New music video “Country Club,” produced by AMVCreative for local artist Chris Trapper. Starring Ryan Needham and Margeaux Deeks, members of Norwood High School’s Drama team.
“NO MANSION, NO SPORTS CAR, NO PROBLEM!”
2:00PM: Having worked nearly a full day at the office, it was now only two hours before the shoot, and I reluctantly reviewed my checklist as I rushed out the door clutching my car keys. We were already booked to film at the beautiful Neroli Ristorante in Westwood, MA later that evening for our latest music video, “Country Club” by local artist Chris Trapper. However, I still had to secure a location for our first shoot of the day, preferably a beautiful mansion on short notice. Sure, piece of cake! I also needed to score an expensive sports car and a set of golden stanchions with velvet ropes—after all, the scene we were filming was set in front of a fancy country club with a valet at the grand entrance. I took a right turn and parked in front of the local Dedham Community Theater, having located my first items…
Not our first rodeo…
There they were, those beautiful golden stanchions with the red velvet ropes, and they never looked classier! My wife (and business partner) and I frequented that theater and always loved the nostalgic, Golden-Age 1920’s architecture, the vintage ticket counter, and even the antique popcorn maker. Fourteen years earlier, I used those same velvet ropes for the first music video I ever produced—a humble, zero-budget hip hop ballad titled “White Boy Dancin.” As a 29-year-old with nothing to lose, I had boldly asked the manager of the theater if I could borrow the stanchions for the local rap video I was producing. I remember being slightly surprised how happy he was to lend them out and be a part of the production. It made sense pretty quickly…a local young filmmaker shooting a video for a local artist seemed to attract the help of a local small business.
AMVCreative produced what soon ballooned into a massive, full fledged film production, including nine locations, over 100 extras, a local television crew, an entire nightclub, a dance ensemble, a house party, a high school, city permits, and yes, a trio of white boys shamelessly leaving it all on the dance floor! The natural willingness of my local network and community to come together and create something big was overwhelmingly on display. Fourteen years and over twenty music videos later, I was right back in stealth mode securing the resources needed to somehow make some local magic happen once more.
2011 music video “White Boy Dancin,” produced by AMVCreative for local artist Colly C. Over 100 extras and filmed in nine different locations in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
How can my local network help my production get to the next level?
Whether you are hosting an event or shooting a video, your local resources can instantly elevate you to a higher level. The overall success of a town, its people, its businesses and its activities are all common threads that unite the desires of community of people. Anything that will draw attention to one’s town or business is of great interest to them, and is reflected in their willingness to offer resources. Appealing to one’s local community to assist with projects can save money and elevate the quality of the project, but also needs to be handled with respect, diligence, and humility!
Five tactics for leveraging your local community’s resources for your next project
The following 5 points are crucial for leveraging local resources to make your production that much bigger of a success:
1. Think LARGE and instantly accessible: What are the best resources I have at my immediate disposal? Do I have any impressive props or spaces I could use from my home, my parent’s home, a friend’s home, my office, or locations around town, etc.? Your closest connections are your most immediate resources, and 99 times out of 100 they provide quick and free solutions. Do you need extras for your video or people for your event? Friends and family are a risk-free, immediate answer to fill a scene or an event.
Now, maybe these props, spaces, or novice “actors” did not match your exact vision in the beginning, but they can absolutely do the job for a high-level production—and sometimes prove to be even better than you expected! For some of our smaller-budgeted projects, we have been able to film in beautiful outdoor spaces such as fields and forests around town, gorgeous beaches at sunset, and inside beautiful homes and other venues. We have acquired period-specific costumes and props from our local wardrobes, and have even transformed our backyard into a nighttime cafe with outdoor tables, potted plants, silverware, and twinkle lights! Always take inventory of what is right under your nose and immediately accessible from what is closest to you.
