Black Dog's Sam Jones Brings Mirth To The Mumfords

Black Dog's Sam Jones Brings Mirth To The Mumfords

Picture a band. They're wearing dress shirts, pantaloons and suspenders. Their feet are in boots and their heads are in hats. There are beards. There is foot-stomping. Someone has a banjo. You're probably picturing folksy skifflers Mumford And Sons (or, at a pinch, the Soggy Bottom Boys) and you'd be right… in a way.




In their new music video from Black Dog's Sam Jones, the Mumfords have enlisted a team of lookalikes to perform their new 'Hopeless Wanderer' track. However, the dopplegangers employed aren't your run-of-the-mill impersonators, rather four of the US's most popular comedy faces - Jason Sudekis, Ed Helms, Will Forte and Jason Bateman. Engaging in a spot of over-the-top antics including a rowboat serenade, a bromance cry-fest, bearded make-outs, and a rollicking banjo solo, the foursome encapsulate the Dust Bowl look of the band whilst providing the chuckles.

We spoke to Mr Jones about corralling the funnymen, maintaining the aesthetic and the planning needed for shooting silliness.

How did you get involved in the 'Mumford & Son' video?

I photographed them for Rolling Stone Magazine and they asked if I wanted to make a video for them.

The vid features some famous comedy faces. Were the guys attached from the start, or was it a concept in search of comedians?

Neither – I wrote a brief for Mumford & Sons detailing an idea to have comedians play members of the band. They liked the idea and then I had to quickly come up with some actors, so I called Jason Sudeikis, who I had just worked with, and asked him if he wanted to play Marcus Mumford. He was totally into the idea and we started brainstorming about casting. Between the two of us, we put a cast together and presented it to the band. They loved it.

Shoots like this look like an enormous amount of fun. Is that the case, or is there a lot of seriousness behind the japes?

The more serious you are in your preparation the more fun you can have on the day of the shoot. I was extremely prepared with my script and shot list and the guys were completely prepared in terms of knowing the lyrics and practicing their instruments. So, on the day we got to really focus on the performances, which, because those guys are so good, turned out to be hilarious.

How long was the shoot? Were all of the elements planned or was there room for improvisation?

The shoot was about 13 hours. Although all the shots were planned, the choices the actors made spontaneously were so spot-on that we were actually able to get through our day. We had a really ambitious shot list and we managed to get everything that we wanted. If we had had to do 10 takes of every scene, we never would have made the day.

Did you need to coax much out of the guys or were their folksy spirits raised as soon as the camera was pointed at them?

I think that the make-up, wigs, and costumes really helped them get into the spirit. The preparation they had done also helped the vibe. Overall, I think it was just really fun for them to pretend to be a band and have the experience of making a music video.

Have you worked with the performers before? Is there a trust element that needs to be established in order to achieve some of the more audacious moments?

I had worked with everyone except Will Forte. Having a prior relationship is very helpful trust wise.

Kudos to the production design and costume teams. How did you find the locations and outfits?

I couldn't have made this video without my amazing producer Kristy Kessler. She helped me with every aspect of the production. I was also very lucky to have the SNL hair department take care of the wigs, which was not only a trust factor but saved a bunch of time. Annie Psaltiras, who I work with all the time, did the costumes and totally nailed it. I'm familiar with that location, having done other shoots there, and it came to mind immediately because I needed one area that had multiple locations contained within it.

Mumford and Sons aren't renowned for their sense of humour. Was the video made to redress the balance?

When I get asked to write a treatment for a music video, I'm trying to find an idea that fits the song, is creative, and is something that allows me to stretch out a little bit and have fun. I never know quite why a band picks a certain idea, but I felt like this was such a sincere song that it seemed more interesting to play against type. The band must've felt the same way; additionally, I think that they have been uncharacteristically branded with the "serious band" mantle, which isn't who I found them to be when I met them. They are down to earth guys with a great sense of humour, and I just feel lucky that they let me push this idea as far as I did. The band and the label gave me so much creative freedom to do what I wanted. That's the ideal situation for a director.

How did you decide what to keep in the edit? Are there any unseen gems we're missing?

That's always the hardest thing to deal with. Each one of the moments in the video is cut from a scene that plays out so much longer and there's just never enough room to show all the moments, so you just do your best to find the funniest moments and tell the story within the framework of the song. But yes, there should be a behind the scenes video or an outtake reel, at the very least.

Who's the best musician out of the performers? Our money's on Ed Helms.

Right you are. Ed Helms is a very talented banjo player and is also great on guitar and piano. But, what really made the difference in this video is that every one of these guys brought a huge amount of energy to their performances. Will learned his own stand up bass part so he could sing with his eyes closed and play convincingly throughout the day. Jason Sudeikis is a natural left hander who played guitar right handed for authenticity purposes and sang at the top of his lungs all day. Jason Bateman could teach banjo players a thing or two about rock poses.

Will there be a follow up? We'd love to see another Bootleg Mumfords vid, or have the guys take on a different band (One Direction is a given).

I think these four guys should remake every video between 1985 and 2013. There just may be a version of this same video that features Will Forte with the stand up bass in glorious slow motion.

What's up next for you?

I have a new multi media interview series called Off Camera, which is a television show/magazine/podcast. It is my chance to interview and photograph people in the arts that I find intriguing. We just interviewed Judd Apatow, who is one of my comedy directing heroes. We have a bunch more interviews in the can. You can see them at offcamera.com.

Posted on 22nd August 2013