White Stripes Videos
Some time ago I wrote about a really cool video -- "The Hardest Button to Button" -- from the Alternative/Rock group The White Stripes marveling over the innovative live-action/stop-motion animation style. Danged if our friends at iTunes didn't go and release a copy for $1.99. And danged if I didn't snap it up right away.
All of the band's videos are innovative and most look like they were a nightmare to produce. "Button" must have been the worst, not just from a timing perceptive, 
but the setup must have taken an army. One segment alone must have 30 or so drum kits wheeling around Ziegfeld-style. The one pictured here was part of a subway sequence that probably took all day even if someone did shoot with multiple cameras in with different angles.
Each fragment is full motion and expertly cut to synch with the hypnotic rhythm track. Very, very nice, really. Too bad the whole thing is only 3:31 long. I would have enjoyed seeing more.
Same with the classic "Fell In Love With a Girl" at 1:53 long. This one is animated in Lego building bricks. I almost wrote "entirely," but there are a couple shots that are clearly rotoscoped (or something similar), though with the state of computer animation I wouldn't be surprised if no Legos were used at all, but still in all it is fabulous. Of course, there are some anal-retentive folk out there that would revel in an animation project like this. I've often toyed with getting a Webcam to fiddle around with. Too bad the Lego version isn't available any more. I should have gotten it when I could.
