Video: MPLS

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1993: Blood Is Thicker Than Time Music Videos
(Prince)
Music Videos
(Related Artists)
1994: Standing At The Altar
MPLS

MPLS music video selected snapshots

Music Video details


First aired: Spring/Summer 1994
Producer(s): Frank Saperstein Productions & Paisley Park Enterprises
Director: Frank Saperstein
Related home video/DVD:
First (Commercially) Released:

Awards


Date Institution, Country Award
This music video has not received any awards in the USA

MPLS is a video by Minneapolis released for broadcast. The single received only a limited release through the 1-800 New Funk telephone service and The New Power Generation Stores in Minneapolis and London. The accompanying music video received only minimal airplay.

MPLS is the first video related to Prince to be treated as a cartoon, with character designs by Philip J. Felix. The video starts with a character called 'Jade' emerging from the letters MPLS, with another character called 'Funky Jake' sitting on top of the letter L. 'Jade' says 'All right, stop the music, stop the music', a sample from Carmen Electra’s unreleased song Powerline, after which a group of antromorphic dogs called 'Homeboyz' emerges from the same letters and starts dancing.

The video cuts to a Mount Rushmore-like mounntain that features the faces of a four-piece band. The mountain crumbles as the characters (Sonny T., Jana Anderson, a DJ and Prince/SymbolSmallerBlue.png wearing a love symbol shirt) come to life and travel to Minneapolis. The story like is rather confusing, with 'Jade' proving to be a devil woman, 'Funky Jake' a money driven record executive and the band dancing into the fire of what looks like the apocalypse.

The video contains brief footage from The Beautiful Experience TV-special, courtesy of Paisley Park Enterprises, and Lenny Kravitz’s Are You Gonna Go My Way video, courtesy of Virgin Records America. Fish Films provided stock footage of riot police, Bill and Hillary Clinton, a mouth and an ear and dancing people from the 1950s to the early 1990s.

The video was created, developed and directed by Frank Saperstein in July and August 1994, with Philip J. Felix responsible for characters design and storyboards. The video is animated by Philippine Animation Studio, Inc. and produced by Frank Saperstein Productions.

The audio uses a different mix of the song MPLS with more samples, including an intro taken from Carmen Electra’s unreleased song Powerline.


Shooting Information
Shooting Sessions
Date Location Additional info
July/August 1994 Philippine Animation Studio, Inc. The final revised shooting board was completed on August 3, 1994
Cast

None

Crew
  • Frank Saperstein - producer/developer/creator/director/story board artist
  • Philip J. Felix - designer/story board artist/art director
  • Prince as SymbolSmallerBlue.png/ Paisley Park Enterprises - executive producer
  • Adam Kuhlman - animation and layout suprvisor
  • Lito De Lara - background supervisor
  • Shawn Esposito - computer animation
  • Jojo Briones - animator
  • Orlan Distor - animator
  • Arno Capili - animator
  • Joey Paraiso - animator
  • Ross Adorable - animator
  • Romar Ecolastico - animator
  • Allan Fernando - animator
  • Gil Ansag - animator
  • Boy Subilo - animator
  • Donnie Ligon - animator
  • Jojo Casao - animator
  • Tito Romero - animator
  • David Beyers Brown - animator
  • Arman Serrano - layout artist
  • Henry Argabal - layout artist
  • Ernie Patricio - layout artist
  • Pamboy Meneses - layout artist
  • David F. Felix - background keys
  • Richard P. Chavez - background keys
  • Sharon E. Ross - character keys
  • Charlotte Barlis - color stylist
  • Vianne Lara - color stylist
  • Frank Hartman - CG animator
  • Bonnie Fishbon - IB supervisor
  • Dick Bernardino - IB supervisor
  • Sonny Lagonera - visual effects consultant
  • Juli Murphy Hashiguchi - timing director
  • Mila J. Isaac - production manager
  • Wayne E. Dearing - production manager
  • Mimbi Eloriaga - production manager
  • Chris Henderson - pre-production manager
  • Mario Cruz - production coordinator
  • Lili Steiner - production coordinator
  • Eric Silverstadt - production coordinator
  • Minerva M. Gajobe - producer's assistant
  • The Post Group - post production services
  • Ultra Film Services - post production services
  • Avid Technology - post production services
  • Michael Bradley - post production consultant
  • Michael Geisler - post production consultant

Versions
Broadcasts/streaming (only)
Title Length Released Version Additional info
MPLS 4:50 the actual song in the video has a 4:18 runtime, the credits are a separate segment of approximately 30 seconds.


 
Additional Information

See Also Quotation & triva

  • Around the 03:20 mark in the video there is the 'hey you’re not supposed to be on this record' segment that is also on the single version of the song. At this point a live video of Prince/SymbolSmallerBlue.png taken from The Beautiful Experience is inserted into the cartoon. This is most likely a nod to his fight with Warner and the inability to be on a non-Warner project under his own name.

References
1993
Blood Is Thicker Than Time
Music Videos (Prince) Music Videos (Related Artists) 1994
Standing At The Altar