In the middle of December 2006, we devoted three frenzied days to the process of filming our own music videos. There was never a dull moment—in general, when the two of us start throwing ideas around, mischief inevitably ensues. We threw caution—and our dignity—to the wind, and we had great fun pushing the boundaries!
Equipped with my mom’s modest camcorder, various “costumes,” no budget, and a few awesome friends as extras/cameramen/bemused spectators, we set to work on our first video. (Watch it below!)
The music: our own arrangement of Astor Piazzolla’s spicy Libertango
The location: Sudler Hall, Yale University (New Haven, CT)
The scenario: This was largely circumscribed by our location. We were fortunate to have a venue at our disposal on a busy weeknight. However, since an Ivy League university lecture hall doesn’t normally conjure up the agitated passion and élan of the tango, we were forced to construct a storyline that would fit the music. The basic plot is that Greg falls asleep during a boring class and then proceeds to fantasize about playing a scorching tango with yours truly. ;-)
The process: Embarrassing moments abounded throughout this experience, and I’m quite mortified that most of them were captured on tape for posterity! (Mortified or not, the outtake reel—which is full of our mistakes and silly comments—is posted on our site for all to see. Enjoy!) The embarrassment usually resulted from us trying to act “sultry.” First of all, I must mention that we are neophytes in the art of acting (though Greg has actually appeared on Broadway!). It was really difficult keeping a straight face after prolonged guises of sexual tension, so we ended up bursting out into uncontrollable laughter take after take. Also, it’s worth noting that Greg has a uniquely penetrating glare when he assumes the role of seducer; it was definitely a challenge to maintain eye contact with such an intense, glazed-over stare while executing virtuosic passagework and remaining in character. Yet even with all these amusing challenges, we had a blast making musical sexytime!
All in all, we thoroughly enjoyed our brief stint in the realms of acting and filmmaking. And as Oscar Wilde said, “Life is too important to be taken seriously.”
Hope you enjoy the vids!
- EJR
Anderson & Roe perform their own arrangement of Astor Piazzolla's Libertango.
Click here to watch the outtakes!