Left me speechless. Filmmaker reacts to REN - HI REN Music Video.

[@manondereeper]

Since a lot of new people are coming to this video, and my original comments have kind of gotten buried: please accept my apologies for the sync issues on this video. When I edited this video I was traveling to The Netherlands to visit family and not using a device that I normally edit on (and it wasn't powerful enough), so I hadn't noticed the sync issue until the video went live. Sadly it's not something that can be fixed once it's uploaded and spread to the masses. I've done my utmost best to make sure this never happens again, and it hasn't since (or before, really). This can even happen to professional filmmakers, especially with a rigorous upload schedule (in between family visits to boot). I hope you'll be able to give me some grace - and meanwhile, welcome to the crew! Much love.

[@theoriginalemissary422]

The audio is a studio recording. You can hear the two voices slightly overlap at times. Visually, it was 4 takes spliced together. Simply watch his lav mic fold inside and outside from shot to shot. The Jenny and Screech stuff is truly live one-shot takes (for 3 songs)

[@Donetravlin]

The creative choice with lighting was for the two shadows on the floor.

[@NondescriptMammal]

Glad to hear you are aware of this, I'm new here and yeah it's very hard to enjoy a performance video like this with the bad sync. I wouldn't have bothered subscribing if you hadn't left this comment.😺

[@manondereeper]

@@NondescriptMammal I've done a bunch of deconstructions of his videos since this one - check those out and you'll see there's no issues with them! :)

[@NondescriptMammal]

@@manondereeper Cool, I will do that 😸

[@rodgersmith6891]

Given your passions, checking out Ren's "The tale of Jenny and screech (Full, uncut 13 minute version)" and "Money Game part 3" are absolute must-watches

[@manondereeper]

@@rodgersmith6891 I will have to!

[@woodywoodman2319]

​@manondereeper Money Game pt 1 as well... a true one shot as you say! Same with the Tales!

[@johnekare8376]

I agree! =)

[@johnekare8376]

@@woodywoodman2319 True!

[@jamiereed6080]

Took over 100xs for money game 1 I think Ren said. This was taken 4xs and he chose this one. He's on another level lol​@@woodywoodman2319

[@davidhabgood]

There is an interview on youtube with The Charismatic Voice where Ren explains the recording and production of this. It is a one take live audio recording. They had 4 goes at it recording with 3 cameras and recorded some footage on handheld. They cut the video footage together from the various takes based on which conveyed the message/performance best.

[@matildafishes9931]

Ren fans like me understand that Ren can't be boxed in by a specific genre. He is an amazing artist. I hope you do view more of his videos. I think you will enjoy them.

[@Sam-ql4ze]

I feel like his genre is storyteller. Just found him and love everything he does.

[@JoRiceRenegade4Eva]

Ren is a musical/theatrical genius, a ridiculously talented Artist. Intelligent, cheeky, genuine, authentic & empathetic. He is a true warrior and survivor of mental & physical “troubles”. He is the Artist of our time & is creating a legacy for the history books, 100%. Thank you for your reaction.

[@woodywoodman2319]

As a film maker... ya Gotta do his Crutch video, an older video... but Excellent cinematic video! The Jenny and Screech Trilogy cannot be missed either! And of course... his Money Games series! His Money Games pt 3 won alot of awards recently! He writes everything... music, beats, lyrics, and does all the directing of the videos! Buckle up... Ren is Amazing!!!

[@FaerieCastle]

I second Crutch! The video is phenomenal

[@Jason_xofilos]

I concur all these suggestions.

[@CSmith41591]

I saw another filmmaker reaction to this, where the videographer who shot and produced this video explained in the comments that the music itself was shot in video, which is why he's got the lav and his guitar is connected. Between the videographer's comment and accounts from Ren interviews, the story goes that the landlord for this property didn't know they'd be there, and when he caught them, he gave them 30min to finish and be gone. They shot 4 takes in total. All of the video that's on sticks was a single take from those 4, and the handheld part at the end plus the final monologue were from a different take. I love the attention to detail they put into the video. The light from the right gives the darker personality a more prominent shadow on the floor, while the light from the left is more fill and doesn't cast the same shadow for the other side. The lamp on the left is larger and more prominent while the right one is smaller and hiding behind the corner of the wall. The timing of the light flickers to display turmoil, the final voice getting a lower 'hero shot' angle which also puts the lens in the right spot for flares, and on and on.

[@CreativePhotoWS]

No the video is spliced from multiple takes and the audio from one.

[@rodgersmith6891]

He is performing this live

[@MichaelJohnson-kq7qg]

Yep. According to the behind the scenes, this is a combination of a couple of live takes with two or three cameras. the singing voice sound is captured by the lavaliere mic - which is actually much more obvious in some other tracks he recorded around this time (Chalk Outlines, for example).

