It was a cold and foggy morning as friends and family of Canberra darlings, SAFIA, made the early drive out to St Joseph’s Church in Gundaroo. The cute little chapel was ready to be transformed into the setting of the group’s fifth video for the track Embracing Me.
Directed and produced by local talents, Crux Media, the clip is an evolution of the partnership between SAFIA and the filmmakers that continues to enhance the strong Canberra bonds. Crux Media’s Jimmy Ennett and Sam Tremayne ran a tight ship on set, capturing a range of atmospheric shots that perfectly compliment SAFIA’s sounds.
And the theme for the day’s shoot? Amish. If you’ve seen Harrison Ford in Witness, or SBS cult favourite, Meet the Amish, you know what to expect. For those not so familiar with the American Christian sect, check out the galleries to get a sense of the rural feel.
The star of the day was David Roberts who had flown in from Melbourne to play the part of a fire-and-brimstone preacher who looks poorly on the blossoming love of two of his parishioners, Rhiannon and Isaac. Roberts appeared in Home & Away, The Matrix sequels, half a dozen episodes of Offspring, and played Josh Thomas’ father in Please Like Me.
From the first moments that Roberts steps out to the altar, he had the ‘clergy’ in the palm of his hand, eliciting a loud round of applause after just the first take. It was amazing to watch a professional actor at work. While never leaving character, he strode across the room between takes, thumping his bible and casting a glowering eye around the room. It was an intimidating and impressive display that kept his audience entranced.
The track was the most played last week on Triple J, and has received glowing praise from industry insiders. Embracing Me looks like another winning tune from Canberra’s favourite band. Grab it here on iTunes.
