Chris Knox. Face of Fashion

Rights Information
Year
1989
Reference
F32783
Media type
Moving image
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Rights Information
Year
1989
Reference
F32783
Media type
Moving image
Place of production
New Zealand/Aotearoa
Categories
Music Video
Duration
0:02:55
Production company
Flying Nun Records
Credits
Director: Chris Knox

This is the music video for “The Face Of Fashion” from the album “Seizure” by Chris Knox.

"This was a 16mm film loop that I'd made for a performance at The Nitpicker's Picnic cabaret/variety show thing that the early Headless Chickens organised.

“I had grown my hair and a beard specially for this particular concept. Which was to animate myself going from hippie to skinhead and back with many outre looks in between. So I sat myself at the kitchen table opposite my Bolex - which was securely gaffered to the tabletop - with a pair of scissors, a mirror and a cable release that would allow me to take each frame without having to get up.

“So I'd cut off a bit of hair and beard, take two frames and cut some more. I was able to indulge myself in some tasteless fashion statements in the process... Upon reaching complete shaved status - eyebrows and all - I created an edit point by animating my head approaching the camera until it blacked out the frame. I made the resulting (very) short film into a loop and projected it behind myself at the Picnic.

“Amazingly the loop survived the 10 minutes or so of the performance and - some years later - when I wanted to make a clip for Face of Fashion it seemed obvious to drag this out of retirement. It was appropriate subject-wise, had only been seen by a few hundred people and I was very fond of it.

“Transferred it all to videotape and edited it at Images with James Schoening. To liven it up a bit I used the lovely old manual T-bar on the analogue editing desk to change the colour values as it spooled through.

“Worked well enough, I reckon." - Chris Knox to Roger Shepherd, 2008.