Featured videos: The music video magic of Pat Vamos
Monday, April 5, 2010
Pat Vamos' music videos belong to a golden era of MTV in which kid vampires frolicked with evil scientists and motorcyclists rode mindless circles around sunbathing ladies to the sounds of the Best Coast. Never mind that this era of Music Television never existed — local music video artist Pat Vamos is bringing it to life anyway.
Whether it's footage of a b-rate Brazilian Batman climbing a hill of mud in a dirt bike set to Street Legal's "Death Rock Song," or a disturbing British video on railway safety cut up to fit the Wavves "No Hope Kids," the song/video pairings in this local video artist's work always complement each other, thanks to his tireless collecting, precise editing, and playful, poetic touch.
Vamos' work has earned accolades from Pitchfork.com, been compiled on DVD, and led to his current work on a pilot for Comedy Central. This weekend Pat took some time off from film projects to discuss how he makes such great — and such bizarre — music videos.
KCFP: Why use archived footage?
One reason is that I can’t afford to drive trucks off cliffs or hire Elliott Gould to be in my videos. So I have to grab any footage that I can, whether it's public domain or not. "Team Up Again" is actually the first video I've done that's 100% legal, since it's Ghosty's music and the movie Who? aka Roboman is in the public domain. Not that the other videos sampled Disney or anything. I use lots of PSAs and how-to videos, foreign blockbuster rip-offs, failed TV pilots. European softcore movies are always good because the cinematography is amazing.
KCFP: Where the hell do you find this stuff?
I’ve been buying VHS for years at thrift stores, garage sales, Half Price Books, ebay, video store close-outs, online, wherever. I have piles of crap I haven’t got to yet. On top of the pile right now is A Woman's Guide to Firearms and a Dean Stockwell double feature on DVD I bought at Big Lots. Score.
KCFP: Is there a golden era of archived footage in your opinion?
The true golden age of archival footage was whenever VCRs became affordable. Because as soon as they did, there was such a demand for product, that anybody, anywhere, if they'd made anything, they put it out on tape. So that period, from late 70s to early 90s has been an almost bottomless resource for good footage. I'm constantly finding videos I'd somehow never heard of like Crystal Heart (1986), which I used for a Memory Cassettes video and stars Tawney Kitaen as a pop singer who falls in love with a bubble boy played by the piano guy from Fame. That falls right into my wheelhouse, yet it took me 23 years to see it. These are the things that keep me digging.
What kind of responses do you get to your work?
The response has been overwhelmingly positive — at least no one has hated a video enough to take the time to slam me. I’ve been lucky in that even though none of my stuff has really racked up millions of hits, I’ve still been able to carve out a niche, get noticed and get work.
What do you like the most about making music videos? Do you have any plans for any other kinds of short films?
I make music videos because I miss music videos. MTV went from showing poppy short films 24 hours a day to gradually just becoming whatever they are now. The reason more videos are being made again is in part because of nostalgia but also because they're perfect little bite-sized chunks of entertainment for blogs. Getting something embedded on Pitchfork is akin to being on 120 Minutes twenty years ago except you don't watch The Young Ones beforehand.
One project I've been planning is a long-form music video called Chroma Man which will mix found footage with filmed bits. That hopefully will take shape by next year, or as soon as I buy a video camera and figure out how to use it.
What projects are you working on now?
Just last week I was asked to create the opening titles and graphics for a new Comedy Central sketch pilot created by Matt Besser from the Upright Citizens Brigade, who I’ve worked for on various projects over the last few years. I’m also finishing up a video for Junk Culture on the Illegal Arts label which should go live soon. I know Ghosty has more releases planned for this year and I enjoy working with them. Beyond that, I would like to set up more shows like the one last December at the Tivoli and move more copies of my new DVD Magical for the Ugly (only $10! Order now! myspace.com/patvamos).
What would you recommend to someone just starting to work on video projects
If anyone was going to get started making videos, they couldn’t have timed it better. Rudimentary editing software comes standard with most computers, and the means of distribution are easier than ever. There’s no reason not to. Just make it worth someone's three and half minutes.
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