Film And Music Video Director

I believe good things come in threes. Just look at Back to the Future, Lord of the Rings, and The Evil Dead. Yes, a trilogy. I guess I could call this my tri-blog-ology. 

I want to lay this whole mess to rest with my directing/producing journey about the music video that will most likely never be seen.

After I finished directing the first music video for the band (which never saw internet life either. Maybe I should have seen that as a warning sign), we immediately start conceptualizing the next music video (the music video for which these blogs were created for). Around the Summer of 2009, the band got rid of their first band manager (I’ll call him Band Manager A). The band got rid of Band Manager A because Band Manager…let’s call him Band Manager D (I’m sure you know what the “D” stands for) offered the band a better world. At least that is what I think happened. I was not present for these meetings. However, it is my understanding that the band liked what Band Manager D had to offer, and could open up more doors for them in the music world (something Band Manager A could not do I guess). This is understandable. I think anyone would want their music heard to a larger audience if given the chance. That is all I knew of this, and continued talking to the band about the music video cause the whole manager issue was none of my business.

The original bass player (I’ll call him Mr. Cool) and I were in heavy communication for the music video. I sent him, and other band members, treatments for the music video. Mr. Cool and I meet up a couple of times, and discuss the treatments. Once we finalized which idea we were going to shoot, Mr. Cool and I start scouting locations. At this point, I am unsure what is going on with Band Manager D, and what his actual role is with the band. I am merely focused on the creative side of things. The script I finished is sent to the band, and after a couple rewrites with notes from the band, our script is finished.

Then Mr. Cool tells me that he is leaving the band. Mr. Cool and the other bandmates have a good understanding. I am sad from his departure, but his exit from the band is just. No harm done with the bandmates and our friendship. In fact, to this day I still speak to Mr. Cool. The lead singer steps in as the main person to communicate with about the music video. The band is in search of replacing for Mr. Cool.

As they search for their bass player, the lead singer and I meet up with an actress at a coffee shop to fill the role of the girl. We both connect with the actress. However, she just isn’t right for the role. The lead singer then finds another actress (She is from Arizona), and we both decide that she is great for the role. Our female lead is cast! I immediately find two other actors that fit two other characters perfectly. The band and I are moving along smoothly (they even find a friendly bass player to replace Mr. Cool), and I really don’t know what Band Manager D thinks about the script (not sure if he has even read it). 

My producing partner and I pay for one of the locations (the other location didn’t charge us), we pay for costumes, props, set decorations, meals, and open up a tab for ice cream. We all decide on two shooting days (in November) that work with everyone (cast and crew), and the actress flies out from Arizona. That is right, she flew out for this music video. Already I feel bad because we couldn’t pay for her flight, so she paid for the flight with her own dough.

We shoot for 14 hours on Saturday, and for about 8 more hours on Sunday. We all have a blast. Band Manager D is there, and seems very supportive. I only talk to him briefly because I am too busy playing director/producer. Band Manager D takes off after a short amount of time. The cast and crew pushes through the filmmaking process with smiles. I never feel more comfortable and nervous than when I’m directing. It’s the kind of feeling that can only be matched when you’re in love.  We all have a good time, and around 5pm on Sunday we wrap and go home. I immediately go into post-production mode.

I complete a rough cut around a month later (it’s now December), and the band loves it. They also give me wonderful notes. I even e-mail it to Band Manager D, and he replies by writing, “Looking great dood!” Underneath his text it reads: Sent from my pocket rocket (another warning I did not heed). I complete a second cut around another month later (so we are now in January). The band loves it even more. The band also tells me that they are re-mixing the song (which means the original version of the song we used during production for synching to the music video will not be used). I guess another producer enters the mix (take the pun however you see fit), and wants to tweak the song. My mind explodes, but I keep my composure. I assure the band I will make it work.

The band sends me the new version of the song, I lay it down in Final Cut Pro (the editing software I use), and realize that the new version of the song is about thirty seconds longer than the original version. Everything is out of synch. I take a walk to clear my mind. My inner monologue is this:

:( I love the band, I love filmmaking, I love editing, and I love a challenge. I will get this done :)

I return to my editing station, and edit for days on end. I am exhausted. Not only am I editing this music video, but I’m in production for my thesis film. Also, I am doing freelance work as a camera operator. I am balancing the workload however well I can. Believe it or not, I am enjoying myself (if only I could make a living off of it).

It’s February now, and I’ve e-mailed Band Manager D if he has a deadline for releasing the music video. In short, he replies by saying he has no plans on currently releasing the video. He has certain problems with the music video. The main problem (and the only one he expresses), is the image of the girl smoking. He’s worried for the band’s image, and that I should send him the most current version of the video. In my mind, I am wondering if he thinks this is a documentary. Making it sound as if now I am piecing together a true to life representation of the band (which clearly I was not…it’s fiction for crying out loud). I reply by saying that I can get rid of the girl smoking, and to please send me more notes (he never does). I send him the most current version of the music video. This is the last we both communicate about the music video for a while.

From March through roughly the beginning of Summer 2010, I shoot some concert footage of the band. I even shoot the band recording their EP in the studio. I edit together some of the footage, and Band Manager D puts some of the videos on the band’s Youtube and Myspace. I do this all out of my own volition (I am not getting paid, and I’m not asking for any money…I’m doing this for fun). I feel as though Band Manager D is trying to kill the music video issue by using the concert footage I shoot for them. He even uses footage that had some audio problems, but apparently this is a good image for the band. I start to get the feeling he has no intention of using the music video at all. Part of me is still hopeful. None of us bring it up. I feel it rude of me to say something. 

August comes up, and well, you know the exchange between us from the first part of this tri-blog-ology. Incase you have not read it, here you go: http://gairocuevas.tumblr.com/post/972833859/e-mail-discussions-with-a-band-manager

So there is my detailed description of my music video journey. I know it’s long, and I apologize for that. Consider this my Return of the King blog.

A couple days have passed now, and I’m not really angry anymore. Yes, the first blog I sent was a bit out of character for me. However, I don’t regret posting it. All of this came about because of conflicting ideas that were addressed way too late. 

I wish Band Manager D much luck in the future. I hope he becomes a great success and rubs it in my face. I don’t know if the music video will ever go active. I hope someday it does.

What if finally someday the music video does get released, everyone ends up hating it, and he was right not to release it all along…wouldn’t that be something?