[@JasonBrossa]

@@MichaelJohnson-kq7qg Nope it's not a combination of several takes It's live one take but it was like the sixth take but it is one shot take not combined

[@MikeFox-og8uc]

@@JasonBrossa The music is one take and the vocal is three takes!! Cam work and editing is on the third take. but my god it is still amazing and better than anything else out there

[@trevjones5208]

@@MikeFox-og8uc Incorrect.

[@davem12dim17]

@@MikeFox-og8uc no its not

[@yonahgrossman7319]

Great analysis! Ren has some of the most outstanding one shot videos you'll ever see. His MONEY GAME PT. 3 (which does have 1 cut due to time constraints) just won Best Video, Best Direction and Best Concept at the LONDON MUSIC VIDEO AWARDS, and Best Video, Best Director and Best Cinematography at the INTERNATIONAL MUSIC VIDEO AWARDS. Ren is as good a filmmaker as he is a musician, and that's saying something.

[@Chrisinpommyland]

I heard he had one jacket and they didn’t want to ruin it in the “rain” which is why they cut when he sits in the wheelchair.

[@yonahgrossman7319]

@@Chrisinpommyland Ren is wearing a bespoke suit which by itself cost more than the budget of any of his prior 100+ videos. They filmed the beginning 15-20 times, but they had only rented the barn for one day. Reshooting the end when it rains would require drying Ren's clothes and the floor, neither of which they had time for, hence the cut behind the wheelchair.

[@giordani64]

Also it has to be mentioned , alk his videos are done by him and his friend Samuel Perry-Valvey @SamuelPerryFalvey , he's the director who works with Ren for most of his videos, they're both very creative minds collaborating to make amazing videos.

[@REN4eva]

I think the awards were specificly for independent films, not the whole industry

[@TheRealityleak]

​@@ChrisinpommylandI was watching the release live stream he did. It was because of time restrictions because they wouldn't have been able to dry the set out in between takes. I guess the suit jacket explanation is just as plausible though. Also, one of the violinists got properly soaked during filming to the extent that ren paid for her to have her instrument restrung.

[@MichaelGalok]

I've always felt this video was more of a piece of performance theater than a music video. I've watched this piece dozens of times, and this is the first watch where I took away something I never noticed before. You mentioned the lighting is primarily behind him and pointed out that the primary source of light is in the upper right corner of the shot. It added a dynamic the primary source is coming from the right side of the screen, which is also the "light" side of Ren. Thank you for enhancing my experience with this wonderful performance that Ren has put on for the world!

[@manondereeper]

I am so glad I was able to add to your enjoyment! peace!

[@ML_SE]

So far Money game 3 has won 2024 International Music Video Awards for best director, the best music video and got honourable mention for best Cinematography. Maybe you wanna watch it but I also recommend the tale of Jenny and Screech, the extended version only. 🤓🇸🇪

[@kylefrandsen2665]

Ren and his primary videographer, Samuel Perry-Falvey are huge fans of continuous live videos. They only had 4 attempts at this before they got kicked out since they didn't have permission for the location. Yes, the audio is live, but I think they had to cut some of the video together to get the final look. Ren doesn't have a record label, so the first video with a budget over £1,000 was "Money Game 3" which has only 1 or 2 cuts that were required because of time constraints on the location (they did have permission this time, but it was a venue scheduling issue). It has one of his most complicated cast choreography to date.

[@davem12dim17]

Money Game 3 has one cut, when the camera pans behind the wheelchair. But that was done because they only had one shot at doing the "rain" part because there was no way of drying things out and re-setting, so they set the cut point before the rain

[@kylefrandsen2665]

@@davem12dim17 There's an obvious cut when Ren pulls the sack off his head in front of the mirror. I know the cut behind the wheelchair was planned as a definite cut, but there are several places where it looks like they allowed themselves the option to cut if needed. I don't know if they ended up actually cutting at those points or not. I'm not trying to detract from the impressiveness of the project. I worry that if there's too much misinformation out there, then Ren will feel the added pressure of trying to live up to it and he's already head and shoulders above the crowd.

[@davem12dim17]

@@kylefrandsen2665 why would they need to do a cut 1 minute into the video? If you watch the behind the scenes it was only the one cut

[@garygreen1782]

They sneaked in to do the shoot and got discovered and got an hours grace. They had little money but big ambition.

[@cockbeard]

This intrigues me, being as they used the same spot for the Sick Boi video?

[@Porp75]

I think the lighting choices are purposeful and explained in his monologue when he says “the more intensely the light shone the darker the shadow it casts”. Then if you watch the shadows on the floor you can see that as he battles with himself that even when the light is brightest and his “bright happy”side is speaking his “dark shadow” self is still present even when “repressed”. Thank you for taking the time to give your take on it! So happy there are new react videos for this song well after a year later. I think it’s such a wonderful piece of art! Cheers!

