Artifact (film)
| Artifact | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Bartholomew Cubbins |
| Produced by |
Jared Leto Emma Ludbrook |
| Starring |
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| Music by | Thirty Seconds to Mars |
| Edited by |
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Production
company |
Sisyphus Corporation
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| Distributed by | FilmBuff |
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Release date
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Running time
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103 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Artifact is a 2012 American documentary film. It was directed by Jared Leto under the pseudonym of Bartholomew Cubbins, and produced by Leto and Emma Ludbrook. Artifact chronicles the modern music business as it charts the legal dispute between Leto's rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars and record label EMI, which filed a $30 million breach of contract lawsuit against them in 2008, after the band tried to exit its contract over a royalties dispute. Thirty Seconds to Mars is shown working with producer Flood to create the 2009 album This Is War, meeting with lawyers between recording sessions.
Artifact had its world premiere at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival where it received the People's Choice Award for Best Documentary. Critics praised the examination of the state of the modern music industry and its focus on the relationship between artists and record companies. The film received a limited theatrical release beginning November 23, 2013, before being released digitally on December 3, 2013.
The film follows rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars as they first learn of and then begin to fight a $30 million lawsuit brought by record label EMI. At the time, they had been writing songs in preparation for the follow-up to their 2005 album A Beautiful Lie. For the bulk of the film, the band, consisting of Jared Leto, his brother Shannon Leto, and Tomo Miličević, is shown working with producers Flood and Steve Lillywhite to create what would eventually become This Is War. Between recording sessions, they meet with lawyers to negotiate for the band's survival.
Beyond the band's specific legal issues and insight into the making of the new album, the film also examines the state of the modern music industry as a whole, focusing on the complex relationships between major labels and their artists. Other musicians give their first-hand accounts of their own experiences in the business. The logistics and economics of how a record company works are explained by music industry insiders, including former EMI employees, music producers and music journalists. They trace the impact of the growing American economic recession on the industry, wherein many companies were taken over by larger groups who thought they could save them. In this instance, Terra Firma Capital Partners sought to rescue EMI despite having little experience in music management.
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