Groundbreaking “Crowdsourced” Video to Debut TODAY, June 14th on Facebook.com/MichaelJackson
New York, NY – This spring, the Estate of Michael Jackson and Sony Music gave everyone around the world the opportunity to be a part of Michael Jackson’s video legacy with The Behind the Mask Project. This groundbreaking, global online casting call prompted people in all corners of the planet who love Michael Jackson’s music to shoot, upload and submit their own unique performances for inclusion in the video; the project elicited an unprecedented response from 103 countries in the world. And TODAY June 14th at 9am EST, The Behind the Mask Project will be unveiled on link.
Led by the creative team at @radical.media and acclaimed director Dennis Liu,
The Behind the Mask Project launched in March 2011 with a state of the art website link loaded with simple tools that defined the different roles one could play. Upon entering the site, users selected an action like playing an instrument, singing a lyric, acting out a crowd reaction or demonstrating a classic MJ dance move. Then, using the site’s split-screen template, contributors were able to shoot their move right on the website or with their web cam and upload the clip at the precise time it occurred in the video.
Dennis Liu comments, “This has been the most exciting and fun project I think I've ever been involved in. It's been such a privilege, and was incredibly moving to see so many people from all over the world join as one, their creative voices, dance and musical talents bound together by Michael Jackson’s spirit and incomparable artistry. We received submissions from the Sahara Desert to Venice Beach, from mountaintops to suburban backyards, with some shots featuring well over one hundred people apiece. All who participated delivered brilliantly.”
After submissions poured in from all over the globe they were carefully edited down by the director to the best 1600 submissions (including 50 kids and 36 animals). On June 14th, the 35 million Facebook fans of Michael Jackson will get the first look at this landmark video. New fans can log on to www.Facebook.com/MichaelJackson and click “Like” to view the video.
Technology journalist Natali Morris comments, “Michael Jackson was crowdsourcing his videos before crowdsourcing even existed. This project is a perfect way to honor his connection with his fans.”
The song “Behind the Mask” is a critic and fan favorite from MICHAEL – the unique collection of songs featuring Michael’s performances completed posthumously and released in December by the Michael Jackson Estate and Sony Music. MICHAEL was the #1 global album upon its release in December and has shipped over 3 million units worldwide making it one of the biggest albums of 2010. The album’s success continues to underscore Michael’s importance as a global icon and superstar, transcending cultures and languages.
Dennis Liu is an award-winning digital filmmaker at @radical.media. Dennis quickly made a name for himself winning awards for clients that include Apple and Microsoft and being honored in the renowned "Saatchi & Saatchi New Directors Showcase". @radical.media is a global transmedia company that creates some of the world's most innovative content and the home to @radical.media design+digital. @radical.media's award-winning projects include the Academy Award®-winning documentary “The Fog of War”; the Grammy®-winning “Concert for George”; the Independent Spirit Award-winning “Metallica: Some Kind of Monster”; the award-winning digital experience “The Wilderness Downtown” for Google Creative Lab and Arcade Fire; the Grammy-nominated “The Johnny Cash Project”; the Emmy® and Golden Globe®-winning pilot episode of the hit series “Mad Men”; the Emmy®-winning “10 Days That Unexpectedly Changed America” for the History Channel; and five seasons of the critically acclaimed Sundance Channel series “Iconoclasts,” among others.
@radical.media is a global transmedia company that creates some of the world’s most innovative content across all forms of media. The company develops, produces and distributes television, feature films, commercials, music programming, smartphone & tablet applications, digital content and design. The company has been honored with an Academy Award®, numerous Emmys®, a Golden Globe®, Grammys®, Webbys®, The Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award for Communication Design, two Palme D’Or’s at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival, and just about every other accolade associated with the advertising and marketing industries. @radical.media is a FremantleMedia Company. FremantleMedia's global production arm is responsible for many of the world’s highest rated prime time television programmes and its brand extension arm FremantleMedia Enterprises offers a one-stop-shop for all Licensing, Distribution and Home Entertainment globally. www.radicalmedia.com.
www.radicalmedia.com.
www.Facebook.com/MichaelJackson
Twitter @michaeljackson #MJBehindtheMask
www.MichaelJackson.com
New York, NY – This spring, the Estate of Michael Jackson and Sony Music gave everyone around the world the opportunity to be a part of Michael Jackson’s video legacy with The Behind the Mask Project. This groundbreaking, global online casting call prompted people in all corners of the planet who love Michael Jackson’s music to shoot, upload and submit their own unique performances for inclusion in the video; the project elicited an unprecedented response from 103 countries in the world. And TODAY June 14th at 9am EST, The Behind the Mask Project will be unveiled on link.
Led by the creative team at @radical.media and acclaimed director Dennis Liu,
The Behind the Mask Project launched in March 2011 with a state of the art website link loaded with simple tools that defined the different roles one could play. Upon entering the site, users selected an action like playing an instrument, singing a lyric, acting out a crowd reaction or demonstrating a classic MJ dance move. Then, using the site’s split-screen template, contributors were able to shoot their move right on the website or with their web cam and upload the clip at the precise time it occurred in the video.
