starring mh
Filmed in Manhattan, NY
My Occupation video supports the single from the album Whenever Next Time Is" by Starring MH. It was filmed in October 2018 in the Chelsea neighborhood of NYC. Features rooftop scenes (bees and 'concert') and scenes inside a metal workshop / hackspace. Features actress Madeleine Olson. Excellent photography and editing from Dave Morrett.
The song is available on Spotify and iTunes and Google Play.
Main Attraction
Credits
| Cast | |
| Sonia | Madeleine Olson |
| Drummer | Alexander Yegorov |
| Guitar 1 | Brendan McElroy |
| Guitar Lead | Hartwell Littlejohn |
| Singer | Matt Hanley |
| Music | |
| Song by | Matt Hanley |
| Bass | Ryan Howe |
| Drums | Michael Badillo |
| Guitar | Hartwell Littlejohn, Ashford Tucker |
| Vocals | Matt Hanley |
| Engineered by | Ryan Howe |
| ----------------------------------- | |
| Hair, Makeup Artist | Davisha Dadone |
| Director Photography | David Morett |
| Edited by | David Morett |
| Tech Advisor | Alexander Yegorov |
| Director | Simmons McDavid |
| Director | David Morett |
| Story by | Matt Hanley |
| Produced by | Matt Hanley |
| Filmed on Location at Hack Manhattan / Rat Park, New York, NY |
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| A Famprr LLC Production - famprr.com | |
Behind the Scenes
Here are some photos and video from the making of the music video My Occupation for Starring MH.
Photos
Simmons stands in to block out the beekeeping scene for Dave, as Davisha prepares Maddy.
Simmons with Dave lining up beehive shot.
Dave, Alex, Simmons prepare the red frame.
Blocking for the red frame / painter of nudes scene.
The band: Brendan, Hartwell, Alex
Soldering station: Maddy, Dave, Simms.
Davisha makes up Matt. Brendan with guitar.
Maddy works the angle grinder at lathe station.
Maddy seems a goner in the beehive fainting scene.
Video
Maddy gets instruction on how to throw a paper airplane
Dave rigs the wire to suspend the red frame for the painting scene.
Alex tries to get smoke from soldering station.
Maddy sparks up from angle grinder.
Matt's documentary of the making-of "My Occupation"
Davisha, Dave, Simmons (offscreen Matt and Alex Y.) watch footage.
Fun Facts
- Breakfast was provided by the venerable Donut Pub on 14th Street. In turn, the Donut Pub was used for the cover shot for the album Whenever Next Time Is
- The yellow guitar is Matt's Gibson Epiphone Casino, not the Gibson 330. It's played by Brendan, who is actually a reknown bass player.
- Hart's red guitar is a genuine American Fender Stratocaster he's owned for 20 years.
- Hartwell's idea to just use a snare drum. Matt had lined up a kit, and was going to pick it up at the Guitar Center 2 blocks away. Instead, Hart bought the red drum sticks there.
- Matt suggested Hart not wear the NASA suit, but fortunately, followed Dave's advice.
- The weather was ideal for lighting on the roof, and not too warm so that the cast and crew became hot.
- The beehive is manintained by the super of the building. Madeleine is not allergic to bee stings, but was wary being so close to the bees, unnerving as it is.
- Alex Y. is an associate of Hack Manhattan, where the filming took place. He served as technical advisor. When Matt's drummer couldn't show up, he asked Alex to stand in. Alex declared he had zero musical rhythmn, but the others coached him through.
- Madeleine's father is a highly accomplished master sound engineer. She won the part through an auditon that began with a posting on BackStage.com
- Amplifiers were brought up to the roof but were not used. Due to time and neighborly constraints, the "concert" was axed
- The mix of "My Occupation" the band plays to was provided just minutes before shooting, due to internet-tech issues at the sound studio.
- The ring in the video was brought by Simmons; he found in his apartment the night before.
- Lathing - as used to fashion a ring - does not generate sparks. The sparks you see are provided from using an angle grinder on a piece of metal. Matt did not generate good sparks himself, so the footage you see is of Alex. Maddy was able to make some excellent sparks, but that scene was omitted when the story had to be tightened.
- Matt became friends with Simmons on a bus on the way to the last night of Chicago's Broadway Comedy Theatre in 2010.
- Matt met Brendan and Dave at St. Dymphna's Pub in the East Village of NYC, which closed in Oct 2018 but is re-opening in summer of 2019 by a group led by Brendan.
- The record's length of 1:46 required precise editing and reworking the story in post production.
- Davisha, the hair and makeup artist, was found last minute through Jenni, a bartender Matt knows from 2A. Coincidentally, she attended high school with Hartwell's wife Julia.
- The red frame was spotted in the window of a frame shop down the street from filming location. Matt and Dave entered the store and asked to borrow it. The owner was friendly and obliged, on condition that Matt and Dave re-install it as was. To suspend the frame mid-air, Dave sent Alex for fishing wire , and Alex came through with a similar string. The frame store closes at 6pm, and despite the shoot running late, Dave and Matt were sure to keep their word, and get into the store on time.
Note from MH
I'm very grateful for the team that made the music video for "My Occupation." Everyone had only good advice and ideas. Dave has a lot of experience as a fashion photographer, and his professionalism kept us making progress all day. It was his insistence on booking a full day that allowed us to get things completed. And I will always recall our stroll to Best Buy, Blick art store, and the frame store. Simmons has an even-keel and was committed to assuring we had the story I had outlined. He got me to write the outline the night before, and his coming in with the ring idea was crucial. Very glad to have found Davisha. She knows the ins and outs of working with models, and was a good friend on the set to our star, Madeleine. Hartwell was as helpful as ever both practically and stylistically. The rooftop concert wouldn't have happened without him. As is, it looks super cool. And you know, the weather was peachy keen too. It made a big difference, not having to deal with rain. And the building owner, and super, and Hack Manhattan were cooperative to the largest extent. In summary I'd say this was a terrfic experience and prime example of excellence coming about not because some "great creator" had his way, but through the adjustments, improvisation, and execution of several people who have different skills and inclinations, but are committed to a goal. Many many thanks!
MH, June 2019
Main Attraction
The song is the fourth # on the album Whenver Next Time Is
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Also check the video for the Starring MH song "Record Player & a Cat"