[@dantallman5345]

👍Glad I checked comments…my version of this comment would not have been as good.

[@LunaScorpius]

I truly enjoyed your perspective of the lights, shadows, and different versions of himself. Thank you for sharing it! 🫶

[@HMan2828]

Money Game part 3 is an insane one-shot. There is one cut at the end, but it's barely noticeable, it was done for practical reasons. Talk about a crazy complicated choreography!

[@im2yz4u17]

Ren in fact is telling a story. My suggestion is that you watch his second story 'Tale of Jenny and Screech (Full)'. It is 3 videos in one. The 2nd is presented a number of months after the 1st, while the 3rd is about 2 years later. Together they are a beautiful telling of a societal problem. Then there is the 3 rap songs that form the 'Money Game' series. The 3rd is a masterpiece of storytelling and shows Ren's utter artistry. Beyond that, Ren is a phenomenal rapper, singer, busker, musician, story teller and more. He has a very devoted following as you may find out.

[@ralphroder3136]

Good reaction! You should really... REALLY watch Money Game pt 3. As a filmmaker, I'm pretty sure you'll love it.

[@Ansemite]

That and animal flow is another really cool one-shot.

[@tetsumcneil1545]

I think Ren is in every community, so diverse in music types. Also, who doesn't just love raw talent?

[@wopaah]

He's part of the Sudoku community. How much bigger can you get?

[@nancymunroe3672]

With Ren, the lyrics are VERY important. He's a storyteller.

[@Mickael_]

I can confirm the sound is recorded live. You will have soon hundreds of comments of Ren's big fan who will confirm it. And they will tell you about his story and wha happend to him (in term of disease). Thanks for explaining difference between one shot and one take, I didn't know. So I was lucky in my comments 2 days ago cause I said one take... but it was purely by chance 😁 As you talked about your "behind the scene", it makes me think I didn't said it but, for "Money Game Part 3", (which I think is a one shot with a cut, so not a one shot hahaha), Ren posted a behind the scene video of 40mn. And there is an "extended" behind the scene of more than 2 hours posted on the account "TheWolfJohnson".

[@Penddraig7]

It wasn’t a one take either

[@fatalimbalance8577]

48 year old metal head here to welcome you to the genius of Ren hope you react to more Ren you won't regret it.

[@Marcin-o2z]

hey hey hey. 48 young.

[@johndugger1028]

man Ren is a book, who's cover that is blank. When you open it up, the world changes color to match the message Ren is telling. He is so awesome

[@matildafishes9931]

Btw... Ren does this entire piece live on stage. There is a video of it. One of the other Renegades may have it handy for you. He memorizes lyrics like none other and practices them.

[@ScottyRosencrance-dq4pj]

I’ve watched over a hundred Hi Ren reactions. It may be way more. Us RENegades can’t get enough of anyone’s first time getting to witness his brilliance. This is the first time that someone has concentrated on just the film making. It’s also the first time in a very long time that we could use “first time witnessing something” on a reaction. As you could tell, there is much more to this song than just the filming, but your eye on this was amazing to watch. Great job! Usually the words of the song overwhelm reactors such they don’t take in the videography tricks used. It takes people watching this over and over to take in the things you did let alone your amazing just knowledge in the topic. This was so cool. Great job!!! It was so fun to see your tone change at the end. Coukd almost hear tears in your voice. I’m pumped you are going to read more about him! Buckle up! Take care! Like always everyone, I must not forget, we are only human beings

[@Codex7777]

Until the end, the lights were only flashing for 'negative Ren'. They remained static for 'positive Ren'.

[@brianito7779]

Single quotation marks have only one purpose: they replace double quotation marks inside of double quotation marks.

[@archgirl]

⁠​⁠@@brianito7779Not everywhere. This is only true if you follow the rules for American-read ‘bastardized’-English. It would seem _you_ serve two purposes: being incorrect, and being rude for no reason.

[@JonathanChute]

That's because the final voice is a perfect mixture of both sides where he has mastered the dance and takes control.

[@lanmandragoran8337]

@@archgirl Nah, he also gives correct information from a certain perspective. (American English) However, it'd be nice when telling someone they're wrong, to explain how or why they're wrong. Bit rude yourself, I'd say.

