Behind the Lens: Anastasiia Lazareva on Directing "Califorlornia" Music Video

Following the premiere of Califorlornia, our intern Amanda Contessa chatted with Anastasiia Lazareva–director, cinematographer, and editor–to talk about all things music. From choosing the song to building compelling visuals, Lazareva shares the highs and lows of tackling multi-role filmmaking.

Amanda: From my understanding, music videos rely on the sound to drive the narrative and visuals of the piece? How did you draw inspiration from the song, and working with Jenn–singer and songwriter–to establish the video?

Anastasiia: I spent a long time choosing from the available songs. Califorlornia was the one that attracted me the most, so I decided to stop my choice there. It was a pleasure to work with Jenn (as always) because we did not have any problems agreeing on the story/visuals/etc. She was happy about my idea, so I moved on directly to the shooting planning.

Amanda: Would you mind expanding on the storyboarding process, and if/how you found that process different from other projects you have been a part of?

Anastasiia: It was not my first time working on a music video, but it was the first time I fully took on the role of director. Califorlornia, for me, has something personal, something that calls you from the past, but you are happy with your present and try to ignore that nostalgic thought. The storyboarding started from the location. Choosing EUR (neighborhood), I tried to combine straight lines of United States architecture and urban landscapes (at least as it is in my mind) with the atmosphere of Rome, where we are now. Having this location, I started to build the story.

Amanda: What was your approach to editing the music, in terms of aligning with the song's high and low points?

Anastasiia: It is about building a successful narrative. If you see this narration/story in the video and it gets you emotional somehow, it means I did my work well.

Amanda: I am sure as cinematographer, director, and editor, managing your different positions could not have been the easiest thing in the world. Tell me, how did you find the process of tackling multiple roles?

Anastasiia: I am used to taking multiple roles, so it was not that difficult. The hard part was about working with the team. In my previous experiences, I usually worked alone or on a really small team. Here, it was much harder. For sure, a lot of unexpected moments happened, but it was a big relief at the end of that.

Director Anastasiia Lazareva with actress Beatrice De Persio and assistant Lorenzo Polverari on location in EUR neighborhood during filming of Califorlornia.

Amanda: I would love to know how the casting process of the video was, if you have any insight on that. How was working with Beatrice De Persio?

Anastasiia: The casting process started and ended with her. She was suggested to me as an actress, and I realized she fits perfectly. So, having the video casting and later a meeting in person, I was sure she was a perfect match.

Stills of Beatrice De Persio from the music video Califorlornia.

Amanda: What would you say was the biggest challenge when shooting on-site?

Anastasiia: Other people are walking around. The location does not match the day of the location scouting. But, being honest, that day, we were more or less lucky to avoid the crowds. Maybe my previous experience helped. I used to film interviews and some other videos outside and learned in some way to deal with unexpected moments that may occur during filming.

Amanda: For my final question, I'd love to know one piece of advice you could give to someone wanting to direct their first music video?

Anastasiia: It sounds simple, and sometimes, I also do not follow my own advice but: do not wait. Take your phone/camera, choose a song you like, and go make a video. Maybe it will be terrible, but starting from terrible, you may move to something great.

Watch the music video for Califorlornia here and follow us on our social media for more behind-the-scenes content and advice from emerging creators!