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A Hozier video made for €1,500 in a Cork house got nominated for an MTV award

Its co-director Brendan Canty of Feel Good Lost told us how it all came together.

Hozier / YouTube

HOZIER – OR ANDREW Hozier Byrne as he’s known to family – is an Irish music phenomenon these days, but two years ago he was just another musician trying to make it big.

That was when young Cork director Brendan Canty, of Feel Good Lost (which is Canty and co-founder Conal Thomson’s project) stumbled across Hozier’s EP online. The song Take Me To Church had just 300 or so listens, but it impressed Canty, who tweeted about it.

“I guess at the time I had a name for myself making music videos in Ireland,” Canty told TheJournal.ie.

[His management] contacted us [Feel Good Lost] literally 20 minutes after the tweet, asking us did we want to make the video.

They pitched an idea based on the Russian Olympics and oppression of the LGBT community, and the project was go.

Together, Feel Good Lost and Hozier collaborated on ideas for the video, which turned into a black-and-white story about men in love and the thugs who want to hunt them down.

hozier gif 1

Now the video has been nominated for two awards in the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), which are among the most well-known and celebrity-packed pop music awards in the world.

“I always felt that it was good enough to go global,” said Canty of the video.

“I know some things are good enough to go global but don’t, but this one… I always felt the song was special, and I knew the video [was], considering the content of it and how we dealt with it. I thought if we do this right, it could be pretty big.
Jesus, I could never have predicted it to be so big.

Low budget, big dreams

hozier fb Feel Good Lost Feel Good Lost

Take Me To Church had a budget of €1,500 and was very much a DIY affair, with friends donning hoodies and scarves to play homophobic thugs, and family members stepping up to offer their homes to be used.

“Everyone pretty much did it for free, bar the actors,” said Canty.

They filmed at his aunt’s house; his uncle helped build the bonfire; the apartment scenes were filmed in the actors’ apartments; and they sneaked into Iniscarra dam.

In the big leagues

It took weeks to plan the video, and two days to film it, but the impact has been long-lasting.

Now, nearly two years after they filmed it, Feel Good Lost’s video has been nominated in the VMAs’ best direction category, alongside pop heavyweights Mark Ronson and Taylor Swift.

Hozier, meanwhile, has been nominated for the video in the best rock video category, and has to beat the likes of Arctic Monkeys and Florence and the Machine.

Hozier - iTunes Festival 2014 - London David Jensen David Jensen

“It’s a real underdog story”

After the recent kerfuffle over Nicki Minaj and Taylor Swift’s VMAs nominations - or lack thereof – all eyes will be on the ceremony in LA this year. It’s a massive boost for Feel Good Lost, who are two guys in their mid-twenties from Cork city.

Canty didn’t even know about their nomination until he was approached by a website for an interview.

It’s lovely, it’s a real underdog story and it’s just quite nice. Considering what the video has done for us and what it did for Hozier, it really is nice for us to get a mainstream accolade.

Big hopes

Feel Good Lost are currently working on a few projects, including a new video for Irish band Le Galaxie, but Canty is hoping they’ll get to LA for the VMAs ceremony. If the video wins the best rock category, Hozier will pick up the gong.

But if it wins for best direction, Canty and Thomson will be the ones getting to go on stage. It would be, said Canty, “a bit random”, but they’re hoping their lucky streak will continue.

The VMAs will be hosted by Miley Cyrus and broadcast live on 30 August.

Read: The Huffington Post said Hozier was British, and was forced to apologise>

Read: Hozier gives touching tribute at Olivia Burke’s funeral by performing last song>

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32 Comments
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    Mute Emmet Dillane
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    Aug 3rd 2017, 11:01 AM

    What does the HSE and Irish Water have in common?
    Both publicly funded bodies being mismanaged and run into the ground to the point of non functionality in a deliberate attempt to push a privatization policy on the Irish public.
    Fine Gael’s ‘Vision’ for the future.

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    Mute P C
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    Aug 3rd 2017, 11:04 AM

    @Emmet Dillane: FGs vision was for Irish Water to be self funding which is far more sustainable, whether you like it or not. But the Lefties had their day and we all pay for a 3rd rate underfunded water system. Thanks Paul Murphy and Sinn Fein.

