Product Copy/Social Media Captions

For those recruiters and hiring managers who like to see a bit of personality showcased in an applicant's submission for employment, I've also included a music video I made as part of my last-minute job application for a position as the social media manager for a  popular independent record company. I spent a ton of time slipping subtle, "easter egg" references to the label and their artist roster which, at the time, seemed like I brilliant way to show my knowledge of the company, but which ultimately didn't seem to overshadow my lack of time or filmmaking prowess. Below is a list of every Merge-related reference I integrated into the mise-en-scene. 

• FUN FACT: The video was shot and edited in a single day, submitted the following day and was technically sent after submissions had closed.  If you're appalled by the maladroit construction, too-long static shots, sloppy editing, etc--please consider the argument that it was done on an extremely limited budget and schedule and seemed appropriately haphazard for a job at an indie label who, at least in their burgeoning days, championed lo-fi aesthetics.  Indie nerds, step up to the plate! 

• Forgive me Stephin. 

• The song is a cover of The Magnetic Fields' classic "100,000 Fireflies", which is a track from their Wayward Bus/Distant Plastic Trees 2XLP, released by Merge. The song has also been covered by Superchunk, the band in which the founders of Merge play. The Magnetic Fields have been responsible for several of the highest-selling and most-cherished releases in the Merge catalog. I updated the lyrics to be more about wanting to work at Merge, whereas Superchunk performs a faithful cover with integrity of the lyrics intact. 
• I'm holding a mandolin (and my resume) in the opening shot in reference to the first line of "100,000 Fireflies", which is:

"I have a mandolin". 

• There's a Magnetic Fields poster in a frame on the wall behind me. 
• 0:10  Superchunk have performed as The Misfits for Halloween shows, going so far as to adopt the face paint and "Devilocks" made famous by Danzig and The Misfits. There's also another Magnetic Fields poster advertising the vinyl pressing of the album on which the original "100,000 Fireflies" is featured. The poster is signed by Stephin Merritt on the lower left corner. 
• 0:20 My subject is Dan Bejar of Destroyer who is on Merge. 
• 0:31 My subject is Alastair MacClean of The Clientele who are on Merge.
• 1:00 Every LP in the stack i'm flipping through is a Merge Records release. 
• 1:10 My subject is William Tyler, a guitarist whose music not only inspired me to learn how to fingerpick with the limited acumen displayed in this video, but also played on and released multiple albums under his own name via...you guessed it: Merge Records. 
• 1:25 A Merge turntable mat on the platter. 
• 1:26 The LP is the Peak Vinyl version of the Clientele LP, Music For the Age of Miracles (MRG607) 
• 1:45 My subject is the writer of "100,000 Fireflies", Stephin Merritt of The Magnetic Fields. 
• 1:56 The LP is the Peak Vinyl version of Richard Buckner's dents and shells casing [sic] which was released on vinyl for the first time on its 15th anniversary (MRG249).
• 1:57 My subject is Patrick Stickles of the New Jersey band Titus Andronicus, who are on Merge. 
• 2:02 The LP is Destroyer's Kaputt, (MRG369). 
• 2:09 The rapid-fire shots of records spinning all feature a self-referential item placed just to the left of the turntable, listed/ explained below in order of appearance: 

• Archers of Loaf-Icky Mettle (MRG415) the Studs Terkel book is a reference to Icky Mettle's cover art, which features the text "This Spot Reserved For Studs Tercel[sic]"
• Titus Andronicus-An Obelisk (MRG676) The titular cardboard punch-out obelisk included inside the LP is featured in finished form.
• The Magnetic Fields-69 Love Songs (MRG 169) Daniel Handler's book Adverbs follows the same principle as the LP in that all the stories are meant to represent different kinds of love. Handler is also featured on the album playing the accordion. 
• William Tyler- Goes West (MRG645) David Berman's band Silver Jews featured Tyler as a touring member, Actual Air is Berman's critically acclaimed book of poetry. Tyler and Berman both appear in the Michael Tully film Silver Jew, which documents the band playing several dates in Israel. The DVD isn't featured here but I mention it because Tully was on the festival circuit showing the doc at many of the same film fests where Quiet City (an independent film I acted in and helped write) was shown, so I got to know and admire him. Quiet City got a nomination for an Independent Spirit Award but didn't win. A few years later, the director would get another nomination and win the award, but with another project in which I was not involved, so boo. 
• The Love Language-Baby Grand (MRG596) Members of the band are featured as younger replacements for founding members of Superchunk in their "Digging For Something"music video. 
• David Kilgour and the Heavy 8's- End Times Undone (MRG519) Kilgour founded the seminal New Zealand band The Clean and helped launch a movement now known as the "Dunedin Sound". The yellow record cleaner is a reference to the band, whose 4XLP Anthology box set is MRG220. 
• 2:35 The LP is a Merge tribute to David Bowie's Heroes, (MRG641) featuring Dan Bejar, William Tyler and other Merge alum, released as part of a 1-year subscription celebrating the 30th anniversary of the label. 
• 2:57 Screen shots of Stephin Merritt, Neutral Milk Hotel's Jeff Mangum and Superchunk/Merge founder Mac McCaughan. 
• 3:22 Neutral Milk Hotel's In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (MRG136) ends with an acoustic number featuring Jeff Mangum on vocals and guitar and the final seconds of it's runtime feature Mangum audibly standing up from his chair and departing the session, largely considered a symbolic gesture as the band haven't made a studio recording since. The final shot of this music video was intended as a subtle homage.