(woman) "Minnesota Original"

is made possible by

The State Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund,

and the citizens of Minnesota.

(male narrator) On this edition of "Minnesota Original,"

filmmaker and music video director Dan Huiting

is known for his inventive City of Music series

and music videos for Bon Iver.

Students from the Perpich Center Arts High School

create a performance inspired by a Minnesota short story.

And St. Paul hip-hop royalty Heiruspecs

jams onboard the Jonathan Padelford Riverboat.

♪ And we ride, and we float, ♪

♪ When we drive, where do we go? does it really even matter ♪

These artists and more, now on "Minnesota Original."

[electronic music plays]

♪ ♪

Alright, so I'm Dan Huiting,

and I'm DP'ing this shoot here for MN Original.

We're shooting Heiruspecs on a boat here in St. Paul.

And I've got my buddy Ryan Thompson here. (Ryan) Hello.

That is a loud motorcycle, and we're going to get into this.

(man) ♪ When the tide starts creepin' in ♪

[woman rappin']

(man) ♪ To be in love ♪

[fast-paced rock plays]

♪ ♪

I'm a filmmaker, and I make music videos.

I also do live concert videos and recaps.

And then I do things like City Music on Minneapolis TV.

Minneapolis TV is this network of people

that have made this website that they believe in

and it's all about creating content

centered around culture in Minneapolis.

I think what Minneapolis TV is more than anything

is, basically it's like the people's TV station.

It's kind of erasing that boundary

between television and YouTube.

This is something where someone can show up with an idea

and pitch it and get it produced and get it made

in a quality way, and they can feel part of it.

And because of that, people feel ownership in it.

They feel like they can relate to this

because this content is made by their friends.

[guitar plays softly]

City Music is a show on Minneapolis TV

where bands perform one song live in a unique location.

Basically what we do is, it's a multicamera thing.

We get anywhere from 2 to 15 cameras

and set them up and shoot a band performing a few takes.

The Marijuana Death Squad City Music

had 15 simultaneous cameras, and that's how we got

this crazy matrixlike turning effect on the drummers.

And then there was 2 guys with cameras

shooting behind-the-scenes video at the same time.

The concept actually came from Ryan Olson.

He had this crazy idea about this '80's tube camera, put it on a dolly.

What City Music is is basically just like using what you have

at your disposal and doing the best you can with it.

People come and volunteer and shoot,

so whatever they have is what we use.

And the same goes for grip gear, dollies, or whatever.

We used my car for a dolly for the No Bird Sing shoot,

to push in and out on that one, 'cause that's what we had.

Another thing we got to use on the No Bird Sing shoot was

one of our videographers, David Fink,

is an avid skateboard filmer, and he brought his skateboard.

And so we're in this huge garage with like, a big concrete floor,

he's like, "Can I get my skateboard out?" We're like, "Sure."

So there's like these skateboard shots like zooming in

towards the band that kind of look like low dolly shots.

[man rappin']

♪ ♪

But that was just kind of like a spur of the moment thing

that just the idea came up and we went with it.

And that's basically what it is that we do, is we just kind of

come up with ideas on the spot of like what could be cool

and how to like best communicate what this band sounds like

and what this location feels like, and just go with it.

[man sings; synthesizer plays softly]

♪ ♪

(Dan) When it came time for Bon Iver

to get some music videos made,

I think maybe they were familiar with me

and so they asked me to do the Calgary video for them.

The concept just came out of me and Justin and Andre Duran,

my codirector and DP, just kind of sitting around

and just kind of talking about ideas.

Andre was the one who really came up with all this

cool imagery, and Justin and I were like, "Yeah,

we're into that dude, let's do that. Can we do that?

"I don't know, let's try."

You know that whole video takes place in a barn,

like we dug a lake and built two different forests

and built the bed and made the bed raise,

and built this big tunnel.

Then we had to drain the lake and fill it in

so that the next day,

we could build that big stage that the bear comes out of.

So the whole thing was shot in two days in a barn, it's crazy.

♪ ♪

Heiruspecs take one, then push back.

♪ ♪

(Dan) In the true Minneapolis TV tradition,

we use everything but the kitchen sink,

so I found this cart, turned it into a dolly.

♪ On and on and on and on and on and on ♪

♪ And on and on and on ♪

♪ You know I feel like it's the sweetest taboo ♪

♪ It sticks with you like your worse tattoo ♪

♪ I never lied, I do all this for you... ♪

♪ For you, like I done had nothing better to do ♪

(Dan) We got the movement, let's just get in there

and get close-ups. Alright, clap it.

