Dana Point. San Clemente. Capistrano Beach, California.
I recently received an invite from a previous client whose guests LOVED the music I had played. I had walked around their outdoor beach banquet the previous year, surveying guests personally… picking their brains for their favorite songs.
I played requests almost the entire time, mixing in just a few of my originals on guitar, while my cameraman captured all of the fun highlights. I played everything from easy listening and classic rock with harmonica to freestyle raps over 90’s hip-hop riffs and hooks. It was a blast!
The entire 2016 gig is available on YouTube and can be viewed via this link: bit.ly/CapBeach.
My musical pursuits have brought many exciting firsts but none as exciting as being offered lodging at a gorgeous beachfront property for a whole week!?! The place was unbelievable and our hosts were amazing. So in 2017, instead of flying solo to the gig, I was blessed to be able to bring my wife and children along with me! What a dream!!!
I figured, “Hey! We’re headed to the beach… lets shoot a music video while we are there!”
So I asked Las Vegas’ Joseph Charafi of Charafi Entertainment to come join us and make it all happen. Joseph and assistant cameraman Brendan brought out all the stops for this shoot and I couldn't be happier with the final project. They used a black magic pocket cinema, and Dji Phantom 4 for the land shots and in the air they used a Dji Osmo x3 with wireless lav for better sound and added mobility.
We filmed everything in a single day just before my gig that night and were blessed to have such a sunny day seeing as the days leading up to the shoot were dreadfully overcast and foggy. The crew and I were thankful we didn't ever have to suspend shooting to wait on the weather conditions.
Most scenes were filmed within a 200 yard radius of the beach house, which can be seen in the beginning when I enter with the guitar and at the end when I pack things up and exit through the walkway. The remaining scenes were filmed a half mile south near the beach banquet where I began entertaining later that same evening just before sunset.
The song being featured in this video, “Closer Walk,” (my own rendition of the gospel classic, Just A Closer Walk With Thee) is available on all digital formats and can also be purchased via JJBeauvais.com.
I want to thank my wonderful wife and children for allowing me to carve that day out of our once in a lifetime beach vacation and also for participating in making this video awesome!
Also, huge thanks to Karen Morris, without whom none of this would have been possible! I hope you've enjoyed reading this brief behind the scenes look at my world. Stay tuned for more musical adventures!
God Bless!!!
-JJ