Dennis Liu comments, “This has been the most exciting and fun project I think I've ever been involved in. It's been such a privilege, and was incredibly moving to see so many people from all over the world join as one, their creative voices, dance and musical talents bound together by Michael Jackson’s spirit and incomparable artistry. We received submissions from the Sahara Desert to Venice Beach, from mountaintops to suburban backyards, with some shots featuring well over one hundred people apiece. All who participated delivered brilliantly.”
After submissions poured in from all over the globe they were carefully edited down by the director to the best 1600 submissions (including 50 kids and 36 animals). On June 14th, the 35 million Facebook fans of Michael Jackson will get the first look at this landmark video. New fans can log on to www.Facebook.com/MichaelJackson and click “Like” to view the video.
Technology journalist Natali Morris comments, “Michael Jackson was crowdsourcing his videos before crowdsourcing even existed. This project is a perfect way to honor his connection with his fans.”
The song “Behind the Mask” is a critic and fan favorite from MICHAEL – the unique collection of songs featuring Michael’s performances completed posthumously and released in December by the Michael Jackson Estate and Sony Music. MICHAEL was the #1 global album upon its release in December and has shipped over 3 million units worldwide making it one of the biggest albums of 2010. The album’s success continues to underscore Michael’s importance as a global icon and superstar, transcending cultures and languages.
Dennis Liu is an award-winning digital filmmaker at @radical.media. Dennis quickly made a name for himself winning awards for clients that include Apple and Microsoft and being honored in the renowned "Saatchi & Saatchi New Directors Showcase". @radical.media is a global transmedia company that creates some of the world's most innovative content and the home to @radical.media design+digital. @radical.media's award-winning projects include the Academy Award®-winning documentary “The Fog of War”; the Grammy®-winning “Concert for George”; the Independent Spirit Award-winning “Metallica: Some Kind of Monster”; the award-winning digital experience “The Wilderness Downtown” for Google Creative Lab and Arcade Fire; the Grammy-nominated “The Johnny Cash Project”; the Emmy® and Golden Globe®-winning pilot episode of the hit series “Mad Men”; the Emmy®-winning “10 Days That Unexpectedly Changed America” for the History Channel; and five seasons of the critically acclaimed Sundance Channel series “Iconoclasts,” among others.
@radical.media is a global transmedia company that creates some of the world’s most innovative content across all forms of media. The company develops, produces and distributes television, feature films, commercials, music programming, smartphone & tablet applications, digital content and design. The company has been honored with an Academy Award®, numerous Emmys®, a Golden Globe®, Grammys®, Webbys®, The Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award for Communication Design, two Palme D’Or’s at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival, and just about every other accolade associated with the advertising and marketing industries. @radical.media is a FremantleMedia Company. FremantleMedia's global production arm is responsible for many of the world’s highest rated prime time television programmes and its brand extension arm FremantleMedia Enterprises offers a one-stop-shop for all Licensing, Distribution and Home Entertainment globally. www.radicalmedia.com.
www.radicalmedia.com.
www.Facebook.com/MichaelJackson
Twitter @michaeljackson #MJBehindtheMask
www.MichaelJackson.com
Blazing 'cross the evening sky
Gone too soon
Like a rainbow
Fading in the twinkling of an eye
Gone too soon
Shiny and sparkly
And splendidly bright
Here one day
Gone one night
Like the loss of sunlight
On a cloudy afternoon
Gone too soon
Like a castle
Built upon a sandy beach
Gone too soon
Like a perfect flower
That is just beyond your reach
Gone too soon
Born to amuse
To inspire to delight
Here one day
Gone one night
Like a sunset
Dying with the rising of the moon
Gone too soon
Gone too soon
His first goal in life must have been to own a candy store because he loved to play storekeeper. After Joe began giving him and his brothers a weekly allowance, he would spend every cent of it on candy and gum. He’d come home with an armful of it, take a board and two bricks and place them in the doorway to the boys’ bedroom, place a cloth over the board, lay the candy on top of it, and sell it to his brothers and sisters and friends for the same price he’d paid for it.
Michael was also a serious candy-eater and gum-chewer. Before he opened his “store,” he’d save his pennies so that he could purchase bubble gum at the concession stand at the Little League ball park behind our house. One night, however, he couldn’t find his penny for gum and he was so upset he started crying. “Mother, do you know what happened to my penny?” he asked. I knew the answer when I saw Marlon @Marlon_Jackson happily chewing away on a wad of bubble gum nearby.
Michael was also a serious candy-eater and gum-chewer. Before he opened his “store,” he’d save his pennies so that he could purchase bubble gum at the concession stand at the Little League ball park behind our house. One night, however, he couldn’t find his penny for gum and he was so upset he started crying. “Mother, do you know what happened to my penny?” he asked. I knew the answer when I saw Marlon @Marlon_Jackson happily chewing away on a wad of bubble gum nearby.