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    Mute The Risen
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    Aug 3rd 2017, 11:09 AM

    @P C: FGs vision for Irish Water was privatisation, like everything else that hasn’t been sold off or given away already.

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    Mute ed w
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    Aug 3rd 2017, 11:10 AM

    @P C: BS fgs vision for irish water and the health service was to privatise and divest any responsibility for providing any services. Whilst still taking higher taxes and making us pay (if you can afford it) again.
    Let’s call a spade a spade for once.

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    Mute brian boru
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    Aug 3rd 2017, 11:12 AM

    @P C: You do get the reason its self funding is because it doubles the cost for the nation. Not only do we get taxed to pieces but then we also get screwed by a private company. We also lose control to profit seekers the nations most precious resource.

    The people that would be forced to pay for their water are in fact the same people that pay tax. Using business terms like self funding and more sustainable do not make it any more of a rip off for the Irish people. Irish water is a scam pure and simple and one that the Irish nation has democratically rejected. Get over it and move on FG members do not get to rip the nation off -

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    Mute Dave Murray
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    Aug 3rd 2017, 11:17 AM

    @P C: FG’s vision was how much they would earn out of it by being sold off and privatised, thankfully they didn’t get their greedy way.

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    Mute P C
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    Aug 3rd 2017, 11:21 AM

    @Dave Murray: FG never said they would privatise Irish Water. The ESB hasn’t been privatised why do you think Irish Water would be. At the end of the day you pay for what you get and in this case we are happy to pay little in exchange for a sh!t water system. Thanks Paul Murphy and Sinn Fein.

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    Mute William Clay
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    Aug 3rd 2017, 11:22 AM

    @Dave Murray: Yet.

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    Mute The Risen
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    Aug 3rd 2017, 11:25 AM

    @P C: Privatisation was in the DNA of Irish Water, both in its terms & conditions, and in the water services act.

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    Mute conriel
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    Aug 3rd 2017, 11:31 AM

    @Emmet Dillane:
    Not a fan of FG or any other current so call possible government parties, But if the Health service was in private hands the level of service would be much better that is it Reason nobody would allow it ,under state ownership nobody is answerable union control you cant sack me even if I fail to do my job, But some day this system will have to end.

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    Mute brian boru
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    Aug 3rd 2017, 11:32 AM

    @P C: We pay Billions in tax every year and expect services in return for it – IF elected officials can not balance the books and provide the services in the way the nation wants then we will elect leaders that can acknowledge the mandate they were given and follow the decisions the nation has made.

    Am pretty sure its FGs failure to see this that is seeing the massive upsurge in support for Murphy’s party – The more FG treats the wishes of the nation with contempt the more support Murphy and his team will get – At the rate FG are going by the time we hit the next election Murphy will own the left and take at least twenty seats

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    Mute Greg Blake
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    Aug 3rd 2017, 12:10 PM

    @P C: stop trying to push the IW rejection as a crazy SF/looney left idea. Not a good idea for FG to keep insulting the average voter. The far left support base in no way reflects the number of people who rejected the water plan. A huge portion across the spectrum disagreed with the Hogan model. The only hope FG has at this stage is to enshrine public ownership of the system before proceeding any further. Trying to say FG never proposed privatisation is an insult to the nations intelligence, FG are not interested in national ownership of any resources, or else they would have locked that down before launching IW. Pay per use is a fair and progressive system, back room dealing with our property and double taxation are not, IW just needs to be a version of the NRA, but for water provision.

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    Mute P C
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    Aug 3rd 2017, 12:31 PM

    @brian boru: so you are suggesting that we should pay more tax. I don’t want to pay more tax.

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    Mute eastsmer #IRExit
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    Aug 3rd 2017, 1:02 PM

    @P C: Billions are being wasted on crony arrangements, plush offices, laughing yoga, high end audis, taxis, pensions, unpaid bar bills etc. etc.

    The ‘whats in it for me’ party is the never ending party that keeps on giving.

    That is where our taxes are going.

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    Mute P C
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    Aug 3rd 2017, 1:12 PM

    @eastsmer #IRExit: your list costs billions? Lol. Try again tell us where money is wasted.

