Making of Firestarter : The Prodigy
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 19 ม.ค. 2025
- Behind the scenes on The Prodigy 's Firestarter video directed by Walter Stern.
Filmed deep in the shadows of an abandoned London Underground tunnel at Aldwych-once a refuge for Londoners during the Blitz-the second video for The Prodigy's iconic track "Firestarter" was born. But it wasn’t the first attempt.
The original video, directed by the same guy behind a Mustang jeans Ad the band liked, fell flat. "It didn’t represent us properly," Liam Howlett explained. "We turned up, and he put Keith in a straightjacket or some shit." Howlett shook his head at the memory. "The finished video was just rubbish. So, I told the label, 'Nah, I’m not using that.' We binned it."
Frustrated and back to square one, Howlett reached out to Walter Stern, the director behind some of the band's most defining visuals-“No Good,” “Poison,” “Voodoo People.” They had worked together on five videos before, so Howlett made the call. "I ended up ringing him back up and saying, 'Man, you gotta help us out. We need a video for this track in two weeks.'"
The video’s now-iconic look was pure accident. "The stars and stripes jumper," Keith Flint recalled with a smirk. "I was on my way to the shoot, stopped by Camden Market, and spotted this jumper with stars and stripes in a second-hand store. I liked the contradiction of a British band with American iconography."
"It was only five quid," Flint laughed. "I threw it on without much thought, totally DIY. But that’s what worked-nothing forced, nothing over planned. Sometimes that raw, honest approach just pays off. It had its own impact, completely unintentional but unforgettable."
With Walter behind the camera, Flint’s snarling, chaotic energy, and the eerie, gritty tunnel backdrop, the "Firestarter" video captured a raw, rebellious spirit-exactly what The Prodigy was all about. It became a visual anthem, a perfect match for the track's defiant sound.
As a kid I was legit scared of Keith Flint in the Firestarter and Breathe videos. I was surprised when I came to learn, many years later, that in reality he was a nice and kind gentleman. May he rest in peace.
Saaaaame bro
Me to mind blowing how i was scared of Keith lol
Given his ongoing cocaine addiction, there’s a good chance he was under the influence.
But that doesn’t take away from the fact that his acting and energy in the video is top notch. He goes absolutely berserk and I love it 👍
Scared!! 😂 Haha, you bunch of fairies. How old was you lot? I was 14 when firestarter came out but saw Keith in previous music videos when he had his long hair. Maybe if I was 6 or 7yrs old, then I saw the firestarter music video first, hmmmmm, maybe, I guess.
@playstation3.508 I watched Edward Sissorhands as a 7 year old that was scary!! I remember I used to get knightmares after watching that it. In my dreams/nightmares, he was chasing me and waving his scissorhands. Haha, Edward Sissorhands has gone all serial killer mode. Imagine that in a movie. Keith Flint to me, noooooooooo, just a performance in a video, but I was already familiar with him before firestarter, so there was no shock seeing the video.
I love how Keith isn't even lip-syncing!
It's actually good practice to not lip sync in videos - you use different muscles when you're actually singing. So if you ever watch a video and something seems kinda odd, they're probably lip syncing. Especially prevalent in this song because Keith has so much throat engagement in his vocal tone you can't just pretend those muscles into looking authentic, you know?
Fucking legend
Imagine going in that tunell, knowing Flint is dead... and starting hearing that echo of the firestarter.. and him in the deep tunel lookin like in the video :)
I wish
Would prob cry with joy! Haha
No, I think you would hear that guitar riff and see a shadow of the only man that's EVER rocked a double mohawk!
😭😭😭😭
@@TranzparentMethods ....the only man to make balding hair look dangerous........ other than Floki.
I can’t describe how impressed i feel while watching this video, this clip literally became an iconic image of the band and thus a generation.
This video is etched into my bones. I will never forget seeing this video for the first time on MTV. This white, middle America teen had never before seen anyone like Keith or heard anything like Prodigy. I was instantly stricken. This is what art does to people.
