Behind the music video game mods MTV doesn’t want you to see

As a researcher who has spent years delving into the fascinating world of video games and their impact on popular culture, I find myself in awe of the pioneering spirit that drove the creation of “Video Mods.” It’s truly remarkable to see how this groundbreaking show paved the way for the integration of user-generated content in the gaming industry.

Just three days prior to its scheduled broadcast on MTV2, an extraordinary event occurred: SpongeBob SquarePants was denied the opportunity to perform a song using someone else’s voice.

THQ, the company responsible for publishing the game “SpongeBob SquarePants: Lights, Camera, Pants!”, gave their final approval. The band Blink-182 allowed MTV to use their song “All the Small Things”. However, SpongeBob’s creator, Stephen Hillenburg, was not keen on his characters performing the song virtually, even though by 2005, SpongeBob had sung in two other episodes of the show.

As a gamer, I’d put it this way: “I can’t believe it, man! We don’t usually have to go through the hassle of getting approval from outside parties. But here we are dealing with Nickelodeon, which, let’s face it, is connected to MTV. And just four days before our show was set to air, we got a rejection! I mean, come on, that’s just crazy!”

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Initially, Sandy Cheeks played bass, Patrick Star beat a drum set resembling a seashell, and SpongeBob played an electric guitar adorned with wings while singing. After being turned down, IBC changed the idea from a band performance to a dance competition. This decision enabled them to preserve around half of their work and swap instrument scenes for more dance-focused shots instead. “We worked tirelessly for four straight days to redo the video,” Drucker stated. “Obstacles would arise in the most unforeseen places.”

From 2004 to 2005, MTV2 aired the series called Video Mods. This show combined popular songs with video games, depicting game characters as if they were in real-life bands. These “performances” included multiple cameras and lighting effects similar to actual concerts. Famous groups like The Killers, Outkast, and Evanescence were matched with franchises such as Silent Hill, Star Wars, and The Sims.

As we speak, the majority of “Video Mods” episodes from seasons 1 and 2 can be found on YouTube for viewing. Earlier, sporadic users would post low-resolution versions, sourced from TV recordings dating back nearly two decades, which frequently attracted copyright notices. However, it wasn’t until a few years ago that ex-employees embarked on a dedicated preservation project of this critically acclaimed and creatively rich show, as they described during interviews with TopMob, which was visionary for its time.

Recently, TopMob had conversations with 14 individuals who contributed to the production of the show. These roles ranged from creative minds behind the concept to ex-employees from MTV, Big Bear Entertainment, and IBC Digital. The aim was to uncover details about the making process, challenges in synchronizing motion capture with game elements, collaborative experiences with figures like George Lucas and the Beastie Boys, as well as concepts for a season that never materialized.

The concept

The story began when Tony Shiff, an accomplished music video producer known for his work with Madonna and Michael Jackson, and Kris Renkewitz entered the scene. With a background in the industry, having produced hundreds of videos, dabbled in early 3D animation for Def Leppard and Peter Gabriel, and full-motion video for Electronic Arts, Shiff was no stranger to the world of motion capture. This diverse experience led him to cross paths with the manager of a Los Angeles-based motion capture studio, House of Moves, as well as Alex Coletti, a former head of programming at MTV. Together, they collaborated on a project called Revue, an interview series featuring artists like Ozzy Osbourne.

As a devoted admirer, I’d like to share that Renkewitz boasts a rich history of work in Marvel Comics and DC Comics as a penciller and colorist, and as an artist and designer for games such as Diablo 2 and 007: Tomorrow Never Dies. In his own words, prior to pitching to MTV, Renkewitz and his partner had already embarked on a project, dubbed DIReCTOR, which was a game-style version of Revue where you created music videos. This collaborative effort with a programmer friend of his eventually caught the eye of Atari, as Shiff recounts. However, following Infogrames’ acquisition of the company, the project was unfortunately shelved before we could gather a team.

After staying in contact with Coletti, Shiff suggested a meeting to present an idea to MTV. During this discussion, he highlighted how video game companies invest vast sums of money on assets like characters and settings, only to leave them unused afterward. As an illustration, Shiff devised a pitch video using the example of BloodRayne. In this video, he showcased the characters grooving to “Chop Suey” by System of a Down, demonstrating the creative potential for a TV series, and subsequently shared it with MTV.

In the good old days, before Twitch was around, it never crossed anyone’s mind that you could simply stream video games for people to watch. However, my team and I thought, “What if we could creatively blend our passion for music, which is our mainstay, with the world of video games, something our fans are deeply into? That’s a match made in heaven!”

Shiff and Coletti had a meeting with David Cohn, the ex-general manager at MTV2, who purchased the concept for Video Mods. Later, Electronic Arts funded a trial episode starring Missy Elliott and Outkast, each collaborating with SSX 3 and The Sims Bustin’ Out respectively.

In Renkewitz’s garage over a span of three weeks, a 22-minute pilot project was accomplished. The majority of the animation work was done by him, with occasional assistance from friends. Shiff handled the final editing process. Renkewitz admitted to pulling all-nighters, working for 48 hours straight at a time. He set up a render farm using old computers. Despite some mediocre videos and immense effort, he managed to create a 22-minute animation in three weeks, a feat by a single person. This pilot was aired numerous times, leading to a four-episode order. Afterward, Shiff and Renkewitz assembled a team in San Francisco to help build the show.

