top of page

Behind the Scenes: The Making of "It’s Not A Clown" Music Video

The story of It’s Not A Clown—the song—has already been told. Read it here! It was a whirlwind, an almost supernatural creative process where ideas came pouring in faster than I could keep up. But if you thought making the music video for It’s Not A Clown was a calm and calculated process, you’d be in for quite the surprise!


Just like the song itself, the music video was about breaking all the rules and embracing spontaneity. Nosilla Ddot, the erratic character with a black bob, was the first retaliation clown I created for this song, developed while Digital Droo and I were writing it in 2019. This song was born in October with the intent to be our Halloween anthem, and so, as one does, I dressed up. One day, while home alone, I did my makeup and got dressed in a way that felt true to the vibe we were concocting. I flailed around on the floor, lit matches (Nosilla would definitely be into that), and recorded the footage. You actually get a glimpse of the original concept from 2019 in the first few seconds of the music video. Afterward, Droo came up with the idea of Veronika, suggesting her look should be haunted and all white to contrast with Nosilla’s darker, more chaotic presence. The other characters appeared to me over time, and it was an absolute thrill to bring them all to life in this video.


Behind the Scenes Recording Nosilla Ddot with an Apple computer playing the music and a white sheet for a backdrop and makeshift ladder lighting.

Here’s a fun fact: The entire video was shot on my iPhone. No fancy cameras, no expensive sets—just a lot of DIY energy. At one point, I even tied a flashlight to a ladder with a shoestring to create some of the lighting effects. I also used a white sheet as a backdrop because, hey, why not? This was all about doing more with less, and the white sheet definitely did the trick!


This video became a personal challenge for me to stop waiting for everything to be perfect and start creating with what I had. As a closet creative myself for a long time, I know how easy it is to think, "I’ll start once I have the right tools ... the right team ... the right circumstances." But perfectionism is just another way to hold ourselves back. Most of the time, you have to step out from the shadows and shine your light—even if that light is a flashlight tied to a ladder. 😉


For anyone who’s holding back because they feel like they don’t have the right setup, trust me—you already have everything you need. YOU! The key is to let go of the fear and the analysis paralysis and start making something. You’ll be amazed at what you can create with the tools right in front of you.


It’s Not A Clown is a song where genres collide and the lines between love and darkness blur—my contribution to the Halloween soundtrack. It’s part spooky, part soulful, and entirely a journey into the complexity of human emotions. Both the song and the music video explore these emotions through genre-bending elements, with each character in the video embodying a distinct personality: fierce defiance, calm calculation, playful mischief, grounded resilience, and rebellious chaos. Bringing these characters to life felt like stepping into entirely different worlds with every scene, from reggae rhythms to ska beats, and Nosilla’s chaotic, twitching movements to Veronika’s ethereal presence. It was wild, crazy, and exactly what the song demanded.


Behind the scenes recoding Veronika White with an iPhone and a flashlight tied to a ladder.

Of course, the filming process didn’t go off without a hitch. There were plenty of makeup meltdowns, DIY lighting mishaps, and interruptions courtesy of my dogs, Mari and Chevy, who made sure to keep us grounded with their presence. There were moments when I thought, "Are we seriously doing this?" But despite all the chaos, there were moments of pure magic, too. Every time something went wrong, we found a way to fix it. And every time something went right, it was like the universe was winking at us, reminding us that this video wanted to be made.


The Dream Team: Digital Droo, Robert Gosalvez, and Liz Aday 💻📸🖤

Making this video wouldn’t have been possible without my dream team. First, there’s Digital Droo, the genius behind the song’s production and the video’s co-creator. Droo took all my crazy ideas and the raw footage I shot and turned it into something seamless and beautiful. From blending genres in the music to weaving together the footage in post-production, Droo made the impossible happen.

Then there’s my sweet husband, Robert Gosalvez (aka @Tennis_Realtor), who was my cameraman, sounding board, and all-around superhero during the filming process. He patiently handled my detailed (and often high-pressure) instructions while managing to keep everything on track and avoid knocking over any of our makeshift lighting setups. I owe him big time for this one!

And of course, the incredible Liz Aday, who brought her own touch of magic with the haunted doll stop motion animations and helped set up the video premiere. Liz’s creativity and vision added a whole new dimension to the project, and I’m so thankful she was part of the team.


Join the Premiere! 🎉

The fun isn’t over yet! Join me for the premiere of the It’s Not A Clown music video on Chad Freeman’s YouTube show on Sunday, 10/27/24 at 8:30 pm PST. It’s going to be a "field trip" style event where we’ll be hanging out in the live chat, sharing behind-the-scenes stories, and celebrating this labor of love. And don’t miss Liz Aday’s premiere of her song Monstrosity at 8:15 pm—it’s going to be a night full of Halloween vibes!


I am beyond proud of how this video came together. It’s a testament to the fact that creativity doesn’t need perfection, just a lot of heart and a little DIY magic. Can’t wait to hear what you think—leave a comment after the premiere and let me know which character you relate to the most!


Here’s to embracing the magic in the dark. 🖤✨

Until the next adventure, Allison2020 🎶

0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comentários


bottom of page