Behind the Scenes of 'Ronald': The Most Ambitious Music Video of 2024 | MasterShot

So first things first, I want to ask all of you how the concept was born, and how the project started?

Jensen Noen, Director: Ronnie (the lead singer of Falling in Reverse) sent me the song and we had a chat about the video. His main note was that he wanted the video to be intense from the first second and then keep escalating until the end of the song. At first, I didn’t know where to begin, knowing I needed to devise something that would keep the audience on the edge of their seats from the first second, without giving them a moment to catch their breath until the very end. Surprisingly it all came to me pretty quickly, I sent Ronnie my initial concept and we only changed a few things from the original idea that I pitched to him.

Phoenix Vaughn, Producer: Jensen came to me with the treatment and the idea was huge! It was a non-stop, action thriller full of tons of stunts and large-scale sets that needed to be built on a green screen soundstage. So the first thing I did was draw up a budget. Once we got everything cleared, off we went on this crazy journey.

Justin Jones, Director of Photography: Jensen told me about the project and said “This is the craziest music video I’ve ever done. Are you ready?” He started to tell me the concept, “Ronnie gets thrown from a truck, he jumps on a bike, gets torn off by a giant bird, gets taken up a skyscraper by a spider robot, shot at from a helicopter, turns into a wolf…” I was like holy shit this is insane.

Behind the Scenes of 'Ronald': The Most Ambitious Music Video of 2024

How did you present an idea like this to Ronnie? What does this pitch even look like?

Jensen Noen, Director: I knew it would be ridiculous to send this concept by text... like 'you’re flying through the windshield, landing on the bike, a bird picks you up…etc' and I realized I needed to put together some kind of visual presentation to explain my idea.

I spent a few hours looking for reference scenes from films, commercials, and photography and couldn’t find good examples for some of the scenes, but overall it was pretty straightforward and clear. I sent it to Ronnie with some written explanations about what I meant by some shots.

How was this project different from other videos you’ve done in the past?

Jensen Noen: My approach was a bit different, indeed. Initially, I focused on finding strong visual cues that would sync well with specific parts of the song, and then I developed the rest of the video's concept.

The first image that came vividly to my mind was a brutal car crash, with Ronnie flying through the windshield at the impactful moment just before the line, 'Death is at your door.' I loved this visual and how well it went with the song when I was going over it in my head.

The second visual was inspired by the guitar sound/part during the line 'you're hanging on for your life.' The high-pitched eerie and disquieting sound of the guitars sparked this image of a wizard performing a strange ritual and gathering magical energy in their hands. Later, this concept evolved into a big group of wizards.

The third visual was very obvious and straightforward, but it matched the song perfectly—the machine gun sound following the 'let me burn for eternity' line. At that point, I didn't know who would be using the machine gun or why, but I knew visually it would be perfect for this music cue.

The disorienting synths and guitar part during the 'Deep into the trench of a place unknown' line evoked the feeling of a plane crash—like you’re plummeting downwards amidst the chaos, rapidly approaching the ground. This eventually became a helicopter crash scene.

The Tech N9ne scene was originally a bit different for Ronnie's presence. Initially, I envisioned a time-stopping effect for him, with Ronnie frozen in time while Tech N9ne performs his part. However, the overall concept for the scene remained the same—I really wanted to create a visual reminiscent of purgatory, with Tech N9ne as a sort of Archangel Michael, deciding whether Ronnie should go to heaven or hell.

After compiling all the initial visuals, I moved on to the second phase which involved developing the overall storyline and main concept for the video. These visuals served as the foundational pillars of the overall story. This is backwards from the way I usually work, coming up with strong visual cues and figuring out the storyline from there. I usually get an idea for a storyline and then develop the visuals to fit that.

Do you always need to have a specific storyline, or can it sometimes be a series of random visuals?

Jensen Noen, Director: Personally, I always have a clear storyline and meaning behind every scene in all of my videos. There's always a specific planned-out structure behind what I create. Sometimes the artists aren't always aware of this, but it’s something I do every time. Even in the most over-the-top, visually insane videos like this one, there's a meaningful story that I want to tell.

What is the main theme you wanted to get across in this video?

Jensen Noen, Director: This video was inspired by Ronnie's life itself, which has had significant ups and downs. If you analyze the video, you'll notice that many of the visuals of the main character are moving up and down. A key moment—the climax of this visual motif—occurs in the purgatory-hell sequence. Here, we leave the audience questioning whether he actually fell into hell or if it was a reversal and he got up, on the next level of his development. Additionally, we never reveal whether he succeeds in defeating the demon or how many demons still lie on his path.

