Luv Deluxe

24-year-old director Saman Keshavarz has had a lot of success with first times. After scoring big time (YDA, Clio, Emmy) for his apparently first commercial – a kind of trashy looking but charming Canon ad – he took SXSW’s Best Music Video Awards for his first music video. Although the video is already a bit older, we didn’t want to keep back on this one. It’s unusual narrative is reminiscent of the classic Prodigy’s Smack My Bitch Up, but takes the idea further. Enjoy!

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30 Comments

col

Not to sound rude but Smack my bitch up by Prodigy, anyone?

dr.seltsam

Of course. And I don’t think it takes the idea further. The acting/direction is not good at all. its like “if you take that skateboard, don’r run straight away… take a look around… see the angry dude, hold the skateboard higher, … and than run away” … so every idiot gets it. And every single shot is like that. (excuse my bad english).

Yussef

Actually, I thought the pacing was great. Fun story too, kept me watching to the end – reminiscent of Run Lola Run in terms of split endings + crime. Well done short that adds a lot to its Smack my Bitch up roots.

Brian Walsh

does it auto-play for everyone? Someone should turn that off.

Mate Steinforth

Someone just turned that off.

polypixel

Reminds me Memento for some reason )

kmfix

While it does seem very much like a knock off of the Prodigy’s Smack My Bitch Up video from 12 years ago…and totally lacks the depth/shock value/awesome ending that it had… I do like the science fiction / re-live / time travel aspect of this video.. Being 24, the director may have never seen the Prodigy’s video…so I’m willing to forgive him a bit for that…

col

“Being 24, the director may have never seen the Prodigy’s video…so I’m willing to forgive him a bit for that…”

Hahahaha, are you saying somebody at age of 24 and in this industry never saw such popular videos such as Prodigy’s music videos? I’d think that somebody working in this field was fond of videos even if it were from the 80’s.

If he was 12 i’d maybe forgive him but come on, this doesn’t even take the idea any further.

This post continues the streak of underwhelming full feature posts here. I guess we’re in for a little ice-age in the motion world.

rant_raver

somebody is jealous…haha. I was 12 when Smack My Bitch Up came out and I was a fan then and am a fan now. Just because the video is executed in POV…it’s a rip. Why isn’t Guy Ritchie’s NIKE advert a rip?

…go make something meaningful instead of trying to show yourself up on comment pages. Looking forward to being served a hamburger by you ;)

rant & rave!

nbody

Lengthy protagonist POV shots have been around a long time. “Lady in the Lake” is I believe entirely in Phillip Marlowe’s POV and from 1947. There have been several other films since then that use it heavily too.

“Smack My Bitch Up” was a great and innovative video, but calling this a rip of that is undeserved and a pretty myopic thing to say. I don’t think anyone can argue that this video isn’t extremely effective in terms of entertainment value and energy, as well as earning the truest test of merit in a music video: getting the absolute most out of the limited resources that the budget can afford, which it does an outstanding job at.

col

No not jealous buddy. Not much to be jealous about. How many of these kind of videos have we seen by now?

Just because Saatchi & Saatchi thinks this is amazing doesn’t make it so. You can plaster awards on your site all you want doesn’t mean shit. If Saatchi thinks this is award worthy, ok whatever. When has Saatchi done anything original and great lately anyway? It looks more like a recruiting and encouragement of a young ad-director to do more ripping in future while the real cool and innovative stuff isn’t even shown at those award shows.

Cannes is full of arrogant, snobby, talentless ad agency people who think they know it all while watching out for the next big thing on youtube they can rip off.

rant_raver

My, aren’t we jaded…positive energy man.

It’s art…you seem to think people have this malicious intent all the time. This kid tried to make something special based off of his inspiration, and if it isn’t special for you then that is fine…there is a reason this nobody kid has a video that has 2million views…fuck saatchi & fuck awards…people like it and that’s that. Blame the people of the world if you would like for liking this stuff…not the artist who pump out a ton more work than i have seen from you my dear sir.

Note: just try to stay calm…u might live longer.

col

Well you might be right! I shall blame the masses for they don’t know better.

Let them eat cake!

rant_raver

the cake is a lie ;)

mattyburrs

Anyone know what this was shot on?

Mate Steinforth

“Shot entirely on the Canon 5D Mark II w/ a custom face mounted rig — Canon Lenses used: 14mm (f2.8) & 24mm (f1.4)” (from the vimeo page, btw ;)

poolparty

I think it’s a clever spot, I like the moment when the video rewinds after they are set back by the police officer. I felt more of an “ah ha” moment with “smack my bitch up” video, but enjoy this and the canon spot non the less.

reiss010

Nice looking for sure, but unfortunately comparing this video to the classic prodigy is like comparing a Judd Apatow film to Godard. The song does not have the level of richness that Smack my Bitch up has, and if you look at the detail and edit prowess that Jonas Akerlund put into his cut this one here is quite lacking – also Guy Ritchies Nike spot. This director is young so there is hope and def a great effort nonetheless. Many beautiful and revealing moments – but nothing new.

Simon Robson

Well, for me it was more “Requiem for a dream” than SMBO, POV camera aside. The track is a kind of 2am hedonistic synthy / druggy track that goes very well with the hedonistic themes within the promo. I felt the narrative got a bit messy towards the end, but i guess that was also the point.

As for the SMBO rip-off, inspiration maybe, rip-off not really. It’s more of an homage that genuinely extends the idea. In SMBO there’s no relationship, it’s a first person rampage. Here we watch a relationship between two people evolve and then skew as time rewinds and fast forwards. To crit each shot i think is to miss the point. The point is using the narrative itself as a reminding and contrasting device; consequences, what ifs and clever visual games (the guns aqnd so on). Overall a really fun piece and a real result…Bravo!

col

What’s the point. Just post in the Quickies or Students section. It’s really the same as if i was a Motionographer contributor and posted some lens-flares or paint drip piece that was trendy few years ago.

That’s how I feel about it.

dennisvolkerts

great work men!
love the story!

Adam Hofmann

I thought it was great. It kept me watching ’til the end! Good job.

Darn that rolling shutter, though…did anyone else catch that?

blazer

nice spot

bigger question… where are the graphics? I’m on the right site right?

corcovadogetz

Motionographer : Motion graphics, design, animation, FILMMAKING and visual effects

blazer

fair enough

diaghe

saw this over 6 months ago but wow, only 24!? what a talent

tdmach1

Great message…
If a lady steals, do drugs, she’s a rebel = Thats Cool and OK. :)
If you are a guy do the same = No one likes you and die stabbed :)
If you are a guy and pay the bills, dont use drugs and are a Law Abiding Citizen = You die …
hahahahaahaha you got to love the story guys… 5 stars

xpez2000

Jesus, what a waste of time!

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