Cutting Room peers behind the fierce onstage intensity and charisma of Pharrell Williams’ signature squad of confident and spirited women, The Baes, in the new online series “Meet The Baes.” Cutting Room Owner/Editor Chuck Willis led a team of editors to carefully piece together the narrative from the extensive footage helmed by aWHITELABELproduct director Crystal Moselle. She artfully captured an extensive wealth of footage from tour performances, interviews and behind-the-scenes to deliver a fluid documentary piece that authentically illustrates the Baes’ individual personalities, and the overall vibe of female empowerment that Pharrell endorses for his team of dancing divas. The “intro” video launched on Pharrell’s Facebook page on Monday, December 8th, and the remainder of the full videos went live on the i am OTHER YouTube channel on Tuesday, December 9th. Additional short teasers were cut for use on Twitter and Instagram.
As a multi-faceted editor within the commercial industry, Willis worked closely with his fellow Cutting Room editors Merritt Duff and Brian Sanford as well as mentored junior staffers to cut 10 pieces that would seamlessly flow together to create over 30 minutes of content that could stream as a complete documentary or a series of separate docu-shorts. Since the project was shot over 10 days in seven European cities, Willis had over 35 hours of footage of the performers to work with. He initially cut the first two pieces of the series to establish the style and arc of the storyline for the remainder of the videos. With this framework established, the Cutting Room team got to work infusing the additional videos with this aesthetic, collaborating and sharing edits, as they often do, to deliver a unified style and high level of precision to all of the shorts. Cutting Room worked meticulously with the client to deliver an artful representation of the genuine effervescence of The Baes that weaves in the Adidas product, without overt branding.
Sometimes limited by music choices for commercials, Willis relished in the opportunity to have a wealth of music at his disposal for this project. He notes, “In working with Pharrell, we had complete and total access to some of the best music around. From upbeat R&B to instrumental, he has it all and it made it so enjoyable to cut, along with the wealth of vibrant material to work with and choose from.”
Cutting Room also leveraged their partnership with Light of Day to engage an additional team of top-tier post production talent, providing comprehensive finishing and color for the videos.
Though known for their award-winning commercial work, this is not the first time that Cutting Room has cut celebrity-driven documentary work. Sean McGrath edited the “Keep a Child Alive with Alicia Keys” documentary piece that aired on Showtime, b Executive Produced by Cutting Room Co-Founder and Keep a Child Alive board member Susan Willis. Cutting Room has also previously worked on large celebrity-driven campaigns, having been recently tapped by BBDO to edit 18 celebrity talent and sports action-driven spots for MLB.
Credits:
Director: Crystal Moselle
Producer: Robin Frank
Director of Photography: Naiti Gámez
Executive Producer: Pharrell Williams
Co-Executive Producers: Caron Veazey, Mimi Valdés
Starring: Christina Chandler, Rhea Dummett, Aye Hasegawa, Latrelle “Munchie” simmons, Khadija Shari, Ai Shimatsu, Mette Towley, Brya Underwood, Fatima Robinson, Pharrell Williams.
Editorial: Cutting Room
Lead Editor: Chuck Willis
Editor: Merritt Duff
Editor: Brian Sanford
1st Assistant Editor: Dave Belizario
2nd Assistant Editors: Greg Ryan, Megan Katuran, Conor O’Flynn
Executive Producer: Susan Willis
Executive Producer: Melissa Lubin
Sound Mixing: Walter Bianco
Finishing: Light of Day VFX
Sound Recordist: Richard Levengood
Production Manager: Bethany Gould
Production Coordinators: Julia Wilczok, Martin Hrdy
Wardrobe Lead: Krystle Rodriguez
Wardrobe Assistant: Mia Fernandez
Assistant Camera: Tobias Dorffner
Production Assistants: Robin Vanderveen, Margaux Seidlitz, Federico Fornasari, Vittorio Bonaffini
Fixer: Adam Bodwell
i am OTHER entertainment:
VP/General Manager: Caron Veazey
VP/Creative Director: Mimi Valdés
Executive Producer: Robin Frank
Special Projects: Loic Villepontoux
Digital Marketing: Aviva Yael
Project Manager: Alexandra DePersia
Art and Fashion Director: Phi Hollinger
Associate Producer: Bethany Gould
Studio Engineer: Mike Larson
Assistant to Mr. Williams: Cynthia Lu
Special Thanks: Gus Brandt, John Lafferty, Meg Deiter, Brandie Louck, Jerry Boyes-Kirkis, Jake Stras, Kyle Hamilton, Ron Lafitte, Jerry Eduoard, Helen Williams, Jon Wexler, Rachel Muscat, Traci Morlan, Jerry Edouard, Mandy Siu, Jitka Fridrichova, Selim Varol, Benedict Cooper, Jen Mallory, Jessica Murphey, Sony Music Entertainment, Bloc Agency, Clear Talent Group, Go 2 Talent Agency, Nigro Karlin Segal Feldstein & Bolno
Baes Wardrobe Provided by: adidas Originals adidas.com/originals
i am OTHER entertainment © 2014
ABOUT CUTTING ROOM
Cutting Room, New York, is an artist-owned and operated editorial and post-production powerhouse, led by Managing Partner Susan Willis, EP Melissa Lubin and Partner/Editor Chuck Willis. Extreme attention to every detail of the post process is the working credo at this full-service shop, along with an uncompromised effort to deliver highly personalized, unique client experiences. Cutting Room’s talent, location, infrastructure, and approach have generated a multitude of awards for their work; the shop has lent its expertise to nearly every major brand.
Cutting Room proudly apprentices a large team of skilled assistants, who support the company with unwavering dedication. Helping to maintain a family-like creative environment, their editors’ passion and mastery of the craft are happily passed on to these young men and women.
Cutting Room handles projects across all formats including broadcast, features, documentaries, virals and webisodes as well as VFX, sound design, and online services. Both ideas and careers come here to grow.