This is the video that changed my life. Left me never the same. And it's been 26 yrs later. Hearing Keith scream the lyrics is exactly what I did just the other day. Raged. To tears. This energy. lyrics have more meaning to me now than ever. I get it Keith
It's fantastic to be behind the camera and get a VIP view of the making of this legendary video
Fun fact: the video is black and white as a cost cutting element. I don’t think it would have been as powerful if it had been in color. The gritty black and white was awesome.
They had already spunked the original budget on a video that Liam hated….do t think it will ever see the light of day! Hence Liam reaching out to Walter to say “help”!!
I don't think this was shot on film
@@internetpointsbank are you brain dead?
You can clearly see the film camera many times
Bullshit. It's black and white because colour film isn't fast enough for such a low.light scene.
I build that tunnel.
It’s a corrugated steel culvert pipe in aldwyich for the London Underground originally.
If you look at the floor, they are made out of reinforced concrete floor canal which is a high strength concrete to hold the weight of a locomotive.
Wow, you're legend man
Built*
Bet you had no idea your work would become iconic. That is cool.
@@nonamecha0s284 Or he is bulshitting you
The tunnel was built before 1907 so....
I wonder why I found this so late. Thanks for that insight! One of the best music videos ever made. Love the song and the video. I want to go back in time. Pure art!
Better late than never ;(
th-cam.com/video/_JR-qXO2Skw/w-d-xo.html
@@MADDOGFILMS 2024 here. Fantastic video.
@@TeagueChrystie 🙏🏼🙏🏼
Leroy was so high lol!
Its 2024 and I just discovered this video, amazing Keiths energy output in singing and performing, its awsome someone documented the making of this video. In an interview I remember the crew mentioning how dusty it was in the tunnel and with all the running and stuff they were kicking up all that dust. You can see them wearing masks early on in the video.
Born in 1982 ,this video,so 90’s ,violent,intense,yes as a child i was a bit scared by this guy !!!RIP Keith
Violent?
My first electronic music was the Prodigy! Can you Imagine? It was in Moscow in 95 before legend firestarter. We was going with scool class in the theatre and my batary in the cassete player was ended. My school friend give me him cassete player when we driveed. One cassete was been the Prodigy! And I was listen them so much time, before batary low... Prodigy is my live!!! Now I'm in Tulum and playing my electronic music here and every where. Thank you the Prodigy! You give me my tast in music!!! Love you guys!
Why are you not in Ukraine defending Putin? Putin needs you now!
@@agent19kentuckypotbaron15 😃Зачем? В России достаточно профессиональных служащих и на данный момент ещё 500.000 добровольцев, защищающих интересы страны и не только. Россия так же защищает интересы мира и порядка в других странах, например в Африке. Так что ты можешь не волноваться - Путин надёжно защищён! 🤣🤣😂
There something to be said about how the musical genius of the band (Liam) just gave space to Maxim and Keith to shine and to become the face of the project he started.
The Prodigy story is one of valuing art over ego!
Keith's energy is pure gold!!
Yes, there didn't even provide lyrics at first, they were just dancers.
Such an iconic video. I remember seeing it for the first time on TOTPs, I was about 12 / 13. I was blown away. I was a fan from that day on. I'm now 41 going on 42!
This video is a piece of history
The song remains one of my favourites of all the times ;
and Keith was a super nice man .
And also his band .
Rest in peace Keith 😘
Whoever said that the Prodigy didn't want leeroy around i have to say you are wrong.he left the band himself and they asked him to stay but he said he wanted to start doing his own thing.i met him with Shane macgowan in Dublin city university.he came into the dressing room to talk to Shane and he told me everything
one of the greatest tracks/songs ever ! !
Fucking brilliant. The establishment wanted the horrible song and Man banned from our screens not realising what an absolute stellar Gentleman Keith Flint is.
I went back in time to find the original making of this... classic gem. When the fire started with Kieth. RIP. And Leroy lol what a class clown he was! hahaha
1:24 huh, I guess they were preparing before everyone else
Thank you for posting! They all look like lovely people (and so do the film crew). Keith is one of the most piercingly artistic humans that I've ever seen. I wonder why some of them are wearing masks in between takes.
the masks were worn because of asbestos in one of the tunnels, it was really horrible down there after a couple of hours
Oh my god, thank you so much for replying! I just want to say that you made one of the most talented and memorable videos of all time. Before the world went to shit, I always thought that, if I ever came into contact with an ancient/alien civilization, Firestarter would be the video that I'd show them to give them a flavour of who we are.