Season 1

Shiff and Renkewitz subsequently established Big Bear Entertainment, assembling a crew of roughly eight individuals. A collaboration with Nvidia enabled the company to acquire the necessary equipment to generate high-quality videos featuring numerous frames, shots, and characters – a feat not previously accomplished. Given their small team size and tight monthly deadlines for each episode (one month per episode), this technological advancement was crucial as they managed multiple video projects concurrently.

As a dedicated admirer, I can tell you that my daily routine was more like putting out constant fires. We’d receive numerous assets from a game engine, transform them, arrange them, and have everything ready to go – hot and fresh – within just a week or two. Compared to the time it usually takes to create a music video, this was an immense amount of work.

Maya Zuckerman, who used to be the technical director and compositor at Big Bear, referred to her time there as being like a startup during the early 2000s without the official label. The team often worked 12- to 14-hour shifts, six to seven days a week, due to the tight deadlines. Obtaining and sorting out the licenses, which MTV2’s Cohn called a “labyrinth of rights” between record labels and game developers, could sometimes hold up progress on a particular video. Once all the assets were gathered and the song licenses were confirmed, it was a mad dash to get everything in place.

“Zuckerman mentioned that we had around twenty to thirty Nvidia servers working on those videos. In fact, we had a dedicated rendering facility, which caused some discomfort due to its location in a downtown San Francisco office. During summer, it’s not too harsh, but there were occasional days when the heat was unbearable, making the rooms almost uninhabitable.”

Last year, as we wrapped up our gaming escapades with Video Mods – where we blended tunes like “Shut Up” by Black Eyed Peas and Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude – I couldn’t help but feel the weight of the project’s complexity. As a small team, it was a challenge to keep up with its intricacies, and there seemed little hope that MTV would boost our budget anytime soon.

In Los Angeles, the show garnered notice, and Shiff disclosed that through specific connections, Tom Petty’s manager facilitated a link between Shiff and an unnamed “prominent and influential music attorney.” This attorney had previously represented artists such as Justin Timberlake, Patrick Stewart, and Petty. The attorney offered to enhance Shiff’s agreement with MTV, stating that Shiff deserved more money. However, Shiff mentioned a complication – something he was unaware of initially – which was that MTV harbored animosity towards the attorney.

In the end, MTV switched to another production company for season 2 of Video Mods. Shiff admitted to receiving payment initially during the changeover, but that was when Big Bear Entertainment’s role ended – even his lawyer stopped representing him during this transition period. “I conceived it, I marketed it to MTV, and that’s what TV networks often do,” Shiff explained. “They can make that choice. They opted for the most cost-effective option.” When questioned about fairness, he said he still maintains friendly relationships with the MTV team. “It’s just business,” he concluded.

MTV reached out to Frank Drucker, an ex-director turned producer and director at IBC Digital, with an offer. Although they had confidence in his abilities, they requested a trial video to ensure the team’s suitability for a unique project they had in mind.

In approximately two days, IBC’s demonstration video showcasing the Outlaw Golf series was hastily produced, as described by former IBC visual effects supervisor Daniel Smith. He stated, “It was a whirlwind of activity to finish that project.” After presenting it, they successfully secured the job.

Season 2

As a gamer, I can tell you that the Video Mods season 2, much like Big Bear’s season 1, was described by our team in similar terms: MTV acquired the rights from artists and game developers, handed us the song pairings and game assets, and then it was our job to create these amazing videos. We faced similar hurdles with software restrictions and motion capture not always matching up with intricate character models. Unlike season 1, we partnered with the University at Buffalo’s supercomputing center for rendering. This reduced the time significantly, with each video taking about an hour to render. However, it took a whole day to transfer all the frames onto a portable hard drive. Once that was done, our editor would assemble everything for another round of rendering.

During the first season, most businesses and creators maintained a passive role, merely approving storyboards and early edits. However, during the second season, there was increased direct involvement from specific entities. Apart from the well-known SpongeBob situation, LucasArts made a special demand when they agreed to collaborate with MTV and IBC – they asked for the right to use scenes from Star Wars: Battlefront 2 and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Unlike other instances where IBC had free rein over Video Mod direction, a certain proportion of LucasArts-related videos were required to include gameplay footage, which they supplied.

It was quite intriguing to learn that somewhere at Skywalker Ranch, George Lucas had seen our preliminary edit and approved it with a thumbs-up, according to former IBC president Benjamin Porcari. A similar story unfolded with Marc Ecko regarding the music video for “Mountain Song” by Jane’s Addiction, which included scenes from Marc Ecko’s Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure. The fashion designer and artist insisted on genuine motion capture and even invited one of his graffiti artist friends to the studio for it. Benjamin Porcari shared that it was a remarkable experience meeting him and listening to his accounts of early graffiti culture.

