Voodoo, a leading graphics and visual effects post production studio specializing in feature films, television programs, TV commercials and music videos, has completed work on the FX for a new music video from Virgin Records artists The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. The music video is entitled ‘Face Down.’ Streetgang Films, a music video production company, produced the new video, which was directed by Paul Minor. Chris Kern, executive producer, Voodoo, made the announcement.

Voodoo flame artist Ernie Smith did all of the conforming and compositing of the visual effects for the new ‘Face Down’ video. Curtis Schmidt of Voodoo sister company Crush, edited the video.

Regarding his work, Smith said, ‘I really wanted to be a part of this project. Paul’s concept was ambitious and I knew it would be challenging. Many times, as a flame artist, your work goes unnoticed by the audience. In this video, where chairs and tables are picked up and hurled across the room by an unseen force, the audience would obviously know effects were involved. But the effects needed to be natural, not in your face, and needed to be used to enhance the story, make it come alive, and not distract from it. When it was all said and done, I spent about 100 hours working on the flame. For a good portion of that time, Paul was there. Paul is a great director. Not only does he have a unique vision and the ability to capture beautiful images on film, but he also really understands post. His input and direction during post really helped turn out an outstanding finished product.”

‘Face Down’ director Paul Minor of Streetgang Films, who was just nominated as Best New Music Video Director by the UK based organization CADS, said, ‘I’m not a big fan of effects for the most part. I think that they usually tend to be a bit flashy, gratuitous or just a bit too obvious. My favorite thing about working with Ernie was his commitment to making things look subtle, real and invisible, which I think is the hardest thing to do. If you’ve done your job right, then it seamless. The composites in the video are so much more complex than they appear. Ernie, among other things, painstakingly created shadows, reconstructed furniture and added atmosphere and lighting effects to create something that in the end, feels organic rather than constructed. Additionally, we shot a lot of stuff in a way that made it a lot more work in post, but ultimately I think it gave Ernie the tools to make things look real.’

In ‘Face Down,’ a woman contemplates breaking up with an abusive boyfriend, as The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus band performs in another room of her house. As she thinks about her situation, various large pieces of furniture and household accessories, including pots and pans, lamps and mirrors, go flying through the air, to illustrate the violence the woman has been living with.

For more information about the band, please visit http://www.redjumpsuit.com/

ABOUT VOODOO:
Currently celebrating its 20th anniversary, Santa Monica Voodoo, along with sister companies Crush and Stompbox, stands in a 10,000 square foot showcase designed building, as one of the most successful, independent post production boutiques in Los Angeles.

Voodoo designs, creates and produced original graphics and visual effects to feature films, TV programs and promos, TV commercials, and music videos, as well as other multi-media presentations. The studio utilizes the most current software and hardware such as After Effects, Maya, Flame and Inferno.

www.crush-voodoo.com