Case Study
"Creative Vandal"
Title and Overview
Creative Vandal is a feature documentary by DOGMA85, chronicling the career of Nick Egan, a pioneering music video director known for his iconic collaborations with artists like INXS, Duran Duran, and Malcolm McLaren. Shot over five days in Los Angeles and supplemented with interviews in London, the film captures Egan's rise from a working-class background to a cultural innovator influenced by punk and hip-hop.
Project Background
Nick Egan
Egan’s career combines punk ethos and technical experimentation. From creating groundbreaking videos to designing for punk bands, his legacy is rooted in pushing visual and cultural boundaries.
Project Type
This feature-length documentary blends interviews, archival footage, and creative visuals, all developed by DOGMA85, which managed every stage from concept to distribution.
This feature-length documentary blends interviews, archival footage, and creative visuals, all developed by DOGMA85, which managed every stage from concept to distribution.
Approach and Strategy
Creative Direction
Nick Egan’s creative work is characterized by a raw, experimental style that defies traditional norms. His revolutionary use of cinematography and editing inspired our film’s visual and narrative approach. Egan often pushed technical boundaries, employing techniques like burning film stock by exposing it to sunlight or bleaching film strips to create a distressed, anarchic look. We sought to emulate this by blending polished storytelling with a deliberately unpolished aesthetic to mirror his vision.
In addition to this raw aesthetic, we utilized motion graphic design and animated elements to further enhance the storytelling. For instance, in the scene where Nick recalls a train journey at the 7:00 mark, motion graphics animate the view in the train windows while the camera subtly shakes to mimic the motion of a real train. This combination of animation and live-action footage added depth and immersion, bringing key moments of the narrative to life while staying true to the film’s artistic integrity.
Furthermore, we employed AI-generated visual effects to enhance the emotional depth of certain scenes. In a standout moment where Nick Egan discusses the inaccessibility of music in the 1970s, we applied AI to create a dramatic crash zoom-out that places Egan in a desolate forest, visually amplifying his feelings of distance and struggle. This effect, combined with subtle atmospheric sound design, deepened the emotional resonance of the scene, showcasing our ability to merge innovative technology with storytelling.
In addition to the film's raw aesthetic and innovative use of motion graphics, Creative Vandal features unique graphic elements that set it apart. Nick Egan personally painted the title cards and chapter dividers used throughout the film. These hand-painted graphics not only serve as visual markers that guide the audience through different segments of the documentary but also infuse the film with Egan’s distinctive artistic flair. Each title card and chapter divider reflects Egan's artistic vision, adding a personal touch to the film's presentation and enhancing its authenticity and visual appeal.
Main Title Designed and Painted By Nick Egan
Chapter Title Designed and Painted By Nick Egan
Music Video Title Designed and Painted By Nick Egan
Filming and Production
The primary shoot took place over five intense days in Los Angeles, capturing Nick Egan in various locations that were significant to his career. We also revisited locations from his iconic music videos, such as Ordinary World and Step Back in Time. To maintain production quality while staying on budget, DOGMA85 partnered with Deckhand Camera Rentals in exchange for film credits, optimizing resources without sacrificing quality.
Huntington Gardens (Location Ordinary World by Duran Duran)
Central LA (Location Step Back In Time by Kylie Minogue)
East LA river (Location Youth Against Fascism by Sonic Youth)
Post-production
The editing phase was a crucial element of the documentary, blending raw, cinematic visuals with sound design that accentuated Egan’s narrative. During the post-production process, we had the privilege of accessing a vast amount of archival material from Nick’s career. This included his iconic artwork, music videos, and rare VHS footage featuring the Sex Pistols, Michael Hutchence, and INXS. These assets were seamlessly woven into the documentary, adding rich layers of authenticity and depth to the storytelling.
Old Clip of John Lydon from Sex Pistols at 100 Club in London
Nick Egan and Michael Hutchinson from INXS
BTS of the video Step Back in time by Kylie Minogue
Execution and Process
Pre-production
Research and planning centered around Egan’s artistic philosophy and career milestones, structuring the documentary’s narrative.
Production
Filming spanned Los Angeles and London, including interviews with prominent collaborators like John Taylor, Sean Dickson, and Siobhan Fahey. Remote interviews were conducted with figures like Michael Holman, preserving the documentary’s raw aesthetic.
