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Play, download and edit the free video MTHC301 FINAL PROJECT, [Brooke Hubert]: [Wings by Mac Miller Music Video].

"Wings" was written and performed by Mac Miller. I do not own the rights to this song. Mac Miller. A singer, songwriter, rapper, producer, Grammy-nominated artist. A month before his untimely death in 2018, at the age of 26, he released the album Swimming. In the intro track “Come Back to Earth” he sings the following lyrics: “We were drowning; but now we’re swimming, now we’re living. These are our wings.” Those lyrics embody the theme of Mac’s album and even more so his life. He was known for being transparent in his music when it came to his mental health. He rapped about his fight with depression and struggles with addiction. I know from personal experience, that the trials and tribulations of mental health can be extremely heavy at times. So heavy, that it can feel as if you’re drowning. Mac knew that too. Swimming is an album about fighting those bad, heavy feelings. The verse/chorus track “Wings” from the album is the song I decided to do my music video over, as it resonated with me the most. Especially during the current pandemic.

“Wings” is about the process of healing. It’s about learning to have hope and to swim instead of drown. It’s about embracing the lil’ things and creating your own happiness. I wanted to make sure the music video I made emphasized the story the song was telling. Therefore, I shaped my storyboard in the form of a complimentary-narrative. In some shots the visuals reflected the explicit lyrics, while in other shots I used the lyrics to tell the story of my own mental health journey during quarantine. The pandemic allowed me to have a lot of time with my thoughts, as it forced us all into quarantine. During that time, I realized that anything can have value and act as your ‘wings’. My car is what kept me from drowning. Taking drives became my therapy. It’s what kept me afloat during these strange, depressing times.

When it came to the mise-en-scéne of the MV, I switched between driving through visuals of rural and urban settings. My car became a symbol for my ‘wings’ as it carried me to different experiences, people, and places during lockdown. In doing so, my world got bigger and felt like less of a cage. In the pre-chorus Mac says, “The walls keep gettin' wider, I just hope I never find 'em, no, no.” The scene at Clinton Lake in LFK with one of my best friends, Logan, is all about just living life and appreciating the simple beauties that are present every day.

I used the worm's eye camera angle (camera panning up at Logan as he stands above the lake) and the bird's eye camera angle (camera above the car while driving past the lake). These angles seemed to break up the monotony of driving clips. I also used the simulated POV angle when my other bestie in the video, Zoe, pointed at the sky. In the following shot I aimed the camera at the sky to show that she was pointing at a plane. In the scene where I’m rapping, I used the eye level angle to create more of an intimate setting. I thought that making eye contact with the camera would make the viewer have a more emotional connection to the song’s lyrics and my personal story. That’s also why I chose to do minimal editing as far as filters and special effects go. I wanted it to feel authentic and homemade- because it was.

All in all, I had so much fun filming and editing this music video. It reinforced the fact that to live is to love. As long as you’re paying attention to the people that love and support you, appreciating the lil’ things, and taking charge of your own happiness you’ll be okay. Mac’s music emphasized that. Especially in his song “Wings”. The creative decisions I made for the MV reflected that sentiment.

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