Raw Art Works (RAW), a youth arts nonprofit in Lynn, announced the release of award-winning artist, Cliff Notez’s music video “Happy.” Cliff, named “Musician of the Year” by Boston Magazine in 2019, filmed the music video April 2019 with RAW’s Real to Reel Film School. This was not the first collaboration Cliff, a former teaching artist at RAW, has done with Real to Reel. Cliff Notez and Film School Manager Rachel St. Pierre led the RAW group “Word’s in Motion,” a crossover of spoken word and filmmaking in 2016. And in 2018 he was featured in Oompa’s music video “I Deserve That,” which was also produced by RAW’s film school students.
The music video “Happy” was co-directed by two RAW filmmakers, Miguel Valdez and Sydney Field, along with RAW alumnus, Daymian Mejia. Both Field and Mejia went on to study film in college.
“Despite having never produced a music video before, Miguel and Sydney dove head first into the experience that ultimately propelled an idea into an actual film production. From scouting locations, to scheduling the production dates down to the minute, Miguel and Sydney’s leadership and willingness to step it up helped manifest Cliff Notez’s track ‘Happy’ into a professional grade music video. I am so proud of these students,” said St. Pierre.
While this was Valdez’s and Field’s first take at producing a music video, RAW’s Film School has been collaborating with musical artists since 2001.
Over the years film school students have produced over a dozen music videos. The video drops Friday, Sept. 18.
