What you can do with spoken word video

Yesterday, we talked about the why and how of making videos of your poetry or spoken word. Whilst a recording of a live performance is the obvious and probably best way to record your work, there are also other creative ways of approaching the video. Again, think of the diversity of music videos. We wanted to accompany yesterday’s piece with a few examples.

Live: If you’re going to do it live, best to do it somewhere special. Do it at the gig you love, the open mic you always perform it, or do it someplace really special. It’s not incidental.

This video of Tariro Mavondo, produced by Jeevika Rajagopal and James Beyerle, recorded at Slamalamadingdong records her performance at Jam Slam.

Or record a poem live out on the street. This guys isn’t a Melbourne poet but the live location fuels this piece by Brando Chemtrails.

Animation: One of the most ingenious examples of animated spoken word video is this video from Randall Stephens. His poem ‘I Statements’ with the help of Alex Scott brings the words to life on the screen for you and is very appropriate to the content of the poem.

With a background: Omar Musa’s video of ‘Fireflies’ is simple, one shot, recorded on location, with an interesting but not overwhelming background behind him. If you’re wanting to record something, it only takes you to step outside, out of your bedroom to find a location that’s a bit classier or grungier.

Similarly, Alia Gabres’ video, uses a plain black background. It has a similar effect.

On Location: Or you could go out a bit further like Fleassy Malay did, and record in a really interesting location.

Something totally different: Most of you will know this one but it blows videos out of the water. Luka Lesson’s video to ‘Please Resist Me’ taps into the spoken word community using other poets lip syncing his lyrics. The video was produced with the help of Icon Kinesis. If you want to do something out of this world, you get professionals in.

Photo by Eko Priyanto Lo.

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Annie Solah

Annie Solah is a writer, poet, spoken word artist, activist and the Director of Melbourne Spoken Word. She grew up in Western Sydney before calling Melbourne home in 2008, where she's performed since 2010 around Melbourne's regular spoken word and poetry nights including Passionate Tongues, The Dan Poets, Voices in the Attic and House of Bricks as well as the NGV and White Night. She's released a chapbook, broken bodies, and two spoken word albums, Duel Power with Santo Cazzati and The World Doesn't Make Sense EP.