This one has been a long time coming.
Today, I’m happy and proud to share with you my first foray into music videos. It’s a video for The Blakes titled “Ramshackle Hearse.” You may remember my love affair with the band. Ever since I put their track “Don’t Bother Me” behind Chase Jarvis RAW: Advance Testing the Nikon D90, I’ve been enamored with their rough pop sound.
It’s after midnight now, and I’m holed up in a small hotel room in L.A. Sort of in disbelief, really, that I’m actually–finally–writing this post. Reason? I concepted this music video about 18 months ago on a flight to NYC. We shot it in 2 days over 15 months ago with an amazing group of people, and then wrapped it together about 6 months ago. And we’ve been sitting on it for 6 months now hoping to time this post with The Blakes new record release. That day is finally here. Their new album, Souvenir, is on sale now via iTunes.
Hats off to my friends at Superfad. In addition to the honor of sharing the director’s role with uber-creative Will Hyde (great collaboration) and also to my pal Rob Sanborn who originally got will and I working together, the Superfad took the lead on the digital effects for this gig. They put in talent, wisdom and huge hours. And they hit it outta the park. Dreamy to work with these guys.
Want the full story on how this sucker was made? Watch this video here… Chase Jarvis RAW: Making Ramshackle Hearse.
A few juicy bits for those of you who like backstory, after the jump…[click the 'continue reading' link below]
–
1. This short film music video was a collaborative personal project. There is no “client”. There’s no label. The fancy budget = 0. This was entirely funded by myself and Superfad. Why do we shoot elaborate productions like this with our own money? Cause it feels good to make stuff.
2. For the techies out there, we shot this piece on the Red ONE camera and the Phantom HD camera. Amazing pieces of machinery. Editing was done in Final Cut Pro, by the uber-editor, Josh Bodnar. Josh cut the intro titles to the Showtime series Dexter. You get the picture. The dude is awesome.
3. There are cameo appearances from a dozen or more Seattle bands. What a great community the Seattle music scene really is. We managed to pull bands together from every genre to support The Blakes. If you’re a music junkie like me, look for Head Like a Kite, The Saturday Knights, Brent Amaker & The Rodeo, Natalie Portman Shaved Head, Disjointed Isotopes, Hazelwood Motel, and more.
4. We’re chatting with MTV and some of the music channels, so you might see it in the mainstream loop. But you might not. I love the web. And this sucker feels right online. More TK.
5. I learned a TON on this project. Knowing how much I learned and knowing my love for music AND video, I’m already looking forward to doing some more of this.
–
Get my every move: Follow Chase Jarvis on Twitter
Get exclusive content: Become a Fan on Facebook
Related posts:
---
Get my every move: Follow Chase Jarvis on Twitter
Get exclusive content: Become a Fan on Facebook
A very impressive team on zero budget. It's quite amazing to see people give their time and energy to projects for collaboration, but to then see people whip out massive green screens, REDs and Phantoms, monster SkyJigs and build sets…I mean…WOW…that is some SERIOUS money now. Pretty mind-boggling.
Good stuff!
Billy Summers killed it with his jamaica man intro!!….Kool job on the vid, Thanks for posting that behind the scenes vid to!!.. You mentioned Taylor&Taylor; I checkd'em out & there's two different policy's for motion & still,, I suggested to them this new merger thats going on with photog's shooting video with there still camera's, hopefully they can work something out so I can get one policy & do both frequently as I definitely want to shoot music video's also!!… Any info from you or Kate on how you secured your motion shoot would be kool!!…Thanks.
Great video.
For those of us who were around in the late 60's and early 70's the video reminds me of Saul Zaentz and Fantasy Records in Berkeley. Credence really made that label after Fantasy started in the 50's with Jazz. However, there was a pretty bitter ending. Ask John Fogerty.
very cool chase, i love the video. the music is pretty catchy too, i'll have to check out more of their stuff. my twin brother is in a band thats getting a lot of exposure. wei've been talking about doing a video in the future, so seeing another still photographer moving into video gives me some inspiration and ideas as well. thanks dude.
Well done buddy- I loved seeing it all over again.
I said it before, and @Anon said it better… there's just something off.
I mean, Chase, I friggen love ya (in a bro-mance / non sexual kinda way). Heck you are almost the sole reason I quit my day job I went to college for, to become a reasonably successful creative director / digital media guy.
Sucking up aside, i'm just not sold on this video.
To quote @anon "While i agree the video is good, it completely lacks any story or sense or anything and emotionally is just as bland and colorless as the song. Slow motion is great, but slow motion for slow motion sake just impedes the investment by the viewer."
This sums up what I think of the video.
Stylistically, its awesome. But style for the sake of style doesn't tell a story.
So, again, I love your work, your crew, and what you've continually given back to the entire community of creativity. But I think the video really is missing some substance.
@ johnny. thanks for the feedback. ironically, there very obviously IS a story, proof being lots of people even in this forum are claiming they're "getting it". i think what you might mean to say is that there's not a obvious story, or one that's clear to you. That I'd understand. Not obvious on purpose.
It's funny you say that Chase, I spoke with a few people after chatting with Anon and the consensus I found was that if anything the video was *too* obvious… almost to a fault.
Even after asking them not to read comments to to check out the making of video the terms 'the man' and 'holocaust' were tossed around. Everyone was getting it.
@Chase No I do get it, it's pretty obvious how the video ties into the song lyrics… however…
I showed it to my wife, and another person (both relative laymen) and they both said the same thing.
"well, it looks cool, but it doesn't quite work for some reason". Which is exactly what I thought, except from a concept standpoint, i think it's just a lot of really well shot footage, that follows a story, but only for the sake of really well shot footage.
I've been a huge fan of yours for over 2 years now, however I don't want to be one of those people who blindly sends kudos just because you are Chase, and frankly probably one of the best in the world at what you do.
My opinion is that this particular video reads like a tech demo. Thats my feedback
hopefully people here can take it as constructive thinking rather than some sort of personal assault on Chase, because Chase, you are honestly one of my personal heroes in the industry.
Cheers.