UK HIP HOP "MOVING ALONG" WITH ANIMATOR PATRICK SMITH

For Immediate Release:
Dyna Mic Records (UK) announces the release of the animated music video "Moving Along" by the enigmatic UK hip-hop group "The Planets". The video was animated and directed by Patrick Smith, best known for his independent films, and his familiar, iconic, commercial productions like the Zoloft "Dot", and animated series like MTV's "Daria" and "Downtown".

"Moving Along" starts off with a band of menacing figures, looking like bizarre dolls, stitched out of cloth. They veer over a pulsing globe, behind a painterly backdrop. The animation continues with strange, abstract imagery of characters morphing and mutating into others, this is separated by a reoccurring sequence of a character sewing up the head of another. The animation hits fast but smooth, we see a pair of figures singing along to the chorus with hand puppets, we see a group of figures hold up wooden swords as dark ravens fly over head. We see strutting characters walking into one another and stretching apart, reminiscent of the hallucination sequence in Dumbo. The video ends with the now familiar group peering over the same pulsating globe.

The technique is very traditional and hand done, although Smith cites the extensive use of computers. "My goal was to make it look like cel animation, very hand drawn. This matches the underground feel of the music." Smith continues, "Coloring and compositing on a computer saves a lot of time and money, we just couldn't do it on cels, it would have taken too long"

The video recently premiered internationally on MTV Networks and has started a world wide tour, beginning next month with IMVF (International Music Video Festival) in Vancouver, Bradford Animation Festival (UK), CICAF (China International Cartoon Animation Festival), ION Animation Festival, NEXT Film Festival in Toronto, Chicago Animation Festival, and many more.

The Planets' Ayman Raze states, "Rather than saying exactly what we wanted, we gave a sort of what we DIDN'T want. And we came out with a banging video. Animator Pat Smith is serious, it's gonna get a lot of play simply because it's so different and you can't go wrong with a nice catchy tune to sing along to!"

For more information, screening copy, or press kit, contact:

Noelle Vaccesse, Producer, Blend Films. ph:212-406-1631 email noelle@blendfilms.com