Hollywood:Starting out as an MV director

The MTV Music Video Awards voting officially began on July 1st.

Famous music critics from major music magazines across the United States, along with some influential media personnel, had gathered in New York, as this year's ceremony was to be held at the Radio City Music Hall in New York.

This year's MTV Music Video Awards featured 15 regular awards, 6 professional awards, and 7 regional international audience choice awards. Each award category had 6 nominees, blending both professional and popular aspects, making this one of the two most anticipated events in the American music scene this year.

Among those invited to participate in the selection was the media figure Blackjack, one of this year's music critics.

"Hey, Jack, long time no see."

"Long time no see, Mr. Thompson." The person standing before him was a short middle-aged man, dressed in trendy attire, a jacket paired with a hoodie. He was not only a major shareholder of MTV, the world's largest music television network, but also the head of the selection and the awards ceremony.

At his age, one would expect him to be more interested in classical and jazz music, but he was actually a huge fan of rock and other popular music. He often attended concerts worldwide and would actively seek out pop music stars for photos.

"Jack, this is really a year for great music videos. You know what I mean?" Thompson said, patting his arm with excitement.

"Of course, I have many favorite music videos myself."

"But don't let personal preferences affect your scores. Let's go inside," he added.

"Alright, Mr. Thompson."

After their brief conversation, Jack walked into the hall. Inside, the red curtains were everywhere, and the stage had screens set up like a movie theater.

This was where they would spend the next few days, as the selection process would involve watching the videos together, then voting and placing their ballots into a bucket.

After the votes were collected, they would be tallied. If anyone took bribes or gave unusually low or high scores for any reason, they would have to justify their choices.

Of course, if the justification was unconvincing, the critic's eligibility could be questioned.

Therefore, the MTV Awards' selection was done fairly and impartially, reflecting the current music trends and public taste.

But today, they were only nominating, with the real winners to be determined through a more professional second round of evaluation.

On the morning of the 1st, Jack first met and familiarized himself with other critics, and in the afternoon, the organizers began the selection process.

As the judges took their seats, the hall gradually darkened. Everyone sat on comfortable chairs, quietly holding their cards, waiting for the first music video to begin.

When the screen lit up in a deep blue, everyone immediately recognized the video.

"Reinvention"? So it's this one." The man sitting next to Jack, with a scruffy beard, whispered to him. He was Herbert, the head of a Los Angeles music station, and Jack's friend.

"I like this one… but don't let my opinion sway you," Herbert's young companion chimed in, then immediately raised his hands in a gesture of apology, realizing that his comment might have influenced others.

Jack turned his attention to him and, under the glow of the screen, recognized the face of this person—Schreiber, the founder of the famous music website Pitchfork.

This site had started as his personal music blog, but as the number of visitors grew, it began attracting many music experts to recommend and review songs, eventually becoming the largest music site in the U.S. He was attending his first evaluation, so it was understandable that he was inexperienced.

"Don't worry," Herbert reassured him, turning his attention back to the screen.

The music video quickly ended, and as the lights came back on, the judges took their pens and wrote their scores on their cards.

As the cards were collected and while waiting for the others, the three of them began discussing the video.

"The colors were really amazing, so bold," Jack said, particularly fond of the blue tone, which was calm yet eye-catching.

"Yes, the director used a lot of blue and small amounts of pink, which created a powerful visual impact. The storyline really complemented the video as well," Schreiber agreed.

Herbert nodded in approval. "The use of the cross symbolizing love and redemption was interesting. The director smashed things in the house with the cross, clearly expressing the idea of redemption through faith."

"I think it could also symbolize rebirth," Jack added.

Schreiber interpreted, "Using the love of family to redeem one's past self and transform into a new version—this is exactly the message of the song, isn't it? The director is truly skilled."

"Yeah, Ethan. I heard he's a director under CAA. He's shot several music videos this year, and they've left quite an impression," Herbert shrugged.

"Honestly, I've always been curious about him. Maybe we'll see him at the MTV Awards this time," Jack smiled. Every year, the MTV Awards included a red carpet event, giving a rare opportunity for music video directors to shine and be interviewed by the press.

After a brief discussion, the hall darkened again, and the second music video began playing.

