Experience the Visual Journey of “Small Town Madness”

Prepare for a captivating mixed-media music video, “Small Town Madness,” that promises to be a visual adventure you’ll want to revisit time and again.

This vibrant and surreal video, crafted by Korean artist Sujin Kim (with live-action segments directed by Au Matt), serves as an exhilarating funhouse mirror reflecting the eclectic sounds of the band Kiwi Hug, blending ska, drum and bass, pop, and post-punk influences. As for the storyline? It features bizarre green snail creatures intent on consuming the Kiwi Hug band members. The duo finds themselves captured and transformed into felt-covered stone beings. Will they manage to escape the slimy snail monsters? Does it really matter? Just relax and immerse yourself in the sensory extravaganza — a stunning combination of eye-catching design, CG animation, and live action.

Inspiration Behind the Project

Reflecting on the project’s inception, Kim shares, “I was initially inspired by the song’s title and melody. I envisioned a narrative where the main characters are caught in a whirlwind of events, perfectly matching the song’s atmosphere. One of my strongest inspirations came from the classic hero-villain dynamics often depicted in Japanese animation from the 1960s to 1990s, like The Space Giants (1966). Given that the story unfolds in a peculiar village, I thought it would be intriguing to feature not the typical formidable monsters like dinosaurs, but rather seemingly weak creatures like snails, which turn out to be surprisingly perilous. This concept laid the groundwork for the story’s evolution.”

Visual Technique and Design Philosophy

On the video’s artistic approach, Kim elaborates, “I aimed to steer clear of overly polished designs. Instead, I sought a slightly rough, handmade aesthetic that I find incredibly appealing. For the green creatures, I utilized ZBrush to sculpt them while preserving that handcrafted essence. Subsequently, I refined the textures in Substance Painter to achieve a subtle quality that lies somewhere between plastic and clay.”

About Sujin Kim

Sujin Kim, also known as Fom Fom, is a talented filmmaker and illustrator based in Seoul, Korea. With a background in visual communication design, she creates across various mediums including music videos, short animations, illustrations, and media wall art, with video as her primary focus. Her work delves into the intricate emotions and desires of human nature, weaving them into visually striking narratives that resonate with audiences.