[@archgirl]

@@lanmandragoran8337 I did explain why they were wrong, though. I’m not entirely sure how you managed to miss that. I’m also not sure what your point was. He was wholly incorrect, and he was unnecessarily rude. He said single quotations only have one purpose; he was wrong. I explained that the same isn’t true for all written English, and then I gave him a taste of his own medicine. Had he specified that single quotation marks have only one purpose in _American_ English, he’d have been correct. Presumptuous-the original comment may not have been made by an American or someone who uses American English-and rude, but correct. He did not. The American English usage of single quotations is not the only usage. To claim otherwise-as he did-isn’t ‘correct information from a certain perspective,’ it’s simply a falsehood. Perhaps he should stop attempting to educate people on written language; it appears to not be his forte, and it’s a curiously antagonistic response to the original comment. You can dislike my response to his comment, of course; that’s your prerogative. You’re quite right, I _was_ rude in return. If I might paraphrase an old adage, however; if you’re going to dish it out, prepare to receive it in kind.

[@choppedliver_reacts]

Great video. Left me speechless too, because of Ren, I made my first ever reaction video to the same video. He's inspired a lot of people.

[@dingo8226]

This is a piece that you have to watch many times before you can really appreciate it.

[@robmarar]

Oh Manon, I can't wait until you review some of his other video's almost all were no/low budget videos. The only video he spent way more money then he's used to was "Money Game part 3" which is still considered pennies in our industry; I'm a retired stage and screen actor so I'm very familiar. Ren just won Best Music Video, Best Director, Best Concept at the 2024 London Music Video Awards for this almost one shot live music video. There is a BTS video on his channel of the making of MG3, plus a couple of interviews discussing it and the 1 hidden cut in near the ending, that need to occur for practical reasons, other then that it's practically a one shot as well as a one take Live. P.S - as a film maker I know you'd enjoy a few other of his earlier videos, such as: "Animal Flow" - Heavily inspired by George Orwell's (Animal Farm) as well as nods of respect to Stanley Kubrick's (Eye's Wide Shut, The Shining and A Clockwork Orange). Cheers and I can't wait for your next Ren reaction.👍🍻

[@Nico.T.G.]

Animal Flow and Money Game pt3 are one take shoot and amazingly well choreographed

[@mrdarengilbert3907]

Welcome Manon Thank you for sharing your first REN experience. I’m sure plenty of Renegades will recommend/advise on what you might do next for reaction content. There is sooooo much amazing music in his catalogue going way back to when he was a teenager. I’m a little excited for you if you are going to dive down the Ren rabbit hole, it’s not just Ren down there, he has a whole bunch of magical friends all world class talented. Have fun Take care Daz

[@andrewroberts6975]

Your explanation of a 'one shot' describes the Tales of Jenny and Screech perfectly.

[@GustavoOliveira-hq2dr]

Ren has done proper one shot videos. As a good contrast you could do a comparison between money game part 1 and part 3. These are two separate videos on the 1st one it's shot with very limited resources and the 2nd one they actually managed to do a more cinematic version which you can find some behind the scenes shots as well. Another one shot is the tale of jenny and screech that is actually 3 songs done in one shot each.

[@pjotrh]

Moneygame 3 isn’t a one shot. There are at least 2 cuts (in front of the mirror and behind the wheelchair). Ren has also confirmed this in interviews and if you look carefully you can definitely pick up on it.

[@johannahonig2372]

​@@pjotrhI'd argue that it's sort of a one shot in spirit and interesting to watch from that perspective because the 'meat' of the video actually appears to be one. But I agree about there being more than the one confirmed cut, especially the one in front of the mirror

[@robperry5293]

Rin is one of the artists that have a rap background that is showing off their lyrical abilities, thinking about every syllable, their placement, diction, breath control and fitting those talents into any style they choose. Great rappers who write their own lyrics and beats are a force wherever they want to go.

[@hyperwolfy5704]

I think you would also like Animal flow also by Ren. This is a one shot video that takes you through a building and is very well coordinated. And yeah I agree with you that this is more a one take than a one shot but I can understand why people get confused by that. Talking about one shot movies, my favourite to use as an example is Russian Ark by Aleksandr Sokurov from 2002. It's not that well known and storyline a bit weird (its more a guided tour with moments of history), but it features 2000 actors and 33 rooms of the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. The planning and coordination and everything is so impressive. The BTS of it is also great to watch.

[@laupstad]

Rens community covers all bases. He's genre fluid. He's that dude just telling great stories at a party.

[@Erndog67]

You are right, this is a live video. How he can play his guitar the way he does and perform vocally astonishes me. The story is he did 4 takes of this with 3 cameras plus the handheld before they were discovered and kicked out. They took the best version and i think the handheld parts were a different take.... Something about keeping the other cameras out of the shot. The theme of the video is dark and light. Notice how the lights flicker and the shadows are darker on the evil side. At the end Ren speaks of the pendulum swinging from dark to light.

[@somerando1073]

My understanding is that the entire song was the same take, but the speech at the end came from a different take.

[@Erndog67]

@@somerando1073 Sam the camera man explained on another channel the part about the handheld and the other cameras getting in the shot but you may be right about the ending.

