Lets Talk About ... The Sugars

THE SUGARS - GOSSIP
Aurora Fearnley

What a lovely bunch those Sugars are, the name truly fits. From day one in Leeds I've heard about and seen The Sugars continually, ironically it's when they are in London when I get the chance to work with them. The day started with the band arriving from an overnight drive, bless em. They still looked fab all day and were in great spirits throughout the shoot.

It's always a bit nerve wracking to meet the band after pitching an idea, being on such a short time scale we hadn't had chance to meet up and chat yet. The video was conceptually post modern, with the film crew all part of the cast. The narrative was based around the interaction of the crew discussing the musicians, mainly the uncomfortable atmosphere created by gossiping. Hopefully a reflection of our modern day obsession with celebrity and gossip magazines.

On this shoot we had the always reliable support of Joe Mcdonald as our DOP and Camera operator, with the joyful Jason Torbit on Steady cam (all day!!). Again the brothers T came up trumps, spending the day in every role required, it would be unjust to call them runners. George, Sophie and Kelly the all female AD team, dubbed aurora's angels, were consistantly amazing. I can't help but mention Kev, the everyman. There isn't a role for Kev, he's onto it before you think to ask it, a superstar on set. Joe costello also put in a welcome appearance,

It has been a fun shoot. One moment that stood out was all of the crew standing around yelling insults at the band to get genuine close up reactions, what good sports. Think i might need to buy them all a pint next time in in Brick lane.

Production Diary - Royal Vendetta

Royal Vendetta - Soothsayer
by Matt Maude

It was my first proper video where I was going to get paid for a budget. A BUDGET! BIG TIME! ACTUAL LIGHTS!?! A CAMERA BETTER THAN MY DICK IN MY HAND AND A MOBILE PHONE IN THE OTHER?

I got three hundred smackers...

My lights therefore came from IKEA (I took them back) my tracking shot came from hanging a camera out of the car, and I shot it, edited it, and directed it. The only help I had was my flatmate who drove my car, and my friend who took the dubious title of first AD when he came down for half an hour and ate a sandwich.

The premise of the video was that of a dodgy looking geezer (played by actual lovely geezer Rob Silva - his dad knows Desmond Tutu don't you know?) out on the robbing. After sneaking into a secluded car park and breaking into a car his actions catapult him into a dark world filled with revengeful repercussions, hooded spirits and no escape. The band play out, narrators of this ghostly world, taunting and tormenting our anti-hero as he spirals further and further down the disturbing rabbit hole.
As the video end, our hero looks on unrepentant and undefined, disturbed, crazed, gazing on to a darkening fading world


Despite no budget, no crew, and lights provided by IKEA, the band were great, the parkour kids fantastic (even the one who nearly got hit by the car) and considering what little light we had, that children as young as 13 were back flipping through the air and that a car was going round and round in a circle at 20mph in an enclosed space I was glad no one died.

I think that was the biggest learning experience of the whole thing. It's all good if no one dies.