What about all the other details and characters in the video? Do they also have some kind of symbolism?

Jensen Noen, Director: Yes, as I mentioned before, despite the bizarre nature of the video, every single element made perfect sense and fit the overall story, which is always my guiding light as I work on my projects. I enjoy seeing people interpret the visuals rather than explaining them myself. But for example, the wizards gathering energy symbolizes a society that is constantly generating anger and hate towards Ronnie. Although painful, it elevates him, and just when they think they have destroyed him, he transforms into an even stronger force that destroys everything in his path. But this could be interpreted in many different ways by people watching the video. I love it when people come up with their meanings based on my work.

The next step was pre-production. What was your approach?

Jensen Noen, Director: Almost right away after getting approval, I started working on a 3D previsualization of each scene and shot. This process really helps me understand how I’m going to approach each scene and exactly how I want to shoot it. Also due to the heavy VFX nature of the project, I got in touch with my VFX team Inception Post, and lead VFX artist Alex Verenchyck with whom I've worked on many projects.

He began using my previsuals to create more detailed 3D environments and rough animations. So before even stepping on set, we already knew what each environment and location would look like. This helped a great deal with the overall execution, including how to light each set in the best way.

Phoenix Vaughn, Producer: We have as many meetings as possible with our production heads to make sure that we are all on the same page. We always do a tech scout at the location early on in the process so we can walk through every scene and make sure we think through all the elements. Then each department branches off and creates a plan. Our goal is that by the time we get on set, we’ve already gone through everything so many times that we can handle any surprises that may come up. It’s all about being prepared.

Ruth Devereaux, Producer: I always approach pre-production looking at the larger elements first and then work down to the smaller details. The first element on my side was the production design. We needed to create multiple different areas to achieve the adventure the video takes us on. Once we can see how to create Jensen and Ronnie's vision, then we can start building out the rest of the world, including the characters within it.

Albina Kim, Production Designer: Our pre-production phase was incredibly intense, as we managed three large productions simultaneously. My approach involved meticulously planning and aligning creative concepts with the director's vision while addressing practical considerations for the camera, stunts, and VFX.

For instance, to accommodate the scene where a helicopter with a minigun approaches a window and a robot grabs Ronnie, we elevated the office set to a specific height. This setup required additional safety measures once the height exceeded a certain level.

Alex Verenchyck, Lead VFX Artist: From the very beginning, we had full animatics of the music video. However, we decided to start with a more detailed animation of the crash scene. At that moment we thought that this would be the most difficult scene to shoot. We also wanted to prepare locations for filming and carried out a huge amount of crash tests to find the most suitable physical model.

Justin Jones, Director of Photography: From there Jensen developed his previs render (Jensen is an absolute beast when it comes to pre-pro) and I started breaking each scene down and working with my gaffer Arthur Grigoryan to create diagrams for each setup.

We decided to use multiple cameras due to the complexity of the video. For the intro of the video, we needed something small and compact that still matched the full frame of our main camera. We chose the Canon R5 and strapped it to the helmet rig. We mainly chose the R5 because of its size and full-frame sensor. Our main camera was the Red V-Raptor XL, the B cam was a Red Helium, the C cam was a red Gemini, and the D cam was a red Komodo. Then we have a Canon R5 as a crash cam.

For lighting we utilized a plethora of different LED units including: 24 Arri skypanels, 6 Vortex 8’s, 10 Nova 300’s, 4 Dino 650’s, 2 2400b’s, 4 Aputure 600c’s, 6 color force 72’s, 2 4x pillow lights, 3 sets of titan tubes, a dozen MC’s and probably more on the day.

Lighting Diagram “Ronald”

What were the references for the action scenes of the video?

Brandon Belieu, Stunt Coordinator: The project was a great blend of John Wick, Batman, and Superman. I wanted to make the viewers feel like they were a part of the action. John Wick does a great job of including the audience in the mayhem, while Batman taught us of great moments of flight.

There is a lot of VFX in most of your work. Is that just your preference, or is there another reason?

Jensen Noen, Director: First of all, VFX is just a tool. Many of my ideas are not easily achievable through conventional shooting at practical locations. Yes, you could build what's required, but it often becomes a budgetary issue. So, when the question arises—whether to simplify the concept and shoot more practically or to use VFX to execute the scene as it is in my head—I lean towards the latter.

