In mid-January, local musician Daniel Kerr (aka Brother Dan) went out with filmmaker Zach Voss and photographer and BW contributor Glenn Landberg to shoot some promotional photos for Kerr's debut solo album, The Orb. As Landberg lined up landscapes for the photos, an itch crept up Voss' spine: What about a music video? The trio turned on Kerr's car stereo and cranked up the track "Igor Pops" and began to record.
Even though the video was born on impulse, the result is a cohesive, dynamic product that showcases Kerr. There is a stunning shot of Kerr against a striated, warm-hued sandstone wall. It looks like it was shot on a hot day in the Idaho desert, but Voss and Landberg divulged that the shot was actually filmed behind the Hawkins Pac-Out.
"As long as you shoot creatively and edit well, the viewer is only going to be left with your final viewfinder," said Voss.
Pac-Out or not, Landberg admits this is one of the shots he is most proud of from the video.
"I think a photo is very thought-out ... so I try to maintain that while filming," said Landberg.
Voss, Landberg and Kerr went out only once more to shoot night scenes at Bogus Basin. Then Voss, who is an illustration major at Boise State, went to work editing. As he was putting the scenes together, he realized the video needed something more and decided to "burn in"--add video on top of video--some archival footage. The result is that a viewer stops trying to distinguish between the two.
"By merging the color schemes of both and manipulating them both, the video becomes a whole and not fragmented," Voss said.
It's heady to consider that in the space of three days someone could create such a visually profound project--someone, that is, besides Voss and Landberg, who were part of a team last year that scored a hat trick at the i48 film festival. Their film, Object of Affection, won Best Film, Best Cinematography and Best Actor. Kerr was even part of the team: He did the original score.
Local film fests and music videos aside, these guys do have a dream.
"A film in Sundance would be nice," Landberg said lightheartedly.
Right now they might be traipsing around Boise making movies with friends, but Sundance could be a real possibility.
"You can be successful and screen good material here, which could then go on and be shown somewhere else," Voss said. "So I plan to stay in Boise and improve our work for moving on to a bigger venue, and I think Boise is the perfect platform for it."
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Staff Pick Events
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KIDZ BOP Make Some Noise Tour @ Knitting Factory Concert House
- Fri., May 22, 7:30 p.m. $20-$25
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Idaho Songwriters in Our Parks @ Sandy Point, Lucky Peak State Park
- Sun., May 24, 2-6:30 p.m. $10, plus $5 parking
Lyrics4Lily @ The Crux
- Fri., May 29, 7:30-11 p.m. $5
