GORBACHOV: THE MUSIC VIDEO - BIGGER AND RUSSIANER on Vimeo

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14. ANDY'S NIGHTMARE

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12. ANDY MILONAKIS SHOW BUMPER

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2. WANDERLUST - CALIFORNIA EPISODE

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1. GORBACHOV: THE MUSIC VIDE…

by Tom Stern

3 years ago

I did this video for a Russian Metal Band called ANJ. It is pretty crazy. When I saw the lyrics it seemed to be an earnest tribute to Mikael Gorbachov (that's how the Russians spell it), so I was a bit confounded about what the video concept should be, but then I had a brainstorm to take it way over the top and I think it was just the thing. Suffice to say it's half Russian History allegory as told through an old zombie movie made in the Soviet Union, and half animated Soviet Propaganda posters. It's in HD, so let it load a bit before you play it and then click the little "four arrows" symbol on the lower right part of the viewer to see it in true HD. BTW- the band has asked that I include their myspace address: myspace.com/anjkill

Credits

Tom Stern
Director
Mary Varn
Digital Animator, Compositor
Beautiful Jules
Digital Animator, Compositor

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Caroline Martin 3 years ago

You got a lot of off-site views, so probably no one had an account to say what an awesome video this is. Nice job!
Andrew Fox 3 years ago

Dear God, that is the finest piece of video making ever made.
Dave Christenson 3 years ago

...this has got to be one of the greatest music videos i have ever seen! i love the laser beam from the eyes that incinerates those three zombies...and that the raining soda and twinkies for some reason make the girls want to lose their clothes! this must have been so fun to make...the concept and story line are amazing!
awesome work!
Aaron Marshall 3 years ago

Great video! Unless it has some sort of net novelty (a fat kid falling off of a diving board, someone lighting their own farts), or is severely mediocre as not to threaten anyone; it won't get a lot of comments. ::shrugs:
Lucasberg (Joey) 3 years ago

Very entertaining.
Tom Stern 3 years ago

Hey thanks for the kind words y'all! infoPimps question, I shot this on two Panasonic HVX 200s at 720P, then edited in Final Cut Pro and composited in After Effects CS3. It took about 3 months of post work with three animators working for about 6 weeks and me finishing it myself for the rest of that time (after I ran out of money to pay animators).
attchort 3 years ago

the best one!
Jonny Dailey 3 years ago

That was dope.
ian deleon 3 years ago

this is fantastic!
Constantin Arephyeff (za_etc) 3 years ago

смешно :)
a.sh 3 years ago

вот абассака, елки-палки, я чуть не родил :)
металлисты все-таки дебилы
// ----
Here абассака, fur-trees-sticks, I nearly have not given birth :)
металлисты all the same morons
Wayne Avanson 3 years ago

Couldn't stop laughing, Totally brilliant! You were obviously right to go for the over the top approach. However, you need to seek professional help as you appear to be mad as a box of snakes.
:-)
Graveland 3 years ago

Коменты почитал уржался))
Все русские пишут что хня америкосы хвалят xD я в ахуе господа, а потом удивляемся че блин нас везде боятся))) я б тоже в штаны наложил еслиб тока такое дерьмо видел всегда ^____^

anj.su/ ваще анекдот ходячий)))
Pip! 3 years ago

Ну если посмотреть, то те русские, которые англиский знают, автора хвалят, а другим совсем недавно в Великие Луки интернет провели.

По-секрету скажу -- на Западе нас бояться только в воспаленном воображении русских СМИ.
Adelard 3 years ago

... У нас в стране есть два клоуна которые позорят метал и всю братву! Ебаный АНЖ и ебаный Пилигрим! Самое страшное это то, что у обоих пидарасов дохера денег, и поэтому их дерьмо постоянно рекламируют везде где можно!

Самое хреновое, что обыватели думают , что это и есть металл!!! Неудивительно, что нас считают обрыганами и идиотами...
Pip! 3 years ago

Я думаю, нам пох.й.
Adelard 3 years ago

This fucking band is a shame of my country! As as "piligrim". These morons got a lot of money, kinda "i wanna be a metal singer", and nothing more! This is Russian metal, see the difference -
ru.youtube.com/watch?v=K8KQK08bOa4&feature=related
Tom Stern 3 years ago

Uhhh.... That's metal? I don't know man, it seems pretty soft to me.
Adelard 3 years ago

Thats a ballad man! :) Ok, check this out (sorry these guys do not have money to make a good video, but they v got awesome music!)

ru.youtube.com/watch?v=MJuFrDJ1dBw

ru.youtube.com/watch?v=lkzVeiTkbPQ&NR=1

ru.youtube.com/watch?v=-BogczKsevM&feature=related
But thats all underground... :(
stretta 3 years ago

Video is interesting.
Music is awful.
Mike Benner 3 years ago

There's art, and then there's Gorbachov.

