Compelled By Reality

Interview with Director Micah Blosser

Filed under: Comical, Famous Interviews, IHOP, Video

So after the spectacular release of the hit music video “Love” by Bob Powers and Caleb Culver, I was able to sit down with them for an exclusive interview which was only available to CompelledByReality.com readers. Not a day after the interview is live on the net, am I contacted by the powers that be to do an in depth with the Director of the film. With the fame this video is getting I considered it to be utter destruction to my budding career as a journalist if I turned this down. So today we have just that… an interview with the director of the music video “Love,” Micah Blosser.

I’m sitting here with Director Micah Blosser today, 2 days after the exciting release of the music video “Love.” So, Micah, tell us a little about yourself.

Well, I grew up in Ohio, and just recently (a little over a year ago) I moved out to Kansas City to be apart of the International House of Prayer. I like music a lot, I’ve always liked music, always played in bands. I’ve also liked media, and so one of the things I’m doing here at the house of prayer is the Media Apprenticeship.

What was your role in making this video?

Basically, I heard the song and I knew I had to do something about it. I knew that it wouldn’t be complete without something to see. You can’t just hear it, you have to see it. So I begged Bob and Caleb, and at first they said no. But I begged them, pleaded with them to let me make a music video with them. Then I [started getting] hate text messages from them saying “stop talking to us,” but finally they warmed up to me. We began filming and all is history from there.

Did you have any serious problems with this film, besides working with Bob and Caleb?

Well, I’d never used final cut before, and I’d never officially done a video shoot. And I didn’t have a camera, and I didn’t have any of the software. So I’d say those were a few issues. But other than that I think it went fine.

Do you think it was a great music video or the greatest music video?

It left me wanting a little more honestly. I could have seen more… I did watch it a lot of times… but I wish it could have been a little bit more. But I don’t know what that is. It’s pretty funny though, I enjoy it. So a great music video… not the greatest.

What was harder, fitting the talent of both Caleb and Bob into a 2 minute and 30 second video, or to keep yourself from hyperventilating in their presence?

I’d say… both. Both were pretty hard. Yeah, there were a few times that I had to stop filming… just so I could not look at them any more, because you have to look when you’re filming.

Kind of overwhelming?

Yeah definitely. I’ve never seen anything like this before.

How else do you plan on promoting the film?

Well, I thought of billboards, internet media, ads and such. Direct mail, maybe. So, I’m gonna see what I can do about that… I’ve got some friends in the Post Office.

Over the years you’ve been very selective in your choice of projects. What made you want to direct your first music video?

I think it was that I liked the song so much, like I’d said that I wanted something more, I wanted to make it if possible… not better, but I wanted to make it more enjoyable than it already was. Really, this was my first project ever, that’s how selective I was. I’ve never, ever done a project before… except for this one. So, we’ll see if I do anymore. If I do anymore it will obviously involve Bob and Caleb.

Well that answers the next question, any future collaborations with Bob and Caleb?

Yes, definitely.

What was the most fun part of making the music video?

Probably making the music video, was the most fun.

And the most fun part?

Just being in their presence.

Whose idea was it to put the puppets in the video?

I believe it was Bob’s. He had the puppets and he brought them to the shoot, and I said “that’s sweet,” and we did it. We just integrated them in.

How much of what we saw on screen was improvised?

100%.

How much direction did you give during the shoot and what did you do in the direction of the film?

Maybe 30%. I would listen to it (the song) a lot, and I would just think about funny things, or things that would be funny as the video was going on. I really wanted the music to be like how I edited the video. I wanted the actions which were taking place in the video to be like the lyrics. So I knew that I wanted to do nice clean dissolves, good formulated shots… not a bunch of jerky stuff like a regular music video. And so I double checked all my head room, all my nose room. I wanted it to look good, but I wanted the things that were going on to be ridiculous.

So I story boarded a little bit of it out. I talked with Caleb and Bob before [we did the shoot]. And [we] went through what they wanted and what I wanted and we talked through it. There were a few things I needed to change right off the bat, which was more of Caleb. I didn’t know that Bob wanted Caleb in it as much… I thought it was just about Bob, but Bob [had said] “I want Caleb to be a part of it… more.” So I had to redo some of the shots I was thinking of.

It was a basic setup. There was the first location and the first couple shots, and there was a foreshadowing of the second location in the second shot. Then the whole first and second verse goes through the apartment, which was my first location. Then the third verse and the rest of the song is shot out in the field, and it kind of goes back and forth. So I figured all of that stuff out and talked to them about it. Then we just did it. It was fun.

Any last thoughts?

I love Bob Powers…. and Caleb Culver.

Tags: Bob Powers, Caleb Culver, Director, Film, Humor, Interview, Love, Micah Blosser, Music Video