Way back in February 2011, Mike Diva was a guest on the very first episode of the Music Video Land podcast. He was there (alongside Pedro Flores and Josh Harraway) to talk about his music video for "I'm on Crack" by the Left Rights. Two years later, IMVDb and Mike have each had a lot of success, with Mike taking the internet by storm with Sexy Sax Man and BAMMO; and IMVDb fiding a soda machine that will get your two Mr. Pibbs for $1 if you hit it hard enough.
Now Mike has released a music video for one of his own songs, "BFD." We talked to him about about directing himself in the video and how he almost passed out thanks to a cardboard box.
Doug: I was wondering, making music in general, where that kind of fits into your kind of career as an artist?
Mike: Its interesting. Making music is more of a hobby than anything. I really just do it just for fun, just for a release. Its something other than sitting in front of my computer and editing nonstop all night. Filmmaking is my job, and music is just what I do for fun.
Doug: So then when you approach a music video thats your own, for your own song, as a director, are you still approaching the job as a director as a job, or has that become more of a hobby too; although, that is your job?
Mike: The music video for myself, there wasnt a big budget or anything behind it. I definitely treat it differently because theres not a client or anything, and theres nobody I really have to impress thats paying me to do it. It is a little different of a gig, but it was really fun. It was a blast making it.
Doug: Is there a reason why it took until now for you to direct a video for you own music? Youve been making music for a while, right?
Mike: Until Google and Bammo came around, I didnt have any budget for my own music videos, so I just wasnt able to do it. Through them, I was able to do this one because they were able to throw a little bit of money at it.
Doug: When youre directing a video for yourself, are you forced to kind of pass any of the roles that you would normally take on as a director because you also have to spend some time in front of the camera performing in the video?
Mike: Yeah, definitely. Its always weird acting in your own stuff that you direct, Im not a big fan of it.
Doug: You've acted in a lot of the comedy videos that you do. You show up on camera a lot. Is it similar to that process, or is it different in the process of a music video?
Mike: Id say its a little bit different. Its a little bit easier to direct myself in a music video than to do a little sketch because for my skits and stuff I have to talk, and I have to do every single take ten times so I can make sure that I have something to work with. Id say its a little bit more fun and a little bit more easy because performing to music comes more natural to me than acting.
Doug: Getting a bit to the technical side of stuff, Im curious as to how you achieved some of the effects, like the stuff where youre walking towards the camera. Is the camera actually attached to you for that stuff?
Mike: What I did was I lined up my eyes with a grid in after effects, and then frame by frame made sure that my eyes were in the exact same place on that grid.
Doug: What about the robot head, was that all animated in post, or did that actually light up?
Mike: It was a cardboard box on my head. It was really hard to keep it still and make it not fall down. We had to get a giant piece of duct tape and connect it from the back of the box to my belt to keep it to stay upright. On top of it, the night before I filmed the music video, I was staying up all night working on another project that I had to get out that day. I didnt get any sleep the night before. When I filmed the music video, I almost passed out, especially with the box over my head because I couldnt breathe. That whole bit was really hard. I was exhausted, and I had this fuckin box over my head. For the face on the head, I actually had this Japanese USB toy called a Tengu, and it reacts to sound and stuff. I stilled that with a camera and then composited it on top of the box.
Doug: Where were you guys shooting? Where was the green screen stuff shot? Did the location also contribute to some of the potential passing out? Was it relatively enclosed in there and stuff like most sets are?
Mike: It was shot at a place called Dirt Cheap Sound Stage. We actually just shot part of my Steve Aoki video there, too. It wasnt the best environment. It was kind of hot. I think the main thing contributing to me almost passing out was just the lack of oxygen and being tired.