@@elenapanova4809 thanx ;)
Legendary, the prodigy will always be my biggest musical inspiration
This is what my grandparents used to refer to as 'inappropriate'
imagine being obliged to dance and sing in the sewers, everyone is wearing a mask haha! oh well Keith you'll be missed!
Was filmed in an Abandoned tube station tunnel (Aldwych)
@@tonydotnottingham correct. Aint sewers.
I have been to Aldwych station a few weeks ago where this video was shot. I visited the station via Hidden London tours organised by London Transport Museum. It is a nice tour but you can only see the elevator shaft related to the music video.
It is a bit unfortunate in that sense, the main tunnel that video is shot is not available for tour. However, people who organise the tour are very open minded and if there is a demand for it I am sure they can find a way to include the tunnel for tours as well ( unless there is a safety risk of some sort).
As for this video, it is a treasure documenting this epic video. I forget how much lighting film required, if it was shot today, I am sure behind the scenes video would have much darker atmosphere.
Also, when I first watched the original music video, I always thought someone with a 16mm camera shot this in a guerrilla style but now I see that it was shot by a pro team contrary to what I have imagined.
Anyway, sorry for the long comment but thanks for sharing this video.
✊
I will never forget the seminal, life-changing moment of seeing this on Top of the Pops in early March 1996, the raw energy, fire and rage plus the foaming furore in the newspapers next day and the fantastic record number of complaints to the BBC next day...the next best thing to watching the Sex Pistols live on the Bill Grundy show!!!❤
in the video KEith spread all the ENERGY of the track dancing in front of the camera: AWESOME! they were making hystory! definitly!
Keith ❤ this is my childhood right there! love every second of it
Уникальные кадры!
Ни ебаца!
This is cool to watch when you hear that he wrote this about his roll in the band
LOVE Keith Flint 😢
🔥🔥🔥
Weirdly, I think it this song (which isn't really "metal" in the traditional sense) is the heaviest song of the 90s. And I'm including bands like Burzum and Meshuggah etc.
If you listen to Firestarter up loud, it has a genuine menace to the way it sounds that actual rock/metal doesn't.
i adore Leroy 😭
Iconic vid.
RIP Mr
He was as cute as cute can be. All praise.
Keith flint is the hero for ever
Keith was an icon...
Live keith R.I.P 🐜🐜🐜🐜❤❤❤❤❤🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜❤❤❤❤🤟🤟🤟🤟🤟🤟🤟👊👊👊
This is a band that became popular on mainstream scene, they called themselves prodigy. Don't know if they are still around but it was some years ago. They played on the radio, TV and the discos.
Love this song
Amazing performer ❤
Keith may have been making some history in front of the camera but behind the camera Leeroy went absolutely bonkers. :D
I love that they all have these totally different personalities. The music is all Liam, he could have produced all the tracks alone, yet he assembled this crew to make a great show. But he never takes the spotlight himself. Keith is the perfect stage hog, so let him shine. Leeroy is the class clown type of guy who is cheering everybody up. While Maxim is as quite as Liam but also has a great presence like Keith has, just without words and drama. And all of this is genuine and grew organically (opposed to artificially cast boy band for example)
@@Puschit1 Truly.
Leroy knew, even then, that he wasn't long for the band.
Thank you for sharing this, man! Unique!
Cheers 🍺🍺
Tak się właśnie zachowuje kiedy jestem w lesie i niema w nim grzybów. A tak serio respekt Keith Flint.🤟
bo wszystkie zeżarłeś?
Yes, YOU are the firestarter and always will be!
alright keith it's rolling now be a goober in this tube for 4 minites
I’ve never known if Keith’s choreography was randomly made up on the spot while he was being filmed or if it was something that he had actually practised over time?
I always wonder this too.
