| > | | | | offer grants and cash prizes, merit initiatives, industry |
| In Radio, What is Commercially heard is not what is | | | | jobs, interviews, contacts and free advertising for the |
| Culturally happening. You can guarantee the same | | | | film-makers as well as the artists. Judges may be very |
| logic applies to music videos. The music video industry | | | | important or distinguished industry professionals who |
| is controlled by the major distributors of music. The | | | | make themselfs available to the film makers and |
| marketing systems that are in place force commercial | | | | artists. Local and national major players such as |
| products ahead of the underground artists’ | | | | production studio executives and radio DJ’s are |
| work right into the hands of the consumer. How do | | | | often in the audience. If they are not, you may be |
| you compete with that? | | | | encourages to invite them with an endorsement from |
| Jesse Russell Brooks is the director of an underground | | | | the festival director. Film makers and Musicians |
| music video commissioned by Change Everything | | | | participate in talk backs in front of large audiences. |
| Music in Los Angeles, CA. Once he was on board in | | | | There are areas for free shameless advertisement |
| July 2004, the small label stuck Brooks with that exact | | | | and a lobby for impulse sales. Local music stores and |
| same problem to solve. | | | | book shops participate to boost their image and |
| Underground Hip Hop artists have very little money | | | | products to the community. The film festival circuit is |
| compared to the commercial giants. The standard | | | | the missing link to underground Hip Hop marketing. |
| approach for many underground Hip Hop artists is to | | | | The film festival circuit is unspoiled by any impression |
| immediately distribute a music video on the internet | | | | of what Hip Hop should look like or sound like. It is the |
| through venues such as or often to various public | | | | opportunity for underground rap artists and their |
| access shows in America. Independent agents such | | | | directors to not only increase their audience, but to also |
| as The CVC Report or Royal 'D' Visual Marketing can | | | | share words and visuals that would normally get us |
| distribute for your group or label and also help you try | | | | stamped as Too Art house or Too |
| to place a music video on network TV for about | | | | Conscience or To Radical or To |
| $10,000. A small price to pay for the possibility of | | | | Controversial by commercial outlets. Film festivals |
| commercial notoriety. | | | | are made up of consumers and professionals looking |
| This article is about a film-maker who exploited an | | | | towards the next creative move outside of the |
| arena that would develop the value of a Hip Hop | | | | commercial world that may eventually broaden it. |
| music video over the underground competition, without | | | | My goal is to not only influence film makers to start |
| competing with the commercial giants. The power | | | | shooting music videos for the festival circuit, but to also |
| of the music video has been diminished for | | | | influence underground Hip Hop artists to make music |
| underground artists by the commercial industry. The | | | | videos and begin using the film festival circuit. |
| consumer has become too savvy to rally around a | | | | Brooks has started an advocacy to influence festivals |
| public access music show in conjunction with one or | | | | to add a music video category. The Queens |
| two local radio interviews and or a club performance. | | | | International Film Festival has asked him to help |
| In my mind, there was a piece of the puzzle missing. A | | | | develop their 2005 fall season with a music video |
| modern day promotional tool that would augment the | | | | category. This is the opportunity for festival directors |
| value of underground Hip Hop marketing. Jesse | | | | to widen their economy and Hip Hop artists to broaden |
| explained. | | | | their playground. Brooks predicts that local bar bands |
| The International Film Festival Circuit is an untapped | | | | and underground Hip Hop groups will eventually flood |
| marketing device for underground Hip Hop artists. | | | | the America festival market with enough underground |
| Absolutely Untapped. | | | | Rock, Jazz, Punk, and Hip Hop music videos that the |
| In America alone there is roughly 1500 Film Festivals | | | | category may begin to split into genres. Turning what |
| that promote and screen work to over 10 million | | | | use to be a venue to discover film-makers into one for |
| audience members a year. These audiences | | | | discovering musicians as well. |
| members include music labels, film directors, video | | | | This is a Magic Bullets that could gentrify |
| game designers and famous artists all looking for what | | | | underground hip hop and forge a way for these |
| is new in film and music. Right now, 25% of these | | | | passionate, intelligent, articulate, young gifted and black |
| festivals carry a music video category. The last 75% | | | | artists to express themselves in a market that does |
| is looking for a way to develop a music video | | | | not have to compete with the stereotypical, |
| category and will make adjustments to accommodate | | | | commercially controlled musical kingpins. |
| the music video art form, Especially if it is Hip Hop. | | | | With in the past 6 months , ILLCOM’s music |
| The Spaghetti Junction Urban Film Festival is the | | | | video The Uprising directed by Jesse Russell |
| largest predominantly black film festival in Atlanta, | | | | Brooks has received 11 awards and over $4000 |
| Georgia. I emailed them to find out what their position | | | | dollars in cash grants from film festivals in America and |
| was concerning music videos. A representative replied, | | | | abroad. The video has been screened in over 20 |
| We do not have a category for music videos | | | | festivals in 2004 and is presently pending in over 45 |
| anymore. We did in previous years but did not receive | | | | festival competitions and 5 invited screenings for 2005. |
| any entries last year. Film-makers these days have | | | | ILLCOM has sold more the 10,000 units and is pending |
| over saturated the market with shorts and | | | | a national tour Fall 2005. The Video Link is listed below. |
| documentaries. The music video submissions simply | | | | Jesse Russell Brooks is currently on the MakeBelieve |
| are not there to invest the time and effort to promote | | | | Film rooster as a music video director in Los Angeles |
| a category for. If the pressure was there, we would | | | | and is currently in pre production on his next Hip Hop |
| offer grants, industry support, and find the money to | | | | Music project. He is also a public speaker and film |
| make it happen. | | | | advocate whose goal is to influence underground Hip |
| The Film Festival Market is the point where the needs | | | | Hop artists around the globe to make music videos |
| of the underground Hip Hop artists and the | | | | and compete in the Film Festival Market. |
| underground film director can both be met. Festivals | | | | |