This past Saturday, Aug. 11th, we spent some time at the filming of local musician Alan Munro’s new video “You.”
The production crew and cast arrived on Friday to finish up all relevant preparations so as to begin filming at 4 a.m. the next day, and through dawn on Sunday.
They filmed at different spots around Peñasco and we intercepted them (to put it one way) at Las Palomas where they were filming a gala ball, which required the participation of nearly 40 young “extra” volunteers all elegantly dressed.
We took some pictures backstage, though unfortunately we couldn’t be there all day. Yet, in one of the intermission breaks we were able to rob a few minutes with Carmen Aguirre, director and producer, as well as with Alan Munro, singer/songwriter and lead in the video, so they could tell us briefly about the production of this glamorous video.
Carmen Aguirre and her crew are from Hermosillo; she met Alan through a cousin who works with him. Her cousin contacted her when Alan decided to do a music video and since that time they’ve worked on three videos together including “Malagradecida”, “Bananas”, and now “You.” “Obviously, I said yes without thinking about it much. Though we do all types of videos, I am most passionate about music videos. You can do everything and create new worlds; it’s fiction and ultimately it’s for whoever hires us, and I love the idea,” she explains.
Aguirre and her team understand each other wonderfully; their work flows like butter over warm toast.
With respect to “You,” she told us that all was going well. They were up early in order to get a shot at dawn, and then took a break to rest and eat breakfast while watching the Olympic gold-medal match between Mexico and Brazil. After Mexico won, the crew continued with the day with more drive and enthusiasm. In speaking more with Carmen, she told us it was she who contacted the lead actress Paulina Burrola, a finalist in both Miss Sonora and Miss Mexico 2011. They had met in February when they did the video “Para ti solita” for Los Recoditos. When she found out Alan was dying to work with her, she jumped at the chance.
Nevertheless, all other participants came from elsewhere – or rather, from here. Aguirre explains, “This is one of the most important parts and I am very grateful to Nina Mier and Socorro for helping us. Honestly, we don’t know anyone here and they contacted all these volunteers for “the fiesta” and of course the cellist.”
At that point, she was called back by Daniel Guillen, photo director with whom she has been working for 2 years along with first camera assistant Gilberto Castillón. She was needed back on set to continue with filming while Andrés Paz and José Pesqueira, gaffers and in charge of lighting, moved lights from one spot to another. It was now time for the cellist.
We had set up to speak with Alan Munro later, perhaps that night though with no set time. Yet, the schedules were packed and he would be going back on Sunday, right after the filming. When I saw him sitting off to the side, laid back and relaxed with whisky in hand (like a rockstar) while waiting for the lights and camera for the next scene, I decided it was a good time for a brief exchange of words.
Alan eagerly obliged and we made our way to sit in more comfortable seats, to a type of living room away from the noise.
He looked a little tired and inhibited, and rightly so as he had not stopped since 4 that morning.
“Plus, yesterday we were ironing out some details so that today everything would go as it should, with as few incidents as possible,” he said. “…and I’m really liking what we’ve done. The production people are awesome; the extras that have been here helping us, sometimes repeating scenes again and again (that’s how this goes), are magnificent; everyone is very willing.” “I’m really satisfied,” he beamed, “..and I can’t wait to see it finished.”
He then told us that You is the second single from his second professional CD, entitled Munro (the first single is Bananas), and since he very much enjoyed working with Carmen he contacted her again for this video.
The original script is by Guillermo Munro, and Alan loved it from the time he first read it; it had that glamorous, original, and classic touch he was looking for.
“You is an autobiographical piece, and I wanted to do something that would identify with me, and so I identify with this version,” Alan explains, “although it seems a bit distant – it speaks to my nocturnal life. You see, those of us who have a hectic night life are called vampires.” “And, well,” he continues, “it’s about vampires and all that, but I’m not going to tell you anymore because it would ruin the surprise.”
He was then called away to finish up some takes, and then for a change of location.
As he stood up, in a mischievous voice he whispered, “I’m going to ask permission to see if in one of these [scenes] I can take a nap.” And then he vanished.
The You crew filmed in Puerto Peñasco into the early morning of Sunday and then returned to Hermosillo. Now comes the post-production phase and we look forward to seeing the final product.