Q Is R.E.M.'s time-tripping new video for ''Imitation of Life'' really based on a single wide-angle shot?
A Yep. The colorful four-minute clip -- which finds Michael Stipe (that's him in the corner) and the band at a crowded poolside bash -- cleverly manipulates a mere 20 seconds of footage. The action-packed scene (a barbecue chef catches fire, a woman has a drink thrown in her face, Stipe dances) was selectively sped up and rewound as editors zoomed in on tiny portions of the frame. Director Garth Jennings rehearsed for a day and a half with the cast -- several had to lip-synch backward so their singing would seem normal when reversed. How does Jennings describe his process? ''I call it the 'What the hell were we thinking?' technique.''
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