The Sunday Mail
A scene from a dancehall music video
URBAN GROOVERS may be dormant but underneath they are simmering hot.Performance-wise they have been overshadowed by their Zim dancehall counterparts, but when it comes to video production they are still on top of the game.
The quality of videos from urban music artistes shows that they have been around for some time.
Indeed the genre has matured with age like fine wine.
Videos by Roki, Nesto, ExQ, Trevor Dongo, Maskiri, Pauline Gundidza, Ba Shupi, Diana Samkange and Cindy, to name just a few, are always topnotch. They are worth the effort.
Reversed film, varied motions, dramatic lighting and innovative camera angles are some of the features that characterise the work of the aforementioned artistes.
The same cannot be said for Zim dancehall.
Frankly speaking, most Zim dancehall artistes are still to understand what it takes to come up with a solid video.
Bluntly, Zim dancehall videos do not befit the genre-of-the-moment status they presently enjoy. Videos that have made the grade are usually a combined effort between artistes from Zim dancehall and urban grooves.
A closer look at the videos that were chosen for the second edition of the Zim Dancehall Awards proves this point.
The Best Video went to Seh Calaz for “Ndinochema”. The other nominees were “Chimakanika” (Tally B), “Manika” (Viviun), “Bata Ruokorwangu” (Freeman) and “Inini” (Quonfused).
Victaks (Ladies Edition) won the Best Medley Video.
But the truth is that there is nothing outstanding about these videos. In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king. And that is how those videos won awards.
The 2014 Zim Dancehall Awards organisers said of the Best Video categories: “This award seeks to encourage artistes to produce quality videos as these are integral to the growth of their career. The award will be awarded to a video that was produced in the best quality in terms of content, originality and directing as well as how the words sync with the images.”
A lot of these attributes cannot be found in the dancehall videos. Rather, amateur footage has been unleashed on the market.
Zim dancehall artistes attribute the poor quality videos to several issues, with lack of funding being the common denominator.
Given such a predicament, I feel it would be wise for the artistes to save money and create or come up with a few quality videos periodically rather than to churn out productions weekly.
It does not help an artiste to record numerous low budget videos that do nothing to enhance their image. They are flushing money down the drain.
Maybe we should highlight the purpose of a music video.
A music video, according to filmmaker and writer Elizabeth Sutton, should help the artistes be heard globally. It should help promote the band, providing a visual representation of the band in and the process ensuring people remember the song and video.
Says Sutton: “This is the reason why the Beatles borrowed techniques from underground and avant garde films when they filmed one of the first ever real music videos in 1976, for their song ‘Strawberry Fields’. The group appreciated the importance of coming up with a fine product despite it being a first time experience. Subsequently, the video was a huge hit and it led to more bands and artistes desperately wanting their own music videos.”
Good videos are behind South African-based Zimbabwean dancehall artiste Buffalo Souljah making a name for himself.
He has video concepts that have not only sent tongues wagging among his followers and music lovers in general, but also has ideas that have won him accolades.
Buffalo Souljah should be the yardstick for our local chanters – at least when it comes to videos if for nothing else.
It is disheartening to note that some artistes in this age of advanced technology still produce videos that can easily be mistaken for ‘80s or ‘90s productions. The artistes are producing videos similar to those produced by kids with camcorders or cellphones.
Uninspiring videos are the reason why creative minds on social media sites like YouTube end up creating videos for artistes without their consent.
And many times, these unofficial videos have more hits on the than the originals.
Dancehall guru Godfather Templeman believes more money is needed for Zim dancehall videos to improve.
“They are making the best with the little they have. It costs about US$5 000 to come up with a standard video and that figure is way beyond the reach of many if not all of them. The average videos that have been produced cost at least US$1 000 or the artistes would have filmed using their personal cameras,” says Godfather Templeman.
“Videos can change the face of Zim dancehall in Africa. The videos they are producing at the moment have done well in pushing their brands in the country but unfortunately that has not been the case in the region. The quality is sub-standard for regional stations.
“We should contact guys in South Africa so that we come up with videos that can be accepted in the region on stations like MTV and Channel O. Everyone now wants Davido to come and perform in their country because they have seen what he can do on television.”
Maybe those companies that use these artistes as brand ambassadors will see the importance of sponsoring video production.
Besides the issue of money is that of simple creativity.
Budding artistes can cite lack of experience for poor video concepts, but that is no excuse for those who have been around.
