Maya Anderson wanted to create something ambitious to cap off her B.S. video production degree at University of Wisconsin-Stout – something that would encapsulate her years of experience behind the camera, demonstrate her personal vision and set herself on a path toward professional success.
To meet these goals, Anderson traveled halfway around the world to Tokyo, overcoming jet lag and a language barrier to create a captivating music video with an underground Japanese rapper.
Anderson, who graduated May 16, had plenty of experience creating videos as part of the applied curriculum at UW-Stout, Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University. “Even in my first week of freshman year we were already on shoots, setting up cameras and getting real-world practice,” she explained.
For her senior capstone project, Anderson sought a new challenge and a new locale, and she found herself drawn to the bustling capital city of Japan – a stark contrast to her small northern Wisconsin hometown of Marengo. “It’s always a goal of mine to keep shooting in new and unfamiliar places,” she said.
While she’s an experienced international traveler, Anderson had never visited Japan. However, she is fascinated with Japanese culture, especially its urban life, and cites director Gaspar Noé’s surrealistic film “Enter the Void” as an inspiration with its intimate, vibrant portrayal of Tokyo.
Originally, Anderson had intended to travel to Japan to create a stylized travel montage, said Assistant Professor Keif Oss, director of the B.S. video production program. As the project evolved, however, Oss and other faculty members encouraged her to produce something that could expand her portfolio in a more strategic and professionally marketable way, he said.
Anderson decided to make a music video – something she already had experience doing in the United States. Having honed her focus, Anderson was inspired to seek out creative partners in Japan. Through an online forum about underground Japanese rappers, she discovered a hip-hop artist, Mezz, and messaged her through Instagram. “Let’s do it!” responded the musician, and the pair planned and scheduled the video shoot over Zoom.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/hdVt9xQ_SgI?autoplay=0&loop=0&background=0&version=3&start=0&rel=0&showinfo=0&controls=0&autohide=1?&enablejsapi=1&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.uwstout.eduMaya Anderson’s video for “Under the Moon,” featuring Japanese performers Mezz and OnJuicy / YouTube
‘A crazy yet rewarding experience’
With the help of a student research grant through the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, Anderson booked a trip to Japan in late March and early April.
“Coming off a 13-hour flight, entering a 15-hour time zone change, then shooting a full music video within 24 hours was such a crazy yet rewarding experience,” Anderson said.
The young filmmaker collaborated on the video shoot for the song “Under the Moon” with Mezz, OnJuicy (another hip-hop artist), a gaffer, and a hair and makeup artist.
“Mezz was the only one who spoke English,” Anderson explained, “so I was directing using her and Google Translate, which worked out really well. It turned out to be one of my favorite shoots I’ve ever done.”
Anderson said she tries to make her videos as immersive as possible to give viewers the sense they are experiencing them with her. “This is a huge reason I shoot almost everything handheld, so it gives my work a human feeling, with all my movements being intentional,” she said.
Eight hours of shooting were followed by a week-long editing process that was both digital and analog. “I love incorporating mixed media into my videos, which ends up being the most time-consuming part,” Anderson said. “I print out every frame of a specific section of the video, then individually draw or cut out each frame, scan them with my printer, and go frame by frame making the images into a video again.”
Video enjoyed by viewers worldwide
The final video premiered online May 1 and immediately gained praise on social media – although once again Anderson had to rely on Google Translate to read what Mezz’s fans were saying.
Other praise came from closer to home when Anderson shared her video on campus May 5 during the annual Research Day event.
“I’m incredibly proud of her on many levels, and I think the work speaks for itself,” said Oss, who lauded the video as “creatively unique, beautifully designed, and very well executed.”
“Maya’s willingness to travel internationally and pursue a project of this scale says a great deal about both her drive and her creative ambition,” Oss continued. “Producing a film abroad requires a high level of initiative, independence, planning and resilience, especially as a student balancing the demands of a capstone production.”
Oss added that Anderson’s experience reflects positively on UW-Stout’s video production program, which encourages students to think beyond the classroom and pursue real-world projects.
“Maya’s project is an example of students being supported in taking creative risks, applying for research funding and developing work that has personal vision and professional-level scope,” he said. “While not every student will travel internationally for a project, the program is designed to foster that kind of initiative, independence and experiential learning mindset.”
Anderson is thrilled that her capstone experience created a video that people around the world are enjoying.
“It’s an unreal feeling to have had this ambitious idea turn to reality,” Anderson said. “I definitely made my freshman-year self proud. I’m so grateful to have completed this project during my time at Stout, and I’m excited for what’s yet to come.”
