How Sum 41 Tapped Fan Content for a Moving Music Video

Case Studies

Aug 10

You’ve no doubt heard (and possibly rocked out to) Sum 41’s iconic party anthem “Fat Lip.” Mixing elements of skate punk, nu-metal, and good old-fashioned pop, Sum 41 is not exactly a band that follows convention. Knowing that Sum 41, their director John Asher, and their management company Patriot Management, wanted to take a different approach to the music video for “Catching Fire,” Sum 41’s 2021 hit which deals heavily in themes of mental health and suicide. What better way to maximize an edit's impact than by incorporating real footage from fans who have dealt with such themes and experiences?

The idea: Mix fan content with professionally-shot footage

Music videos usually rely on traditional filming methods, including full-scale lighting set-ups, location scouting, equipment rentals, a crew, and so on. It gives the film a slick, professional feel, BUT it’s rarely the best way to capture authentic moments from real people; that has to come from fan engagement. So, with Cinebody already in Patriot Management’s back pocket, a hybrid model was seen as the best way to craft a polished yet authentic music video for a song that hits home for many fans.

“We wanted real people with real stories to create a visual connection between song and experience,” said Chris Nary, Manager at Patriot Management. “Cinebody was the perfect way to reach Sum 41’s fans and get the genuine footage we needed, and fast.”

This kind of crowdsourced music video has been wildly successful for musical acts in the past, including OneRepublic and Durand Jones. Bands like Sum 41 music video have a loyal following, and by putting a quick call to action on social media with a unique project join code, fans are able to join the project in droves and film as soon as they’re ready. John Asher created a shot list for fans to view upon joining the project which consisted of a single but specific request: “Write the name of a loved one that you’ve lost to suicide on your hand, the date they were born, and the date you lost them, and bring it slowly into the frame.” And if that wasn’t descriptive enough, Asher uploaded an example video for fans to reference before filming.

With all the boxes checked, the flood of fan submissions began almost immediately after the post went live. And since Cinebody allows you to control the filming specs on participants’ phones, the footage could be seamlessly incorporated into the existing post-production workflow. What transpired was a final cut that retains quality, style, and authenticity in a way that appears effortless.

The “Catching Fire” video received over a quarter of a million YouTube views in under two weeks, and that number has continued to rise. That just goes to show the power of not only reaching out to fans but involving them in your work to strengthen its impact.