In amongst the many short film festivals around Australia, it can feel like the music video genre gets lost in the mix. But instead of being condemned to a Saturday morning of Rage re-runs, one Sydney festival is dedicated to showcasing new Australian music videos. CLIPPED Music Video Festival is an annual one-day event that showcases the best new music videos, in addition to panels, industry talks and masterclasses, as part of Vivid Sydney.
But if once a year is not enough for you to get your music video fix, then CLIPPED TV runs bi-monthly events at the Golden Age Cinema and Bar, a boutique Art Deco cinema which dates back to the 1940s, where it served as the Paramount Pictures screening room. The evenings offer premieres of new Australian music videos, accompanied by a post-show Q&A with the artists and production team, in an intimate and friendly environment.
In a press release about the decision to make CLIPPED a bi-monthly event in 2019, CLIPPED founder Samuel Bright wrote:
“We had originally pioneered a Premieres segment as part of our annual event, followed by a few trial standalone nights and quickly discovered an immense enthusiasm from creators to be part of it. Being a filmmaker myself and knowing how much it means or how rare it is for the opportunity to showcase music videos on the big screen, I decided that it be a platform we support regularly.”
Last Tuesday I had the privilege to attend the CLIPPED TV event at the Golden Age Theatre, where a packed audience watched music video premieres from artists like Tuka, Deep Fidelity (featuring Karina Chaves), E For Echo, Mish Mash Radio Ensemble, Danika Smith, Foemen and Jaguar Jonze. It was a wonderful night that showcased emerging Australian musicians, while also celebrating filmmaking and the art of the music video. For those interested in making music, or filmmaking, or both, CLIPPED TV offers an opportunity to network within a community of likeminded artists.
CLIPPED has been running since 2016, and the passion of their team is clear from their website clipped.tv, which posts music video news, features and interviews.
Events take place on the third Tuesday of every second month with the next event scheduled for 6:30pm on Tuesday the 17th of September. Don’t miss out!
Jo Bradley
Scribbles of Stage and Screen 