Melody Thomas was asked if she wanted to be an unpaid extra in Wellington musician Barnaby Weir’s new solo video. What? Not paid to hang out with great people in costume, drink free beer and listen to good local music? It was a tough choice but in the interests of journalism, Melody went along anyway.
THIS morning I woke with a slightly dishevelled 1950s quiff in my hair, a catchy new song embedded in my brain and blurry memories of sequins, rock n’ roll skirts and comedian Dai Henwood dancing on a shaky surfboard.
Mighty Mighty on Cuba Street was the venue, and filming started in the afternoon. There was more animal print than Cheryl West’s wardrobe, and more beautiful girls than I’d ever seen, none of them smiling. Perhaps they were busy, or stressed out. Perhaps it was the presence of so many other beautiful girls, all vying for wardrobe, makeup and (of course), camera time. They seemed hyper aware of how cool they were, which always has the unpleasant effect of making me super self conscious about whether I’m cool (or beautiful) enough to be there.
Music video extra tip #1: Have confidence, but above all be friendly. It makes the whole thing more fun for everyone.
I’ve been cast as a “bar fly”, which ends up being a prim-and-proper 1950s floral number. Go figure. Like everyone else in the crew, the hair and make-up artists are volunteers, and they’ve got about 80 people to beautify. While I’m getting done up I meet a few of the other extras. Aroha has been cast as “hot legs” and doesn’t seem to mind that (she does have beautiful legs, and she’s friendly); Conrad was meant to be Elvis but ends up in lifeguard costume, (he also bought seven safari suits in a suitcase just in case the need arose). I notice a slightly-older-than-your-average-extra group of professional rock n’ roll dancers. Sheryne and Miles Coverdale, Tony Clarke and Pauline Lipscombe have been doing rock n’ roll for years, though this is their first video shoot. They’re not entirely sure what’s expected of them today.
“I think they’re going to film us in front of the band, doing bits of the routines we use in competition,” says Miles. They’re prepared to improvise.
Music video extra tip #2: Be patient and open. You may not know what’s required of you until the director says “action”, and it may be a while till that happens.
After the rock n’ rollers have done their flip-y, swing-y thing it’s time for the rest of us to get involved. Aside from a few special roles (including a cameo from Wellington’s favourite diva Lisa Tomlins as the gypsy tarot-card reader, and pseudo surfer Dai Henwood), we are just required to dance and look enthusiastic. It’s not hard to dance to the song, a catchy rockabilly number, and it’s not hard to look enthusiastic when you’re surrounded by drag queens, chic geeks and even a wrestler in lycra. Eventually, when the Real Hot Bitches come out to battle some queens on roller skates in the middle of a dance circle, the energy picks up even more. We must listen to the song 20 times, but it doesn’t get old. At this stage even the beautiful girls are smiling.
Music video extra tip #3: Forget your inhibitions, forget the cameras. Have fun!
By the time the shoot is called to a stop parts of costumes have been swapped around, people are dancing bare-foot and balloons and Christmas presents are sailing through the air. I don’t know what other music video shoots are like, but I’d definitely do another like this again. It’s worth the nerves, the time, and the hangover.
Music video extra tip #4: If someone asks you to take part, say yes!
Barnaby Weir’s video for Tarot Card Rock will be on TV screens in January, the album is in stores February 2011.