[@PotemkinDogpack]

As a filmmaker and film analyst, you'll love Animal Flow, Murderer, Crutch, and Sick Boi. I would highly recommend adding these to your list for after The Tale of Jenny and Screech and Money Game, Pt. 3 (which I know you've already got lined up based on other comments). Subscribed and notifications on primarily for the Ren rabbit hole, but I'm curious to check out your other reactions too. A lot of vocal coach and musician reactors, not many filmmakers!

[@steveknutson5617]

two old lamps, a wheelchair, a guitar and a genius and the result is the most important video of our lifetime.

[@Fritzemann1506]

If you get to know his background and then his music, you can become addicted! The unexpected always happens. So be careful - it's addictive! Great reaction, I really enjoyed it! (Sorry, I had to use a translator, my English isn't that great) 🙃🤫

[@LunaScorpius]

Don’t stress, your English was better than many native English speakers! 😅🫶

[@Turntablist_Mk2]

The lighting is no accident to create the dark and light side. Duality is an amazing Ren trait, 1 of millions.

[@pepinosylvie8887]

4 takes with 3 cameras. Live performance it's the reason why you see the mic and the guitar plugged in. And yes, this is more a story than a song. A masterpiece, totally unique... Thanks 😘

[@davidberesford7009]

Welcome to the wonderful world of Ren, and his amazingly capable friends. I see that there are many comments below, explaining where you can look for more info. Congratulations on making Ren the main focus on screen. Keep Reacting!

[@dougel4709]

This was incredible Manon!!!! I was looking forward to hearing your commentary on this. I figured it was only a matter of time till you analyzed it. Ren has become quit the staple of reactors and rightfully so. I'm pretty sure some of his other videos are true one shots (thank you for clarifying the correct industry terminology btw. Learning is always so exciting!!). I already see that many are being suggested. "The Tale Of Jenny And Screech" and "Money Game" 1,2,3. I'd like to add "Chalk Outlines" to the list, but really, anything put out by Ren is a piece of ART!! I'm also going to throw in my suggestion for a slightly lesser know Metal band, Scardust. I think you will enjoy them. In the song that I linked, they have some fun 'camera trickery' transporting the band from the wilderness and into civilization. SCARDUST feat. PATTY GURDY - "CONCRETE CAGES" (Official Music Video) kzbin.info/www/bejne/b3bPaJmNhLWjj5I&pp=ygUIc2NhcmR1c3Q%3D ...and the short BTS video to go with it... We Filmed Our Most Epic Video To This Date (feat. Patty Gurdy) kzbin.info/www/bejne/rZ6Yfp94eLNjZ8k

[@manondereeper]

Hi Doug!! Thanks for the suggestions, and I'll definitely do more of Ren's videos in the future! I haven't heard of scardust before but I'll look them up! I did feature another video with Patty Gurdy before though!! So fun, she's great.

[@dougel4709]

@@manondereeper Oh that's right! With Alestorm. I forgot. I left a long roundabout comment mentioning Scardust on that one too. ;-)

[@jenniferfoster1692]

Ren's community comes from all genres, not metal or classic rock or rap or pop in particular, once they've heard him they love him. Across all ages, too. I'm elder GenX in my late 50s and had long given up on good music anymore, but he's reinvigorated me. Many Boomers love him too, then the younger people who come for his many rap songs but stay for his other stuff and love it. He himself doesn't have a specific genre, except 'Bardcore' describes a few of his videos/songs. He does everything, sings, plays guitar, bass, piano/keys, produces all his own stuff, co-directs, writes everything etc. He's got a long backstory on his physical health, having undiagnosed Lyme disease for yrs, being bedbound for 2-3 yrs, medical gaslighting, wrong meds that affected his mental health etc. He's much better now but still has some health issues he deals with. Keep going down the rabbit hole! He's got a band called The Big Push, too, you'll have to get into that. They busked on the streets of Brighton, England.

[@Stuski666]

Loved your insights, great reaction. As others have said you are in for a helluva ride with Ren's videos. In addition to all of the other suggestions I would add the official video for "Murderer". Subbed.

[@helenjarvis7755]

Ren did 4 takes with one take no cuts on the audio and they used a different one on the spoken word at the end They used a Basement in their apartment building without permission The building owner found them after two takes and told them they were making too much noise and should leave. Ren begged him for more time He gave them twenty minutes Ren was there with his friend Samuel Perry Falvey Cinematography and Viktus in the pig mask and another working the lights manually Ren felt after watching it back it wasn't good enough But he was about to leave for medical treatment for his Lyme disease conditions in Canada He had to put it up on YT in December as it was! 18 months and 30 million views later Here we are!

[@helenjarvis7755]

Incidently the first film you mentioned sounds like a one take film in Berlin that Ren mentioned in an interview

[@vivianlyn]

Thank you for paying such careful attention.

