KoЯn has once again redefined what it means to connect with their fans. For one unforgettable night, they handed the cameras over to the crowd—literally. In an unprecedented move, the band teamed up with the makers of the Blackmagic Camera app and Blackmagic Cloud, inviting over 200 fans to film their live show from their own perspective. The footage captured wasn’t just for fun; it became the foundation of an official concert video, stitched together from 11 hours of fan-shot content. And it was all a part of the band celebrating their 30th anniversary! I know, I feel a little old now, too.
If you grew up in the late ’90s and early 2000s like I did, KoЯn was dominating your headphones and MTV’s Total Request Live. And if you remember those days, this evolution feels like a full-circle moment. The band was already ahead of the curve back then, pioneering tech-driven fan interaction. In 1998, they became the first band to livestream their studio sessions weekly, letting fans into their creative space long before that was the norm. Now, they’re using cloud-based filmmaking tools to bring fans back into that space—only this time, fans are behind the lens.
“There were a lot of golden nuggets from the fan content,” the project’s producer Sébastien Paquet shared.
“Some really cool stuff. Like people travelling to the concert from across the world, sharing their excitement before the show. And then there was that crazy perspective of fans being buried in an ocean of sweaty bodies in the mosh pit during the concert!”
This wasn’t just a cute fan engagement gimmick. It was a production experiment powered by technology that actually worked. “The KoЯn guys have always been technology savvy,” said Paquet. “They immediately liked the Blackmagic Camera app to the Cloud idea for their fans. We had literally hundreds and hundreds of fans all wanting to be part of this project, and the Blackmagic Camera app being synced to Blackmagic Cloud was the way to make it all happen.”
The footage didn’t just sit in a folder waiting for someone to sift through it. Thanks to Blackmagic Cloud and DaVinci Resolve, the editing process was fast and seamless. “I could just scrub through it all instantly in the DaVinci Resolve project, and there were hours of stuff for me to play with.” Paquet explained.
For fans and tech nerds alike, the highlight was how pioneering this all felt. “The night of the concert was pretty much the first time this had ever been done! I don’t know of any band or artist that has empowered 200 fans to film them from their own perspective on their own devices. And then to be able to share the footage and include it as an official recap was priceless!”
In a world where everyone’s already got a camera in their pocket, musicians are sometimes not thrilled with the phones pointing towards the stage. We’ve seen multiple cases when they called out the audience members, mimicked them, or even downright fought with them (physically!). Some artists require the fans to use special pouches to keep their phones locked throughout the concert.
I can’t say I don’t understand those who want the fans to actually be present and enjoy the show. I am one of those fans who is only there for the music and the energy. However, times have changed and phone cameras are, apparently, here to stay. So, itt’s refreshing to see a band embracing this and turning it into a collaborative art project. KoЯn has always walked the line between grit and innovation, and it seems that they’re still leading the way. Just like they did when you were moshing in your Adidas tracksuit and cursing your modem for dropping the connection.
[via Blackmagic Design; image credits: Rockman via Wikimedia Commons]
