Director’s Take
I really had to pinch myself. When I asked Mike if he would be in a video I was planning (a hobby of mine) for the song “beltsandedman” (one of my favorite tracks on the “The Secondman’s Middle Stand” CD) and he said “yes, I’d be honored”. He’d be honored! Oh My God! This man is the best! I am truly the honored one.
For weeks we exchanged emails and had one meeting before the shoot. He ask his guys and Petra Haden if they would do it and they agreed also. Wow, all the Secondmen.
It had been raining all week before the shooting. The day before it poured. You can imagine I had a little anxiety going on. They said it wouldn’t rain on Saturday and I believed. Morning broke and it was one of San Pedro’s most beautiful days. Windy, though bright and clear.
The crew, Bob and Jeff, arrived at my home about 6:30am. 20 minutes later we were on our way to the first location. Everybody was there by 7:45 and we started the shoot by 8:15.
At Location 1, in a little shack off of Paseo del Mar in San Pedro, Mike for the first stanza was to lip sync the lyric. I never gave any direction for this, only for the back up vocals. Mike decided not to lip sync but to convey deep thought for all the stanzas, throughout the video. This was great. It actually gave me the chance to interject visual thought. For example the medical objects running through his head then fading away (being rid of).
The scene after this, where he is looking through the window, I choose not to use any other visuals, just Mike. If you look close, this my have been a very emotional scene because he's tearing. Either the windy morning got to him or his emotions did. I choose the latter. This illness had to be very hard on the man. Plus the expression on his face seemed to convey this.
The song is based on Dante’s “The Divine Comedy” Cantos XXVIII – XXXIII. I hadn’t read this but was eager to know more in relation to the video and Mike was good enough to explain and let me know when the beginning of the video took a wrong turn (some of these wrong turns will be on the sight at a later date).
This was the best video experience I have ever had to date. The Secondmen were very gracious and giving of there time. I hope all of Mike's fans enjoy these efforts
If Mike agrees, I would love to document the making of the next Secondmen’s CD. We’ll see!
I am a Pedro guy, an Artist and a Musician. These are all the things I respect and admire Mike for. Mainly, I admire the Man. Hell....yea he's been there and back and lived to tell about. Salute Thudmaster!
Mike Muscarella - Director - Editor - mikestheater.com - mike@mikestheater.com
If your a band in need of a video, write me mike@mikestheater.com be sure to put Video Inquiry in the subject.