Heiruspecs, "The Pushback," take 3.

♪ With tact like the patriot act ♪

♪ Television made you want it radio made you hate it ♪

♪ YouTube made it the latest and the greatest ♪

♪ And now I'm motivated like your favorite rapper ♪

♪ Except getting paper ain't the... that matters ♪

♪ This is a play and I'm the lead actor ♪

♪ But now I keep... up my lines... ♪

(Dan) The way that I shoot and the way that a lot of the people

at City Music shoot is basically like,

we want to take on the perspective

of what it's like to be there at the performance.

So we move around a lot and contort our bodies

to try to get the right angles based on how the song feels.

Getting in there and getting that intimate experience,

and feeling like you're really close

to what's going on in the performers

and I guess in that way, you sort of are playing

your camera as an instrument a little bit and you're

kind of just dancing with the people and moving.

♪ No I ain't been pushed away ♪

♪ No I ain't been pushed away 'cause I do the pushing ♪

♪ And I'm glad to say ♪

(Dan) I guess what people should know about me to understand my work

is just that I'm really passionate about music

and I'm really passionate about the music in Minneapolis.

I'm really passionate about the scene here,

and I love just fostering that through my work.

What I hope for the future, for me I guess,

is to just be able to continue to make a living

meeting people that are awesome, amazingly talented

and documenting what they do and showing the world

what all these awesome people can do.

All of that stuff, if that can keep going, then I'm good.

♪ ♪

[piano plays in bright rhythm]

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

(woman) I want you to sell my fingers as wind chimes,

take my thin bones for silverware,

use the hollow of my skull to serve your dinner,

paper your walls with my skin,

dust the windowsills with my eyelashes,

grind my teeth to powder

and keep them in clear jars above the stove,

make music on my spines, sweep the floors with my hair.

I would grow a garden for you.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

(woman) "And the Land Shall Remain" is an interdisciplinary

site-specific piece, and it's based on the story,

"Gravestone of Wheat" by Will Weaver.

It's a story that starts out

with a man at his wife's funeral,

and he ends up burying her in the wheat field

and growing wheat over the place where her body was buried.

(man) The whole idea is to take that time period

and what happens to the two main characters

and develop music, choreography, and theater around that story.

♪ ♪

(woman) The Arts High School is for 11th and 12th graders

for kids from all over the State of Minnesota, and they major

in one of six art areas, dance,

theater, music, media, literary arts,

visual arts, and now an interdisciplinary art area.

(man) One of the great things about the program here

at the Arts High School is,

it's really focused in on student-made work.

We're not dealing with

the 1000th rendition of "West Side Story."

The students write plays, direct plays, act in plays.

The dancers do not just look at the newest hip-hop moves

of somebody else, they create their own.

All of the students read the short story

and they actually worked with our literary arts teacher

to look at it from an English perspective,

or language arts perspective, looking at themes,

and especially the rituals of daily life.

We all had assignments to look at pictures from the era,

like post World War I, '20's, '30's era,

so we really heavily studied that material.

We read old letters, diary entries.

We've been having a pouring rain,

which I think will do an immense amount of good.

The river was high, ready to spill over its banks.

I had never seen such water.

(Mary Harding) So we have this text, and then we have these visual images,

and then literary arts and music and dance and theater

all separated and started to create their own material.

(young man) There was no set choreographer, so we worked as a group

and co-choreographed each piece.

The first time that we actually read through the short story,

everybody was kind of just like,

oh what are we supposed to do with this?

So it was really difficult, so the lit teacher came down

and helped us get the juices flowing.

So then what we did as dancers,

we started playing around with movement.

This is supposed to be unison, 'cause it's supposed to go...

1, 1...

Okay, well we can, what do you want it to be?

You're the choreographers.

(Darian) The moves are definitely like, earthy,

because they're really grounded and even when we're doing kicks,

they're parallel to the ground, so it's like we're kind of

ignoring the sky in a way, because it's not about

what's up there, it's about what we're walking on right now.

One of the things that surprised me is

just the beauty of the music

and how then the dancers are able to work with the music.

It's just really striking.

♪ Going back where I started ♪

♪ Going back where I'm from ♪

♪ Gonna pack these old dreams up ♪

♪ Oh I'm gonna run ♪

♪ Oh I'm gonna run ♪

[guitar finger-picking]

♪ I ain't seen the sun shine ♪

♪ Since God knows when ♪

♪ Just waiting for the spring to come ♪

♪ Carrying my burden ♪

♪ Carrying my burden ♪

♪ ♪

(Mary Harding) We were working towards a product that was

going to be site-specific in Terrace, Minnesota.