What was the VFX pipeline like?

Alex Verenchyck, Lead VFX Artist: I tried to establish the processes in a way that we could return to the very beginning at any time, and be flexible enough to easily move through production stages. Since it's not our first collaboration with Falling in Reverse, we know that this is a very creative process and we must be ready to change things at any time.

Since this isn't your first project with Falling in Reverse, can you tell us what's so special about your collaboration?

Jensen Noen, Director: I think we have similar visual tastes with Ronnie and together we're crafting a whole visual universe for his videos. It's only enhancing his ambitious, unique, and incredible music, which is constantly shocking and pushing boundaries. He is also incredibly creative and knowledgeable about visuals and filmmaking. I am forever grateful to him for providing the resources to execute the boldest, most innovative ideas, and for his trust in me.

It seems there would be a lot of challenges during production on a video of this scale. How did you overcome them?

Jensen Noen, Director: I think the most complicated aspect was the number of stunts and the precise and complex setups involved. In a video like this, you can’t afford to mess up a single shot since you won’t be able to piece it all together—each shot flows into the next. It was incredibly challenging to shoot, and exhausting for Ronnie to repeatedly perform these complicated stunts himself, not using a stunt double, while maintaining high energy. But at the end of the day, he nailed it.

Phoenix Vaughn, Producer: The biggest challenge of this video was the fact that the majority of the shots featured stunts and practical effects. We shot the video over five days, and even then, we were short on time. It takes a lot of time to set up stunt shots and practical effects. And then it can take a long time to shoot these elements as well because of reset times and complications within the stunts and practical effects themselves.

Ruth Devereaux, Producer: I would say one of the challenges (but also fun) on set was creating the black pool of water the band performed in, and making sure that color was correct. After the painstaking research, we decided to use food coloring. Unfortunately, most stores don't sell black food coloring, so we had to engage our art team. They mixed numerous different colors, found the perfect consistency and then we recreated it into the massive pool.

Albina Kim, Production Designer: The pace and flow of production also posed a challenge. As we constructed the 40-foot-diameter wizards' arena set and filmed on it, we simultaneously prepared a 52-foot-long by 24-foot-wide office set on a 4-foot-tall steel deck platform. We had to stop work periodically when stunts were being filmed for safety reasons, yet ensure the set was ready to shoot next.

After, we dismantled the arena set to make room for the vehicle and motorcycle sequence, where the stunt played a crucial part. Then, we built a massive 40-foot by 40-foot water pool for the band's performance, which had its own set of constraints. This rapid cycle of building, shooting, and striking sets required precise coordination and flexibility from the entire team to keep the production moving smoothly and on schedule.

Justin Jones, Director of Photography: The biggest challenge was the complexity of the scenes vs time. As I said before we had to try to prelight as much as we could to make sure we got through everything fast enough. Arthur and his team are rockstars and having all the units connected to DMX saved us.

Another way we made our day was by having an A-cam on a Tehno crane. Eli Franks of Specialty Lighting and Motion is a genius. He’s one of the best Techno Crane Ops and was able to operate extremely difficult shots quickly and efficiently. When you have somebody on wires and you have to get the camera to fly past them while they flip over the camera, it takes extreme precision and safety.

Brandon Belieu, Stunt Coordinator: We had a real UH-1 Huey Helicopter and we needed to fly it past the windows of the building and blow the room apart. It was far too heavy for the ceiling to hold it, so I had this whole plan to rig it up and use a gradall to puppeteer this huge thing through the air. But on the day Hunter Douglas, one of my riggers, solved it. We ended up reinforcing 12 furniture Dollies, running lines under the Huey’s belly, and pulling it back and forth.

Tiffany Waxler, 1st AD: “RONALD” was jam-packed with huge elements that needed time: choreographed stunt fights, a skyscraper set rigged with explosions, a helicopter, a purgatory rock set, wizard lighting effects, custom wardrobe pieces and special effects makeup, and a huge pool of dyed black water we built on set! We had limited prep and 5 shoot days. Nuts, right?!

Trusting each department's expertise and ingenuity is how I overcame it. We all knew what our personal challenges and goals were and whether in pre-pro or on the day it was the collaborative effort of giving support and grace to one another while under intense pressure. Together was the only way through.

How was the post-production process, and what challenges did you face?

