Back in 2011, at the tender age of 21, I directed a music video for metal band Black Iris. I had been working in documentary production and producing EPKs (electronic press kits) for bands over the previous year and it was time for a new challenge.
I got to work storyboarding each scene and finding a crew, cast and hoard of make-up artists to make it happen.
This video is the result of a lot of work from many individuals who all absolutely smashed it on the day crafting the band and my vision into a reality – honestly, just thinking about the energy in the room during the shoot makes me giddy to this day.
The shoot itself took place at what used to be Backline Studios in Guildford, UK, on a very hot summers day – slight issue with zombie makeup melting but we made it! It took over 18 hours of solid filming, the band playing, zombies screaming and pole dancers poling to get all the shots I had crafted. There’s even a scene with a motorbike chase courtesy of ‘front 15’ zombie Justin Etherington (thanks for the awesome bike and shot Justin!)
The video got taken down by the company we worked with to produce it and they completely disappeared… It had achieved nearly 100,000 views on YouTube at this point.
We were devastated and having never been given a copy of what the band owned the rights to, we thought the work of nearly 100 people was lost forever.
Well, with some technical necromancy we got it back from the depths of the internet archives and I am so happy to see it and have it rereleased back out to the world, this time, in our control.
Now it’s here to stay.
ENJOY Black Iris: Hearts Still Beat