We wanted to present this piece

in the area that the story was written about.

(young woman) We had one of our performances in Terrace, Minnesota,

which is where my grandparents on

my dad's side were born and passed away.

It was such a cool experience

that I probably will treasure for the rest of my life,

bringing my friends to where I live,

and my mom started crying, and she was like,

"Oh, it gave me such inspiration."

And my dad who was a farmer, and his cousin who's a farmer,

they brought their family, and they just couldn't believe

that juniors and seniors were able

to have all this inspiration and artistic expression

we wanted to pour out

into this short story.

(Darian) When we were out there, the weather was horrible.

It was really cold, super windy,

but you have to basically ignore that.

You have to give it everything you've got.

(Carma) I think it made it ten times better,

'cause knowing how we're on a hill

and there's wind and raining and cold,

but we're out there dancing our hearts out.

I think that's what is the best.

A lot of people were really moved by it,

because they live there, so they know what it's like,

and us, not really knowing what it's like,

but embodying what it would be like in that time period

and showing them, they kind of got it.

So then right away it brought tears

to a lot of people's faces.

[guitar & harmonica play softly]

♪ ♪

(Mary Harding) I think that the students learned

that anything is the takeoff point

for the creative process, that you have to research.

I think they learned about refinement and revision.

I think they learned that collaboration,

while hard, is really worthwhile.

I think that they live it.

When they're actually performing it, the kids are living it.

And as an audience member, to watch the young people

take this on and own it,

is really emotional; it's very powerful.

(Darian) I've never really been to a farm before,

and I don't know what it's like, so as a person who's like,

mainly in the city, you kind of

get to see how other people think.

When we danced the pieces, I feel really spiritual actually,

because it's not like you're praising a god like, high up,

it's more like you're praising like, Mother Earth

and like, all that she's giving you

because it's gravestones of wheat.

Dig holes in my eyes and bury seeds in my pupils,

choke my lips to the brim with dirt.

And I want you to plant a tree between my shoulder blades.

(Mary Harding) It's almost like they're ghosts; they're ghosts coming back,

and you can see generations and generations in this performance.

[the wind blows]

(woman) My work is very much

about creating a particular experience

that is given, or perhaps a gift, to the viewer.

[loud, deep blast]

My name is Andrea Stanislav,

and I am a contemporary artist

that works with video, sculpture

installation, and public art.

[piano plays softly]

I would describe my artwork

as work that is very beautiful,

that derives from both minimalism

in an art historical context.

Physically my work is very reflective.

There are many mirrored surfaces,

glittery surfaces, a content of the work.

The further you look at it, you'll see something

that is perhaps the other side of the mirror,

sort of metaphorically to speak.

The content might question a darker side of humanity,

a darker side of culture, and I believe that that has

sort of a mystery or an intrigue,

and that's important to me.

[electronic music plays]

This sculpture is called

"Big Kitty Multicolored Fluorescent Protein."

♪ ♪

This is a gigantic, actually lion sculpture,

the big kitty, and it's been beheaded

and it's standing actually on its head now.

It's also being speared with an obelisk.

For me this sculpture is very much about beauty and power.

The colors are sort of within this rainbow palette.

They're not real rhinestones; they're plastic rhinestones.

For me that's sort of a metaphor of our culture.

It's about sort of the surface that we're drawn to,

sort of put a veil up so that we can't actually see

or that we don't necessarily hear or understand

what's going on perhaps behind the curtain.

[piano plays in waltz time]

♪ ♪

I'm working on a 30-foot tie inverted sculpture

of the Burj Khalifa, which right now is

the tallest building in the world

that was built in Dubai.

The current work is

called "Half a Generation."

It's being realized for the MCAD

McKnight Visual Artists Fellowship Show.

One of the reasons why I'm working on this project is

that I just think the Burj Khalifa

is one of the most beautiful,

architectural elements projects, sculptures, buildings--

it's one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen.

♪ ♪

I start all my projects with drawings.

In the drawing you can see how the rhinestones

then form the shapes,

sort of a tiered shape and sort of the spiral tiers

of the actual building and then ending in these 30-foot strands,

that will then be reflected in the mirrored surface

of the broken walk that's on the very floor.

[piano & violin play in waltz time]

♪ ♪

I'm using acrylic rhinestones and a reflective fabric

that reflects back light.

Overall, when you have an accumulation

of these materials together and enough,

it creates to some extent an array, a pattern,

where this overwhelming experience of sort of light

and sort of bedazzlement.

