While I was at Blue Mountain Center I edited a Black Gospel Music Restoration Project section with headphones on so as not to disturb my fellow residents. Unlike the clip that’s online, this bit takes place at Baylor University (Waco, Texas), the home of the BGMRP.
I was working on establishing the locale by putting together some shots of the campus, and linking them aurally through the campus bells chiming the late a.m. hour. I wondered if I could keep the bells ringing as I left the establishing shots and proceeded with a talking head shot of Robert Darden in an office. I liked the idea, but when I tried it, I wasn’t completely won over.
A day or so later I was listening to my iPod and on came Marvin Gaye’s Got to Give It Up (Part 1).
Here’s a studio version of the song someone synced up to a Soul Train performance:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeLjT4nrUTQ[/youtube]I’ve heard this song a bazillion times, but this time I was surprised to hear that the banter ran through the entire song. And it works. Brilliantly.
This doesn’t mean my idea will work in the film of course, but it might be worth spending more time on.
And if you’re wondering, there are two reasons why I didn’t include the BGMRP clip. One: I don’t like putting clips up that haven’t approached a certain finish, and two: there’s no way I’m going to compete with Marvin Gaye. The bass line alone is a killer.