We’re more selective in how we use the word “meta” these days, but when it comes down to it Okay, go‘s latest release, the band has – bear with me – made a music video with phones about videos made with phones.
Known for his elaborately choreographed music videos that bring pop songs to life through playful, chromatic and even gravity-defying stunts, OK Go (formerly) continues to push the boundaries of the genre. The group’s song, “A Stone Only Rolls Downhill,” which premiered last Thursday, features a mind-bogglingly complex composition that uses 64 smartphones to record and broadcast a joyous performance.
The band currently consists of Damian Kulash, Tim Nordwind, Dan Konopka and Andy Ross, who enjoy the creative potential of the music video genre. Employing a unique style of cinematic continuity using split screens and carefully planned set transitions, the band defies the idea that music videos are a thing of the past.
For ‘A Stone Only Rolls Downhill’, each phone captured one unique shot, which had to be carefully planned in advance. All 64 videos were filmed in slightly different sequences or from different angles, in some cases capturing additional phones in the band’s hands that showed blocks of color or patterns.
In a remarkable feat, the final video records playback on the phones, arranged on a simple concrete surface, choreographed to depict an increasingly elaborate performance. Watch the video about the band YouTube channelwhere you can dance along with dozens of others.
