Longtime fan and Pipeline Studios Inc. team up to produce this fully animated music video for Chickenfoot’s “Get It Up”. Check it out!
Chickenfoot gives the story behind the video: A while ago, a dedicated fan who also happened to be an animator contacted the band about making a video. Here’s the resulting video, and also the story of its creation from Darin Bristow. If anyone else out there is a huge fan and wants to make a video, go for it! It may not be as extreme as this, but we’ve been blown away by all sorts of fan-created videos. If you make one, email support@chickenfoot.us and if we get a enough we’ll create a special place for them here on the site!
“The idea for an animated ‘Chickenfoot’ video came to me while jogging along the beach vacationing in Cabo San Lucas. I never workout without something Sammy blasting on my Ipod, and the Chickenfoot CD had just come out. The energy of the CD really inspired me and got me thinking big.
“As a Producer/Director for one of the world’s largest animation studios, with 16 years experience behind me, I dream big, and I aim high. As I was jogging, to I began to see animated scenes of a Chickenfoot rock video play out in my head, and then it hit me- why not email Sammy Hagar, the guy who’s always singing about following your dreams, and just ask to do an animated video??? Was I nuts from the Cabo heat? Did I have too many Waborita’s? It sounded like a longshot, but that’s exactly what I did. You never know unless you try right? I ran directly from the Cabo surf to my hotel and with 20 years as a Hagar fan behind me, I emailed www.redrocker.com , to pitch my idea.
“I sent it off and not long after, I got a response! It was from Carter, one of Chickenfoot’s managers, and he wanted to discuss my idea further. Pumped, I then did some animation designs of the band and video concept paintings, while Carter and I had some back and forth email communication over the following weeks. Carter then decided we should meet in person to go over my artwork when Chickenfoot’s tour passed through Toronto (my hometown) August 4th! It sounded too good to be true! It was, as I wound up being in South American on business August 4th and would not be able to meet him. Crushed, I was just about to email Carter my bad news, when he emailed me saying that the Toronto date was now moved to the 5th! I WOULD NOW BE ABLE TO MAKE IT, IF there were no delays in my flight. The smallest glitch in my travel would kill my meeting. I left South America at 4am and made it to Toronto the exact moment Chickenfoot hit the stage. My girlfriend and I watched the amazing show, then left 2 songs before the end to meet Carter at the hotel. I hadn’t spoken with him for a few days, but trusted his word. At 1a.m. in the morning, in the hotel lobby, exhausted, I set up my laptop with my Chickenfoot storyboard pitch playing, and had my band animation designs spread over the tables to show him. Sure enough, Carter, and the band, showed up! As Sammy Hagar wandered in and Michael Anthony chatted with my somewhat startled girlfriend, Carter and I discussed the video’s concept. I so badly wanted to ask the band to autograph my designs, but didn’t as I felt it would have been unprofessional at that time.
“It was a surreal night, but over a sturdy handshake, Carter agreed we should make this video. The next step was to find a production team, and start production. Animation is a very labor intensive process, so I needed a great team to make this look great. Pipeline Studios Inc., (PSI) another top level, world class animation studio offered to produce, and rounded up all their top guns to help me make this look great. Some of the best people I know in the business work with PSI and have worked on this video. I think that for the small group we had, and our limited budget, we made something very cool that I hope Chickenfoot fans will like! I also got to direct a dream project, one that I am very proud of, and worked very hard on. I also think, that for me, this story is living proof that Sammy Hagar is right- if you follow your dreams and never give up, you can make anything happen.”
“P.S. See if you can find all the subliminal Chickenfoot logo’s that we hid in the background paintings! Keep a close eye….they’re everywhere….
Darin Bristow
Dec 28 2009