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    Mute brian boru
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    Aug 3rd 2017, 1:16 PM

    @P C: It cost more to collect the cost of Irish water then it actually generated PC – Irish water was a scam and I appreciate you take longer then most people in the country to understand simple facts but its going to cost you less money (tax) as instead of having the cost of billing twice people all money will be raised centrally through revenue,.

    Thankfully simpletons like yourself are in the minority in this country other wise scams like Irish water would be a lot more common and alll of the resources of the nation would be quickly sold off to the lowest bidder as is the FG way

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    Mute P C
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    Aug 3rd 2017, 1:33 PM

    @brian boru: all companies have initial set up costs. Irish water requires on going income. This now must come from the government and will very depend on state of the economy and who’s in government etc. The biggest problem is that Irish Water cannot borrow from banks for long term investment purposes as they don’t have a sustainable source of self financing.

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    Mute brian boru
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    Aug 3rd 2017, 1:52 PM

    @P C:

    Irish water is part of the general taxation as decided by the nation PC I can appreciate your not the brightest spark but that decision is made.

    Is the reason we are selling off our most precious resource so we can be more creative about creating more of this?

    http://www.financedublin.com/debtclock.php

    Either way the decision is made and revisiting this will only cause more of the chaos we saw across communities up and down the nation. As far as I am concerned Irish water does not exist and my water services are managed by the county councils and those elected to represent me in the management of the nations resources.

    Christ how many billions have been blown by Noonan and the debt cancellation company NAMA and idiots like you think the answer is to privitise that nations water supply furthering the gap between those with least and those with most.

    If idiots like you were in the majority this country would be a very harsh cruel place – Get over it and move along PC

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    Mute P C
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    Aug 3rd 2017, 3:49 PM

    @brian boru: name calling is the last resort of the inarticulate. This is a bad way to run a company and you are right the decision has been made. But don’t expect a good service. You pay for what you get.

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    Mute brian boru
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    Aug 3rd 2017, 3:59 PM

    @P C: Well then the elected officials who are responsible will pay at the polls – times have changed voters are smarter and better educated and better connected –

    We are not looking for a company we have enough of them we are looking for a Government who represents the people and not the lobbyist and actually puts whats best for the country first and not what is best for their pocket first as was the traditional way for too long in Irish politics.

    I was not name calling merely stating facts

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    Mute P C
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    Aug 3rd 2017, 4:41 PM

    @brian boru: calling someone you don’t know an idiot is not name calling???????
    Can you outline where the €11 billion required to invest in the water system to bring it up to a satisfactory standard will come from? The Left can, they tell us from higher tax. According to them everything should be free and paid for by tax. We pay too much tax as it is. Do you concur with them?

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    Mute Good Early
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    Aug 3rd 2017, 4:50 PM

    @P C: Unlike the HSE where we pay billions and get top quality? Clown!

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    Mute P C
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    Aug 3rd 2017, 5:12 PM

    @Good Early: name calling says more about you than me. Neither you nor your comment merit a response.

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    Mute brian boru
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    Aug 3rd 2017, 5:13 PM

    @P C: An idiot is a person of low intelligence – Your ignorance of the current situation and blind driving of an agenda that makes no sense for the nation on any level clearly points to the fact that you are of low intelligence hence stating facts as opposed to name calling

    The 11 billion is a figure created by the company that is looking to start billing people and is desperately trying to hold on to the massive benefits that were given to them by the last Government so I dispute the 11 Billion figure completely and have complete lack of trust in the institute that is coming out with the figure.

    As it stands I have not run for election so do not have to offer the solutions to the issue its time for those that are elected to stand up and offer solutions as opposed to bills and attacking our society through the privatization of our resources. We also need the referendum to enshrine the ownership of our water and the resources that carry it to house holds.

    As a Government there are many thousands of ways to raise finance such as bonds, sale of assets ( start with RTE in my opinion) and of course tax etc. The only way the government cant raise it is through the privatization of the nations most precious resource so lots of wiggle room for young Leo and the rest of FG to prove themselves.

    The mandate has been given to the politicians and they will be judged on their ability to carry it out. I would rather pay more tax where I can hold people accountable at the poll box then have to deal with the cess pool of corruption that is Irish Water. Irish water offers no value to the nation only an opportunity to make connected people wealthier. AS said thankfully idiots like you are in the minority.