Bravissimo.
Tom Madrid 3 years ago

That was feckin' awesome.
sanook 3 years ago

hahaha, love it... the high art of trash at it's finest!
Eyeful Power 3 years ago

What a lot of work! Better music video than anything seen on MTV (or is this on MTV?). I especially love the cokes, twinkees and vodka raining down in jubilation. Can't understand the word, but don' t need to, good work!
Tom Stern 3 years ago

Thank you! It was indeed a TON of work. I spent many a night hunched over my Mac Pro until the sun came up trying to get the shots right. It is very gratifying to see that it is being enjoyed by people, since I really didn't make any money doing this. The whole budget went into the video itself.
Tom Stern 3 years ago

And to answer your question: no, it is not on MTV.
Nowawes 3 years ago

Excellent!!!
iKandy 3 years ago

Можете не тратить силы на написание негативных комментов - этот идиот их удаляет и оставляет только хорошие. Полный лузер!
Jarf 3 years ago

Absolutely superb.

Both the video and the band.
Mattc0m 3 years ago

Amazing music video! Crazy editing and substance.
Alexander Kramar 3 years ago

Bigger AND Russianer? I didn't believe it at first either...
Timmy Cartman 3 years ago

LMAO! Best video ever XD Gorbachov Kazachok:)))

Пиздец просто, господа) Я плакал.
StationStops Admin 3 years ago

I cannot say enough good things about this video - it is *PERFECT*. This is one of very few music videos I have truly enjoyed in years.

I love the music - especially the intro. I think I need to buy an ANJ CD.
Bryce Bushell 3 years ago

Best Music Video Ever + You should be making godamn MOVIES!!! Amusing is an understatement. The band is cool and has a good sense of humor. Also I had to sign up for an account just to praise your ass Tom motherfucking Stern.
Tom Stern 3 years ago

Thanks! I actually did a movie called Freaked a long time ago but I'm definitely trying to do another!
Max Ivanooshchik 3 years ago

amazing work! i really love it
Guy Montag 3 years ago

Oh, this is beautiful man! If only I had your skillz with aftereffects heh :D
Antistar 3 years ago

This wins.
Brad Miller 3 years ago

amazing!
H. Buckminster Richman 3 years ago

Amazing. It is pretty close to my dream music video, the one I am convinced would be the only thing MTV would ever need to play again. Though in my head I always think of vampires as more rockin' than zombies.
davethebrave 3 years ago

Holy crap
Jamie Love 3 years ago

Great interpretation of the lyrics. Contemporary and irreverent, but not to the point of outright silliness. I really enjoyed it. Nice work.
StMalk 3 years ago

Hi Tom. You made a great video in the meaning of quality of it. You did a great job with effects and camera and so on , I agree that you are the perfect master. But as for this band ANJ. Omg man, I understand they got money and can do whatever they want to do, but frankly speaking they are very unknown in Russia, and even if people listen to them their music makes them sick. Really, ANJ is worsest of all russian bands, and I can't make myself to call them Russian Rock band, cause they're just a shit. And about all that politics stuff, so it was shown like normal russian girls became sluts. Then they started to express a great delight and so on about "democracy" shown as bubble-gums and jeans. Is it really so? That's not democracy, but I think it's quite suitable for Gorbachev psychotic barbarian. The same unreal stupid shit.
As a conclusion I can tell you that it can be a funny video for lots of people but any russian would spit when he sees it. Because it's all stupid, lies and just silly.
Tom Stern 3 years ago