Missing you for all time
Kiss you for ever keith flint
I’m glad they left the flying ball out the finished video , it looks
Proper shit 😂😂😂
Да, это было нечто! Потрясающая работа
In a way this video is quite sad because what I sense watching this is the beginning of Leeroy's marginalization in that band. Yes they love him like a brother but Liam, Keith and Maxim had a certain vision for how the Prodigy should evolve and what it was going to turn in to, and that vision wasn't going to involve Leeroy.
what did he do in the band????
@@joesmith9216He mainly danced and would sometimes play the keyboards when Liam was on drums
But he left the band in his own terms, the others wanted to keep him. It's understandable, though.
It a fantastic artist
I remember being like 13 and watching this on mtv and thinking wtf ....I was Not scared, Not freaked out... but somehow seriously puzzled.
Artist of a 100 years
I grew up watching these music videos, this one & Breathe and having these images burned in to my head as a kid, positively. Now as I'm older getting in to the film industry in LA, it's crazy to see this behind the scenes video for the first time. Were you crew on this @mad dog films? Guessing you were the BTS cam op shooting super 16mm? Wow, what a set to be on :*)
yes I was there for the whole shoot :)
@@MADDOGFILMS Are you still working in the film industry? What type of work do you do these days, G&E?
@@jacobalvaradoDP yes still at it, vimeo.com/maddogfilms
facebook.com/MadDogFilms
so sad he could have lived, why...
Wonderful insights
A legendary acting
RIP Keith.
Love for ever keith flint
Leeroy really enjoyed it.
Seen this so many times. Still wondering where this tunnel is located, would be a great place to pay tribute to Keith.
Its the disused Aldwych branch of the Piccadilly Line.
We need a colorized version of the music video
OUTSTANDING!
Leeroy is a legend!
Кейт Флинт легнда Мы Ево помнем☣☣☣☣☣☣☣☣👍👍👍👍
My life for keith flint my hero missing you love for ever my legend my life is for ever shit
This is timeless. Thank you for sharing! It's one of the sickest most badass songs ever. Rest in peace, Keith. Do you know where the making of the Poison video can be found? Thanks.
Will upload making of the Poison very soon
@@MADDOGFILMS That's very cool. I will be waiting. Thanks, man 🤘🐜
@@phantom213 🙏
Ja, in der Zeit bin ich aufgewachsen. Es war eine geile Zeit und ich Feier sie noch heute.
Aber das sind Erinnerungen !
My life for me Brohter keith flint miss you for ever in my life
Strange seeing it in colour!
Does anyone know what happened to the Making of Poison video?
it's on my to do list, will be back online as soon as I have a spare moment.
Wearing masks since the 90's... VISIONARIES!!!
HAHAHA!! The most underated comment in this section
RIP Keith
I don't see that flying ball thing in music video?? 🤨
My lover for ever and my hero
Looking ( looked ) so so so so cheap music spot ( making of ) , but became a worldwide eternal hit and unique masterpiece !!!! Biggest irony , there was no actual fire or fighting in whole spot !!!! 👈 😮 My favourite hits are : Poison and Smack my bit*h up !!! 😁
Wonder if he was the inspiration to twisted metal 3s fire starter
Wouldn’t you get a more accurate dub if you sang the words rather than mouth them ? That’s not a dig at anything, just a question.
He is singing the lyrics mate. Listen again 😉
All my life I thought his hair was green in that clip
Maybe your thinking of the Breathe video, which was green and purple. 🔥
@@MADDOGFILMS He's probably thinking the iconic Phoenix gig (1996) (?)
what a beast! rip
Shit man that is some serious headbanging.......I would have a bloody headache and they used to call me Noddy......so shitttttttttt
RIP LEGEND
😢😢😢 It would be funny if it weren't so sad...
Very very nice!!!!!!!
Love for ever Brother
10:00 is that Liam doing a fantastic worzle gumidge impression.
Well I never..
LEGEND
crazy that they literally couldnt afford to film it in full colour
Flinty come Back Now please my life is not good or you 🔥
It is good that the video was done black and white. No colours.
think Leroy was sniffing something before he arrived lol
Who elses mum and mine is 70 and sings Im the firestarter twisted firestarter 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Эх,было время
ТОП!