If the video for “Billie Jean” opened the door to MTV, then clearly “Beat It” took the door off the hinges. I had not truly watched this video in a very longtime, often the great stuff we take for granted. If you have a couple of minutes I would really invite you to watch it uninterrupted and checkout the use of contrasting colors, and many of the other techniques employed that make “Beat It” closer to an actual film than just a promotional music video.
Ivan Orr is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, performer, and writer. A native of Charlottesville, Virginia Ivan was involved with the forming and nascent days of The Music Resource Center as its first Program Director. A graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Department of Music, Ivan currently resides in Richmond, VA where he maintains an active performance and production schedule while serving as the Music Editor for Grown Folks Music, a position he has held since 2010.
