Making the Messy Music Video
Have you ever wondered what goes into making an independent music video? Well, in honor of Messy Hot Girl Summer being out for two weeks, I thought I might showcase a bit of what went into bringing Messy Hot Girl Summer (the Official Music Video) to life alongside some of my favorite people: my sister Kendall, her partner Alicia Ramirez, and our lifelong friend Emma Herrera.
Behind the Scenes ✨👇🏼
Nailing Down the Details: Our adventure began with countless Zoom calls, brainstorming sessions, and lots of spirited debate as we nailed down the vision for our video. From casting to scouting locations across New York City, and even coordinating a bodega rental—Kendall, Emma, and Alicia were absolute champs. Emma's mood boards for wardrobe were nothing short of fabulous, setting the tone for every scene.
Crafting the Visuals: Kendall, Alicia, and Emma spent hours in each location perfecting the lighting and planning every shot. Below are some of the shots they took (you're going to recognize them in the music video).
Building the Blueprint: The Shot Bible and Lighting Bible they created were instrumental in turning our vision into a detailed blueprint we could follow on set. This detailed shot list is then turned into a shooting schedule, which we follow hour by hour to make sure we get everything we need. Below is a look at the shot bible.
The Shooting Days: After flying in from London and battling jet lag, we dove into two intense days of filming, working from noon to midnight (For those of you doing the math, that’s 5 pm to 5 am London time). When I walked into the park for the first shot, I was stunned at how many people were there to make this happen (Kendall and Alicia had hired some additional crew, wow)!
The next two days were a whirlwind of activity, with Alicia coordinating the crew, Emma managing the wardrobes and art direction, and Kendall orchestrating everything you can imagine.
Kendall & Alicia hard at work. Photo by Robert Cernuda
I vividly remember one moment when we filmed the bridge outside the bar, and it was me singing to the camera with the entire cast and crew in front of me on the Brooklyn sidewalk. Natalie was angling a light at my face, her arms straining from the effort, Kendall had her monitor hung around her neck as she coordinated the shot, and Alicia was moving back and forth with the camera, finding the perfect angle. I felt overwhelmed, honored, and so unbelievably full.
Emma, Kendall, John and I watching back one of our shots. Photo by Robert Cernuda.
It's hard to describe how cool it is to work on a project fueled by passion and friendship. Thank you for your support, encouragement, and album funding, which made this all possible. We can't wait for you to see what we've put together. Stay tuned for the official release this Friday!
With all the love and excitement,
Halle