Trailer—Artifact

source: Artifact

This documentary is technically and artistically well made and I never got bored during the entire film! Loved the acoustic part at the end, too, which was added as a sort of extra for fans of 30 Seconds to Mars music. Even if you've never worked in the industry and are not an artist yourself, you will enjoy this film as the way it's been edited makes it very entertaining to watch. The film basically gives insight into the fight for an artist's rights and the making of the 30 Seconds to Mars album "This is War". One could say ARTIFACT is an indictment of biz practices in the record and music industry screwing artists and basically robbing them of the yields of their work. I have watched the "Special Edition" version and can recommend watching it.

"Artifact" is a portrait of the making of 30 Seconds to Mars' third studio album, aptly entitled "This is War". The album was written and recorded independently while the band was in the midst of a brutal 10 month, 30 million dollar lawsuit with their record label EMI. In between a personal history of the band, recording sessions, and negotiations, we get a talking heads take on the record industry from industry insiders and other recording artists. In addition, there is a sequence that explains the endlessly complicated and one sided nature of the typical recording contract. Even in a digital age, there are still allowances for things like breakage and packaging. The documentary should appeal to anyone wanting to know more about the endless battle between art and commerce, whether you're an artist negotiating those shark filled waters, or an individual trying to support your favorite band. In addition, anyone who knows frontman Jared Leto only through his acting career ("Requiem for a Dream", "Dallas Buyers Club") will get a nice introduction to another side of the multi-talented artist.

I have watched it many times, and never got bored though it is a documentary :p amazing work. ..i have learned a lot from it. ..very helpful for people who want to enter business specially in the music industry,it shows how music record companies fool the musicians and write hidden or small things in contracts that those musicians don't know about and then take their money and lie to them. .. The directing is very good, music in the movie is well chosen and many amazing stars are included. .what is better than seeing jared leto, shannon, tomo, robbie williams "for few seconds" , chester from linkin park and serj all in one place? :D I highly recommend watching it :D It is fun,educational and inspiring...

I would've given this documentary an 11 out of 10, if that'd been possible. I am part of the new generation mentioned in Artifact that doesn't have to go out of the house and pay for music and whose favourite tracks are only a click away. This huge and extremely fast change and shift between my generation and my parents' generation (they used to buy CDs and cassettes) caused by technology advancement was never so meticulously addressed before using real and iconic practical examples, but Jared Leto had the guts to put his band's future at risk just to protect his/their art and hard work and to reveal the real side of the music business to fans, ordinary people, non- artists or future artists who had not been exposed to any of this. As an ordinary, non-artist person, but with the same idealistic perspective on life as Jared, I found this documentary immensely captivating, interesting, informative, refreshing and even inspirational at the same time! I was surprised to find out that behind 30 Seconds to Mars' 'This is War' album was a greatly talented British music producer. I was surprised to find out that the band hadn't been paid for their albums. I was surprised about the band members' past and I kinda identified myself with the penniless idleness of their youths! To me, this artistic documentary was as much about the implications that declining record companies have on (big) artists, as it was about how small- town musicians find direction and follow their dreams to create something timeless together in spite of economic and personal difficulties. The cinematography, the quotes, the real data, the interviews and the vignettes from the band members' lives were flawlessly put together in this superb documentary on what it's really like to be a signing artist nowadays. A must-watch for music lovers of all genres! Music will forever be the drive! 🎼

A very well made documentary about the band 30 Seconds to Mars' struggle with their record label. A very informative documentary that opens your eyes to the shysters in the music business. Redundant at times, but it needs to be redundant to show the audience what a stressful ordeal and struggle it is to come to a compromise with the shady record label. Jared Leto is very talented, an excellent singer and a true artist all around. I have a much bigger respect for him now. Hopefully more people will see this documentary and will come together as a whole to be the change in getting these money hungry record labels to change the way they do business. I feel very sorry for musicians now, I had no idea it was like this. 30 Seconds to Mars could have kept fighting, but they understood you have to pick your battles. And they won in what they wanted and they also won on an even bigger scope by showing the world in this documentary how awful record labels are. On a final note, I can truly say Jared Leto seems like a really cool guy. I was an actor in a short film once and he was cool with letting the production shoot right outside his house. Not many actors/musicians would be cool with that kind of thing. He truly does fight in many ways for the little guy. Not many like him in the business. He deserves all of his good fortune. Do yourself a favor and see this documentary right away. It's fantastic!

This incredible and extremely well made documentary took my breath away completely. It's really hard for me to describe in words how I feel after seeing it. The documentary gives you a very honest view into how the music business is today, as you follow the band 30 seconds to mars through their struggle during their 3rd album, with their record company. You get a very personal insight into the lives of Jared Leto, Shannon Leto and Tomo Milicevic, and you learn what musicians have to deal with, and that being a successful rock band doesn't equal big bucks and glamour. Watch ARTIFACT because it will change your view on the music business forever.

From the very moment of the first shot of this documentary, you KNOW it isn't going to be like anything else you've ever seen. A rare, closerthanthis look into the lives of members of the band 30 Seconds to Mars. You embark upon a journey to fight for what's right. To open eyes and ears around the world to what an artist really experiences after having been signed to a label. It's exhilarating to watch Jared Leto and all who stand behind him buck the system & say NO, we aren't going to be taken advantage of anymore. He took a life changing chance, by publicizing his battle, and identifying himself, as well as his band, to record companies around the world. Mars has come out of this war, not just alive, but alive & well. Still making beautiful music & sharing it with the world, with renewed determination. They ARE the shining example of bravery, determination, faith and honesty in a very ugly, greedy, cutthroat avenue of business. I'm honored to have watched it, & to be able to pass it on to others. Thank you Mars! Well done Sirs!

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!