Some of the most creative and influential film-makers are currently working in the music video industry. To prove the point, a new touring project showcasing the best contemporary UK music videos, is shortly to go global

Since MTV launched in 1981, music videos have risen steadily in the public consciousness. But despite the channel’s mighty worldwide profile and the launch of countless imitators, it would seem that the music video industry still struggles to be taken seriously by the world at large.  It must be remembered however that there’s much more to the music video industry than MTV.

In the UK, there’s a busy underground industry of directors working with an entirely different agenda; music lovers like Laith Bahrani, Mat Kirkby and Ben Dawkins, who pour their heart and souls into making videos they believe in for tracks they love. However, it’s rare that these videos get seen by the wide audience they deserve. Usually this is because the artists they promote aren’t high profile enough to get playlisted on chart-dominated music television channels.

These lesser seen videos are instead made for enhanced CDs, artists’ websites, or perhaps DVD collections from the (usually independent) record labels that produce them. For bands with decent fan bases, they’re likely to reach that audience but go no further. But for new and unknown bands, they can end up unseen and unappreciated, much to the disappointment of the exhausted and probably underpaid directors behind them.

As a journalist working for shots, a magazine that showcases the music industry’s finest work, I came across many such videos. While at shots, I got to know Vez, a particularly passionate video commissioner working for independent record label Ninja Tune. Vez saw a lot of the same reels as I did and also thought it unfortunate that so few people were getting to see the output of directors working at the more experimental end of the market. So we decided to do something about it.

Two and a half years ago, we teamed up to create Antenna, a bi-monthly showcase of otherwise unseen videos at London’s National Film Theatre (NFT). Since its launch, we’ve shown videos from all over the world; welcomed directors, video commissioners, television producers and musicians as panellists; and sold out the NFT’s 450 seat theatre over and over again.  

Last year, the British Council invited us to tailor a special version of Antenna, to comprise work purely from British directors for screenings internationally. ‘It’s really exciting to be working with the British Council,’ says Vez, ‘because part of our mission is to get these amazing videos that we love so much a stamp of approval in the arts world. Having the British Council aligned with Antenna is all part and parcel of helping to get people to take music videos seriously.’

The UK can certainly pride itself on having a highly creative music industry. It has long been held up as the epicentre of exciting and experimental music videos, a reputation due largely to the abundance of independent record labels and creatively minded bands in the country. The resulting work not only continually delights and surprises, but also influences many areas outside of the music industry.

Videos provide an opportunity for creative experimentation, and ideas that start as music videos often lead to much bigger things. It’s also an incredibly fertile breeding ground for directorial talent. Directors like Edgar Wright, who directed the movie Shaun of the Dead, and Garth Jennings of Hammer & Tongs, who recently brought Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy to the big screen, both cut their directorial teeth on music videos; as did Sexy Beast and Birth director Jonathan Glazer.

With the expansion of artist websites, DVD albums and enhanced CDs, music videos are no longer dependent on MTV and its rivals for an audience. That means that smaller labels, which traditionally allow the directors more creative freedom than the majors, are now making more videos.  

So, with many, many music videos to choose from, what can international music video fans expect from Antenna’s international screenings? Vez has the answer: ‘A total wake up call about music videos. Like a lot of our guests that come down to the shows at the NFT in London, they can expect to be refreshed and surprised by the incredible variety of beautiful work from a wide variety of talented directors. And, as an extra bonus, they can expect to discover new bands as much as brilliant new styles in filmmaking. Also, as in London, they can expect a fantastic evening out.’

Alongside being joint co-producer of Antenna, Jordan McGarry is music video editor for shots magazine and has contributed to Screen International, Res magazine (USA), Spur magazine (Japan), New Idea (Australia), the Sunday Express and the Sunday People.