Beautiful music vid here performed by Seattle hip hop pals Macklemore (@macklemore) & Ryan Lewis (@ryanlewismusic) and shot by emerging Seattle filmmaker friend Zia Mohajerjasbi (@DrZia)
You think this video emerged fully formed outta these guys’ brains? Hell no. It’s all a process. Usually, this process is not well chronicled. But in the case of this video, we get to see some special insights. Not just the ‘making of’ but the whole process of how this project came together in the new era of filmmaking… Hit ‘continue reading’ below to see…
1) raw video of the first time this song was performed more than 2 years ago (at my studio actually!)
2) video of Macklmore, Ryan, and Zia asking for fan support via Kickstarter
4) and finally a few behind the scenes videos showing how they made it..
Follow the progression…
First time “Wings” (was called ‘Air Jordans’ back then…) was performed at my studio via our Songs For Eating & Drinking project more than 2 years ago… A song whose lyrics were still taking shape, scratched out on scraps of paper. I learned that sometime that evening Zia told Macklemore he’d love to make a video for that track if the song ever evolved…
Here’s Macklemore, Ryan, and Zia asking for your support on Kickstarter…
And finally, here’s 3 behind the scenes videos showing some of the cooler shots…
IMHO, this is a great chronicle of the new era of making stuff in the world. Raw artistry, is put out into the world. Feedback and collaboration result. Fans and friends help support the making of this art. Great work gets made and shared, and the recipe of how it was all pulled off is given back to the world for consumption, edification, and repetition.
Onward & upward.
[And and overall, big ups to my Seattle homies. Congrats on a kick ass video AND thanks for sharing with us the evolution of the art.]
Chase: The final video is great — simply beautiful — but watching how the ideas and concepts behind the video progressed is absolutely fascinating. Please, please, please give us more of these “idea development” posts on your blog. The insight that they provide into the creative process is as valuable (or more so) than any classroom learning that’s out there.
Matt
This was such an enjoyable post, Chase. Excellent music, and a very touching story of the BTS for this music vid. Thank you for sharing!
I think that whole gangster talk is also part of the American Brand that needs to be taken off, and discarded. It’s a mask just like the products that people wear. Take off the fake gangster accent, and the Nikes, along with the Mercedes, or other material possessions that we are brainwashed to think we need or must have in order to be someone. Why can’t people use their real voices and not these adapted thug voices. I’d rather see someone wear a pair of Nike sneakers than listen to someone speak like a thug. I agree that material possessions don’t define you, but the voice and language you use does give a lasting impression.
I like the message in the video on the peer pressure of fitting in, though using slang language is also part of that. “Just sayin.'”
This is a great post. I loved the first performance of the song and I watched the full music video last and it did not disappoint. You seem to always have great behind the scenes posts. Very informative and helpful. Thanks for posting this.
MAcklemore and ryan lewis are sick. if you like that song check out the track “otherside”