Artifact

I was lucky enough to attend the first ever showing of Artifact at the Ryerson for TIFF. This documentary is an inspiring documentary about fighting for what is right. It not only is informative about the music industry it is also beautifully made. It takes the audience on a journey of struggle against a corporate machine and into the compromise that must happen in order for MARS to continue to do what they love, which results in a magnificent documentary and also the creation of the epic album This is War. Anyone who sees this will walk away with a new found respect for what a musician goes through to create the music that enhances our lives.

It's good that the show the corruption of the music industry but why don't they give the right message and they just talk about their war with the label? People already knew about the music industry, artists have being talking about it for years, the point is to give the right message to the youth, that before you sign a deal with a major label you gotta have leverage, so you can have the ability bargain a good profit split deal and not a royalty split deal. Exposing the corruption of the system without giving a solution doesn't say anything, it's like being a communist, you want anarchy but you don't know how to face it, like come on straight up!

I had never really thought about what goes on in the record business, but after watching this film I am horrified that the "suits" can treat the artists this badly and think nothing of it. My eyes were opened, now I will do whatever it takes to support the artist (be it singer, painter, writer, etc) and not support the corporations that continue to try to take all that the artist is. To know that these million selling artists actually make very little to nothing off of their art is sickening to me. I applaud 30 Seconds to Mars for standing up for their dreams and showing the world what it is really like to try to go for your dreams. Everyone that enjoys art of some form, be it music or books or paintings or movies, needs to see this film. Thank you Bartholomew Cubbins.

Artifact originally started off as a document of the recording of 30 Seconds To Mars' third album - pretty standard stuff that wouldn't attract much interest beyond the alt rock band's fan base. What ultimately emerged was a fascinating David versus Goliath exposé of the music industry that will appeal to a much wider audience, revealing the band's ugly battle against an unfair and outdated business model that has been screwing over artists since the industry began. Actor and 30 Seconds To Mars frontman Jared Leto directed Artifact under the pseudonym of "Bartholomew Cubbins" (the name of a Dr. Seuss character) and the film took home this TIFF's Blackberry People's Choice Documentary Award. The recognition rather surprised me, not because the film isn't worthy, but because the award is based on voting from ticket holders of a film's screenings. I saw Artifact's second of three TIFF showings the afternoon after its world premiere and the upper balcony section at the Bloor Hot Docs Cinema was only about one quarter full (mind you, the two- tiered Bloor balcony seating area is quite large).

Only a small portion of the documentary features any biographical information about the group (also including drummer and Jared's brother, Shannon, and guitarist Tomo Milicevic...any mentions of "Leto" hereafter will be referring to Jared) and the many hours of footage shot of the third album's L.A. recording sessions with producer Flood. That album's eventual title, This Is War, reflects the contentious legal battle between the band and their recording label (Virgin/EMI) that comprises most of Artifact's content. The protracted legal conflict began when the band asked to re-negotiate their contract, as their first two albums had sold almost six million copies combined and the band was somehow still in debt to the label. Virgin/EMI declined to restructure the deal and ended up suing the band for $30 million in 2008 for breach of contract when they failed to deliver their third album. Where did the $30 million figure come from? Aside from the label (who won't say), no one seems to know, but that number is too much of a coincidence and one has to assume it's some sort of clumsily conceived figure at least partly chosen for its symbolism. The lawsuit drags out for over 200 days, during which the stress can be seen on Leto and his bandmates as they take meetings with Virgin/EMI, their management (headed up by legendary manager Irving Azoff), and try to create This Is War, which they're financing themselves. Best line of the film: Leto threatens to drag his feet on handing in the album, saying they'll "Chinese Democracy this motherfuc*er".

Easy-to-digest graphics helpfully illustrate the warped accounting practices and profit sharing structures of the music industry, explaining the one-sided business relationship almost all newer acts toil under. Interviews with a number of industry figures add extra insight into the dire state of the business, with artists like Linkin Park's Chester Bennington and System Of A Down's Serj Tankian helping to represent the artist's perspective outside of the focal band. Enlightening first-hand accounts from former Virgin/EMI executives also aid in giving a more well-rounded picture of how the litigation was handled from the label's end, as well as discussing the purchase of Virgin/EMI by a UK equity firm that further complicated the lawsuit.

Leto makes an engaging main subject who I developed a new respect for with his band's principled stand against a long-entrenched system of greed. Several times, Leto questions whether or not the system is too big to fight, but the band refuses to cave. I wasn't very familiar with 30 Seconds To Mars before watching Artifact, only hearing a song or two that hadn't inspired me enough to explore them any further. Like I'm sure many have, I partially dismissed the group as another vanity side project from an actor, and we all know the dubious track record of those. Leto's musical credibility also took a hit with me when he released an extremely creepy video last year of himself dressed as Kurt Cobain while playing Nirvana's "Pennyroyal Tea". Truthfully, the 30 Seconds To Mars music heard in the film hasn't turned me into a fan, but I came away from Artifact with an appreciation of Leto's passion and dedication to his musical pursuits. It seems to be his focus right now and I was struck by the fact there was hardly even a mention in the documentary that he acts - the only acknowledgements of it are when he's recognized for his film work by fans on the streets in New York City and Miami.

Artifact is an eye-opening film that further reinforces the shady reputation of the music business via the engrossing story of one cog in the machine. 30 Seconds To Mars eventually settled their legal matter by signing a more favourable deal with Virgin/EMI, which included a clause allowing them to release Artifact.

I was one of a handful of people who had the privilege of seeing this movie on its premiere night in Toronto at the Toronto International Film Festival. I wasn't exactly sure what to expect going in and I was nervous that my friend (who had never heard of 30 Seconds to Mars) would be bored. Within five minutes of the film I knew we were in for a great movie. Jared, Shannon, and Tomo open their lives up to the viewer during what is probably the most tumultuous time during the life of their band. This movie is entertaining, informative and heartwarming all at the same time. The band managed to create an award-winning documentary which contains beautiful imagery and appearances from some of the most influential people in the industry, all with a 30 million dollar lawsuit looming over their heads. In the spirit of full disclosure it should be noted that I am a Jared Leto fan from way back, but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this film to anyone.