Frontiers
A Visual Journey with Béla Fleck and the Flecktones
1990s • 16mm Music Video
About the Music Video
Frontiers is a visually stunning 16mm music video created for Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, one of the world's premier jazz ensembles. Produced, shot, and edited by Clayton Rye, this project showcases his mastery of time-lapse cinematography and his ability to create compelling visual narratives that complement musical performances.
The collaboration brought together Clayton's visual artistry with the Flecktones' innovative jazz fusion, resulting in a music video that transcends traditional performance footage. Through careful composition and time-lapse techniques, Clayton created a visual experience that matches the complexity and creativity of the music itself.
Collaboration with Béla Fleck and the Flecktones
Béla Fleck and the Flecktones are a Grammy-winning jazz ensemble known for their innovative fusion of jazz, bluegrass, funk, and world music. Béla Fleck, a virtuoso banjo player, has pushed the boundaries of what the banjo can do in contemporary music.
Clayton's collaboration with the Flecktones demonstrates his versatility as a filmmaker and his ability to work across different genres. The project required not just technical skill in cinematography and editing, but also a deep understanding of how visual rhythm can complement musical rhythm.
The resulting music video earned a Broadcast Education Association Award, recognizing the excellence of both the technical execution and the artistic vision behind the project.
Béla Fleck and the Flecktones
Grammy-Winning Jazz Ensemble
Innovative fusion of jazz, bluegrass, funk, and world music
Time-Lapse Cinematography
Technical Approach
Shot on 16mm film, Frontiers employs time-lapse cinematography to create dynamic visual sequences that compress time and reveal patterns invisible to the naked eye.
This technique requires precise planning, technical expertise, and patience—qualities that Clayton developed over decades of filmmaking experience. The use of 16mm film adds a distinctive texture and quality to the imagery.
Artistic Vision
The time-lapse sequences create a visual rhythm that complements the musical composition, transforming the music video into a meditation on time, movement, and the relationship between sound and image. Clayton's approach demonstrates how experimental techniques can enhance musical storytelling.
Funding & Production Support
Center for New TV (Chicago)
The Center for New TV in Chicago provided partial funding for the project, supporting innovative video art and experimental media production. This organization has been instrumental in fostering creative video work since its founding.
Ferris State University
Ferris State University, where Clayton taught from 1988 to 2011, also provided partial funding for the project. This support demonstrates the university's commitment to faculty creative work and the integration of professional practice with teaching.
Awards & Recognition
Broadcast Education Association Award
Music Video Category
1990s
This award recognized excellence in music video production, honoring the innovative use of time-lapse cinematography and the successful collaboration between filmmaker and musicians.
Production Details
Producer, Cinematographer, Editor
Clayton Rye
Musical Artists
Béla Fleck and the Flecktones
Year
1990s
Format
16mm Film
Technique
Time-Lapse Cinematography
Funding
Center for New TV (Chicago) & Ferris State University
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