Carss Park artist and videographer Chris Elder won a global competition, with the prize being in charge of directing a music video for superstar songwriter and performer Ed Sheeran.
Create a free account to read this article
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The 36-year-old talent was chosen to lead the fan-made video, with most of the action filmed across St George.
He secured the win to produce the video for Sheeran's single Amazing. The music video has had more than 47,000 views on YouTube.
Elder is well-known to staff at Georges River Council, which regularly utilise his skills in videography. He filmed a promotional video for the Council's Artist in Residence program, and various sites throughout Carss Bush Park, Kogarah School of Arts, Hurstville, and the Carss Park Artist's Cottage.
He also filmed the first teaser promotional videos for the council's Frightful 80s Halloween-themed drive through cinema event and the first Un[contained] arts festival at Hurstville.
Shooting for Amazing was across five days. "Our scenes were mostly captured in the area I grew up, and where my parents still live," Elder said. "They actually ended up giving up their entire home for the duration of filming, and I somehow kept the entire process a secret from them. In fact, we cheated all interior scenes in the video to be shot in their house. It wasn't until our final day of filming that I broke the news to them of who the video was for, and in front of the cast and crew, I dedicated the entire project to them.
"This production was about as close as it gets to a community based video."
Elder, a gifted storyteller at heart, has woven personal history and his place of birth into this latest project for Sheeran, with what will be familiar scenes for many in the video, including scenes at Jubilee Stadium, Olds Park, and Carss Park.
Every interior scene in the video was shot in Elder's parents' Carss Park family home, including poignant moments in a bedroom and a hangover scene in the living room. The setting of Bunyala Street, the street Elder grew up on, adds even more nostalgia and authenticity to the video.
Elder dedicated the project to his parents, and recalled the moment he revealed to his mum who the video was produced for on the final day of filming.
"That was really a full-circle moment," Elder said. "Every single person involved has been absolutely phenomenal. I'm extending extra special thanks to the AFL community of St George and Georges River Council contributors like Luke from the Georges River Council Premium Facilities team who helped make this happen.
"The support over the years from other council staff like Bethany from the Museum & Galleries team and Fiona, Stephanie, and the rest of Council's Events team has also been awesome."
To celebrate his success, a premiere of the music video was screened recently, with attendees including the clip's creative contributors, Elder's friends, and family.
Want more local news? Sign up for your free weekly newsletter.
