Creating the Cube 1 Videos - Part 3: Born Out of Necessity

(TI writes:)

— On the Visual Production of FMT’s Works

FMT originally began with a simple desire: “We want to listen to music we’ve never heard before—music we ourselves want to hear.” From the outset, visual elements were never part of the plan. We rarely considered the need for music videos or visual accompaniment.

However, when we were preparing for a release under Kitchen. Label, the label owner and producer, Ricks Ang, requested that we provide a full-length music video along with several 30-second promotional clips. With no one else available to take on the task—and no budget to outsource it—I ended up taking responsibility for the videos by default.

To be honest, it felt like being a high school student suddenly asked to pitch at the finals in Koshien Stadium, without ever having played the position before.

Unlike Kin Leonn, Tobias Wilden, or Hiroshi Ebina, we have no performance footage. Nor do we have the cinematic visual language found in the works of Meitei or ASPIDISTRAFLY. And unlike Haruka Nakamura, our lives (at least for me, TI) don’t lend themselves to a “snapshot of daily life” aesthetic.

The Starting Point: MuseScore Videos

That’s when I recalled an idea from our early days. Back when we first formed FMT, we were creating everything using MuseScore. When it came time to upload the music to YouTube, I had the idea: “Rather than adding random stock footage, why not just record the MuseScore playback screen itself?”

A contemporary artist who listens to our music once said, “That score video is interesting. Depending on how it’s done, it could become an artwork in itself.” That stuck with me. It aligned with FMT’s concept, and I thought: if we insert Chiaki Tamura’s visual works into that framework, it might be enough to create something coherent.

Clarifying the Concept

With Kitchen. Label, every creative output—music or otherwise—is held to a high standard. Even if the approach is simple, the work must have a clear intent and maintain a certain quality. Given my lack of expertise and resources in video production, I knew I couldn’t rely on technical polish. So I decided to focus on one thing: a clear, unwavering concept.

Full-Length Video Concept:

• Clearly convey the ethos of FMT, our production style, and the concept behind the album.

• Highlight and integrate the visual works of Chiaki Tamura.

30-Second Versions (Three Types):

Take 1:

• A condensed version of the full-length video.

• Structured to reflect the development of “Cube1,” including:

o Quiet, minimal sections

o Busier, more dynamic moments

o Rhythmic segments

• Selected sections where the horizontal movement of the score is visually clear, and page transitions do not disrupt the flow.

Take 2:

• Uses the first 30 seconds of the track.

• Chosen because most streaming previews begin from the start.

• Visual treatment ensures harmony between background and artwork, with motif timing synced to the music.

Take 3:

• Created to suggest a loop, with rhythmic synchronization.

• In contrast to the stillness of Take 2, this version emphasizes movement.

• We used a motif created by TM—“a person walking between buildings”—but since the aspect ratio didn’t fit, we stacked it vertically in three tiers. This layering, combined with slight timing offsets, helped guide the viewer’s gaze and created a pseudo-loop effect.

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In Closing

Without prior knowledge or experience in video production, this project was a process of trial and error. But through it all, we remained committed to one guiding principle: keep the concept clear and consistent. Perhaps that, more than anything, reflects the essence of FMT—not just in music, but in every creative expression we attempt.

Creating the Cube 1 Videos - Part I: Between Reality and Unreality

Creating the Cube 1 Videos - Part 2: As an Auditory Artist