By Rob Bricken in
Miscellaneous
Tuesday, Mar. 2 2010 @ 9:05AM
OK Go is known for its elaborate one-take videos. While I wouldn't consider their treadmill dance or field o' surprises to be that nerdy, when I saw this, well... that is some nerdy, mind-blowing shit right there. Basically, it's a Rube Goldberg device whose mission is to be awesome for three and a half minutes, which it succeeds at marvelously. Apparently the band actually built the device along with some guys from Synn Labs over several months, which makes me respect OK Go almost infinite. Clearly, they'd tried a few takes before getting the right one, but I can't hold that against them in the tiniest degree. I can't even imagine having to put all those dominoes back up, let alone resetting the whole damn thing.
34 comments
Comments
Lithroe said:
Every time I see a Rube Goldberg device I'm transported back to my childhood, filled with hours upon hours of never actually playing the game mousetrap.
JOE said:
Wile E. Coyote gives the thumbs up.
luckyaussiebob said:
Brilliant. Kudos to them for resetting and getting a single take instead of splicing together.
Krakes said:
Wow...just wow. That was epic.
Mr. Poopoopachu said:
It's for moments exactly like this that TR has an "Impressive Acts of Nerdery" channel.
EVula said:
...wow.
Whoever said:
This was pure beauty.
Bunny Fu said:
Back when OK Go were nobodies, opening for TMBG, me and my date pissed off the singer by A)ignoring the band by turning our backs to the stage and B)snogging, maybe eight-ten feet or so from the stage @ the Hard Rock. OK Go's lead singer was obviously agitated and he just kept getting more shrill and screamingly annoyed. We just cracked up and snogged some more in-between fits of laughter.
manobon replied to Bunny Fu:
...Snogging? "HOTT!"
Greymattersplat replied to Bunny Fu:
I remember them opening for TMBG here in Indiana too. They did a really fun cover of "Kiss Me, Son of God" to pay homage to the guys, and then if memory serves, did some very comedic Shakespeare. I remember looking at my friend who was with me and wondering how I hadn't heard of these guys yet. A couple months later, they showed up on Conan. Great video!
Purple Monkey Dishwasher said:
Bunny: you drove them to make videos like this.
good on you.
great video.
demoncat said:
ok go are pure geniuses to take the time to have that rube goldbeg device built since some times those things can malfunction and bet it took them a while to get the cannons right to fire the paint balls. though they are going to be having a paint ball taste in their mouths for a bit
Grimmie said:
This is the most impressive Impressive Act of Nerdery I've seen yet, I'm pretty sure. This really was pure art... The creativity, the engineering... WOW. I'm not a fan of OK Go, but I must say that they have truly brought the creativity back into music video making. This is FAR more impressive than just throwing together live footage of a band or putting gyrating bimbos in front of a camera. Well done!
Screampants said:
How many TVs do you think they went through before they got it right?
stewbacca replied to Screampants:
I count at least 9 around the 2:45 mark.
Lynnie said:
I can't wait to get home and watch this with sound! I started, but I don't want to finish till then.
Evilduck said:
I love Ok Go, the fact they make awesome music videos is just a cheeky bonus.
DoctorSmashy said:
I wouldn't even be able to stay still while the bowling ball sped towards my foot. How the hell did they do this?
nflsmc said:
Ok, I had to build an extremely small one of these back in high school, and it was insanely aggravating. I can't imagine how they kept their sanity.
Radlum said:
That was awesome; while Ok Go is an average band in musical terms, they are great in making music videos and this one is IMO one of the best I've ever seen.
RachelB said:
Sweet zombie buddha--that was all kinds of awesome. Now if only their music wasn't so terrible. Sorry, but my dad is a blues musician, and I just can't get excited about this lilting indie stuff.
The Flash III said:
Tom Cat and Wiley Coyote would be extremely proud.
Vaderfan70 said:
That was insanely cool. I think I saw an edit when the camera went into the window...but still two beautiful takes for a great video!!
dnwilliams said:
That better win some awards.
Darth Shoju said:
Now I feel like an unambitious tool.
Thanks, Bricken.
ZeroCorpse said:
OK, yeah. That was cool.
CleverNamePending said:
And this is why I love OKGO. Although I wonder why they chose this song to do this with when they already HAVE another video of it involving a marching band. Are the other songs on the upcoming album so bad that they don't want to promote them?
CallMeEhon replied to CleverNamePending:
IF you love prince then you'll like the new album. If you don't not so much.
Billay said:
That was an incredible music video. Thats probably the most creative Rube Goldberg that I've ever seen as well. The song is ok.
kingNothing said:
wow... just, wow.....
CallMeEhon said:
I liked how it goes along with the music in some parts, very impressive. Personally the music videos Ok GO do MAKE me love the band. Way to go for bringing the creativity back into music video.
Mock26 said:
Makes me want to go to the Purdue University Rube Goldberg competition this year!
chris said:
the Bravery made a similar video back in 2004 for "An Honest Mistake". Not shot in one take, so not technically as difficult - but still creative, arguably a better looking video and certainly a more memorable song...
boiledskintags said:
Am I the only person not impressed by a rube golderberg device?
eeeeehhh look that thing makes the other thing happen which in turn... SHOOT ME! and this video is supposed to make of for this crappy song?
