World on Fire

Sophie Muller

Sophie Muller

Short Film
Music Video

A Message from Sarah McLachlan

Sarah McLachlan wrote us this message about her music video and participation in the Media That Matters Film Festival:

When Sophie Muller and I made World on Fire, our hope was to show how easy it can be to use your wealth to help make immeasurable improvements in peoples lives. Media that Matters is about people making the switch from apathy to action. I’m so happy to have World on Fire be recognized as a motivator of that kind of change.

More About World On Fire

Multi-platinum Nettwerk recording artist Sarah McLachlan was determined to make a statement with the new video for her chart-topping single World On Fire. It was McLachlan’s desire to assist those in need that led her to arrange for the video’s production costs to go to charities around the globe. Award-winning video director Sophie Muller and her production crew donated their time and skill to create this video with the labor costs benefiting those in need worldwide. Muller captured a stark, simple performance by McLachlan that is interspersed with scenes displaying the standard cost for video production (inclusive of camera crews, electricians, and location fees, etc.) comparing those costs with the price of food, medical supplies and education for over one million people. Muller skillfully edits images provided by charities and other sources from locations including Afghanistan, India, Nairobi, South Africa, Southeast Asia and others illustrating the existence of those who live without everyday necessities. Those expenses that are customary for a video production were sent to a list of 11 charities with total funds equaling $150,000. The only production expense was $15, the cost of a Sony miniDV tape.

“When Sophie Muller first approached me with her concept, I thought it was poignant and brilliant,” said McLachlan. “The song is about trying not to feel paralyzed when we see all that is wrong with the world, and remembering that even the smallest gesture can make a difference — corny but true. I wanted a video that wasn’t about me and wasn’t preachy, but one that would help shine a light on the tragedy and turmoil in the world and also show the beauty and strength of the human spirit. Sophie and everyone else who touched this video worked tirelessly and for free to make it happen. This was a labor of love for all the right reasons and I’m proud to be a part of it.”

For director Muller, this was the opportunity to express an idea that had been in her mind for some time. “When I was talking to Sarah about the song and video she said something about the fact that she was part of the problem (the state of the world) and I thought, ‘so am I.’ I had had this idea for a while, but now it had changed in light of the artist, the song and the world. It was rewarding to see how many people and companies were willing to give their time and efforts for no payment and how interesting it was to be in contact with all the charities,” comments Muller.

FILMMAKER BIO

Sophie Muller, Director

Acclaimed music video director, Sophie Muller, has completed over 150 music videos and concert films throughout her prolific and celebrated career. Having directed such iconic and influential videos as No Doubt’s Don’t Speak, Blur’s Song II, Sade’s No Ordinary Love and Annie Lennox’s Why, Sophie’s unique style of vintage glamour, stark beauty and compelling narratives is in high demand.

After earning a Master’s in Film at the Royal College of Art, Sophie began working with Billy Poveda and John Stewart of Oil Factory. After her first videos for Annie Lennox and the Eurythmics, Sophie has since grown to be one of the most prominent pop music video directors in the world. She has won several awards, including a Grammy, MTV and CMT Awards, the Brit Award, a Music Week Award, and the MVPA Director of the Year Award in 2001.

Sophie’s extensive body of work includes music videos for Radiohead, PJ Harvey, Garbage, Bjork, Jeff Buckley, Weezer, Coldplay, Pink, Loretta Lynn, The Cure, Nelly Furtado, Maroon 5, The Strokes, and The Killers to name only a few. She has also directed longform music films for Sarah McLachlan, No Doubt, Sinead O’Connor and Sade.

Sophie continues to garner accolades for her work as a director with another nomination for Best Director of the Year at this year’s MVPA awards, along with 3 other videos up for top honors.

Singer/Songwriter Sarah McLachlan

Sarah McLachlan was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1968. She studied classical piano, guitar and voice and was first discovered fronting a new wave band in 1985 by the then-fledgling Vancouver-based company Nettwerk Records. The label signed the 19-year-old singer to a recording contract in 1987.

McLachlan has released eight albums with Nettwerk, beginning in 1988 with Touch, followed by Solace (1991), Fumbling Towards Ecstasy (1994), The Freedom Sessions (1994), Rarities, B-Sides and Other Stuff (1996), Surfacing (1997), Mirrorball (1999), and Remixed (2001).

Over her 14-year career, McLachlan has sold over 22 million records worldwide and is a 3-time Grammy Award Winner. Sarah founded the Lilith Fair tour, which brought together 2 million people over its 3-year history and raised more than $7 million for charities. In 2000, Sarah began the Sarah McLachlan Music Outreach Program, which provides free music education classes to inner city youths whose school music programs have been affected by budget cuts. She has received numerous entertainment and achievement distinctions, the most recent of which was The Order of Canada and The Order of British Columbia. Other distinctions include the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Visionary Award, for advancing the careers of women in music.