How to make a music video in Dallas

Local band Anchored used a little luck and a lot of hard work to pull off their music video shoot this weekend.

DALLAS — When the music video first made its appearance on MTV on August 1, 1981 – ironically for the song “Video Killed The Radio Star” by The Buggles – musicians and critics alike questioned how the new medium would affect the music industry as a whole. Now 29 years later, it is safe to say that the music video did not actually kill the radio star. Music videos helped put MTV on the map and turn it into the media giant it is today. But once the network began airing shows like Jersey Shore, we've redirected our focus to watching music videos online. And those music videos aren’t always created by a huge film crew anymore; some are recorded on handheld cameras – or even smart phones – and edited on software like iMovie.

Technology has made music videos more of a reality for bands who happen to be on a lower budget than those who top the charts. Take DFW-based hard rock outfit Anchored’s story as an example. With a bit of luck and a lot of hard work, they’re filming a music video in Dallas, Denton, and Flower Mound this weekend.

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Anchored

Anchored's first music video was for their single “Dirty In Texas (D.I.T.),” off their debut full-length album Listen To This. Permits had to be obtained, locations had to be scouted and agreed upon, actors had to be chosen, and the band had find extras to come out at all hours of the day and night to appear in the music video.

But then they wanted to shoot on a busy city street. That's where it got harder, and lead singer Brandan Narrell laments that it would have been easier to do it in comfort of his own home.

“You have to have police escorts and stuff like that. It is more so for the city’s assurance and our assurance,” Narrell said. “It is hard. Dallas is not L.A, thank God. But you have to go through certain things just to even take a picture in some places.”

Luckily for Anchored, obtaining an experienced person to direct the music video for their forthcoming single “Last Night” was a little easier than they thought. Narrell believes fate sort of stepped in and helped the band get photographer/director/producer Devin DeHaven to helm the shoot. As an old family friend of drummer Matty Clark, DeHaven agreed to help out the band.

DeHaven has worked with Korn, Papa Roach, Kid Rock, Jada Pinket-Smith, and Eminem. He has even worked with basketball wunderkind LeBron James on an advertising campaign. “He has gone off and done all these gigantic artists, and to me that is huge,” Narrell said. “He has worked with the big people, and we are always small in our minds, no matter how many records we sell. It is awesome to get a chance with someone to work like that.”

Luck was also on the band’s side when it came to choosing the perfect Dallas venue. For their big concert scene, Trees in Deep Ellum was easily the venue of choice for the hometown rockers – and owner Clint Barlow, a friend of Narrell’s, let them use it on a sleepy morning starting at 2 a.m. Friday.

“In our opinion, Texas has the best people and best venues in the country,” Narrell said. “Thank God they hooked us up,” Narrell admitted with a sigh of relief. “Clint Barlow … graced us by letting us use Trees. We used to play there all the time, and Trees is like home to us.”

The music video for “Last Night” is set for release on January 8, with the radio single to follow on January 10.