Amazing what you find when you’re idly trawling through blogs and this and that and then… wham… you come across something that blows your socks off. We traced the direction to newcomer Californian Mimi Cave so thought we’d give her a call…
Are you signed to a production company?
No, however this video was made with the support of the San Francisco production company, Autofuss.
Is Bizness your first major directing job? How did it come about?
Yes. I was originally a huge Tune-Yards fan and met Merrill through my friend (and the choreographer for the video), Sonia Reiter. Sonia and I occasionally perform as back-up dancers for Tune-Yards. I had an idea for a dance-film-turned-music-video and knew that if I didn’t make it, someone else would. I feel so lucky to have worked on a music video with one of my favorite female musicians.
What were the challenges of shooting Tune Yards’ Bizness?
Mainly funding and time. Everyone involved with this project worked for free … somewhat incredible. The experience was like a giant collaboration on a 3D, moving mural. Fantastic, talented artists who all wanted to be a part of something fun, creative, and meaningful to them. Everyone also had full-time jobs, so a lot of the preparation work was done after work and on the weekends.
Was it big budget or should i say was there a budget with lots of resourcefulness?
Not a big budget, but enough to make it work. Everyone involved was very generous with their time and resources.
What was it shot on?
We shot on the RED.
How has your experience as a video editor and production assistant helped with directing?
Well, for this project my experience as a performer and dancer were the things that helped me the most. When Merrill performs live, she has a raw, improvisational element to her that I wanted to capture, even though we were out of her normal performance arena. Dancers, on the other hand, have a heightened awareness of movement and space that can be expressed on camera if given the space to experiment. I think having an understanding of these details helped a great deal.
What’s your five year plan?
Just to stay inspired and open to new experiences.
