Vitamin, the Chicago-based hybrid design studio, delivers a mesmerizing portrait of media overload in its latest creative endeavor, “It Starts,” the debut music video from British artist Alex Metric.
The piece features a channel surfing Metric who becomes increasingly agitated and mesmerized by what he sees. Projected on the tube is an orgy of pop culture visuals that includes the crassest forms of television programming. The barrage consists of reality shows, infomercials, religious programs, commercials and news content as well as an alternate performance from the singer himself. Ultimately, Metric’s doppelganger reaches out of the screen and attempts to drag him back through the glass. “It Starts” is currently Video of the Week on the BBC Music 6 show Nemone.
Vitamin collaborated on the design and execution of the video with Green Dot Films director Richard Farmer. “The song is about the insane mix of media that we are constantly being fed,” recalls Vitamin Creative Director Danny DelPurgatorio. “Richard came up with the idea of having Alex fixated on the most bizarre and ridiculous stuff you see on TV. We expanded the concept by setting it in a handcrafted world, where Alex lives in a box and is totally unaware of what’s going on around him.”
Vitamin‘s design team was responsible for nearly all aspects of the video including editorial, design, animation and compositing. “After establishing a look and feel for the piece, getting the story down was, for us, the toughest part,” explains DelPurgatorio. “Initially, the television clips were completely random, but we came up with the idea of applying themes to different sections of the video to help narrate the piece. We created segments focusing on sex, bad politicians, talk show hosts…the whole gamut. Once we had that formula, the whole story fell into place.”
The video which has been released virally coincides with the release of Metric’s latest “It Starts EP”.
Vitamin is located at 232 East Ohio Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611. For more information, call 312.664.6683 or visit www.vitaminpictures.tv.
