Back in August, I had the pleasure and privilege to direct and shoot my first music video for artist Maya Vera and her single, “Stay (for a little).” It’s a feel good song that can easily be considered, The Introverted Lovers Anthem (that’s my suggested alternate title).
Maya and I met for coffee in the summertime and decided to pursue shooting the video on film as a celebration of queer love, with a home movie vibe. Our keywords were: intimate, natural, cute af, at-home, carefree, in love, playful, mundane yet meaningful.
This experience was one of trust, gratitude and alignment. While I've used film cameras since the beginning and shot one 16mm film (titled, “My Left Eye Is Spasming. I May or May Not Need to Leave,” with sound design by Christina Lan), I had never shot super 8 before. I rented a Minolta from Mono No Aware (check them out, they’re amazing), picked up 8 rolls of Kodak 500T, and embarked on this journey with a steep learning curve. I recruited my friend Queena to elevate the video with her styling and my friend Sarah to work her editing magic. After our shoot, it rained and my ceiling leaked onto the boxes of film, but thanks to the fact that super 8 comes in a plastic cassette, the film survived unscathed.
After months of planning, a 1-day shoot and a handful of edits, on 11/11, we released our baby to the world. Just in time for cozy (or cuffing) season.
Watch the video here:
Credits
Artist: Maya Vera
Director / Cinematographer: Anjelica Jardiel
Stylist: Queena Yan
Editor: Sarah Ng
Featuring: Nico Cabalquinto
Music Production: Thomas Massarany
On-Set Assistant: Lygia Brubeck
Film Processing and Scanning: Metropolis Post
This year, I’ve been blessed to advance my career into realms that truly align with what I love to do as an artist and human. I’ve been taking pictures for over 20 years, but its only since after the pandemic that I feel I’ve finally uncovered my vision of and for the world. That vision lies in simplicity and authenticity, getting to know people, and creating a space for them to be themselves.
In the words of Rick Rubin, “The goal of art isn’t to attain perfection. The goal is to share who we are. And how we see the world” (The Creative Act, p. 177).
He expands, “When making art, we create a mirror in which someone may see their own hidden reflection” (178).
About a year ago, Maya and Nico came to my studio to be photographed for my ongoing portrait series about human connection and love as action titled, “The Things We Do To Each Other.”
In preparation for the shoot, they contemplated the things they do to, for, and with each other, and this is what they came up with:
Dream With Each Other / Manifest With Each Other / Laugh with each other / Tease Each Other / Play With Each Other / Eat With Each Other / Learn From Each Other / Get Lost In Each Other / Nourish Each Other
I observed that they also Uplift Each Other.
Maya shared, “We feel very powerful together. We have very similar dreams and goals, and that’s been a really fun thing.”
Which brings me back to the article I shared in my last newsletter, A Buddhist View of Love, which states, “When we uphold a common vision for what kind of people we want to be and what type of family and society we want to create, that vision enables us to always move forward, mutually inspiring one another, sharing our joys and sorrows along the way.”
Further, Daisaku Ikeda “describes a healthy relationship as ‘one in which two people encourage each other to reach their respective goals while sharing each other’s hopes and dreams. A relationship should be a source of inspiration, invigoration and hope.’”
If you are a musician looking for a director for your next music video, please keep me in mind. I would love to help bring your music to life.
If you want to celebrate any of your relationships with a portrait shoot, my bookings are open: contact@anjelicajardiel.com
All stills were shot with a Hasselblad 500 c/m and 80mm lens on Kodak Portra 400, by me Anjelica Jardiel.
Anything underlined is an active link.
Thank you so much for your attention.