Post-production
Post-production emphasized blending artistic innovation with cohesive storytelling. AI-driven enhancements and archival footage integration added depth and richness.
YouTube Thumbnails
The thumbnails played a critical role in driving engagement on YouTube. While incorporating text into thumbnails typically boosts click-through rates (CTR), we wanted to maintain a visually appealing and artistic presentation. To achieve this, we designed the thumbnails with bold, strong text that was carefully integrated into the imagery. The text was visually harmonious, blending with the overall photographic style, keeping it both functional and aesthetically pleasing. This artistic approach contributed to the high CTR, with peaks around 7%.
Documentary Thumbnail Image Youtube
Teaser Thumbnail Image Youtube
Results and Impact
High Audience Engagement
The documentary achieved an impressive average watch time of 12:47 minutes and a click-THROUGH rate of 10.1% on YouTube, well above the platform’s average for long-form content DOCUMENTARY. This shows strong audience retention, indicating the film’s ability to captivate viewers.
Festival Selection
THE FILM HAS SO FAR WON THE LA FASHION FILM FESTIVAL, THE CANNES WORLD FILM FESTIVAL AND HAS BEEN SELECTED TO THE DOC'N ROLL FILM FESTIVAL PLUS MANY MORE.
Special Guests and Notable Appearances
One of the key elements that elevate Creative Vandal is the inclusion of special guests who provide unique insights into Nick Egan’s career and legacy. These appearances not only add depth to the narrative but also underline the vast network of influential artists and filmmakers who have collaborated with or been impacted by Egan's work.
Featured Guests Include
John Taylor (Duran Duran): As a member of one of the biggest bands in the world, John Taylor shared personal anecdotes about working with Nick on the iconic Ordinary World music video. His exclusive interview, filmed in London during rehearsals for a new tour, provides a firsthand account of Egan’s creative genius.
Alison Iraheta (American Idol Finalist): As a contemporary artist influenced by Egan’s work, Iraheta brings a fresh perspective, demonstrating how Egan’s creative legacy continues to inspire new generations of musicians and filmmakers.
Sean Dickson (Soup Dragons): Sean Dickson, frontman of the influential band Soup Dragons, shared his experiences working with Nick Egan. Dickson’s insights into their collaborations offer a glimpse into how Egan’s directorial style influenced the music video landscape of the time.
Remote Interviews via Zoom
To include key figures unavailable for in-person filming, remote interviews were conducted via Zoom. This method, though lower in video quality, aligned with the documentary’s raw, punk-inspired aesthetic. The integration of these lo-fi interviews added authenticity and captured valuable perspectives. Featuring collaborators and influencers of Nick Egan, these appearances provided multi-dimensional insights into his career, enriching the narrative and offering a broader understanding of his impact on music video direction and pop culture.
Siobhan Fahey (Bananarama): A childhood friend of Nick Egan, Siobhan Fahey reflected on their shared artistic influences from the punk scene and how it shaped both their careers. Her perspective adds a personal layer to the film, connecting Egan's creative journey to a wider cultural context.
Michael Holman (Filmmaker): A pioneer in the early hip-hop scene and an expert in its history, Michael Holman discussed Egan's impact in the New York creative world, particularly through his work with Malcolm McLaren. His contributions highlight the crossover between punk and hip-hop that defined much of Egan’s artistic career.
Leigh Gorman (Bow Wow Wow): Egan worked closely with Bow Wow Wow, a band that blended punk and new wave styles, and Leigh Gorman’s insights further illustrate how Egan’s direction helped shape the visual aesthetic of an entire era.
Key Learnings
Adaptability
The tight shooting schedule and logistical challenges required us to be flexible, especially when working with high-profile figures like John Taylor. We learned to think on our feet, making swift adjustments that still met our creative vision.
Creative Use of Resources
Leveraging fair use in a legally compliant yet innovative way allowed us to include Nick’s iconic music videos without sacrificing narrative quality. This balance between creativity and legal constraints was a valuable learning experience.
Remote Collaboration
The decision to use Zoom for interviews due to logistical constraints proved beneficial in maintaining the documentary’s lo-fi, punk aesthetic. This highlighted the importance of making technical limitations work in favor of the film’s artistic direction.
Conclusion
Creative Vandal is a testament to Nick Egan’s artistic legacy and DOGMA85’s storytelling expertise, blending raw energy with technical innovation to craft a compelling, visually striking documentary.
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