Experimental Film (song)
Encyclopedia
"Experimental Film" is a song by alternative rock
band They Might Be Giants
. It is the first song on their 2004
album The Spine
and, although never released commercially, is the album's lead single
. The song has been seen by some critics as a return to the band's earlier sound. An animated music video
was made for the song by internet cartoonists
The Brothers Chaps
, which incorporated the characters from the animators' internet series Homestar Runner
.
cartoon characters Strong Sad and The Cheat. Their individual contributions are wildly different: Strong Sad's footage looks like it has been shot on black-and-white film, while The Cheat's portions are animated in his singularly basic style. Initially the video just cuts between the two, but they're superimposed and mixed together more and more until the two become indistinguishable. The video is full of references to other experimental films.
In spite of They Might Be Giants originally planning to make a separate video for the "MTV
crowd," they have declared the Homestar Runner video to be the song's official music video. It was the first Homestar Runner cartoon to be shown on TV.
TV series Film School, as well as in ads for the show.
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band They Might Be Giants
They Might Be Giants
They Might Be Giants is an American alternative rock band formed in 1982 by John Flansburgh and John Linnell. During TMBG's early years Flansburgh and Linnell were frequently accompanied by a drum machine. In the early 1990s, TMBG became a full band. Currently, the members of TMBG are...
. It is the first song on their 2004
2004 in music
See also:* 2004 in music Record labels established in 2004-January:*January 1**The Vienna New Year's Concert is conducted by Riccardo Muti.**Kurt Nilsen wins World Idol....
album The Spine
The Spine
The Spine is the tenth full-length studio album by They Might Be Giants. The album was released on July 5, 2004 in the UK, and July 13 in the U.S.....
and, although never released commercially, is the album's lead single
Lead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
. The song has been seen by some critics as a return to the band's earlier sound. An animated music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
was made for the song by internet cartoonists
Webcomic
Webcomics, online comics, or Internet comics are comics published on a website. While many are published exclusively on the web, others are also published in magazines, newspapers or often in self-published books....
The Brothers Chaps
The Brothers Chaps
The Brothers Chaps are Michael "Mike" Chapman and Matthew "Matt" Chapman, creators of the Homestar Runner series of animated cartoons. The brothers are originally from Indiana, but now live in Atlanta, Georgia.-Matthew Chapman:...
, which incorporated the characters from the animators' internet series Homestar Runner
Homestar Runner
Homestar Runner is a Flash animated Internet cartoon. It mixes surreal humor with references to retro pop culture, notably video games, classic television, and popular music.The cartoons are nominally centered on the title character, Homestar Runner...
.
Subject matter
The song's lyrics are a satire of avant-garde cinema, and its perceived tendency toward meaninglessness and pomposity. The "narrator" of the song is an enthusiastic (possibly student) filmmaker who is attempting to make the titular movie. He extols its greatness and makes grandiose statements about his abundance of "face-imploding" ideas, but he hasn't even made it yet - and can't explain what it's supposed to be about.Homestar Runner video
The video itself is a cartoon experimental film and is ostensibly directed by Homestar RunnerHomestar Runner
Homestar Runner is a Flash animated Internet cartoon. It mixes surreal humor with references to retro pop culture, notably video games, classic television, and popular music.The cartoons are nominally centered on the title character, Homestar Runner...
cartoon characters Strong Sad and The Cheat. Their individual contributions are wildly different: Strong Sad's footage looks like it has been shot on black-and-white film, while The Cheat's portions are animated in his singularly basic style. Initially the video just cuts between the two, but they're superimposed and mixed together more and more until the two become indistinguishable. The video is full of references to other experimental films.
In spite of They Might Be Giants originally planning to make a separate video for the "MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
crowd," they have declared the Homestar Runner video to be the song's official music video. It was the first Homestar Runner cartoon to be shown on TV.
Use in television
The song was used as the end credits music for the Independent Film ChannelIndependent Film Channel
The Independent Film Channel is an American cable TV network that airs independent film and related programming. IFC programming includes commercially interrupted feature-length films, original documentaries, shorts, animated series, original series, acquired series, and content exclusively for...
TV series Film School, as well as in ads for the show.
External links
- Experimental Film at This Might Be A Wiki
- Experimental Film music video at Homestar Runner
- Experimental Film at Homestar Runner Wiki