Video shoot in Amsterdam

Tuesday, July 22,1997:

We agonize together in the car on the way to Amsterdam. There's a stopover at the Wisseloord Studios in Hilversum, where we peek over Ronald Prent's shoulder again during the final mix.

We continue in a convoy with Bjoern (Le Manager) and Arno from GUN, who met us in Hilversum. Naturally, we arrive as always too late in Amsterdam. The obligatory hotel-search takes its time! After some small problems with the unfortunately incomplete room-reservation and greetings from Stephan Fingerhuth (BMG), we finally manage to arrive at the office of CZAR Films, where we are already expected.

A short meeting takes place with Dara Lasky, the executive producer, as well as Liz Wendelbo (director) and the stylist about the idea, execution, and setting of the video. Quickly, we play the final mix of OPEN YOUR EYES and also already have to start rummaging through the pile of clothes laid out for us; under the critical eye of the CZAR-Team the outfit is assembled. Nice touch: In the end, 2/3 of the stuff comes out of our own Second Hand Reserve!

Since Stefan, as usual, requires special conditions and first wanders into Amsterdam around 11:00 p.m. from Italy (!), we decide after the meeting to more closely examine the Heineken and have a bite to eat in a locale close to the hotel. As Stefan then appears after endless waiting, Bjoern too can finally relax again (hahaha!) and we can hit the pit, because shooting is scheduled to start at 9:00 a.m.

Wednesday, July 23, 1997, 9:00 a.m.

We drive with Dara in convoy to the shoot location, the old Amsterdam Hilton. All hell is loose there; everything stuffed with equipment and loads of people, from camera crew to lighting crew and up to the catering woman (see group photo).

1,2,4: Lighting crew 3: Playback woman 5: Liz Wendelbo, the director 6: Stylist 7: Dara Lasky, executive producer 8: Bridget, production manager 9,10,14,19: Guanos 11,12: Cameraman + assistant 13: Grip 15: Production assistant 16: Catering woman 17: Make-Up woman 18: Thilo, friend of the band

The ballroom where we're shooting looks even uglier in its natural setting than in the Preliminary-Location-Video; everything's in brown-orange-nikki, with a disgusting red-brown patterned carpet that brings tears to your eyes. This along with a killer sparkling marble/metal bar area. In any case the best visual conditions and precisely the reasons why we decided on CZAR and this location.

So we load our stuff quickly out of the cars and build it up in the middle of the room. Luckily, Dennis got hold of an ancient glittering white mother-of-pearl drum kit, that he nevertheless had to polish for 2 days. After everything is set up it's off to make-up; Sandra naturally takes the longest, but for that she also gets the beautiful Zorro mask painted on (see photo).

Then things move relatively fast: Playback on, strap on guitars, and off we go. Dennis on the drum kit blows our ears out once more, perhaps the reason why the playback is turned up again?!? After innumerable run-throughs we're more exhausted than at a normal concert and meanwhile also sweating like pigs. As a result the make-up woman is constantly running after us to dab our foreheads. Sometime around early evening, after an unbelievable variety of different camera paths and angles have been shot, Sandra is locked away in the glass boxes (see video), and around 10:00 p.m. we're finally back in the hotel where the only thing we do is fall into bed.

Thursday, July 24, 1997, 9:00 a.m.- again

The same procedure as yesterday, only this time with inexplicable muscle pains at the somewhat spare hotel breakfast; Dara picks us up and all systems are go again: Make-up, to iron out the twisted hair and faces, clothes on, and we're off to the couch-scene. This goes relatively quickly and afterwards it's our job to sit around while the scenes with the casted actors are shot. Bjoern is bored and happy with us, we sit out our Thursday in the middle of the almighty mobile phone terror and the video monitors and enjoy the catering. Finally, Sandra is needed again and is off to the glass boxes. Thousands of people spray the glass with water and set up the lighting and camera, while the others have to hide so they don't reflect in the glass; instructions from Bridget, the production manager, spokesperson for Liz, and absolute commander, who mercilessly but in a nice way drives the team and keeps them to schedule.

Finally another complete shot of the band, momento photo and handshakes, and already we're on the Autobahn again, or better said, stuck at 1:00 a.m. shortly before Goettingen in a traffic jam. Thanks a lot!

In summary it can be said: The video for "Open Your Eyes" is running on VIVA & MTV, mostly after 10:00 p.m. (probably later!), and now we're even already discussing the concept for our next video for the 2nd single!

- Henning July 30, 1997 -