Today we have the world premiere of the latest single from Caleb Sweazy’s Music + Arts / Blue Barrel Records release Lucky Or Strong. The video for “Bluebird Wings” was directed by his wife Melissa Anderson Sweazy. who calls it “Double Indemnity meets ‘Last Dance with Mary Jane’. I¹ve long been a fan of noir films and I¹m particularly fascinated by the trope of the femme fatale, the construct of the dangerous, duplicitous woman who often has a deeply conflicted, cat-and-mouse relationship with the detective. But maybe its more like a dog with a squirrel. What happens when the chase is over and she finally catches her prey?”
The video stars Caleb Sweazy and the Memphis Flyer’s own Eileen Townsend. It was shot by Ryan Earl Parker, who also did the outstanding color work in post production, and edited by Laura Jean Hocking.
Music Video Monday: Caleb Sweazy
If you would like to see your music video featured on Music Video Monday, email cmccoy@memphisflyer.com.
“Until We’re All Free (Ain’t Nobody Free)” is a collaboration between Memphis folk rocker John Kilzer and saxophonist Kirk Whalum. Archer Records tapped director Laura Jean Hocking to bring its egalitarian message to life. “Ward Archer and I went through several ideas before settling on this one,” Hocking says. “When we got Amurica photography owner Jamie Harmon and director of photography Sarah Fleming on board, they helped flesh out the concept. Jamie’s kind of like the Wizard of Oz, promising these children things that are supposed to be their inalienable rights, but which are not available to a lot of Americans. I didn’t have much experience working with children before this, so I had a little trepidation going in. But I was so fortunate to get a great cast. They made my life easy. Our hero kid Solly Philips was a dream. He took direction better than a lot of grown ups do.”
Music Video Monday: John Kilzer and Kirk Whalum
If you would like to see your music video featured on Music Video Monday, email cmccoy@memphisflyer.com
Today’s Music Video Monday is going straight to the top!
Our first video offering of the new year is a gem from Memphis singer/songwriter Alex da Ponte. Director Laura Jean Hocking based this video on Hotel Monterey, a 1972 feature film by Belgian experimental filmmaker Chantel Ackerman. Shot in Downtown’s historic Shrine Building, the video depicts da Ponte’s songwriting process as a vertical journey from the lobby to the roof.
Music Video Monday: Alex da Ponte
If you’d like to get in on some of this sweet Music Video Monday action, email cmccoy@memphisflyer.com.
For our final Music Video Monday of 2015, I’m counting down the ten best videos of a fantastic year of collaboration between Memphis filmmakers and musicians.
I’m not usually one for lists, but hey, it’s the end of the year, so why not? This Top Ten list has13 entries, which just shows you how bad I am at this whole list thing. So here it is, the best Memphis music videos of 2015, arbitrarily chosen and ranked by me:
As with most things created by the time-travelling aristocrunks, this clip will have you asking where parody ends and actual decadence begins. Then you just won’t care.
For his latest entry in his solo project Vending Machine, Robby Grant enlisted some of the best directors in Memphis to create music videos. The best of the bunch, and the best Memphis music video of 2015, is this clip created by G. B. Shannon, with cinematographic help from Ryan Earl Parker and Edward Valibus, and ace editing by Ben Rednour.
Tina Harris’ music career began in an unlikely way. She was a dancer in the music video for the 1990 single “The Power” by SNAP. Later, she had a monster hit of her own with “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright” by the German-based group Sweetbox. Now, she has a new album of her own material out on the Memphis-based label Archer Records. “Addicted” is a super-catchy ode to love. Harris co-directed this fun, animation-heavy video with Memphis director Laura Jean Hocking, which includes footage shot by Memphis cinematographer Ryan Earl Parker.
Music Video Monday: Tina Harris
If you would like to see your music video featured on Music Video Monday, email cmccoy@memphisflyer.com
After a fantastic weekend filled with great films and events in Overton Square, Indie Memphis returns to the Orpheum Theatre’s Halloran Centre tonight with the documentary Breaking A Monster. Director Luke Meyer followed Unlocking The Truth, a talented metal band of 12- and 13-year olds whose talent and verve got them a record deal and thrust them, unprepared, into the swamp of the 21st century music industry.
