The third annual Nitehawk Shorts Festival is excited to introduce the debut MUSIC DRIVEN category this year screening music videos at midnite!

This screening includes an introduction by John Woods (Nitehawk Cinema), Sacha Jenkins (Mass Appeal) and filmmakers.

In this Music Driven screening at the Nitehawk Shorts Festival, we take a look at the early days and current state of the music video. Featuring the selected works of festival participants, the screening also focuses on on the time period before the emergence of big budget video directors such as Russell Mulcahy, Steve Barron, and Diane Martel. These early examples the music video genre were made with little or no record company support and, in some cases, before MTV or any other regular outlet existed. Even bands on bigger labels created memorable music videos despite time and budget limitations by devising a loose concept and shooting almost documentary style. We’ve chosen a small selection of early “clips” as they were known to illustrate some of the origins of what can still be a vital art form inside and outside the mainstream.

Accompanying the contemporary music videos selected from submission, Mass Appeal, who remains one of the biggest supporters of new music videos, will present some of the more recent original and groundbreaking clips they’ve featured. While this is a diverse program on many levels, the continuing innovation and creative execution of the music video remains the common thread.

LIMB & NECK (Crown the Invisible)
Theodore Collatos | 2015 | 3 minutes

CANAL (Ratking)
Eric K. Yue | 2015 | 3 minutes

Vintage selection from the formative time of the music video
1982 | 2 1/2 minutes

DIM THE LIGHTS (Wild Ones)
Montana Wildhack (Calvin Waterman and Peter Kearney) | 2015 | 4 1/2 minutes

RUBY (Charly Bliss)
Andrew Costa | 2015 | 2 1/2 minutes

CLOSE YOUR EYES AND COUNT TO FUCK (Run the Jewels)
A.G. ROJAS | 2015 | 5 minutes

ORION’S BELT
Megan Clement | 2015 | 4 minutes

Vintage selection from the formative time of the music video
1987 | 4 minutes

HIGH ROAD (Mastadon)
Roboshobo | 2014 | 4 minutes

DOUBLE HELIX (KNTRLR)
Matthew K. Esolda & Daniel Bowhers | 2015 | 5 minutes

Vintage selection from the formative time of the music video
1982 | 3 1/2 minutes

ARIGHT (Kendrick Lamar)
Colin Tilley | 2015 | 7 minutes

NO WILL (White Hills)
Ego Sensation | 2015 | 4 minutes

LONER (Kali Uchis)
Kali Uchis | 2015 | 4 1/2 minutes

Vintage selection from the formative time of the music video
1976 | 4 minutes

FIREWORKS (Josef Henry)
Megan Smith | 2015 | 2 1/2 minutes

LIKE ME (Joey Badass)
Nathan R. Smith & Joey Bada$$ | 2015 | 5 minutes

Vintage selection from the formative time of the music video
1979 | 3 minutes

BLAZING STAR LODGE (Jim Lopezzo)
Jim Lopezzo | 2015 | 4 1/2 minutes

I LOVE YOU TOO (Darlings)
Ricardo Villavincencio | 2015 | 2 1/2 minutes

Vintage selection from the formative time of the music video
1983 | 4 minutes

HILLSIDE (Lost Children)
Richard Joneleit | 2015 | 6 minutes

THARSIS SLEEPS (Throne)
Nicos Livesey & Tom Bunker | 2014 | 4 1/2 minutes

Program is subject to change.

Prize sponsorship provided by Heard City, a boutique audio post-production facility, and Nice Shoes, the full service, artist-driven design, animation, visual effects and color grading studio specializing in high-end commercials, web content, film, TV and music videos. One filmmaker will receive 14 hours (2 days) of Sound Design and/or Mix with one Sound Designer/Mixer courtesy of Heard City as well as 20 hours of color grading with a night colorist (valued at $16k) from Nice Shoes. The winner is selected by festival organizers and invited guests.