever seen, I got through 1min14 of it and thought I’m never going to get that time back and turned it off.
AWARD students should have been given this brief.
Also is it not illegal to mention Australia and cultured in the same sentence? stick to the beer ads monkeys.
Thanks for all of your interest in the Ship Song Project. Here are a few facts and points to consider:
The brief that we received for the pitch April 2010 was to open up ‘The House’ for all to enjoy. Everybody is familiar with the stunning exterior of the building (it’s a masterpiece) but they should also come inside and experience the diverse range of talented artists who perform there. That’s a brief summary.
The idea we presented was to take viewers on a voyeuristic journey through The House to experience what an employee might see if they walked past the various rehearsal rooms, concert halls, corridors and stages.
This idea won the pitch.
The idea was inspired by a 2002 film called the Russian Ark – an extraordinary one-take film completed as a tribute to Russian history and the Hermitage Museum. Have a look at the trailer here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J–TDEHizVA
Initially, we were hoping to capture the story in one shot but, as you can imagine, it would be an almost impossible logistical nightmare to orchestrate this with the calibre of artists we had in mind and their limited availability.
Noah’s idea to use Nick Cave’s immortal ballad as the audio narrative that also acts as both a tribute and an invite to all was a masterstroke.
When Nick Cave said he liked the idea and gave us permission to have other artists reinterpret his song, the entire team were thankful, stoked, and relieved.
We all know, and love, the BBC spot but we think the story of our protagonist and the way she takes you on a tour of her workplace is a different story. An ensemble of artists singing one song has been done before on several occasions. BBC, I Still Call Australia Home, We Are The World, Feed The World and Let Them know it’s Christmas time, etc etc. This is an execution device that we’ve used, not the idea itself.
The backstage or workplace tour thing has been done a few times before too, but not the way we did it. Here’s just one example. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_dYUH5ji0w&feature=related
July 2011.
Nick Cave approved, and apparently loves, the execution.
In the first 24 hours after launch the Ship Song Project was shared by 1.3 million Facebook users alone.
The song is currently no. 34 on the itunes pop chart.
It has been trending on Twitter and Youtube.
The project has been covered by almost every major news channel in the country.
The entire team at The Opera House, the artists involved, the production team, and and the agency are happy with and proud of the project.
At the agency we’ve been moved and are thankful for the kind words coming in from around the world and we all feel privileged to have been able to work with such a talented and inspiring bunch of people.
It was called a ‘project’ because it includes a song arrangement, a short film/music video/ad, posters, a making of documentary featuring interviews with the artists and there are more components to come. You can watch the doco here. http://play.sydneyoperahouse.com/index.php/media/1451-the-ship-song-project-documentary.html
Hope that clarifies a few things.
Everybody’s entitled to their opinion, but anonymous opinions and pseudonyms are meaningless.
Finally, here’s an interesting take on originality from a truly original director.
“Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is non-existent. And don’t bother concealing your thievery – celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: “It’s not where you take things from – it’s where you take them to.”
— Jim Jarmusch
Cheers, J
Love the Drape.
@Justin Drape
Lovely piece about the origins of your Ship Song project for the Opera House, especially since it acknowledges the brilliant work of other filmmakers and musicians whose work inspired the Monkey’s creative team as well as Paul Goldman and his crew from Exit.
As your quote from Jim Jarmusch emphasises, “Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration . . . And don’t bother concealing your thievery – celebrate it if you feel like it.” Now perhaps it was the criticism on this blog that encouraged you to credit your inspirations for this very inspirational work, perhaps it was your own natural desire to follow Jarmusch’s words, after the fact. No matter.
What is troubling, however, is that what seems to clearly be a response to the commenters and a rebuttal of sorts should be used as another attack upon the use of anonymity on the blog.
If indeed as you say, “anonymous opinions and pseudonyms are meaningless,” then many of us might find it curious as to why you’ve chosen this very long explanation to respond to them.
The fact is that without the anonymity that this blog allows, many of the opinions, positive and negative alike might not be registered, and while you and others in positions of power in the industry might find many of the remarks here unpleasant or uncomfortable to read (and for a fair share of what is posted, especially the ignorant and uninformed, the majority of us would agree with you), it is nonetheless the freedom of expression that anonymity allows everyone which makes the CBB the open forum that it is, warts and all.
With recent attacks on online anonymity by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his marketing director and sister Randi, comparing anonymous behaviour online as cowardice, it’s important for all of us to seriously consider the consequences of it’s removal to the free and unfettered exchange of ideas, especially the ones we find repugnant.
Here’s an interesting take on authenticity by the founder of 4chan, Christopher Poole, speaking at South by Southwest this past March.
“Anonymity is authenticity. It allows you to share in a completely unvarnished, raw way. We (at 4chan) value content over creator”.
You may also want to have a look at the work of the Electronic Frontier Foundation and their efforts to protect freedom in the networked world.
http://www.eff.org/issues/anonymity
Congratulations on a very uplifting campaign of work.
Anonymous.