2. Think EVEN LARGER but practical: After exhausting your closest resources, now spread your reach to your peripheral network of connections. Consider that restaurant, nightclub, brewery, or any other venue you have frequented and know the owner or staff. Most of the time, they will facilitate the use of their venue if they have any bandwidth whatsoever, especially if they know you as a frequent guest. Naturally, they will want to reciprocate their appreciation for your past business with any small gesture that is within their capacity. There may be a small fee involved at times, but usually you will be getting such a favor for free, or at the lowest rate possible.
For virtually zero cost, we have secured night clubs, restaurants, sports cars, farms, antique cars, office spaces, fog machines, and much more! The more you put yourself out there in the community, the larger your network grows as well. By volunteering at a local cable access station and attending local theatrical productions we have been able to secure talented actors and crew members for past productions. If you have stepped into someone’s world and invested your time or money into their endeavor, they will usually be happy to help you out in return!
3. Dream HUGE but possible: This is where it gets very exciting! If there is a local establishment or talent that has caught your eye as being that ideal fit for your production, it never hurts to ask. While it always helps to know someone who knows someone, the results can be virtually the same when this is not your personal connection. Expect rejection in this process, but the key is to always have another option in mind. Never let your heart or a key piece of an entire production hinge on landing a possible long shot—even if someone you know claims to have a great connection. Instead, open yourself to the possibility they will say yes, with plenty of backup options should they say no. While we have attempted to secure upscale hotels and venues, as well as A and B-list celebrities in the past with no luck, we have had much success in securing such venues and personnel—sometimes as our third or fourth option, and sometimes that perfect option unexpectedly falls right into our lap! It never hurts to ask.
4. Be opportunistic: Leveraging your local resources also means being aware of what opportunities are happening around you. My wife and daughter were raving about the acting performances in the local Norwood High School’s production of Mama Mia. Our neighbor’s daughter was part of the cast so we reached out and landed four of the talented young actors for our “Country Club” music video! We were also able to convince the staff of Neroli Ristorante to allow us to film during the height of the dinner rush when the place was packed and the staff was hustling. By staying inconspicuous and drawing the least amount of attention, we have achieved impressive shots in many other crowded venues as well such as airport terminals, city blocks, and concerts. Each of these shots required little to no permitting, just opportunistic planning. For a traditional film production studio, such a shot would require hundreds of extras and tens (even hundreds) of thousands of dollars to accomplish!
Trains, planes, busses, ships—these all film beautifully! Is there a train or bus arriving that would make for an epic shot? Get your talent in place and roll that camera as it approaches—BAM, $20,000 saved! Is there a parade or an event happening downtown that would make for a great backdrop, or perhaps a youth doing tricks on their bike or skateboard nearby? Bust out the camera and capture the moment! Always keep your feelers out for opportunities to land talent as well. Is that performer only available for a narrow window of filming? Accommodate your schedule around theirs and figure the rest out later! Opportunities are gone in an instant; hunt them down and capitalize.
5. Be humble: Appealing to one’s local network and community for assistance merits an air of humility. You have played a supporting role alongside them in this community, and you are now asking for their help…and they want to help. Monetary profit is almost always never at the center of such an engagement—only the promotion of the local fruits the community has to offer. When approaching a venue or a new contact, it is imperative to be transparent, confident, and as grateful and accommodating as possible. Perhaps you cannot land the venue for the full two hours, but if they are open to one hour, take it! Also, you need provide assurance that you have all your bases covered—that the production will be quick, safe, insured or permitted if necessary, and as minimally-disruptive as possible. They are doing you a favor, and you need honor that by making this process as easy for them as possible. In the end, everybody wins, and the small-budget production is elevated to a status it could not have reached any other way!
So how did the production of “Country Club” ultimately go?
2:30PM: After a nice chat with the manager at the theater, I loaded the golden stanchions into my vehicle along with a set of golf clubs and a small bicycle I snatched from my parent’s shed. My first two attempts at securing a sports car had fallen through, and the previous three mansions I attempted to land were of no avail. Only ninety minutes left and the cast still needed to know the address where we were going to film!
