Music videos are always hard.
…Especially on a low budget. Especially in the bay. Especially during the week where everyone got hit by omicron. Especially during Christmas when everyone went home. Especially after a grueling year where so many in our community got burnt tf out. Especially when all of your friends that want to support you don’t feel very supported themselves. But everyone jumped in anyway. Not only did they jump in, they rolled with the punches, they did it with enormous pride, they did it with joy, and they gave it their all.
And just like that, what began as a very casual conversation between Josiah Johnson and me about wanting to do something cool and unexpected on the very heavy topic of forgiveness and shame - became a bloody dance piece in which 50 strangers came together to give everything they had.
The video premiered on American Highway - you can find a small interview with Josiah there.
And you can find the song - and more of Josiah’s gorgeous music - here.
BTS
unit photography by Matt Evearitt, aka @beholdcreators.
and if you really want to see how the sausage gets made ⇩
Click above for the original treatment to the video. It’s my first time writing treatment in Squarespace, and I don’t think I wanna go back.
← Lastly, Josiah and I have been friends for nearly half a decade now. On top of being an incredible musician and lyricist, one of my favorite things about our friendship is just his willingness to try jump into anything, full of big-hearted faith. Our music video developed because of his stubborn openness. And to demonstrate a little bit of what I’m talking about - here is a little side quest that I roped him into last week. I told him that we’re gonna serenade somebody because nobody deserves to spend their birthdays alone. He agreed, asked no questions, and jumped right in. The result is a tender and goofy musical ambush. It made my week, hope it makes yours too.