Tufts Creatives: Dancing flames

Although sophomore Rachel Napoliello has always been passionate about filmmaking, the co-director of Bosfeed had never considered it as a possible career path until she joined Tufts University Television (TUTV) her first year. Now a film and media studies (FMS) major, Rachel is currently collaborating with the theatrical retro band Fire Tiger to produce the music video for their song “Suddenly Heavenly.”

Julian Blatt (JB): How has Tufts affected your relationship with filmmaking?

Rachel Napoliello (RN): I’ve had multiple opportunities through both the FMS department and TUTV to work on the production side of things, which is what I’m interested in. I discovered how and when to use the various pieces of equipment by shadowing sets on TUTV my freshman year; learning from older, more experienced students was very enjoyable and made it much easier for me to become involved in student filmmaking.

JB: How and when did you get the idea to shoot a music video?

RN: One day during finals last December, I decided that I wanted to film a new project, and I had never made a music video before. This band that I had been following for at least four years was releasing their second album, so I thought, “Why not just email them?” So I did, and they said yes.

JB: What is the story behind the song?

RN: It conveys the yearning and heartbreak of a woman in love with her best friend who loves someone else. It’s incredibly bittersweet.

JB: Does it carry any intimate meaning for you?

RN: I cannot personally relate to the narrative exhibited in the video, but I can deeply sympathize with the idea of loving one’s best friends, and I try to focus on that in the music video.

JB: Did you watch any music videos on YouTube or elsewhere to prepare for production?

RN: I watched some classic '80s music videos because the band told me that they wanted to emulate videos from that decade. I picked out aspects that I especially appreciated from certain videos, like the lighting or the narrative storytelling or the editing, and I made a list to give to the crew so that we would all be on the same page. I think the stylistic elements are definitely the most important part of any music video.

JB: What makes this video unique?

RN: I want to create a music video in the style of a short film, so it will feature some inserts from the band, which they will send me from L.A. I hope that the narrative I’m telling is reminiscent of coming-of-age stories, even though the characters are older. There is also a fantasy element that I’m particularly excited about.

JB: How do you hope people who watch the video will respond to it?

RN: The goal is to make people happy. Even though I’m adding fantasy and supernatural elements, many people can relate to the story of falling in love with someone that they really care about. I want people to remember that special feeling and to feel nostalgic.