2:45PM: It was beyond crunch time. I texted two more of my friends to ask about landing a sports car as I pulled into the driveway of the next possible venue—just about my last option of the day to secure an ideal location for filming. I walked into the beautiful Endicott Estate in Dedham, MA where, one year prior, my wife and I had attended a wedding. I took a deep breath and entered the manager’s office unannounced as usual. I politely explained who I was, provided a brief overview of the project and the minimal time and space required. I also assured her she would not have to lift a finger, nor would we be any disturbance whatsoever to the visitors and staff. She paused, and then offered her only pushback: “What genre of music is the song?” I happily quipped, “It’s a nice combination of soft rock and folk.” Her eyes suddenly lit up, “I LOVE FOLK MUSIC!” Mansion accomplished! I texted my crew.
3:00PM: I glanced down at my phone at a new text message. My old soccer buddy pulled through! His local friend owned a brand new Corvette and would be happy to give us a half hour. The adrenaline started pumping like that V8 engine. We were now in business!
3:30PM: Back home, I grabbed my suit jacket, clipboard, and a few last props as I headed out the door when I heard my seven-year-old son chirp, “I want to come to the video shoot!” Surprised by his interest, I looked at the clock. “It takes place at a fancy mansion and then at a fancy restaurant, would that be any fun for you?” Not missing a beat, he immediately ran for the stairs, “It’s okay, I’ll go get my tuxedo.” Wow! That seven-year-old just rewrote the script within seconds, and it was the perfect addition! I quickly asked my wife to put on a nice dress and informed her that we would all be playing the role of a family entering the country club in the video. She rolled her eyes—this was not the first time she was forced to reluctantly dress up and act in one of our music videos with zero notice!
4:00PM: I arrived at the Endicott Estate, and was met by my young acting crew dressed perfectly for their leading roles, my director of photography with his handheld camera and drone ready to go, and a shiny black Corvette revving its engine, awaiting its flashy cameo! I knew by this familiar feeling that this was going to be fun!
2025 music video “Country Club,” produced by AMVCreative for local artist Chris Trapper. Filmed locally at Neroli Ristorante in Westwood, MA and Endicott Estate Dedham, MA.
What’s The LOCAL LESSOn?
Once again, we get it. Not all productions have the proper budgets to execute the director’s creative vision. Not all events can afford that ideal space to impress their attendees. However, thinking outside the box and starting with the vast, quality resources you already possess will opens the doors to elevate your production to the next level. Instead of starting with the venue that will simply fit your budget, start with the most impressive resources that won’t cost you a dime and work your way out from there. After all, the end result of producing an impressive product can be better achieved with the latter approach, even if it was not exactly what you pictured. It is not worth limiting the quality of a project simply because of a small budget. Local residents and businesses value many things other than money—things such as collaboration, exposure, and community.
The local magic touch
As small business specialists, we see a limited budget simply as an opportunity to plan even smarter. If you have a local community that is proud of their town and history, know that they want to be part of a local exciting project! If they get some publicity and exposure out of it, ever better! Doors are held wide open by people whose world’s we have already entered, and our commitments to others are almost always reciprocated. Lean on your network and local community to maximize the impact of your next ambitious endeavor. See how you can extract the excitement and passion out of those closest to you!
The local Boston25 News station recently featured Chris Trapper in a segment where he was participating a local Christmas toy drive at Jordan’s Furniture. My son’s little jaw dropped wide open as he watched the news play a short clip that featured his part in the music video as they promoted Chris’ new album, Watching Sparks Fly By. I couldn’t have written a better script!
NON-NEGOTIABLES
- WEIGH all local, accessible, cost-efficient options first before going with a standard costly solution for your project.
- BE BOLD in your ideas for your production. Dream big, and then find attainable pathways and possibilities for landing that resource.
- BE HUMBLE when asking your community for assistance, always showing your support and appreciation in the process.
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