The Perfect Location… Own It… Then Work It
We wanted our production of the Noelz Vedere “Promise Land” music video to be shot in a large, but intimate location. Our setting could have even been the outdoors, of which a number of (cemetery) sites were searched. There are some very warm moments within the song, which called for a controlled environment. The song is as wonderful as our location was. You can walk onto a set and just shoot, but it’s something else to get subjective and ‘feel it’ to get the most from it! It was “ours” from the very beginning. Love this editorial type shooting.
When we saw our church, it screamed ‘this is it’… especially in its state of disarray and disruption. It’s natural light was perfect, because the use of anything ‘artificial’ would have had a too closed-in studio feel. Many of the windows were already boarded up which let us take advantage of the existing light and shadows. The abandoned St. Boniface Church, in Chicago’s West Town neighborhood, built in 1904 was our location. And just a few short days after our shoot, the church became the recipient of red “X” signs from the city, deeming it unsafe for any entry. Shameful that it’s going that way…it was once a very beautiful, vital and statuesque building. Our timing was perfect…nearly. The “perfection” stopped at the thermometer…we had 15 ºF temps in our very breezy church! None of the wild birds flying around inside minded the cold, so why should we?
The video’s music was blasting and echoing in the church for Noelz delivery and our ballerina’s dance interpretation, as well as for our actors and actresses during the “memorial” service. The music kept us all just a little bit warmer.
Any creature comforts were missing but were ‘toughed out’ by all. And our ballerina was one tough, elegant warrior…as tough as any short-sleeved NFL lineman on a sub-zero Sunday. Kudos as well to the director, crew and acting talent who helped make it all happen. Here’s our video…