Alex Ross Perry is in the middle of a very busy week. The director’s latest film, “Her Smell,” finally opened in limited release this past weekend, after debuting in 2018 at the Toronto International Film Festival, and he’s capping the week off with another directorial effort. This time, instead of a feature film, Perry has stepped behind the camera for a new music video from singers AJ & Aly, and you better believe the filmmaker included some of his signature style in the clip.
There’s not much to say about the actual plot of the music video for the song “Church.” It’s clear that Perry wasn’t interested in creating some sort of lavish, epic (and expensive) music video to show off his filmmaking prowess. Instead, he embraced the limitations of 16mm film and shot a beautiful video that showcases the singers while also preserving that wonderful film quality that makes the footage seem classic, despite being released today.
Perry told us about what drew him to the music video and how he came up with the idea of choosing 16mm for “Church.”
“I didn’t choose to shoot on 16mm film, 16mm has chosen me,” said the director. “I love the format so much and happily shot three films in a row on it. After shooting ‘Her Smell’ on 35mm, it was a pleasant homecoming to return to looking at 16mm images.”
He added, “To execute a one day shoot, where you are limited by logistics and time as to how much can realistically be filmed, having five or so rolls of 16mm is affordable and provides bountiful aesthetic value. Never believe anybody who says film is unaffordable or difficult!”
Perry has always been a supporter of indie/DIY film and the idea that anyone, even equipped with a camera that isn’t some sort of RED 8K rig, can make a film.
AJ and Aly are sisters/musical artists with Hollywood ties, as well. Both have been seen in major roles in big projects, with Aly Michalka co-starring with Emma Stone in the comedy “Easy A” and AJ Michalka starring in “The Goldbergs” series and its spin-off “Schooled” on ABC.
You can watch Perry’s video for “Church” below: