R.E.M.‘s music video for “Man-Sized Wreath”, the second track and third single from their album Accelerate, was developed by the same team that worked on the earlier video, Hollow Man.
The video revolves around two motifs, a man being followed by block-shaped figures, and a calvacade of black official cars.
Gary Thomas, creative director at Crush, Toronto, said that the Man-Sized Wreath project was a continuation of the work the team started with Hollow Man. “The earlier video was intended as a statement about isolation, the fear of losing who we are. This film is a more pointed statement about the state of the world politically, and the idea that we are all hypnotized by so much meaningless diversion we don’t focus on things that matter.”
“When we first talked to Michael Stipe, he gave us the background to the song, concerning Bush’s visit to Martin Luther King’s memorial. We felt that there was a point to be made about disconnected power and the obliviousness of authority to people. Toward that end, we seized on the idea of a motorcade from the lyrics and built a number of scenes with a crudely animated motorcade crashing through people and anything in its path.”
“The other strand that runs through the video is a live action thread with an “everyman” figure, moving through the world being followed, surrounded and eventually chased by the bright colours and diversions of the media. His moment of realization is the denouement of the film.”
Click on the image below to play the video.
Credits
Filming/animation was shot, designed and animated by Crush, Toronto, with executive producer Jo-ann Cook, producer Stephanie Pennington, assistant producer Kristen Van Fleet.
Editor was Kim Knight at partner company Sons and Daughters, Toronto.
Lyrics for Man-Sized Wreath
Turn on the TV, what do I see?
A pageantry of empty gestures
all lined up for me – wow!
I’d have thought by now
we would be ready to proceed
But a tearful hymn to tug the heart
And a man-sized wreath – oww!
Throw it on the fire
Throw it in the air
Kick it out on the dance floor
like you just don’t care, oh
Give me some
Wave the palms, steal the alms,
a fist in the air
A motorcade of benign strength shows
the people that you care – owww!
Nature abhors a vacuum,
but what’s between your ears?
Your judgment clouded
with fearful thoughts
headlights and a deer – oww!
Throw it on the fire
Throw it in the air
Kick it out on the dance floor
like you just don’t care
Look at what I found
Everybody look around
Everybody looking like they just don’t care
Give me some
Well I’m not deceived by pomp
and odious conceit
But a tearful hymn to tug the heart
And a man-sized wreath-oww!
Throw it on the fire
Throw it in the air
Kick it out on the dance floor
like you just don’t care
Look at what I found
Everybody look around
Everybody looking like they just don’t care
Throw it on the fire
Throw it in the air
Kick it out on the dance floor
like you just don’t care
Give me some
Give me some
Give me some