Band: Funk Shui Planet
Production: VERTEX
Director, Cinematographer, & Photographer: Jeff Thomas
Sound Engineer & 1st Assistant: Ryan Borrell
Editors: Jeff Thomas & Ryan Borrell
Musicians: Ryan Sherman, Travis Thomas, & Curtis Brooks
Location: Anza, CA

After living in Australia for over a year, Funk Shui Planet returned to California with plenty of new music. Being close friends with the band, I was able to watch them perform live on many occasions, and I instantly fell in love with their song, “This Moment”. 

 

They wrote this song, while playing their last show in Australia. All of their friends were surrounding them, life was changing, and this whole experience was surreal. As they were improvising & free-styling on stage, the song came from their heart. I think this is what makes it stand out.

 

For weeks we continued to discuss the idea of filming a music video, but I felt a music video wouldn’t do them justice. To showcase their true talent, we needed to do a live performance video. Capturing their live audio.

 

To do this, Ryan Borrell setup all of the audio equipment to capture the audio as we were filming. He then continued to make sure their music was represented well by balancing and mastering within post, along with helping me in editing.

 

Creating this video was an adventure. We had the opportunity to explore, experiment, & collaborate with great musicians. It’s a dream, to work on a project that gives us the flexibility to try new things and be creative. In order, to grow as an artist, it’s crucial to continue to push the boundaries.

 

For me, once I start shooting, my state of mind shifts & my adrenaline starts pumping. This allows me to see things more clearly, but the irony is that I don’t always get to see and appreciate the moment I’m in until after it has passed. 

Similar to this song, I’ve been able to reflect on how easy it is for us to get distracted in the moments that matter most. For me this is one of those moments that I will always remember & appreciate.

 

Jeff Thomas