[@ChrisB-k7b]

Ren combines the genres that his era cared about. pretty self explanatory

[@beccasalt8960]

I really enjoyed your insight and analysis of this 😊 will definitely watch more from you! Others have probably informed you, but to answer a few of your questions: 1. This was a low budget DIY shoot. Very few people working behind the scenes and lots of creative uses of low tech props and lighting. 2. They only managed to film about 4 takes before they essentially got kicked out from their filming location! 3. The audio they chose for the final video was recorded live in one take at that location. It's only the video that was spliced together. 4. Ren plans his videos meticulously and most likely made the lighting choices on his face on purpose... I interpret the lighting to represent how 'in the dark' Ren felt during the height of his illness and mental health struggle. Part of his face is lit, while the rest is in shadow. The dark and the light dancing again. He wasn't concerned with his image so much as the message he was trying to convey 😊

[@stevecody9878]

Great reaction 👍 Liked & subscribed in anticipation of you reacting to more Ren Cheers 🍻😀

[@billsherk9198]

I work in the film industry as a stand by painter in Hollywood and have watched a lot of reactions to this video and I enjoyed watching a film makers perspective because I saw some of the same things that you did. Thanks

[@RyanESmail]

I think the lighting is DEFINITELY a creative choice. He talks about light and dark and you see two different intensities of shadow. Also as he looks to his “darker” side his face is shadowed while when talking as his “lighter”side his face is lit

[@davidarmes747]

You are in for a treat.... Guys amazing!!!! Can't wait to see you check out more!!

[@Dr.Brummel]

Here are some things I saw or have read/heard in other reactions: - You already saw the letters "LD" on the back of the wheelchair. This could stand for Lyme disease, which caused all of his suffering and health problems. - The title 'Hi Ren' is shown in the font 'Impact'. - I think somebody already mentioned that the shadow on the 'evil' side is darker then on the 'good' side. - I see another thing in the flickering light: When the "evil" Ren sings, the light flickers. But not for the good side. Later, when he accepts that both sides together form Ren ("we're a coin with two different sides") and he begins to dance and sing, it flickers again. Because Ren is both: the "good" and the "bad". I undestand that as a kind of cathartic moment. - I'm always impressed by how you can hear the increasing desperation of the 'good' Ren, because the 'bad' Ren always has a counter-argument. That's one of the insights of the song: you can't defeat your 'bad' side in a discussion. - The lines "Face to face with a beast, I will rise from the east" and so on, are based on the Revelation. - The dissonance at the end of the beasts part is achieved by using a tritone in the chord. An interval that's also known as the devil's interval. - At the end, before he begins to speak, the harmony remains open because it is not the end of the song.

[@karlbecker8775]

I love that you are giving Ren the time. I hope you dive deeper! He is miced and live. A lot of his songs are.

[@iamsquatty]

Welcome to the wonderful world of ren, where you can always expect the unexpected 😂 i have a feeling you will love him and his videos, ive seen reactions from other filmmakers and videographers who were blown away by many of his pieces 😁💜 Btw- love your hair!

[@lordj805]

If you look into REN, you will go down a huge, super talented, rabbit hole.

[@makethingsbetter]

It’s totally live, one pass with multiple cameras, you nailed it. REN-agrade here!

[@MartinTreadgold]

The brighter the light, the darker the shadow it casts.. the lighting choices in this.. oooh that's clever

[@seaneburke]

The connection between Ren and Metal is the deep emotion and need to understand/express them.

[@caladonn2659]

Wow even after a Ridiculous number of times watching this I never noticed how, by having the lighting on the left, it forces the "Evil" Ren's face to be in Shadow and the "Good" Ren's face to be front lit! Seriously the amount of Forethought and Planning, especially as this is basically a "Gorilla" Shoot (they snuck in to this location to shoot it) is way beyond anything else I have seen!

[@danielleboulanger7857]

Salut Manon! For interesting videos from Ren and friends I recommend Crutch, Animal Flow, the Trilogies (the marketing/media/world building are really cool for both MG and the Tales), What Went Wrong I (What Went Wrong II doesn't have a video but the story continues), Sick Boi I. There's more but they're the ones that come to mind. Enjoy your fall down the Ren rabbit hole!

[@Dr.Brummel]

Yea, 'Ren ft. Bibi - Crutch' is an absolutely great no-budget video. And a heartbreaking, beautiful and deep song. And it's so underrated IMHO. 'Crutch' dates back to a time when Ren thought he wouldn't live much longer. Bibi was his girlfriend at that time and started a GoFundMe to raise donations for his treatment/diagnosis. If I understood correctly, it was the basis for his Lyme disease diagnosis in Brussels.

[@shannonlasell]

great video. ill have to check you out more. i love film, music and all other forms of art.

