"We've Got a Fuzzbox and We're Gonna Use it!" has to rate as one of the best band names of a generation. The pop-glam-punk of songs like "Pink Sunshine" and "International Rescue" were a spikey alternative to the introspective decay of the 80s Birmingham music scene.
Singer/songwriter Vix, and her all-new girl band - Vix and her Ms Chiefs, have been gigging and are about to release their debut single, "Fame is Your Driver" along with a video collaboration with our very own Mark Pressdee.
The Producers' Forum caught up with Mark to find out about life in the pop-lane.
PF: So Mark, I get the feeling that there is a story behind this collaboration then?
MP: I was due to attend a surprise birthday party of a pal, Ian Braznell - Ian was the lighting gaffer on my film, Titanic Love. Anyway, ViX & her MsChiefs were playing there as well. At the time I was on tour around the country filming auditions for a new girl vocal group, Office Girls, to be launched soon. (I had to sign a confidentiality agreement on that so I can't divulge anything just yet!)
It was kind of ironic as I have always been a fan of ViX and her music. Fuzzbox are still one of the UK's most successful girl bands to date!
Due to filming I arrived late and missed the performance, I was gutted. I got chatting to ViX and she mentioned she was looking for a Director to shoot the band's new single. The room was full of filmmakers so I said she was in the right place! ViX then went on to view my film; she loved its humour and quirkiness.
PF: To quote another 80s act, there seems to be a degree of synchronicity at work here.
MP: ViX had a strong concept for an X-Factor audition style video as her song plays on all the current talent show themes. The synergy between us was surreal as I was actually on the road filming talent show auditions for real. We both had a strong sense of making this happen.
We continued dialogue and the night before I was flying out to film in Ireland, ViX & her MsChiefs had a gig at Katie Fitzgeralds in Stourbridge. I was sold - the band is amazing and very visual, I had to get involved. I met up with the band a week later and we thrashed out the concept.
ViX went on then to produce the video as I was on still the road. We then met up with Birmingham Theatre School as a location as it was perfect for the shoot, central to town, free parking and can hold a fair sized crowd. We agreed this was the ideal venue, so we set a date and got planning!
PF: Was it important for you to keep the production "local"?
MP: I knew as Director I needed a really good tight crew and excellent equipment. I contracted the services of Studio B15 in Birmingham utilising key crew that I know and often work with. I also brought in their latest camera and lenses. My pal and colleague Ian Braznell came on board as Gaffer as he is also a fan of the band. The DOP for this was key and would be my rock for the shoot; friend and colleague Steve Broster a very talented freelance filmmaker who also works for B15 came on board the project. I have worked with Steve and Ian for years on many projects and both worked on Titanic Love so we knew we could rattle through a one-day shoot no problem.
I am always really keen to support new talent so I brought on board two students as camera/lighting assists, first was Nina
Baillie from Birmingham City University. I met Nina at one of the Producers' Forum nights; she expressed an interest for experience working as a camera assistant, from that I took Nina on the road with the Office Girls shoot so she really wanted to work on this as project well. The power of networking at the Producers' Forum nights at The Mockingbird just goes to show what can happen by networking. Eleni Alampanou is from Greece and currently a student at University of Birmingham. Eleni is also an intern with Studio B15 and that was the crew sorted. Between myself and ViX, we pulled in the rest of the crew.
MP: ViX then worked her magic and cast a great crowd of auditionees, known as The Wannabes, comprising of fans of the band and her music mentees. Several of them pledged via ViX & her MsChiefs’ Pledge Music Campaign on crowdfunding site www.pledgemusic.com to be a Special Guest in the video. Other band members and crew pulled their weight, organising backdrops, scenery, logos all courtesy of Urbanshine Design. Catering was set and we were good to go!
We then actually shot the music video like a real audition process with the band as Judges, intercutting with shots of the band performing as well. The atmosphere was electric as the Wanabees really went for it.
All in all it was real ‘people power’ moment with filmmakers, musicians and members of the local community collaborating for an exciting film for the region.
ViX said "It was just amazing how everybody pulled together and things fell into place so wonderfully well! There was definitely a feeling amongst everybody involved that something special was being created here. I was buzzing on the day and still am! The video portrays such diversity, which of course Brum and the West Mids are famous for. Mark and I really clicked creatively; I am sure we will be working together on future projects too. Here's to rock n roll and new friendships!"
The debut music video will be launched April 25th @ The Glee Club in Birmingham.
ViX and her MsChiefs will be headlining the show.
More from ViX about the video www.vix.uk.com
Photographs courtesy of Jennifer Stone photography.
This article first appeared in the April Newsletter. You can read it here.
For the archive of all previous Producers' Forum Newsletters please follow here.
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