The titles for the video were done by Equal Studio. Equal’s Nicholas Scimeca designed the Bartskull/Bat-logo series of images which can be seen gracing Clandestine Industries, Decaydance Records, Pete Wentz’s skin, and the hunters’ car in the Sixteen Candles video.
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From the Cinema Makeup newsletter:
Ralis Kahn, Character Make-Up Instructor, recently created 60 sets of vampire teeth for the Fall Out Boy music video, A little less Sixteen Candles, a little more Touch Me.
Company X & Sugarbox Go All Out For Fall Out Boy’s ‘Sixteen Candles’ Music Video
New York – In pitching his approach to “A Little Less Sixteen Candles, A Little More ‘Touch Me’,” the latest video from MTV chart-toppers Fall Out Boy, Anonymous Content director Alan Ferguson asked the following question: “So, do you guys want a regular video or do you want an event video?” It is clear, from both the anticipation surrounding the video’s March 8 debut and the resulting accolades, that the band made the right decision. To pull off this 6:37 event, which is enjoying extensive airplay in its entirety, Ferguson called upon editorial house Company X (www.companyx.tv)and Sugarbox (www.sugarbox.tv) music and sound design. He collaborated with both companies on Fall Out Boy’s previous outing, the smash hit vid for “Dance, Dance.”
In addition to cutting the clip, Company X founder Barney Miller co-created the project’s sound design with Jeff Slutz of Sugarbox. Andrew Hollander, who founded Sugarbox early last year, composed an original score for the opening of the video, which has a monster-movie theme. In the clip, band members seek revenge against the undead, who have turned one of the guys into a vampire. “To contrast the song itself, I approached the opening score from more of a scary-movie, orchestral perspective,” said Hollander, who used strings, orchestral percussion, and woodwinds to create the piece.
“The song has a pop-y sound and we wanted a vid that would work in contrast,” said Ferguson. “Pete (Wentz, the band’s bassist) loves vampires and the movie Lost Boys…we started thinking about gangs of vampires taking over a town.” In November 2005, Ferguson drafted a treatment that included some touches unique to the band’s taste and sensibilities. The finalized treatment was presented to Miller, for analysis from an editorial point of view. “We knew this clip would be three times the challenge of ‘Dance, Dance’ editorially,” said Ferguson. “There were so many scenes, and it was so much more dense and intense, narratively speaking.”
“After the ride we had with ‘Dance, Dance,’ I was expecting something fun,” Miller said. “The treatment was so ambitious, yet at the same time, once we agreed not to worry about the length, I was freed up to concern myself with the story, the ‘mini-movie,’ if you will.” Miller added that the close collaboration among editor/sound designer, composer, director, and band contributed to a smooth process for al involved.
Miller and his assistant editor, Rob Mead, assembled each scene and, working with Sugarbox’s Slutz, created the sound design, pulling sound effects and doing some Foley work with Wentz., who writhed on the studio floor to get his screams right. Apparently, it was worth the effort: music blogs are overflowing with female fans raving about the screams’ sexual energy. Fall Out Boy vocalist/guitarist Patrick Stump also came into the Sugarbox studio to lay down an original track he composed for the video’s middle section, and to record a voiceover for the narrative. Robert Smith of Sugarbox engineered all the recording sessions on the proejct. “The first video was a bit more traditional in terms of the work with the band; this was more in-person, a wonderful collaboration with everyone, a genuine team effort,” Miller said. “Alan’s creativity and willingness to explore myriad sounds and ideas added so much. All these elements meant lots of long nights, but it was worth it.”
“A good amount of my time is spent scoring features and writing/producing for rock bands, so it was nice to do something where those two came together,” Hollander said. “We can have a fantastic session with someone a thousand miles away,” he noted, “but this was more about everyone pitching in and being committed to a completely integrated process.”
The video’s martial arts element and fight choreography expanded based on former all-state soccer player Wentz’s innate ability and training with fight choreographer/stunt coordinator Malcolm Murray. “Pete is fearless with his body, and the other band members were so committed and dedicated in everything they’ve done I knew they’d work hard,” Ferguson pointed out. “When you use stunt choreography, so much depends on reacting to others. There was a stunt double on set, but Pete did 95 % of the stunt work.”
“It was great that MTV responded so well to this piece, and that they aired it in its entirety,” said Ferguson, who credits DP Danny Hiele with helping to create the look of the film. “We know that’s very rare.”