Last week, the world was introduced to the music of the NYC-based Golden Age thanks to the band's participation in ReverbNation's invitation-only CONNECT program, and as a result of being featured in ReverbNation CONNECT's The Watch List and on The Fader. The band's debut pop song "Tinted Windows" is described by The Fader as "soaring," front-woman Sydney Sahr is called "electrifying," and the featured promotional elements include visually stunning photography and a music video (https://youtu.be/YvGniXwwaj8). The music video and photos were directed and lensed by Conner Reddan of Valiant Pictures, in collaboration with the well-known photographer Elena Montemurro, who served as the project's creative director.
Check out The Watch List here: https://www.reverbnation.com/collection/5-the-watchlist
The "Tinted Windows" music video was a collaboration of the greatest kind, drawing on the talents of Reddan and Montemurro, and unchecked creative exploration with Sahr and her fellow bandmates, Mark Loercher and Steve Battline, all of whom have been close friends for many years. Reddan explained how they settled on their "film noir-esque" creative direction. "Sydney came to me with a list of ideas she had compiled, and we started an email chain that went back and forth for weeks," he began. "Sharing old noir movie stills and discussing mood-heavy films like 'Lost Highway,' we then worked together to synthesize a loose shot list to guide us through shooting the video."
Reddan continued, "I find it important to always be receptive to what other people and places have to offer creatively. For example, our location had a huge influence on our shot list. One of us would react to something – a shadow from a window, an unintended prop – and figure out a way to incorporate it. I think flexibility is key."
The filmmaking adventure played out over the course of one weekend last October. With Reddan's personal Canon 5D MKII and some additional rented lenses, camera mounts and gear, the director, Montemurro and the band members piled into the car that appears on-camera. "We headed out to Long Island for the weekend, and came back in the early morning hours on Sunday with a music video," Reddan said.
In total, the crew shot for 16 hours during their getaway, and Reddan adds, "The beauty of working with a small crew made up of friends is that everyone is invested in the project, so working late's not an issue." What did become an issue was the car's battery. Reddan described a scene that took place very late in a remote parking lot near the Hamptons, as they were trying to get their final shots: The car's battery died, and so did everyone's cell phones. "For a little while it was looking pretty grim, but eventually, Mark was able to flag down a taxi driver to give us a jump," he said.
Last year, New York-based independent production company Valiant Pictures relaunched, and Reddan was named among the directors in its up-and-coming Vanguard division. As a triple-threat director, DP and editor, he has worked on projects for major brands including Asics and Liar Magazine, where his work has received high-profile editorial exposure and been featured in NYC's Wallplay gallery. Naturally, he also edited "Tinted Windows."
Reddan handled all aspects of post-production in Adobe Premiere Pro Creative Cloud on his MacBook Pro. "This project really came together in the edit," Reddan confirmed. "We knew we had the right shots to establish the mood we were going for, but we only had a very loose structure of what order they would appear in. I think it really found itself in the pacing and arrangement of the edit."
Finally, Reddan also shot a set of images that Golden Age is using in media outreach and promotions. Those can be seen here on the band's official site, along with the music video, additional tracks and news about upcoming performances: http://g0lden-age.com
Valiant Pictures' Matthew D'Amato and Vincent Lin, who executive produced the project, commented, "The whole idea of Vanguard is to nurture and foster young talent. In this case, we provided Conner production support where it was necessary, and otherwise gave him full creative control."
About Valiant Pictures
Valiant Pictures (http://valiantpictures.com) is a New York-based independent production company specializing in branded content, commercials, and original entertainment. Established in 2010 by director Vincent Lin and executive producer Matthew D'Amato, the latest creative achievements from Valiant's award-winning filmmakers are captivating diverse audiences across all media platforms. Continually and courageously challenging conventional expectations, the best is yet to come.
