information aesthetics

how can you create a video, images in motion, without the desire to build or create images (either directly or indirectly)? the pure expression of a great song is the great song itself. no video.
(don't get me wrong, i like the video above just fine...)

The concept's interesting, though vj's already in that field for many years now. Nice examples, Robert Hodgin at flight404.com (http://www.flight404.com/blog/?p=111)

yeah this is nothing new from a technology standpoint, although it takes pretentious to new heights.

Yeah, when I was doing VJ work a few years ago I purposely looked to leave out any sort of narrative or conceptual exploration in favor of mixing and laying F/X on images inspired solely by the music's tone as well as the crowd's.

And you can do that using more than just flashing blocks and the lyrics to the song. You can use any image. The video this guy presents is pretty boring, if you ask me.

I didn't listen to the talk but the basic idea and the resulting video seem to me to be a nod in the direction of the Dadaist movement only not taking it quite that far.

i agree with jess. how is this re-thinking the music video, or a 'new' idea that is deserving of a TED lecture?

Whoo-ha, “directed by the music itself” – yeah, for sure: no listener, nobody who does any kind of interpretation, nobody making i.e. visual decisions depending on that interpretation. Now I am just waiting for “the music” in its role as director to shout “cut!” and give the actor a severe tongue-lashing.