I appreciate your point of view as a Russian citizen, but I think this video should be enjoyed on the level I intended it- as a broad satire, not a serious political statement. In other words, it's supposed to be funny- to poke fun at the whole story of Perestroika, glasnost, and the resulting move from old style soviet communism towards western consumerism. My depiction of the "happy ending" in "consumer paradise" is ironic- junk food and crass "sex sells" commercial iconography so as to poke fun at our western values as well. I think if you see the real intent you realize I'm not saying one is better than the other necessarily- I'm poking fun at both.
Toho Deli 3 years ago

simply stunning. Is this mainly done in Motion?
Tom Stern 3 years ago

Final Cut Pro and After Effects, no Motion
Marcelo Viana 3 years ago

jeans, twinkies and coca-cola! ahhhh Amerikan freedom...

really great video. i love artists that follow the "too much is not enough" school yet produce well-crafted well-thought out work.
Tom Stern 3 years ago

Me too
Simon Iddol 3 years ago

hehehe, great stuff!!
Justin Ponsor 3 years ago

That was the best music video I've seen in ages. It's the kind of video that's so good it's impervious to the critiques about the music. I'll watch it again and end up with that song in my head against my will, only because I enjoyed the video so much. All bands should be so lucky.
Justin Ponsor 3 years ago

Wait- you did Freaked?! I love that movie! Haha! Randy Quaid is so funny in it. I joined up just to comment but hadn't read them all before doing so. I hope you are able to get another film going.
It's too bad the satire seems to be escaping the notice of some of the viewers. I can't imagine people thinking the Twinkies are meant seriously.
Tom Stern 3 years ago

Thanks Justin, and I know what you mean about some people missing the joke here, but on the other hand comments like achegevara's above kinda give me pause- suddenly I feel like a callow jerk for making light of events that some people feel are tragic. I mean I really do feel bad about human tragedy, I swear! Wait.... it passed. Now I think it's funny again.
keepitsmooth 3 years ago

This was great. The sloppy zombie deaths were the sloppiest i've seen.

Also, I loved Saul of the Molemen. This video made me think of Saul before I knew there was a connection.
Tom Stern 3 years ago

Thanks Smoove, you are another shining example of a young man with exquisite taste.
squarefrog 3 years ago

This is the best video ever.
pixietart 3 years ago

brilliant!
Oscar Nawel 3 years ago

Man, this is probably the best video ever! It has it all: girls, zombies, axes, metal...

Seriously, the video is just great. Congratulations.
Yellowhead 3 years ago

This video is too good for ANJ, one of the worst groups on Earth (:
Aaron White 3 years ago

Wow, I was seriously blown away when I saw this. I'm glad you included the link to the band's page, and I hope that much success flows out of this effort for both you & them.
Fred Raimondi 3 years ago

Genius.

You have an amazing sense of humor. Keep up the good work.

You rock.
Trackstand.com 3 years ago

Looks awesome. Reminds me of the Republic of Georgia.
Max Chaplin 3 years ago

This video is basically an upgraded version of Pet Shop Boys' "Go West".

The music sounds like second rate Gogol Bordello.
Tom Stern 3 years ago

You are basically an upgraded version of achegevara (the russian dude who is all in a bitter froth a few comments back).
zeta 3 years ago

I just created an account just to thank you for this great video - one of the best I have ever watched. It is just great and I find new details every time I watch it. Congrats for being BoingBoinged!
Tom Stern 3 years ago

Thanks- the funny thing is I sent this to Boing Boing 2 weeks ago but they didn't post it until someone else sent it.
Ratty 3 years ago

Awesome, just awesome.
Chris G. 3 years ago

OK. I created a Vimeo account to tell you how full of win this video is. Dude, seriously, this is so outstandingly awesome I don't know what to do with myself.
Damon Peacock 3 years ago

Is the warship meant to be the Battleship Potemkin or the Cruiser Aurora, my Eisenstein is a bit shaky.
Tom Stern 3 years ago

That is indeed the Battleship Potemkin, from the poster for the Eisenstein movie
CWD 3 years ago

omg awesome
Zkotzelo 3 years ago

Totally awsome man!
Pip! 3 years ago

Great work!
chris 3 years ago

Great video!!!!

Who is that delicious looking Blonde? Is she Russian?
Tom Stern 3 years ago

irina voronina - yes she is russian- google her
William Dubiak 3 years ago

Loved it. Thanks for sharing your work.
Erik Lofgren 3 years ago

nice old russia, like it
Daniel Tyack 3 years ago

I seriously love this video. My absolute favorite part is the subtle come hither look gorb gives the blacksmith chick after he eye lasers the zombies! Pure Genius, nice work!!!
Cymbalbangingmonkeytoy 3 years ago

This is absolutely the greatest music video ever.

