Perry keeps it controversial

It isn't every day that a music video gets shot here in London, but when our own Rose Cora Perry called for extras to take part in the filming at the end of May, I answered. I spent two days on set with Rose, filming a special “controversial” music video for the first single from her latest release, Off Of The Pages. Before that, though, I met with her here in town at the home of HER Records.

People here at Fanshawe are pretty familiar with Perry - a former student herself, Perry has a history with the college that includes nearly five years writing for Interrobang and the experience of filming her first music video within these halls. Far from the rocker chick that fronted Anti-Hero, Perry has matured into an artist who is much more socially aware.

Rose Perry on set“The song that I'm releasing as my single is called Mad World. Definitely not the catchiest thing that I've ever written, but that's not the purpose of anything that I'm doing artistically at this point,” she told me. “I'm really trying to head more in a social awareness, political direction because I feel that music is an amazing medium through which you can not only inspire people ... but it also has the amazing capacity to change people's minds, and to get them to spread awareness.”

Though she wouldn't let me in on the secret of the concept of the video, Perry was seemingly confident that I wouldn't put it all together while on set. Perhaps this was due to a slight suspicion in her mind about just how controversial the video may be seen to be. “I may or may not be sued,” she laughed. “It's got a very, very strong political message to it, and it might piss people off.“

“I want to do something cool, and I want to do something meaningful and powerful to both myself, and to people who are music listeners and music lovers,” she explained. “But essentially, the whole video is about contrasting two worlds, two completely different perspectives, and then asking viewers to consider them both, and not be blinded to what's going on.”

Though it seemed vague, she did talk to me about all the work that goes into organizing and filming a music video. For the video she made with her old band, it was a different story - she had three other people to help her with arranging production, casting roles, and building props. This time, in true DIY fashion, Perry was the sole captain of the ship — one that included London-based Wreckless Crew Productions, a video production company that films and features artists who share their passion.

“Well, the first thing, obviously, was trying to find a videographer I felt was competent in bringing my very, very specific vision to life, but also that could do it within an affordable DIY budget,” she said. “Then obviously I had to storyboard the whole thing, talk about what I actually wanted in the video, come up with the concept, and listen to the song repeatedly [with the videographer], basically second by second to allocate to it which scene would go where and how much time would be devoted for each scene.”

Those decisions made, it came time to scout locations in London to find which would be best suited for Perry's specific vision; of the four required to execute the concept, two locations will film with extras. Perry kept details vague, but she did reveal the first location was at Richmond and Fullerton, downtown. The second location was a vacant lot at Adelaide and Hamilton.

Perry plans on going viral with the video once it's filmed.

“I'm going to do it all online,” she said, of her plans to release the video worldwide. “If people are willing to broadcast it on air, like a conventional TV, I'm not opposed to that, but judging from the controversy that may or may not erupt from it I'm not sure what the likelihood of that is.”

Watch for Rose's video to appear online when it's completed - though there is no official date for its release, it will be published on her website RoseCoraPerry.com and Youtube channel when it is finished.

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Day in the life of a video extra

Bobby Foley's daily diary as an extra in Rose Cora Perry's video for her song, Mad World.

DAY 1
11:48 a.m.: Though I was told to be here by 11:00, Rose and the crew just arrived. My first thought? Seems like a very modest crew. I don't see any of the music video standbys here - where are the expensive cars? Where are the women and piles of money? Where is the all-white background and accompanying swing dancers? I fear that every preconceived notion I have of this industry may be dashed.

12:02 p.m.: The Good News: I have obtained the role of Principle Number 6. This means that I will appear to be in the band for the filming of the video. The Bad News: I have no instrument to play, so I will have to clap my hands instead. Rose has a pile of signs that she is dropping as an homage to Bob Dylan, but you and I both know that I have it way harder.

3:00 p.m.: My hands, red from clapping, have just been filmed in the behind the- scenes documentary being shot by the crew. We were all instructed to show more and more enthusiasm as the day wore on, so naturally where I began by simply clapping and swaying, I am now deep into a full-on impression of The Temptations. I wouldn't lie to you, sugar-pie honeybunches.

4:12 p.m.: Filming resumes tomorrow near Adelaide and Hamilton. I am to be dressed conservatively, which I understand is indicative of the inverse nature of the shoot. Where today was peaceful protest, will tomorrow be violent? Where today I had to dance and clap, will tomorrow I be throwing haymakers left and right? Where today Rose and the crew were close to an hour late, will tomorrow they be early?

DAY 2
11:31 a.m.: It seems as though my hopes that we would begin on time have been dashed. I'm standing in an empty gravel lot holding a suit and wondering where everyone is.

1:43 p.m.: Rose is continuing the theme of throwing cards in homage to Bob Dylan. Today my role is that of a photographer/ reporter who scraps with security, throwing haymakers. It's going to be an interesting day.

2:22 p.m.: Rose just let slip that these two days' footages are going to be split screened, shown at the same time. She's going to be showing contrasting worlds, at the same time.

4:04 p.m.: Just preparing the final shot, the CEO getaway - Rose gets rushed into the BMW and driven away by security. She's all concerned about getting dirty. "Sometimes even CEOs get dirty getting away," I told her. "You just gotta jump in the chopper and not think about it."

4:23 p.m.: Wrap for extras; what a crazy two days this has been. Hot as hell, but very fun. Watch for this video, it's going to be huge for me. Oh, and maybe also Rose.