POWERLESS music video synopsis

Nelly Furtado “Powerless (Say What You Want)” music video, directed by Bryan Barber for FM Rocks, recently won Canada's MUCHMUSIC video award 2004: "BEST POP VIDEO". The single is the first release from Furtado’s album, “Folklore,” which debuted November 25, 2003 on the Dreamworks SKG label.

The video revolves around a classic psychological metaphor: Nelly trapped inside a box from which she seeks to escape. Inside, the box is plastered with posters that act as doors or windows for the artist’s imagination. Her situation is a metaphor for being both defined and confined by the illusory commercial reality of her celebrity and beauty.

With little time to prepare and working with a tight schedule, Moneyshots designed graphics effects for approximately 25 posters for the “Powerless” video which conveys much of the song’s message through the free spirited visual sojourns. The challenge Moneyshots faced was to animate the posters with emotion and imagination, capturing Nelly’s youthful enthusiasm and colorful personality as she sings a song that affirms the diversity and individualism inside everyone.

“They wanted the video to have a look and feel that was eye-catching and upbeat,” said Moneyshots’ creative director Elad Offer. “As often happens during a production, the ideas about what specific elements worked best evolved and changed. They were worried about how everything would come together in the end and be on time. But we were given a great concept and an almost a clean slate to work with.”

The video was shot on various sets and dressed locations, and in a large customized box crate, which were created by production designer Aaron Goffman. Moneyshots designed the posters and graphics that surround Nelly in the box and added the transitions that transport Nelly back and forth between the imprisoning box and the poster environments that signify the escape self-expression can bring.

With limited pre production time, Goffman employed three teams of prop buyers/dressers to work in tandem in order to accommodate the tight schedule. One of the sets, a large European-style fish market, required the dressers to truck in a ton of fresh fish.

The producers were Tom Fanning and Amanda Field, and the editor was David Checel. The Director of Photography was Tim Ives and the Production Designer was Aaron Goffman; Set construction was provided by Set Solutions.


	Nelly Furtado - Powerless (Say What You Want) (Dreamworks/Universal) Production Companies: FM Rocks / Circle Productions
	Synopsis of video concept and production design (This article is from Money Shots, and was edited by Aaron Goffman)
	Nelly Furtado “Powerless (Say What You Want)” music video, directed by Bryan Barber for FM Rocks, recently won Canada's MUCHMUSIC video award 2004: "BEST POP VIDEO". The single is the first release from Furtado’s album, “Folklore,” which debuted November 25, 2003 on the Dreamworks SKG label. The video revolves around a classic psychological metaphor: Nelly trapped inside a box from which she seeks to escape. Inside, the box is plastered with posters that act as doors or windows for the artist’s imagination. Her situation is a metaphor for being both defined and confined by the illusory commercial reality of her celebrity and beauty. With little time to prepare and working with a tight schedule, Moneyshots designed graphics effects for approximately 25 posters for the “Powerless” video which conveys much of the song’s message through the free spirited visual sojourns. The challenge Moneyshots faced was to animate the posters with emotion and imagination, capturing Nelly’s youthful enthusiasm and colorful personality as she sings a song that affirms the diversity and individualism inside everyone. “They wanted the video to have a look and feel that was eye-catching and upbeat,” said Moneyshots’ creative director Elad Offer. “As often happens during a production, the ideas about what specific elements worked best evolved and changed. They were worried about how everything would come together in the end and be on time. But we were given a great concept and an almost a clean slate to work with.” The video was shot on various sets and dressed locations, and in a large customized box crate, which were created by production designer Aaron Goffman. Moneyshots designed the posters and graphics that surround Nelly in the box and added the transitions that transport Nelly back and forth between the imprisoning box and the poster environments that signify the escape self-expression can bring. With limited pre production time, Goffman employed three teams of prop buyers/dressers to work in tandem in order to accommodate the tight schedule. One of the sets, a large European-style fish market, required the dressers to truck in a ton of fresh fish. The producers were Tom Fanning and Amanda Field, and the editor was David Checel. The Director of Photography was Tim Ives and the Production Designer was Aaron Goffman; Set construction was provided by Set Solutions.