As a devotee, I’d like to highlight that the Beastie Boys were firm about overseeing the production of their “Oh Word?” music video mod, featuring in-game avatars of the band from NBA Street V3. They were determined to perform the motion capture themselves, ensuring no one would mimic them. Additionally, they requested a fish-eye lens effect, which wasn’t compatible with the software IBC was working with. To replicate the desired look, the team had to manipulate the image distortion instead.

Setting up an alternative for motion capture turned out to be quite challenging. In collaboration with Elektrashock based in LA, schedules didn’t permit the band to travel there. Furthermore, no motion capture studios in New York were available for rental. Consequently, IBC was forced to establish a motion capture room by transporting the equipment from Los Angeles, unfortunately one of the computers malfunctioned during transit.

Every computer in use had exclusive software, making it impossible for the group to swap machines with generic equipment. Instead, they contacted the software manufacturer located in Spain, who granted them a short-term license upon locating a compatible device. The Beastie Boys spent the majority of their time chatting and joking among themselves, passing the time as they waited for troubleshooting to conclude. Eventually, they enquired if the team believed the problems would be resolved by the end of the day; IBC was confident this would happen. The band agreed it was fine and planned to return the following day.

The problem arose because the trial license, which was functioning perfectly well in the evening, expired at midnight. As Drucker explained, “The next day, it didn’t work.” He exclaimed in frustration, “Why is this happening to me? I’m jinxed.” Therefore, we had to contact the company and they provided us with another demo version, allowing us to complete our task.

The crew who worked on season 2 of Video Mods looked back at their experience with fondness, highlighting the creative autonomy they had when presenting ideas to MTV, as the corporation often approved their suggestions. However, despite some changes not occurring from the previous season, the demanding work schedule and tight deadlines remained constant. As Porcari stated, “We were always juggling three tasks simultaneously. We put in 80-, 90-hour weeks. We worked through weekends. It was quite intense. Yet even during those times, I knew I’d miss it once it was over.”

Unplugged

A substantial number of concepts for video modifications were ultimately discarded. Originally, there was meant to be an additional episode in the second season, and there had even been lengthy conversations about a potential third season.

Among the artists under consideration, those whose songs were once popular but starting to decline in popularity, featured names such as Daddy Yankee, Dixie Chicks, and 50 Cent. Regarding 50 Cent, Drucker recounted a meeting with G-Unit members, who proposed concepts like “two rival gangs engaged in gunfights” and a “brothel,” ideas that wouldn’t have passed the TV censors due to their explicit nature. Few remember the games being discussed, except for Gears of War.

One query revolved around deciding the path for the series as its novelty started fading. Many suggested Machinima as a continuous inspiration, focusing on an increase in user-created content within the show. This was previously demonstrated with the Video Mod of “So Cold” by Breaking Benjamin, set in Half-Life 2, created by Paul Marino. He shared with TopMob that he didn’t receive monetary compensation but gained exposure instead, emphasizing how it highlighted Machinima’s potential to those beyond the modding community.

At the close of the day, Video Mods didn’t turn out to be a hit in terms of ratings. Coletti stated that it wasn’t as popular as Cribs, nor did it garner attention from newspapers or Entertainment Tonight. Instead, it was more about deciding where to invest production funds. After two seasons, it seemed that the show had reached its potential and wasn’t expected to improve or decline further.

A large number of individuals who had been involved in the Video Mods project remained with Big Bear Entertainment and IBC Digital following the completion of deals with MTV. These studios functioned until 2007 and 2013 respectively, after which many moved to jobs in the gaming sector, while others adapted their abilities to TV and film production. Those interviewed for this article later worked at companies such as HBO, BioWare, and Vice Media; contributed to games like Psychonauts 2 and Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands; and were part of productions like The Great North and Insidious: The Red Door.

20 years after our cherished show “Video Mods” came to an end, Shiff and Renkewitz are now breathing life into what Shiff refers to as a “Video Mods reboot.” They’re leveraging the Unreal Engine and Renkewitz’s home motion capture setup for this endeavor. The project is a duo of games that they aim to present to game publishers for funding: “Flashmobs” and “Supergroup.” To enrich these games, they’re collaborating with professional dancers for “Flashmobs” and rock bands for “Supergroup,” focusing on social media and influencers. Shiff hinted at negotiations with a renowned metal band, while also partnering closely with dance influencers – not only for the games but to create Video Mods-style content for their TikTok and YouTube channels.

The virality that clips like SpongeBob’s “All the Small Things” have found in recent years provides a glimpse of what the reception could have been. People modding characters from other games, films, and TV shows into Guitar Hero, and the concept behind Fortnite Festival (and its potential for funny clips), are inherently keeping the Video Mods spirit alive.

In a recent statement, Titre-Montgomery expressed his belief that the innovative concept introduced 20 years ago remains relevant today, despite advancements in graphics and elevated user expectations. He continues to assert that games are an exceptional platform for self-expression. Reminiscing about Video Mods, he highlighted its positive atmosphere, filled with enjoyable activities. Unfortunately, he feels the gaming world has grown toxic and disheartening, and true fun is scarce. He wishes we could revisit the joyous times of Video Mods and work towards recreating that experience in today’s gaming landscape.

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2024-08-08 21:20