Behind the Scenes of “I Lost, You Win”… the video that just wasn’t meant to be… It’s a Wrap!

LESSONS LEARNED THE HARD WAY

Lets just review a few “lessons learned.” (Click for Aoede’s 7 Tips to Save Your Next Music Video!)

1. Always have signed contracts no matter what.
2. Do a lot of research on those you hire.
3. Be realistic- about the money, time, skill, manpower, equipment, location, direction, leadership it will take to realize a vision.
4. Assume that things can always can go wrong and have a Plan B, C, D.
5. Go in person to scout locations.
6. Don’t spend 90% of your budget on equipment and crew.
7. Know how to let go. Be willing to simply admit something didn’t work and move on.

I could go on. I’ll just say that I realized after the shoot and even now how ambitious the video really was; how many shots were required and what it took to get each shot in changing, unknown conditions. I didn’t have the expertise to know this. Apparently, neither did those with whom I worked.

In January of 2008, I was told via email that there wasn’t enough footage to complete a music video and that more footage would have to be shot at my expense, and preferably with someone else at the helm. I recall planning to have had a completed and edited music video Jan 30th so it would be ready for my release of Push and Pull in the Spring. In April 2008, I was still waiting on raw, unedited footage that couldn’t even complete our 3 minute music video… and had to demand to receive it to get some response.

I kept thinking that if I had had the raw footage earlier, I could have hired someone else to complete the video and been ready for our release…
PUREBRED PRO TO THE RESCUE!

Believe it or not, it takes some time to finish a music video when life gets in the way! In this case, it was a combination of events-personal, music, health… Dave, my husband, and I were prepping for our wedding in May, got married and had our CD release and wed reception together in May 2008, then we went on tour to promote the new album in late June and early July through the Northwest. Meanwhile, I was just starting to get sick with dermatomyositis with my first skin symptoms appearing in late April… I had contacted several folks who were referred to me to move the project along in 2008, but most wanted a chunk of change to finish the shoot or referred me to others.

I Lost You Win July 2009 at the S SF studio

It wasn’t until January 2009 that I received an email that Purebred Pro, a referral of a referral, might be able to help. Then in June 2009, I learned that they built a jungle/forest in their studio for another project and that it might be the perfect location to finish a modified shoot and complete the beloved video…they asked if we could come down for the shoot in July 2009. (Hmmm. Umm. Yeah, I guess. If we’re not doing anything better…)

I Lost You Win July 2009 at the S SF studio

Skip to December 24, 2010 when I was emailed the final video. “These things happen,” I keep telling myself. The shoot went without a hitch. It was indoors. There was good lighting. Working equipment. There was power. There was a staging area to change. It was a simple idea realized quickly, and ample footage was captured. We even had a few stand-ins like our friend Thijs, since John our drummer couldn’t make it.

Aoede, Dave, Thijs on set I Lost You Win Jul 2009

I think life got in the way again in 2009 and 2010. I was busy dealing with my health and all related issues like securing disability insurance, considering what I would do if I couldn’t work, etc. I checked in every few months, but Purebred Pro had other projects, and this one took the back burner. For some time in 2009 and 2010, I kept thinking maybe this video should never be completed. All the forces in the universe kept it in  pieces for so long…maybe it just wasn’t meant to be.

I Lost You Win Dec 20077 Nicasio dress

When I saw the first draft footage of the video, from start to finish in late November 2010, I was nearly crying. This time out of sheer joy that I had something to show for all these years of efforts, of time, of $$, of sheer will. I would not let it die. Nor would I apparently let the footage from Dec 2007 just go by the wayside. I knew it was too dark. I knew we didn’t have enough of it to make a video. But I somehow needed that footage to be part of the picture-part of my final statement. It’s as if having that footage in there somehow wipes clean all that transpired to get it there. Or if not wiping it clean, at least making it be part of the long and twisty road there.

So yes, “I Lost, You Win” is just another 3:02 music video. But it is also a reminder. Maybe upon watching it, seeing the old footage spliced into the new footage, it will remind you too that yes, life gets in the way of your dreams sometimes, and dreams can change, but the real trick is not letting those dreams die.