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    Mute lavbeer
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    Aug 3rd 2017, 5:26 PM

    @P C: it will probably come from the same place that almost billion Noonan committed us to for Anglo. We borrow a billion for that this year rising to 1.5 and then 2.

    3
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    Mute Sinead Mooney
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    Aug 3rd 2017, 10:59 AM

    They might want to consider restoring pay parity to new Consultants and they could do better at recruiting them. Instead paying locums extortionate amounts because new Consultants rightly refuse to be paid 30% less than their colleagues.

    55
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    Mute Brian Kennedy
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    Aug 3rd 2017, 12:10 PM

    so they added 22 management/admin staff and 10 medical/consultant staff ……. just about sums up the HSE.

    35
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    Mute cortisola
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    Aug 3rd 2017, 1:54 PM

    @Brian Kennedy: Where you got this “22 management/admin staff and 10 medical/consultant staff” from ?

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    Mute Dáithí Ó Raghallaigh
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    Aug 3rd 2017, 11:04 AM

    Everything about the services stink. You have a baby you get serious postnatal depression, your hospitalized, your in a unit with heroin addicts and Alcoholics that are constantly sneaking out for a drink, Its used a storage area for everything and anything, belongings are being stolen, A nightmare, who even when sick would go there?

    55
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    Mute Fank Pulman
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    Aug 3rd 2017, 10:55 AM

    Not a country to get ill in…

    53
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    Mute Gillian Weir Scully
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    Aug 3rd 2017, 11:26 AM

    @Fank Pulman: could be in America or Syria!

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    Mute Michael Geraghty
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    Aug 3rd 2017, 11:42 AM

    @Fank Pulman: I honestly don’t think you realise how well we have it

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    Mute Fank Pulman
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    Aug 3rd 2017, 12:19 PM

    @Michael Geraghty: Perhaps – but having worked in 4 other EU countries, I have found healthcare to be better there. Including the UK and the NHS. Other things too – just one example. Law and order; you’d be very stupid to behave badly on the streets of Berlin – the Police take NO prisoners!¡

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    Mute Michael Geraghty
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    Aug 3rd 2017, 12:27 PM

    @Fank Pulman: I don’t doubt it for a minute, the hse is not perfect but it’s still not a bad country to get sick in. That was my only point. As for the police, I fully agree, our courts are letting our officers down daily.

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    Mute David Breen
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    Aug 3rd 2017, 12:20 PM

    The whole mental health system needs reforms, it needs people who care, not people in it for the money. I was connected to the Matter hospital Psychiatry. It was corrupt. Their answer was just medicating people.

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    Mute Anthony Gallagher
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    Aug 3rd 2017, 12:49 PM

    Do we need all these highly paid certificate holders ,to stand around administering drugs ,and form filling ,lets have more semi skilled staff that actually have real empathy and who have personalities that reach out and listen to the patient .this is more a vocational job than most .we have too many in it for the big money and big pensions .

    16
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    Mute John Mcloughlin
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    Aug 3rd 2017, 12:30 PM

    An absolute disgrace,3rd world service

    15
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    Mute EC P Ford
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    Aug 3rd 2017, 11:33 AM

    Looks like the PAYE are going to pay a lot more tax or has FF a magic way to pay for all this

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    Mute iohanx
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    Aug 3rd 2017, 10:57 AM

    That’s mental alright!

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    Mute Edmond OFlaherty
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    Aug 13th 2017, 11:10 PM

    Without using complementary treatment of mental health problems I do not expect any major improvement in getting people well as we still have the same old drugs. Mental health problems are really physical problems and we can get many people well by getting the brain chemistry normalised. Psychiatrists in Ireland or UK rarely do any significant blood or urine tests for example except in psychotic illness. A London psychiatrist told me that doing biochemical tests are the way forwards. I learned all about this many years ago in Sydney. Are you a woman who perhaps suffers from panic attacks, insomnia, palpitations,severe anxiety or have had post-natal depression? If so you probably have excess copper in the blood causing you to make a high amount of adrenaline, the fight or flight chemical. Many women and some men with these symptoms will be smokers or drinkers to try to relieve the anxiety. Zinc and other nutrients can control the anxiety and by staying on the nutrients they will usually need no medication after a few months. Valium and Xanax do work for anxiety but they are addictive. Read more at http://www.walshinstitute.org.

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