Kerry Ellis makes Defying Gravity music video
15 October 2008
On October 13-14, Block 4 students finished a shoot for their DAVE School final project. The class is creating a music video for Broadway star Kerry Ellis, who can be seen as Elphaba the green witch in the hit musical Wicked. 
Working with producer Brian May, legendary guitarist and creative backbone of Queen, Kerry has recorded standalone rock versions of the songs "Defying Gravity" and "I'm Not That Girl" from Wicked and "No One But You" from We Will Rock You, a musical set to the hits of Queen.
School Founder and Project Director Jeff Scheetz said:
This idea started about six months ago. We were looking at future Block 4 projects and had always talked about doing a music video. I ran across "Defying Gravity" and thought this would be a perfect song to use. I had visions of all kinds of cool Wizard of Oz and Wicked themes we could work with.
Kerry's manager Jorg Betts was intrigued enough to put Scheetz in contact with May and his client to work out the details.
They loved the idea of doing a project with us, but had no interest in doing a Wicked-themed video.
Instead May proposed an idea that had Kerry flying over New York, London, and beyond without the use of a broomstick. DAVE School instructor Jason Pichon proposed a storyboard based on May's idea and it was approved.
The trick was finding a shoot day. Kerry's role on Broadway only gives her one day off a week, but she does have an understudy. Theater managers were gracious enough to allow Kerry two full shoot days in Florida in what was the last month of her Broadway engagement.
Block 4 instructor Jon Gress explained:
We planned to shoot Kerry in many locations and settings, but once we realized we only had two days, we reworked the idea to film exclusively on a green screen stage.
Scheetz adds:
Good thing too because it rained all day! If we were outside, we would have been in big trouble.
The shoot allowed students to be a part of the filming both in front of and behind the camera. They got a chance to help out as part of the crew and to be extras filling the New York City Streets.
Caleb Stone, a student at DAVE, said:
When working on set you really get to see how all aspects of a production take shape. It makes you that much more dedicated to the final project when you're involved from the beginning.
Scheetz adds:
Kerry did an amazing job. She had to hang from wires in a flying harness for hours yet poured her soul into each and every take.
For the next six weeks students will be replacing the green backdrops with footage they create using computer animation.
Gress said:
It's always great to work with outside talent like Kerry and Brian, because it sets the bar even higher. This is the video she is using to launch her career as a serious rock artist and we need it to look like it was done by high-end studios in NY or LA. We have a lot of work to do, but somehow it will be done by Christmas!
The three song demo called "Wicked in Rock" is only available at Dress Circle. When Kerry returns to her home in London, and the West End production of Wicked, next month she and May plan to record additional tracks for a US album release.
Article © DAVE School, 2008