[@JustCallMeScottPlz]

First reaction I've watched you do & I instantly noticed your Jinjer tee. Ren is amazing artist.... but Jinjer.... absolutely amazing, I have subscribed and will be diving into your other videos

[@baldbearded9601]

It is shot in continous takes, and it is recorded live, so no dubbing for official version. If I remember correctly, he said before that it was done in 3 or 4 shots of the whole thing that were put together. He did use a trolley for the zoom towards the end, and his friend who is directing and filming this has been in filnmaking for quite some time and is extremely creative, as you'll see from the variety of Ren's content which is mostly all filmed by him.

[@vree0108]

In one of his interviews he explained that just before they wanted to make this recording, the owner of the cellar severely limited their time that they could use the room. 30 minutes I believe it was. So they made 3 takes. This particular version combines the sound of one of the other takes with this visual. You can find the interview still on YT.

[@MikeFox-og8uc]

Yes a react vid with no subtitles!! Love you already xxx

[@seantaylor4095]

Subbed for more Ren! I believe the audio is taken from a single take they recorded and it was recorded live (he does a bit of post-production sometimes to enhance sound, but it's all based on the live performance). He does have a lot of one-shot live recording videos as well. As a filmmaker you will love "The Tales of Jenny & Screech" trilogy, "Money Game parts 1 & 3" and "Murderer" in particular.

[@Lift_Eachother_Up]

Gal RENegade here from ND! New subscriber. Absolutely love your reactions and your knowledge plus you have a great personality. Can't wait for more REN! ❤

[@BLIND82]

This was filmed in one take and multiple cameras so yes you was right. It took 4 takes in total. As crazy as this sounds this doesn't even showcase and comes close to showing what Ren is capable of! He can literally morph into any artist and any genre! He's the epitome of versatility 💙

[@goatkiller666]

I love how meta it is that the first thing he properly sings is “So cower at the man I become, when I sing from the top of my lungs.

[@noctuscp]

Enjoyed your take on this. Yes, this was live, he did 4 takes, took the best and used it. If you want a One-Shot (There is one cut, which you should be able to pin-point) Check out Money Game Pt3 by Ren, Ren and his Cinematographer (Samuel Perry-Falvey) won several well deserved awards for it.

[@epishmeh]

Great reaction video! I will enjoy watching your Ren journey unfold. I agree with other commenters here. The Tale of Jenny and Screech is a must-watch for you. It is comprised of three different live one-shot performances, later compiled into one video to help viewers watch them in the correct order. Money Game is a live one-shot performance (though it took an astounding number of attempts to get it right), and Money Game 3 is two shots put together to seem like one. Prior to Money Game 3, Animal Flow was his most ambitious one-shot, due to the coordination of so many participants and the movement through the building. Enjoy! And we’ll enjoy along with you!

[@marktaylor1799]

You have found a gold mine of what you love, Ren and Sam have produced some really astounding visuals for Ren's music, check out the sites they have chosen and the technique and innovation they us in the trilogy the tale of Jenny and Screech, all three parts.

[@TanyaQueen182]

This WAS LIVE!!! Many of rens videos are true "one shots" but this one is a "one take live". Please check out more ren as this is just the beginning. Wait till you see what else he can do!

[@morgski]

Regarding the mic and amp, this is a live performance. Ren said this was done in four takes. The visuals are spliced from each of the four takes, but the audio is a “one take” that they decided was the best of the four play throughs.

[@Oitsugina93]

Simply put, you will love his videos! ❤

[@Vmcf1968]

also thank you for your film making perspective on the vid. the lesson on one shot verses one take was very helpful

[@simonstrivelli4486]

The Tale of Jenny and Screech trilogy and the Money Game series. You won't be disappointed.

[@MegsD79]

new sub for your Ren journey plus I looked and saw you are familiar with FIR which is another of my favorites.

[@mark_white.]

57 year old thrash metal head fromlong ago and found rens work ,got my dumb ass to seek help for my 56 years of bottled shyt .the wifehappy fer this.

[@camillelayonne97]

According to Sam who does Ren's videos, this I got from another page with Sam responding, it's three cameras, and one hand held at the end and 3 takes. Great reaction.

[@Dr.Brummel]

Ooohhh, I'm so excited. 😊❤

[@manondereeper]

Yay!! 🙌🎉

[@AwesomeNuke]

This wasn't filmed in only one take, but it was done in I believe 4 or 6 takes As for the lights, fun fact, they flicker when his alter-ego (devil side) is present. When his "good" side is singing, the lights are all still. The best part is at the end when his good side "wins" (17:40), he goes back to singing and you can see the lights flickering. This means that the bad side is present, but the good side has the control (since it's the one singing). Basically meaning that he learned to relax, since it's pretty much impossible to get rid of that devil voice

[@MrZjperry]

Thanks for a great reaction. Ren has said the shots are from 4 different takes but the audio is all from the second take.