So all of these elements are really going to glow

and reflect the light of the particular space.

♪ ♪

[synthesizer plays softly]

What draws me to working

with gemstones, rhinestones, the glitter,

the shiny, shiny surfaces, I think it's really,

it's the ability for these materials to reflect light.

It's very much, and that's,

and I think that's also perhaps like an undertone to my work,

it's about a particular kind of enlightenment

or a way to see something.

[muted trumpet and bass play jazz]

♪ ♪

I like to keep the imagery open to some extent.

I don't want to completely divulge everything

that my work is about for the viewer.

Some things might be obvious, but I would hope that there is

perhaps a mystery or an intrigue that you might ask what that is.

A vision carries the project for me

and it continues to drive me and I never back down.

It's always been if I can see it, if I can visualize it,

I'm always compelled to make it.

And one way or another, it will be realized.

[electronic music plays]

[drums, keyboard, & guitar play cool jazz]

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ I got up late today I can't call it sleeping in ♪

♪ It's more like oversleeping I'm more than over sleep ♪

♪ We was in the car riding like we had nowhere to go ♪

♪ When I got here, I knew that this was where I'm supposed to be ♪

♪ Last night, did a show and had a damned good time ♪

♪ Did some drinking I was feeling fine ♪

♪ Not drunk, just key I was real happy to see you ♪

♪ Even if it was just fleeting even in them lights it's plain to see ♪

♪ I know you're feeling me and the feeling is mutual your beautiful ♪

♪ I'm due to pull up out of here quick. ♪

♪ The whip is dark blue if it's all the same to you ♪

♪ I can do all of the driving baby, you can just sit ♪

♪ And we ride, and we float, ♪

♪ When we drive, where do we go? ♪

♪ Does it really even matter where we go? ♪

♪ Let's just go there, on cruise control. ♪

♪ And we ride, and we float, ♪

♪ When we drive, where do we go? ♪

♪ Does it really even matter where we go? ♪

♪ Let's just go there, on cruise control. ♪

♪ And we ride, and we float, ♪

♪ When we drive, where do we go? ♪

♪ Does it really even matter where we go? ♪

♪ Let's just go there, on cruise control. ♪

♪ ♪

♪ I looked over and I seen your eyes closed ♪

♪ It seemed like time froze for a minute, damn I'm over the limit ♪

♪ Sayin' we should slow down a bit is OK ♪

♪ Slower than the song playing here on KMOJ ♪

♪ Now vibing to the music just a little bit more ♪

♪ Crossing town, windows down I can feel the wind blow stop light... ♪

♪ ...red light now go go ♪

♪ And we ride, and we float, ♪

♪ When we drive, where do we go? ♪

♪ Does it really even matter where we go? ♪

♪ Let's just go there, on cruise control. ♪

♪ And we ride, and we float, ♪

♪ When we drive, where do we go? ♪

♪ Does it really even matter where we go? ♪

♪ Let's just go there, on cruise control. ♪

♪ I got up late today I can't call it sleeping in ♪

♪ It's more like oversleeping I'm more than over sleep ♪

♪ Up early in the morning writing looking in the room where I can see ♪

♪ Where you're supposed to be laying next to me ♪

♪ Maybe breakfast maybe brunch maybe lunch ♪

♪ Got a hunch you'll be returning when I drop you at the house ♪

♪ I get a look turn the wheel from the curb bend the curve ♪

♪ And I've learned from the turns of last night there's other chapters in this book ♪

♪ Find the beats bump it up a touch it's not too much never enough ♪

♪ You call and want a ride? I'll come and pick you up...

♪ Does it really even matter, where we go? Let's just go there? What?

♪ And we ride, and we float, ♪

♪ When we drive, where do we go? ♪

♪ Does it really even matter where we go? ♪

♪ Let's just go there, on cruise control. ♪

♪ And we ride, and we float, ♪

♪ When we drive, where do we go? ♪

♪ Does it really even matter where we go? ♪

♪ Let's just go there, on cruise control. ♪

♪ And we ride, and we float, ♪

♪ When we drive, where do we go? ♪

♪ Does it really even matter where we go? ♪

♪ Let's just go there, on cruise control. ♪

♪ And we ride, and we float, ♪

♪ When we drive, where do we go? ♪

♪ Does it really even matter where we go? ♪

♪ Let's just go there, on cruise control. ♪

[electronic music plays]

CC--Armour Captioning & TPT

(woman) "Minnesota Original" is made possible by

The State Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund,

and the citizens of Minnesota.

[orchestral fanfare]