Two Hope residents recently teamed up to produce the latest music video for Canadian recording artist Cole Armour.
Robert Fresco and Joshua Lemmens spent several days in March on location at Red Robinson Theatre and in the Langley area putting the finishing touches on Armour’s music video for his new single Original, which will be released in mid-April. The 14-year-old singer/songwriter released his first single Phenomenal to radio in the U.S. in 2012, and the song held fast at No. 38 on Billboard Indicator charts for three weeks.
“Music videos demand long hard days with having to organize dancers, actors, talent and extras,” said Lemmens. “In Cole Armour’s video, it was mostly youths under 19. It is a big undertaking setting up shots for dance numbers and moving from one location to the next. Working with a small but professional crew that knows the ins and outs of a shooting day makes all the difference.”
He pointed out that the most difficult shots are usually dependent on the weather.
“Long days can be hard on the mind and body, but everyone’s enthusiasm combined with the excitement of all the activity keeps it fun and light,” Lemmens added.
With a career spanning more than 50 years, Fresco is an international award-winning film and video director of photography, and one of the first recognized music video creators and producers in Canada. Lemmens, producer and director at Hope Studios, has about 20 years of experience in the Vancouver film industry and video productions. Fresco is classically trained and comes from a film background, creating footage with DSLR cameras, lens and lighting. Lemmens, who is also classically trained, said his ability to control large groups of people on set helps make things run smoothly, on time and on budget. His talent is in point and shoot video cameras and productions that focus on social media platforms like Vimeo and YouTube.
The duo recently shot footage for Chinese television concerning Fraser Valley bees and the making of honey. In the works is a feature docudrama called Pow Wow Warrior, a film about the history of Pow Wow Dancing and how it has developed and changed.
By having a viable film office in the area, Fresco and Lemmens are hoping to increase the film industry’s involvement with Hope and the Upper Fraser Valley.
“Anyone can make a movie, but having experience and a background like we have in the industry helps new filmmakers learn how to understand and participate in the independent as well as the main film industry we are proud to have here in B.C.,” said Lemmens.
A photo video club sponsored by Hope Studios and Trails Crossing Friendship Centre is currently being developed. The plan is to launch Hope Digital, or HD for short, in May.