Hello, Future: A Cannes music video challenge from Saatchi & Saatchi, Vimeo and Moby

As part of The 21st Saatchi & Saatchi New Directors’ Showcase at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2011 (19 – 25 June), Saatchi & Saatchi partners with Vimeo and Moby to discover fresh filmmaking talent. 

Saatchi & Saatchi, along with acclaimed musician, composer and photographer Moby, and international video sharing community Vimeo, is throwing down the gauntlet to the next generation of young filmmakers with a unique Music Video Challenge based on the theme of this year’s New Directors’ Showcase –  ‘Hello, Future’. 

So here’s the brief: Visualise the concept of ‘Hello, Future’ in the form of a standout music video inspired by one of three tracks selected from Moby’s new album, ‘Destroyed’.  The winner will be announced at this year’s Saatchi & Saatchi New Directors’ Showcase in Cannes on 23rd June, as well as on the Vimeo website.  Not only will the winning Film Director have their film shown in front of more than 2,500 delegates at the ever popular New Directors’ Showcase, in the Grand Audi of the Palais, their promo will be introduced by Moby in a live video link, and they will be offered the chance to work on a project in a key office in the Saatchi & Saatchi Global Network.

Says Tom Eslinger, Saatchi & Saatchi worldwide digital director: “In 2010, we partnered with aniboom.com and created a competition to find a new Director, essentially finding the talent before anyone else.  During Cannes, I had several comments that Saatchi & Saatchi was really finding ‘new’ new directors and the response was great:  Yannick Puig won the competition through a combination of audience votes and our Worldwide Creative Board, and went on to direct a film for our Los Angeles office for Toyota.  This year, we’ve got a tight brief, some great new Moby tracks and the challenge to create a music video for an artist who has set the bar extremely high.  Essentially, the competition gives you all the parts at once: The brief, the track and Moby.  Not bad for your first directing gig.”

Jeremy Boxer Vimeo Creative Director, Film and Video, Director of Vimeo Festival and Awards, added:  “We are thrilled to offer our community such an incredible opportunity. The combination of Moby’s involvement and an amazing prize from Saatchi & Saatchi make this a not to be missed challenge for the creative community.”

Moby said:  “I’m honored to be working alongside Saatchi & Saatchi and Vimeo on this exciting competition for young film makers.  It’s always really inspiring to witness new creative talent, and I’m looking forward to seeing how these new Directors interpret the songs from my new album”.

This year’s competition will be judged by Curators from BUG Music Videos, and key representatives of Vimeo, Saatchi & Saatchi Worldwide Creative Board, and Moby.  BUG champion the art of the music video, and encourage new talent with their sellout showcases at the BFI in London.  The winner will be selected by: members of Saatchi & Saatchi Worldwide Creative Board, BUG, Vimeo and Moby.

Phil Tidy of BUG Music Videos commented:  “BUG’s objective is to give exposure to the most awe-inspiring new work in music videos.  Our sub-heading – The Evolution of Music Video – refers to the new democracy in video-making created by the digital revolution – both in creating and distributing work.  BUG is delighted to be involved in facilitating this music video competition for Saatchi & Saatchi as part of this year’s New Directors’ Showcase.  Bringing together the huge community of filmmakers on Vimeo with Moby, who is renowned for his support of the independent filmmaking community, for a unique contest hosted by a leading global creative agency, has been a brilliant opportunity for BUG to encourage and foster new music video creativity at first hand.  BUG is thrilled to be partnering with Saatchi & Saatchi, Vimeo and Moby for the ‘Hello, Future’ Music Video Challenge.”  

Moby’s new album ‘Destroyed’ is his ninth studio album, and will be released globally on May 16th.  Moby has made three tracks available exclusively for the ‘Hello, Future’ Music Video Challenge, which you can download from the Vimeo site.  The selected tracks are; Be The One; The Day; and After.

Moby will simultaneously release a book of photographs of the same name as the album, with an exhibition of the prints at Proud Galleries from May 18th – June 19th.  The photography exhibition will tour to New York, LA, Belgium, Germany, Italy, France and Holland.  The photos, taken by Moby during a tour, are of airports, concerts and empty hotel rooms in all corners of the globe, and evoke the euphoria of performing followed by the isolation of a hotel room, and the insomnia he experiences.  ‘Destroyed’ the album is inspired by the same feelings and emotions.  He will take part in a BUG Moby Special in London on 1st June.  BUG champion the art of the music video, and encourage new talent with their sellout showcases at the NFT.     

A graduate of the State University of New York’s performing arts school (SUNY Purchase), Moby was making films before his musical career kicked off with the iconic track ‘Go’ in 1991.  His collaborations with filmmakers include; the soundtrack to Lucy Walker’s Oscar-nominated documentary Waste Land; a bespoke score for Donnie Darko Director Richard Kelly’s Southland Tales; and the soundtrack to Paul Haggis’ 2010 movie The Next Three Days, which features the track ‘Be The One’ from new album ‘Destroyed’.  In 2007 Moby set up mobygratis.com, a free access film-music website aimed at giving film students, independent filmmakers, and cash-strapped Indie movie-makers free access to his music.  

For entry guidelines and information on how to submit videos to the competition go to:  www.vimeo.com/saatchiandsaatchi or www.moby.com.  Closing date for submissions is 9th May 2011 at 11.59 GMT.

Photo of Moby by Sunny Khasla