[@gratmccall]

Welcome to the REN-aissance! Enjoy the Ren rabbit hole. It is a LIVE One take video. It only took three times of practice to get the final. Sure there are three cameras to get each side, but it's performed all at the same time.

[@katrogers28]

Really enjoyed your observations and analysis on this!! I hope you will explore more Ren! He said in an interview that they were only able to get 4 takes (because they didn’t have permission or be there). So he edited those together. But the audio is a single take and recorded live. Renegades use the term bardcore to describe this storytelling genre. But Ren truly cannot be put in a genre box! Ren loves to do one shots! As others have suggested you must watch The Tales of Jenny and Screech (full trilogy - each segment a one shot) and the Money Game Trilogy (MG1 is a one shot, MG2 an excellent lyric video, and MG3 almost a one shot with one cut). Another expertly choreographed one shot is Animal Flow. Murderer has a few cuts edited to look like a one shot. And Ren also loves creepy abandoned locations! (Sick Boi, Illest of Our Time, Chalk Outlines live, The Hunger).

[@Disgustipated8404]

There are interviews on KZbin of content creators asking Ren and him explaining how this was done. This was performed live over a short period of time and under a stressful situation (the owners weren't happy with the noise level). Anyway, Ren has an extensive following and many interviews available. Along with plenty of explanation of his art he shares. Take a gander, there's lots to learn when it comes to this young man.

[@ranahooke1907]

Fascinating. I’ve just discovered your channel and you sound and look just like my therapist. I’m actually having a hard time with how similar your voice, accent and looks are. Which is bizarre because we’re in Australia (but she’s Dutch). Sorry. Entirely unrelated to the topic at hand. Hahah. Loved the reaction, about to watch your take on the Tales. ❤

[@Danielle-ed9kt]

Welcome to the renegades ❤❤❤ new subscriber love this reaction ❤

[@TerranSol]

Everything they do is a creative choice, they are both extremely talented, this is only the tip of the iceberg. As you delve deeper you will see how they manipulate everything, its not just the cameras but the music is designed to the finest detail to fit the somg and video, You would really apptecite some of their other work. May i suhgest animal flow next, as far as filmography goes it is a real piece of art and all one take. The money game trilogy is a good show of their skills, esoecialy 3. Another good one for filmography is sic boy. The tales trilogy especialy the third one.

[@themojoslide]

Wow you're going to have a real journey with Ren! The videos and performances are brilliant! The video is a live performance using 3 cameras. It has only one live cut at the end of the music. They used a different take for the spoken dialogue.

[@johnplaysgames3120]

Ren is actually performing "Hi Ren" live in the video. In fact, although they're using multiple cameras as you mentioned (in order to emphasize the different personalities with cuts between cameras), the entire video is a live performance done in one continuous take. Iirc, it was the fourth attempt, but what you see is all one uninterrupted take of Ren performing the song straight through. In fact, a number of his videos are either one-take or faux one-take, with him performing the song live (even when the album version is a fully produced studio song, the official video will be a live performance in the space). That's kind of become his thing. "Money Game Pt 3" (which I mentioned in another comment) is another one of those, as is his collab with Chinchilla, "Chalk Outlines (live), which is a true one-shot, featuring the two singers performing it live in the space as the camera moves around them.

[@mldkenny]

Ren was made for you and absolutely loved your breakdown. Along with Samuel and their team Ren's Money Game 3 has been winning various prestigious awards and is one you I'm sure would appreciate. Jenny and Screech the Trilogy is another Masterpiece. If you fancy listening to a more soulful track then " Back on 74 " is such a cleverly mastered cover with his own twist ( as always )

[@arielbussart1305]

His video Money Game Part 3 has won multiple awards for the film itself... it's truly a masterpiece!

[@Offoda]

i see the lights more as they flicker as his mind hits some sort of discord (mostly because both left and right Ren experience it).. speaks to his monologue about the pendulum. great react ;)

[@zhalcome]

It is live. He said his mixing looks insane, taking out all the extra noises and balancing the sound

[@markforeman7082]

Since the release of Hi Ren, the KZbin community has seen many perspectives of reaction on this. Your filmmaking perspective is long overdue and appreciated. @LowertheShield analyzed some of the psychological choices portrayed in the performance. The seems to be an integration of psychological shadow, lighting and shadows as well as emotional affects, tonality and music.

[@dalegallacher7074]

A lot of us over 60s love Ren we know what real talent is and we haven’t seen it for years…yeh good songs will come out know and then but then nothing but Ren is delivering in every genre

[@TerranSol]

This is a live one take for the music, he had four attempts and this is the one they chose. The end part is a cut.