Motionless in White, ‘Devil’s Night': Chris Motionless Gives the Story Behind the New Video (EXCLUSIVE)
Last week, Motionless in White released, Infamous, their hotly tipped second album. The group also unleashed a video for the track "Devil's Night." In this Noisecreep exclusive, singer Chris Motionless and director Cody Blue Snider give us the story behind the new clip.
From Chris Motionless:
"When Cody [Snider, director] and I first started discussing the video for "Devil's Night", my original idea was to just for once go all out in the direction of creating a badass horror movie-esque video, and step back from trying to really drive a strong message home. I didn't want to feel like we cornered ourselves into HAVING to do that with every video we've done since "Abigail". This time I was out for something that could potentially scare the hell out of someone, and to really focus on what gets into viewers' heads. After really digging in to ideas, we came to the point of asking ourselves "Why not do both?"
Everything he and I came up with somehow ended up being a metaphorical message that tied in with the lyrics of the song regardless of how much we weren't specifically aiming for it. I realized that this is the band we are, and I'd much rather be known for having something inspiring in our video than having it merely exist just to exist I'm thrilled with the direction the "Devil's Night" video went in. It has the big horror story and it has the big message -- essentially the two most dominant elements that MIW is comprised of. Whether it scares you or empowers you, there's something in this video you will find worth watching."
Watch 'Devil's Night' Video
From Cody Blue Snider:
"For the past year, people would ask me if I was worried about topping the "Immaculate Misconception" music video and the truth is, I never really was. That was the first music video I ever directed and since then I have only matured as a filmmaker. Chris and I were entering our second video together with a pre-established foundation of respect and trust, making the creative process far more fluid. And most importantly, Fearless Records and MIW have giant balls of steel and they aren't afraid to flaunt them. That might sound trivial, but most bands and labels are very quick to shoot down any subversive ideas I have, neutering my irreverent and controversial style. Chris is a master of his craft and working with him is a privilege. Every song he writes has subtext and a positive message within it, making my job that much easier.
This music video is about the people in the world, who only listen to what they are told, not opening their eyes to see for themselves what's around them and not opening their mouth to speak their own opinion. That is what the people with no faces in the video personify. They are literally people with skin covering their eyes, nose and mouth, with only their ears open to the world. When MIW attacks those people, they are afraid, fearing for their lives, only to discover that they are actually being helped and "freed." Free to see the world around them for what it is and free have their own identity. This is a commentary on traditionalism, on closed-minded people fearing and condemning anything that is not what they have been told is acceptable. These "freed" people, help free others, eventually marching to a locked gate that has a sign, warning them to "Do Not Exit", MIW symbolically breaks the lock off, forever freeing the people from cultural and societal imprisonment. To sum up the thesis of the video in a quote, "All that we are, is a result of what we have thought."