We published an article that mentioned ALLDAY PROJECT the other day. I hadn’t heard of them before, so I figured I’d check out their song FAMOUS. The song was okay but the video was boring to me at first.
A Disorienting Music Video
That’s when I caught a glimpse of a girl with light brown hair dancing. And just from her movements, I could tell this girl can dance. But before I could lock in, her shoe turned into a city and she was gone.
Then the camera cut to a guy with braids. I was thinking, “Oohh… bold move with the braids (which I like),” and then he did a move. I could tell that he can dance too.
And then the camera switched to a giant cheetah walking through the city. The braided guy’s chain changed into the open mouth of a cat with its tongue wagging at you.
No, I haven’t had a drop of alcohol as I write this.
Now I’m triggered. I’m just trying to watch these two dance, but the camerawork is all over the place. Then a blonde guy who looks familiar shows up. My brain can only take so much!
Finally, the brown-haired girl and the braids guy dance together. For like, two seconds. Literally, maybe three. But it was obvious those two can dance. The blonde guy isn’t a bad dancer either. A million transitions later, the light brown-haired girl danced again at the end. And oh boy, can she dance.
The Dancers Are Right There. So Why Can’t We See Them?
At this point, I’m thinking, “Should I walk away or try a better video?” I go for the dance practice because the camera will stay still… right?
Wrong.
It starts with an ass shot of some girl waving her arms around like she’s doing a bathroom dance. Fifteen long seconds later, the real action begins. Braids guy and blonde guy up front. Brown-haired girl in the back. I was ready.
But again, the camera didn’t stay still. At this point, I was annoyed. How do you have a dance practice video and not show the footwork?
As the camera bounced around like it was dodging lasers, the payoff finally came at the end. Brown-haired girl danced her ass off, and the braids guy did a flip over her. What an ending.
It wasn’t until I sat back down that I realized I’d gotten out of my chair while the brown-haired girl danced her ass off. That’s how hard she hit.
And now I understand the problem. I saw there was a second dance video, for a different song called WICKED. I clicked it, knowing exactly what I was going to see.
They started off strong with the braids guy with his back to the camera. Then he slowly turned around and cracked his knuckles. Badass. Of course the camera did not stay still. But now I get why.
When the Camera Is a Distraction, Not a Tool
I purposely didn’t use their names earlier because I wanted to show what it’s like for someone watching these videos for the first time. I didn’t know who was who. I imagine the average viewer is thinking, “Who’s the guy with the braids? Who’s the girl with the brown hair? They’re cute!”
The end result is the same. Unless you go out of your way to look up personal cams, the chaotic camera work in these videos keeps you from watching them critically.
When a video has this many cuts, it’s to distract the viewer.
For context: the braids guy is Tarzzan. Light brown-haired girl is Bailey, who’s also the choreographer. Blonde guy is Woochan (you might recognize him from Show Me the Money). Annie Moon is a rapper and lyricist. Youngseo is a vocalist and lyricist.
Marketing with Mystery Is a Gamble
THEBLACKLABEL’s whole approach feels like a trust fall. Like they expect the average viewer to pause the video, rewind, Google each member’s name, then look up fancams just to piece it all together.
Most people won’t.
They’ll watch the video once, get overwhelmed by the editing, and move on.
And for a brand-new group trying to make a name for themselves, that’s a missed opportunity.
Their debut isn’t the time for puzzle boxes. It’s the time to introduce your aces. Let the public meet Bailey the choreographer, Tarzzan the dancer, Woochan the rapper, Annie the lyricist, Youngseo the vocalist. Build faces, and connections.
Instead, the group’s best moments are tucked behind a hundred rapid-fire transitions. Unless you already know what to look for, you’ll probably miss them.
Let me be clear: the video editor(s) are not the stars. The idols are. The video editor’s job is to make the idols look their best. Not show off their editing skills.
Show Us the Heat
What makes ALLDAY PROJECT special is their charisma. The spark is real and the talent is undeniable. But the current marketing strategy is doing more to distract than to showcase.
There’s a difference between creating a mood and creating confusion. And if THEBLACKLABEL really wants this group to break out, it’s time to let go of the noise and let the performers speak for themselves.
Sometimes, the boldest move is just… keeping the camera still.
