Students create music video company
It’s not every day that a 20-foot yacht sits in the desert between Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Yet putting boats in the desert, constructing miniature cities and transforming rusty cars into striking convertibles is nothing new for Abdo Hajj and Sherif Higazy.
The producers · Co-founders of Homage Arts and Production Abdo Hajj and Sherif Higazy have spent the last three years working together with a team of 30 students and friends to create music videos. – Photos courtesy of Abdo Hajj
For the last three years, Hajj and Higazy have created imaginative videos for musicians, artists and students. Their company, Homage Arts and Productions, also works with record labels such as Universal, Def Jam and Stealth. This impressive portfolio is a tribute to Hajj and Higazy’s persistence and dynamic, collaborative spirit.
Sherif Higazy, a senior majoring in film and television production, and Abdo Hajj, a junior majoring in narrative studies, founded Homage Arts and Productions to realize their vision of creating unique videos. Hajj described himself as “a student in transition” when he met Higazy through a mutual friend.
“[Higazy’s] work speaks for itself. You see his work and you know it’s him. He doesn’t compromise his vision,” Hajj said. “The most important thing is our dynamic — we work together well.”
The basis for Homage Arts and Productions is the idea that small budgets should not inhibit artistic vision. As Higazy explained, “most low-budget [videos] look the same. But there’s no reason a $5,000 music video can’t have an epic scene — you just have to be really creative.”
For Hajj and Higazy, this creativity involved drawing on personal connections and plenty of do-it-yourself effort. For example, the team needed a 1960s convertible for one of its earlier productions but was limited by a $2,000 budget. Instead of compromising the video’s concept, Hajj and Higazy bought and restored a junkyard-destined car.
“You can’t rely on anybody, but anytime I hit [Hajj] up [with an idea], it’s always a yes,” Higazy said. “He’ll pull it off — he doesn’t compromise and still gets it done under budget.”
Though both maintain that individual vision is important, the key is being able to cooperate and communicate in a group. Hajj and Higazy describe their productions as team efforts; their “regular crew” consists of about 30 friends and students, and Hajj credits this spirit of collaboration with the group’s success.
“If you want to be in film, the most important thing is establishing a team where everybody knows their role and respects each other’s artistic visions. No one can do it without a team,” Hajj said.
Music videos are especially demanding, requiring multiple people who must approve the initial plan. Artist’s managers, record labels and the musicians themselves are all involved in production.
Though Homage Arts and Productions’ current emphasis is music videos, the team hopes to expand and eventually produce films. Hajj and Higazy feel music videos are an ideal way to get some hands-on experience in a highly demanding environment.
“Everything is on fire and you have to get everything done — there is a pressure to get it right with developing artists,” Higazy said.
Still, they view their productions as “passion projects” rather than work. As Hajj remarks, they aim to create unexpected scenes which combine sometimes disparate elements.
This is perhaps best represented by Hajj and Higazy’s most recent music video, “F.W.D.,” which was created for up-and-coming R&B artist, Kember. The music video juxtaposes water imagery with an arid landscape — grounding a yacht in the desert sand. “F.W.D.,” is the title track off Kember’s upcoming album, Forever We Dream and the video will go live on Vimeo on Feb. 25.
“[“FWD”] is conceptually ambitious — an over-the-top production,” Higazy said.
The “over-the-top” production is emblematic of the group’s style, which is due in part to the creative freedom afforded to music video makers.
“[Music videos] are an unconventionally creative art form — you can do anything — you could go completely of the deep end or blow people’s minds,” Higazy said.
Hajj and Higazy seem to be doing more of the latter; their music videos are a refreshing departure from the rehashed party scenes that tend to dominate music videos. The pair tends toward weaving narratives into the fabric of their productions — but with hard work and a never-say-die attitude, Higazy and Hajj seem to be producing a creative future for themselves, as well.