Over the next few hours, carefully selected music videos from around the world were shown, and the judges worked hard to stay focused, casting their votes one by one.

By the time Jack stood up, his body stiff from sitting for so long, he couldn't help but feel the strain. He left the hall, and, guided by the staff, went to an outdoor restaurant. Finally able to breathe fresh air, he didn't rush to eat but leaned against the stairway railing and lit a cigarette.

Soon, more male critics walked by, clearly needing a smoke break.

After exchanging greetings, they all lit their cigarettes.

At that moment, one of them spoke up. "Did you see the cover article in Baichi Music Magazine yesterday?"

"What?" His friend furrowed his brow.

"It was that article written by Dylan, about the creation of music videos. He said that MV should not follow the old path of film, becoming just a collection of grand scenes and gimmicks. I think he's right."

"What?" Jack interrupted.

This wasn't his friend speaking, but Jack himself.

Dylan was a famous veteran music critic, once a judge for prestigious awards like the Grammys. While his opinions were often controversial, his status in the music criticism world remained strong.

When he published an article criticizing the current trend of music videos, all the critics paid attention. And his argument was certainly sharp.

He argued that music videos should not overshadow the song itself. Instead of using music videos to promote a song, focusing on large budgets and gimmicks, this approach showed a lack of confidence in the song's quality.

In his article, he wrote: "More and more songs now use music videos as a key promotional tool, featuring extravagant scenes and gimmicks to attract fans to watch and buy. But in my opinion, this is the wrong direction."

"The core issue is that such behavior shows a lack of confidence in the song itself! When singers and producers choose to rely on the hype of music videos instead of the quality of the songs to succeed in the market, it only leads to the suppression of truly great songs."

"And when this trend spreads throughout the industry, everyone will start spending more on their music videos, while the budget for the songs themselves will shrink."

"In the eyes of most fans, the MV should complement the song, enhancing its artistry, not overshadow it. If a music video exceeds this, it means the song and video are disconnected, inappropriate, and worthless."

"Therefore, I suggest that all major award ceremonies should curb this trend and bring music back to its roots. The world doesn't need another movie industry!"

When Jack heard about Dylan's article, he didn't know how to respond at first.

Although his subconscious mind told him there was something off about this view, as if it ignored an important element, he couldn't organize his thoughts, leaving him feeling unsettled.

That evening, the article began circulating among the judges, with some dismissing it, while others agreed with its perspective.

But there was no denying that everyone knew which music video Dylan was referring to—there was no question that it was the famous rock video by Avril Lavigne, which featured a massive production.

The following day, when the judges returned to the hall, Schreiber complained to Herbert and Jack, "Dylan's article is affecting our selection."

"Just try to ignore it," Herbert, more experienced, advised. "Even the Oscars are influenced by public opinion and money, so MTV is no exception. Every year, critics publish articles that seem right but are ultimately useless, trying to sway us."

"Are you saying there's some behind-the-scenes push from the record labels?" Schreiber, sharp as ever, quickly understood.

Herbert shrugged. "Who knows? Everyone has their own agenda."

Jack couldn't help but laugh. "Those companies will do anything to make their artists more famous."

At that moment, Mr. Thompson walked from the audience to the stage and picked up the microphone.

He said nothing at first, just calmly watching the crowd, until the chatter died down, and everyone focused on him. Only then did he speak.

"First, as music critics, we must remain independent and not let others' words affect our decisions."

"Secondly, we need to understand exactly what we're selecting for."

"MTV awards the most popular music videos, not the songs, and certainly not some obscure art piece!"

"I know many people like to elevate their work by calling it 'art,' and some critics have looked down on hip-hop artists in the past, but that's a mistake. MTV wants to correct that error."

"We need to choose the music videos that best represent the future of the music industry! The ones that are creative and enhance the song"

"Big scenes, movie techniques, spoofs, horror, violence, suspense—these are just forms of expression. We can't be blinded and mistakenly think that this is the essence of an MV. Nor should we view it differently just because it's used in an MV."

Thompson said this passionately, pausing for a moment, scanning the crowd before continuing: "Popular, exciting, and fitting—these three words are the core of the matter."

"As for stealing the spotlight? Fans won't buy a song just because its MV looks good. They are not mindless puppets. They will only pay for what they truly like!"