trying to be cool

“Trying To Be Cool” by Phoenix, from the bands fifth album Bankrupt!.

This second single was in collaboration with The Creators Project (a partnership between Intel and VICE) to team an audacious visual with technical flair.  Directed by the CANADA collective, the video was filmed entirely live in full takes of a genius performance of the track from the band. The video also sees two film crews tackling the impressive task of continuously swapping shots every twenty-five seconds.  While one camera shoots the other prepares the next shot; like a relay race, the cameras must pass the baton to each other to begin the next shot once twenty-five seconds are up. This means that, if each camera is not set up, the video itself cuts to black.  And on top of all this fancy camera work, the film crew and band are also, well, trying to be cool, each shot aiming to top the excitement and absurdity of the one before it.  Take a look.