MIRANDA LAMBERT “VICE”

This past weekend, Miranda Lambert blew us away when she took the stage at the American Country Music Awards to perform “Tin Man”. The track came from her 2017 Album of the Year, Weight of These Wings. Miranda was also awarded the ACM for best female vocalist of the year.

Her track “Vice” was nominated for single, song, and video of the year. Speaking of video, MPS and our friends and Big Feather Films had the privilege of working with Miranda and her team on the award nominated video for “Vice”.

The video was shot right here in Central Texas on an Arri Alexa Mini. Due to the rugged, western-style location MPS also provided the crew with equipment that would could withstand the dirt and the heat. For that, we provided an Angenieux Optimo 15-40mm lens, a TV Logic onboard monitor, a FIZ-3, a Western dolly, and more.

We caught up with Ashley Bergeron Ford, producer for “Vice” and Big Feather Films, to get the inside scoop on the making of the “Vice” video!

1. How would you describe your experience working on “Vice”?

That was a crazy day. We shot it all in one day in the dead middle of the summer – I think the heat index was something like 112 degrees. We had a stunt pre-call at 3AM and I think myself and the DIT finally got out of there around midnight. It definitely wasn’t one of the easiest shoots I’ve produced, but that’s what makes it fun. Miranda was awesome. We pinned her up under a black car on the hot asphalt for a couple hours, and she just rolled with it like a boss. It’s rare to have an artist so even-keeled and willing to jump in – I think it’s a testament to hers and Trey’s (Trey Fanjoy, director) working relationship – there’s trust there. It’s cool to step into a decade-long relationship like that, and just do what I can to make the process as seamless as possible for them. Because at the end of the day, I may be the grand facilitator, but those two are creating the art.

2. What were the benefits of shooting in Austin? What attracted production to that particular location?

Miranda was already shooting some press photos out in Round Rock, so it was important to keep it close. Smithville ended up being our winner – they’re a super film-friendly town, so it was pretty seamless to get everything together on short notice (thanks to Sheila Tamble). We cleared the whole downtown strip with please’s and thank-you’s. Music videos don’t always have the biggest budgets, so it’s typically a collection of people who want to contribute to something cool and are willing to take a risk or offer up a favor to do so. There’s no way we could have done this without the generosity of both the community of Smithville and the Austin-based crew. A true team effort all the way down to the Smithville bar patron / nurse who kept her eye on our crew, making sure nobody got heat stroke.

3. How was your experience working with MPS?

Fantastic as always. I wish I had a photo of our rig – we were a backwards-walking pod of people, tethered to a western dolly for the bulk of the day. I’m still shocked I didn’t fall.

4. What kind of feedback has the video received either from fans, social media, critics, etc.?

People love it. It was fun to read a bit of the blogs & comments on it as it was first released. It’s chock-full of metaphor, and Trey had such a specific vision for it – it was really cool to see that vision translate to what fans were getting out of it. Paired with the power of the song itself, the whole thing packed a mighty little punch.

5. What is one thing you hope viewers take away from watching the video?

Oh, who knows. Everyone takes away something different from music and art, right? That’s the great part about it.

The American Country Music Awards aired this past Sunday on CBS. You can watch Miranda’s “Tin Man” performance and catch the whole show here!

And be sure to check out the hit music video “Vice” produced by Big Feather Films!