The Making of: "Portland" the Video

This experience was one of the best things I’ve ever had the opportunity to be a part of. The process, from start to finish, was a beautiful expression of creativity and art. I am beyond grateful to be able to express the story and ideas of “Portland” in another medium. Here is a little documentation of how everything came together!

For more behind the scenes, check out https://youtu.be/M6E7jXzqQ0M

Scene 1: The Airy Apartment

While we were brainstorming this video, Craig and I knew that we wanted the bedroom/apartment scene to play a huge role in the story. That being said, I really wanted to get it right! The day before we brought in the crew to shoot, I actually came in at 8 in the morning and decorated this bedroom set with all of my own stuff! I wanted it to feel like home, like an extension of me. So from the books, to the pillows, to the eucalyptus leaves, the details in this space really make it personal.

This photo captures one of my favorite moments of this shoot. Working with Craig Barker, the director and cinematographer of “Portland”, was such an honor. We had the same vision for this video from the very start, enabling the creative process to be smooth as well as life-giving for both of us. It was such a rare, special thing to collaborate with someone who puts so much time, effort and heart into his projects.

Scene 2: the Airplane

While we were filming in the airplane set, I remember feeling like this was all becoming real; I felt like I was actually traveling! Our lighting experts did an incredible job making it look like sunshine was peeking through the windows as the plane was moving through the sky.

I love this photo: this is my support system. These folks came on set all day as volunteers, did the not-so-glamorous jobs, and had an amazing attitude the entire time. This day could not have happened without them.

Scene 3: The Meadow

We shot the meadow scene on day 2 of filming to incorporate some more organic elements into the video. The lighting and wind was absolutely perfect and we were able to get exactly what we wanted.

The Big Reveal

I’m sure you’ve all been wondering… who is this mystery man in the music video? Well. Here he is! The male lead was played by none other than my good friend, John Vaughan. Fun fact: this was his acting debut!