Returning to the director's chair: The newest Dion Conflict directed music video for Mikey Bustos

There has been many starts and stops when it's coming to directing a new music video. At one point I was kind of so-so about the genre and on top of it, it seemed that many outlets in Canada were drying up to actually get them shown. Two things changed this... Youtube and Myspace.

When I met up with Brian and Dave (basically the guys that make things happen in real time for my production company) and sprung on them "You guys want to work on a music video?", it was a matter of minutes before Mikey joined us at one of our production meetings playing his latest cuts he recorded. I was particularily fond of the track that they were wanting to release as a single "If it feels good then we should" as a catchy lil ditty, which had me taking notes as I listened to the track. Those original notes had "Water, blue blue and more blue".

I listened to the track about 30 times, developing the storyline for the video which mixed in the water theme, a hot day, thirsty girls, ice, and putting Mikey in a character as a water delivery guy which takes him out of his context for the Canadian viewer of "Canadian Idol" and making him the everyman. Well, hopefully the everyman to the female leads! One thing that was predominant when mentioning the theme to Mikey and my team is that I wanted the video to be black and white, but also blue, a somewhat unsual color scheme, but one that would be unique.

The location was one I came across in Toronto by accident. A friend and I were walking down by the lakeshore in Toronto when he showed me an area he said "he use to mess around in when he was 16". When I had taken my Assistant Director Brian there, we kind of got lost and found this unusual man-made pond area with a dock stricking through the middle of it. We were in love with the location, and describing it to others and those auditioning was interesting!

The shoot day was usually hot. But everyone was in gear and ready to work. One funny thing was there was a shady grassy area we at first would sit at, until we got bit by red ants. Mikey made me laugh saying "I'm getting bitten by these red ants!" Leaving food out was a no-no. The actresses were all troopers, ready to go for it and for the first time in SOME time, with Brian as my AD, I could concentrate on working with the actors. We were looking for WHERE we were going to shoot the scene for the chorus and bridge, when Dave my steadycam operator and I searched a bit and came across the "Reconciliation" rock. Could we get any luckier? While shooting the scenes with Mikey and the girls on the rock, I knew there was real chemistry between him and the girls as I had to pinch myself to yell cut. People looking on hanging out in the park just looked at them transfixed. Lake Ontario, usually not too nice looking, had waves sparkling as we shot.

We ended the majority of the shoot, packed up everything in the rental van, while my crew sat on the recliners the girls sat on. Exhausted, we ate Little Casaers in the parking lot, looking over our burns (Virpi, who was here from Finland and was a production assistant, was ESPECIALLY burnt.). When I removed my Versace sunglasses, everyone laughed.

I'm really happy with the final result, and while there's more shots I wish I could have added to it, the track and video work well together. Mikey now gets e-mails from girls saying "I see you like jugs" - hahahahaha.

The funniest moment was after pitching the concept to my team, Mikey was DYING to know the concept and made me come up to see him after I had a day full of meetings. It was 11pm and I drove up to his place, where we went close to Jane/Finch for some Vietnamese Pho where I pitched the concept. With a huge smile, and clapping his hands, he said he loved it. "But D, what's a water cooler?"

ISO KIITI SUOMI! - HUNKA JUNK 6 RETURNS FROM FINLAND!

(Press Coverage: Hunka Junk in Finland, 2008)

From the time I landed till the time I left, every hour and minute seemed to be packed full while in Finland. But still this time, I still got to spend some quality time with friends who kept me balanced through the heavy diet of non-stop screenings, and just as many interviews. The above photo shows just who I was talking with when I wasn't showing HUNKA JUNK 6 and spending time with friends, sometimes with a pint of cider.

EVERY time I return, it seems like home. So much, that I had to do some real soul searching on why it was exactly I was returning. Finland is my second mother, and when I leave, I'm being pulled from it's arms.

HUNKA JUNK 6 had lots of "terveet kadet" with it's success this time there, and here's a short list of people who REALLY made it all possible. Starting from Canada, Mihai (my editor), Greg (with the DVD post for VIDEO DINER) really deserve more than just my thanks. In the United States, Skip at A/V Geeks for the transfer, and in Russia, Igor made a special trip to make sure I had merchandise for the masses.

In Finland, iso kiiti should go of course to Juha-Pekka at Pirkanmaan Elokuvakeskus gets the ball rolling everytime (Tampere), Kaisu @ Keski-Suomen Elokuvakeskus (Jyväskylä), Marcus and Janne at Kino Iiris (Lahti), and Mikko at the Night Visions film festival deserve me to be kissin their feet for their hard work in bringing it to the masses.

Press wise, my hats off to various newspapers that I did interviews with which include Helsinki Sanomat, Valo, Aamulehti, Keskisuomalainen, Etelä-Suomen Sanomat, and those that covered HJ6 including Radio Helsinki, Lahiradio, YLE. Kiitos!

Also, all of you who came out to the shows (and some from all over Finland).

I remember taking the train back from one show, passing through towns such as Tikkurila and Jamsa, thinking how blessed I am. Thank you again for opening your hearts, homes, and time with me to share my paska films!