Also tonight at the Halloran Centre is one of the many great panel discussions that Indie Memphis has been hosting this festival. If you’re a woman who works in video production or has interest in filmmaking, come out the Women Filmmakers In Charge panel with Indie Memphis Hometowner Feature Award winner Joann Self Selvidge; Orion: The Story Of The Man Who Would Be King director Jeanne Finlay, who is in town from Nottingham, England; veteran producer/director Sarah Fleming, who shared the Short Documentary award with Self Selvidge this year for “Viola”; and producer/director/editor Laura Jean Hocking.
Back at Studio On The Square, there are two encore presentations. The first is Barge, this year’s Best Documentary award winner, and the second is the wild comedy Tangerine, which played on opening night of the festival.
Sunday brings two films featuring Kentucker Audley, the Memphis filmmaker, actor, and indie film advocate whose films Open Five and Open Five 2 both won Hometowner awards at past Indie Memphis festivals.
Olly Alexander, Kentucker Audley, and Joslyn Jensen in Funny Bunny
In director Allison Bagnall’s Funny Bunny, Audley plays Gene, whom we meet going door to door trying to sign up people for a clearly doomed campaign against childhood obesity. Audley’s performance, which finds the unsettlingly funny territory explored by Bill Murray in What About Bob?, is one of a trio of great turns in the film. Olly Alexander (Enter The Void, Penny Dreadful) plays Titty, an apparently insane twenty-something living in an empty mansion who is the only person who responds to Gene’s pitch. Titty is obsessed with webcam girl Ginger, played by Joslyn Jensen, whose prickly, manipulative exterior is slowly revealed to be a front to hide deep, disconnected pain. The story of three misfits finding solace in each other is one of festival’s major highlights.
Kentucker Audley in Christmas, Again
Audley also appears in Christmas, Again. Director Charles Poekel made the film based on his own experiences as a Christmas tree salesman in Brooklyn, and Audley spent the 2014 season alternately shooting scenes and actually selling Christmas trees on the New York streets. Shot on actual 16mm film, the photography helps imbue the story with a sense of pathos and beauty.
Laura Jean Hocking’s ‘Andromeda and the Sea Monster’
The Experimental and Animation shorts block is consistently one of the best programs at Indie Memphis, or any other festival. This year’s block includes a pair of short works by Laura Jean Hocking (full disclosure: I’m married to her). In “Double Feature”, she and Ben Siler shared a common pool of footage but edited two very different takes on the material. The second one, “Andromeda and the Sea Monster”, is an experimental animation piece that claims to be the credits to a feature that never materializes. But with credits such as “Fiji Vulcanologist” and “Technological Futurist”, you’ll wish you see the nonexistent full length.
Does this Monday morning feel like a punch in the face? Music Video Monday is here to help!
We’ve got the world premiere of the new video “Lucky or Strong”, the title track from Caleb Sweazy’s new album on Memphis’ Blue Barrel Records imprint. The folk rocker directed this video, which was shot in Downtown Memphis at Envision Gym. Sweazy appears as a boxer having a bad day opposite Jerome Hardaway. Brian Krueger and Envision’s Mark Akin appear as the fighters’ trainers. Caleb’s wife Melissa Anderson Sweazy produced the video, which features cinematography by John Paul Clark and Laura Jean Hocking editing.
Music Video Monday: Caleb Sweazy World Premiere
If you would like to see your video on Music Video Monday, email cmccoy@memphisflyer.com
By any measure, John Kilzer has had an eventful life. He’s been a college basketball player, an English professor, an internationally renowned recording artist, and a Methodist minister. Now, at age 57, he has put out a new album of original songs on Memphis’ Archer Records.
“California” is the second video from Hide Away. The song is about trying and failing to make it in the wilds of Hollywood. Director Melissa Anderson Sweazy and editor Laura Jean Hocking put Memphis actor Drew Smith back in the silent era for this beautiful and poignant video—and be sure to watch for the cameo by Drew’s son Hank.
Music Video Monday: John Kilzer
If you would like your video featured on Music Video Monday, just email cmccoy@memphisflyer.com