And I'm an old f*rt who clearly remembers when MTV first came on the air. Nothing comes close to this.

Okay, maybe porn, but we're talking music videos here.
john 3 years ago

boobs!
PsychosesMan 3 years ago

Absolutely my new favorite music video and I'm definitely going to find out more about ANJ.

Favorite part was the laser eyes. Hilarious.
Death For Dinner 3 years ago

Found this video (and this site) thanks to Ben Templesmith's website, and DAMN.
The whole video is great, the zombies, the propaganda, the buff oiled axe-weilding Gorbachov, right up to the "yay we're consumers!" with twinkies and soda falling from the sky.
You definitely took things way over the top, and I loved every second of it.

(loved it so much that I immediately embedded it on my still-being-built website global-reset.com)
iMoskvich 3 years ago

Que estupides!
Ti bolnoy?
The video is shet!
TomandSamara 3 years ago

great
Alanedit 3 years ago

My wife is russian and she approves, that must mean this is tip tops! I loves it, i'm lovin it, loves it.
Igor Debatur 3 years ago

Awesome video.
I think, if they will change Gorbachev to Kuklachev this song will rock too.
Jason Lapeyre 3 years ago

Hey Tom,

Hilarious video, great job. Capitalism is essentially pornography and twinkies. It's so poetic.

And Freaked is THE BUSINESS. You are definitely going to heaven for that one. Thank you.
Dayan Paul 3 years ago

This is great,

You should look into posting it on the new Blind Dog site.
It's still in Beta, but the site is for musicians and film makers. blinddog-production.ning.com
The company is in Hawaii and it will be a new way for artist and musicians to create and distribute their work.
Dayan Paul 3 years ago

This is great. Very impressive for only 3 months. Was the team working on it full time? I'm working on a film with a similar look called The Villikon Chronicles, and it's taking quite some time with all part time effects artists. Thanks so much for posting this video. Someone forwarded it to me and I decided this was a good site to upload my animation trailer for Courageous Crustaceans.
Z 3 years ago

I joined vimeo just so I could leave a comment. A rocking cool video. Congratulations. It really is a great video. I've watched it several times now.. .awesome. Even went to youtube to find more, and their myspace, but I'll need to finally sign up for that I fear also. I hope the band is very pleased with the result as it was pure pleasure to watch, and made me want to hear more from the band. Thanks for the show.

Alexman, you missed the point. With freedom came products of the west, and those sort of riches so to speak do make women take their clothes off in real life. The cokes/twinkies/jeans were just representative of the things that came.
Sam McCready 3 years ago

Very good Job Tom. CooL Video!
Ethan Winer 3 years ago

Very cool!
kmike3 3 years ago

Indeed this is awesome in every sense of the word. Wouldn't consider it art - or would I? hmm
Paul Gigante 3 years ago

I love it! Great work!
Marcus Rådman 3 years ago

This is one of the cooles vids i've seen! :)
Larry Phillips 3 years ago

A true work of art this is. It is funny and ironic and brilliant on so many levels.

I'm curious how much was planned and how much evolved along the way?

Did it take on a life of it's own while you were putting it together? Did you hit any dead-ends along the way?
Tom Stern 3 years ago

see below
Tom Stern 3 years ago

Thanks Larry. It gives me faith in these troubled times that there are still enlightened men of good taste roaming about. Good question about the process- it was pretty much all planned out but it did sort of take a life of it's own as I tweaked and revised the shots in After Effects. I went through many revisions of a lot of the shots until I was satisfied. Because of the low budget we really rushed through the shoot day and I didn't fuss over camera coverage near as much as I would have liked to, because we could only afford to have a one day shoot. So I sort of settled for basic coverage and then took my time in After Effects where I could afford to take more time. So certain embellishments like having the zombie's brain get kicked out and hit another zombie in the palace scene were totally fabricated after the fact. I didn't really have the camera coverage to make that particular bit work perfectly but I did it anyway because I thought that scene was a little lackluster and needed something extra. I didn't have time on set to really make the fighting scenes great so I relied on that sort of After Effects magic to keep mediocrity at bay.
Nate Miller 3 years ago

I saw this video on videostatic and I thought it was hilarious. I'd like to do something like this but with Abe Lincoln as the hero.
haku 3 years ago

Absolutely fantastic!
Adam B. 3 years ago

Best. Video. Ever.