New York-based directing duo Ben/Dave, represented by Washington Square Films, causes pandemonium at a little girls’ beauty pageant in the new music video for Elijah Ford & The Bloom’s new track “Try As You Might.” The track is the lead single from Ford’s upcoming LP As You Were, which will be released September 16th via Nine Mile Records. The video features Ford as an unexpected entrant at a youth beauty pageant, taking any means necessary to secure the crown. His sabotaging antics include replacing a contestant’s hairspray with blue spray paint, unscrewing all the roller skate wheels before a girl’s talent act and triggering a nasty allergic reaction with a poisonous dart. Ben/Dave leverage their award-winning comedy background to deliver an effortlessly understated humor to the video.
Notes director Dave Thomas, “When we first heard the track, we quickly fell in deep, awkward love with it. It’s a perfect pop song, and wedges itself into your ears in a truly delightful way. Elijah and Ashley came to us with the idea of doing something around the idea of a ‘Toddlers and Tiaras’-style beauty pageant. Somehow the combination seemed irresistible. Girls. Taffeta. Sequins. Rock and roll. It didn’t make any sense, but we couldn’t stop thinking about it.”
Adds Ford, “The girls were constantly running back and forth to hair and makeup to be ready take after take. We had an incredibly talented crew come together to turn Ben/Dave’s concept into reality. It was awesome to witness the production machine that made this project happen.”
Credits:
Director: Ben/Dave
DP: Munn Powell
Producer: Ashley Bergeron Ford
Hair & Makeup: Meredith Johns
Editor: Ariel Quintans
Colorist: Justin Warren
About Washington Square Films
Over its 15-year tenure, Washington Square Films has grown to be considered one of the most respected production companies in the industry.
Boasting a sharp eye for talent, a high level of integrity and a discriminating downtown New York sensibility, the company has produced award-winning independent films and commercials, as well as forged a thriving entertainment management division. On any given day, the seasoned producers and managers at Washington Square Films are likely to be working with some of the most revered actors and promising directors in the business.
From its headquarters on New York City’s Bowery, and satellite office in Los Angeles, the company manages and collaborates with an internationally recognized roster of writers, directors and A-list talent in entertainment and advertising. Washington Square Films receives regular accolades at The Academy Awards, Peabody Awards, Independent Spirit Awards, Golden Globes and Cannes Lions, along with selection for top International festivals such as Sundance, TIFF, New York Film Festival, Tribeca, Berlin and Locarno, and continues to break new ground in creative production.