Jensen Noen, Director: We locked the first cut almost right away since it was shot so precisely based on the previs. However, as we started receiving some shots from VFX, we began getting new ideas and thoughts on how to make it even better. We had hundreds of FaceTime calls with Ronnie, tweaking the edit. He contributed a lot of really cool ideas that improved the editing of some scenes. That’s another thing I appreciate about him—he understands filmmaking, he is super creative and he is into every single detail.

As for the VFX, we spent the longest time working on the final scene. Creating a 3D character is always challenging, and those in the industry know that you need a specialized company and professionals dedicated solely to that task. After many back-and-forth discussions, we finally achieved the result you see on the screen, and it seems like people have responded well to it.

What new things have you learned from your experience on this video?

Albina Kim, Production Designer: Working with Jensen Noen and Falling In Reverse has significantly enriched my experience. They are known for crafting trend-setting music videos that transcend the ordinary by merging genres and igniting our creative imaginations. This project was no exception and also involved complex stunts, immersive practical and visual effects, and a holistic approach to enhancing the final product.

Each project presents unique challenges, and embracing these and solving problems swiftly is what keeps the production process dynamic and exciting. This continuous push to extend our creative limits not only expands our capabilities but also deepens our appreciation for the art of filmmaking.

What was the best thing about shooting this music video? Why do you think the video is so successful?

Jensen Noen, Director: For me, this was a dream come true because I love spectacular, large-scale visuals. I love action, and I love every single element in the world we created for this video. This passion is the main reason the video became so successful—it’s a great song, and I am a fan of both this type of music and this type of visuals. It wasn’t a job for me; it was a passion project. Despite the challenges of bringing it to life, I enjoyed every aspect and was excited about every single detail.

Phoenix Vaughn, Producer: The best thing about this video was it pushed us all far beyond our comfort zone. This epic video makes you push yourself to learn new things, be as efficient as possible, and bring your A-Game. Everyone on our entire crew did such an amazing job, and it was such a pleasure getting to see so many talented artists come together to create such a ground-breaking video.

Ashley Haines, Producer: For me, it’s about the people and the team we assemble. Getting to work with a crew of such talented, hard-working, and good-hearted people always makes the whole experience rewarding. When a group of artists and crew like this comes together, it's true magic. The act of creating as a team in this way generated a camaraderie that I hadn’t experienced before. We pushed ourselves to the limit and had as much fun as possible in the process.

Albina Kim, Production Designer: The most rewarding part was witnessing our set designs transition from concepts to reality. There's a certain magic in watching intricate and ambitious ideas materialize right before your eyes, particularly when this transformation unfolds so rapidly. While dismantling the sets is always bittersweet, knowing that our creations live on in the music video format and continue to inspire audiences is immensely satisfying.

Justin Jones, Director of Photography: My favorite part of this video was the stunts. Every scene had either wirework, explosions, or some form of fall, throw, or launch. Shooting stunts always makes the day fun.

Alex Verenchyck, Lead VFX Artist: The opportunity to make childhood dreams come true! I’ve always wanted to make an action movie, and in my entire career, I’ve never seen such a concentration of fun madness. Falling in Reverse music videos are always a kind of testing ground for the implementation of the most daring and craziest ideas. It is always about going beyond.

Brandon Belieu, Stunt Coordinator: The opening Van scene was the best part for me. It was the first time I had gotten to coordinate action with a POV helmet Camera. We only had 10 seconds for combat, so we had to cut choreography. The funniest thing I think was on one take Kevin, the Stunt driver of the Van, just screamed and bailed out instead of drawing his sidearm. We all laughed so hard and decided to keep it in.

Tiffany Waxler, 1st AD: The best thing and also the hardest thing about shooting “Ronald” was taking on the scale of it. These projects push us to the edge and ask for more, and there we find ourselves with more to give and be better for it. Working with this team of craftsmen and professionals, people I love and respect, and just nailing it—that’s gold! It’s a big win to celebrate the success of these videos each time, getting to watch the result of all that massive effort and crazy hard work.

We’ve already talked about prep and tools, but I know you utilized MasterShot. It’s a new tool, can you tell me more about it?

Ruth Devereaux, Producer: MasterShot is a lifesaver for a producer. As a producer, there are so many elements you have to plan and prepare for. With MasterShot you get a clear vision of how each day is going to play out and what you need to be aware of. Plus, changes are instantly updated for everyone, ensuring we are all on the same page.

Jensen Noen, Director: I used MasterShot not only to organize my shot lists and storyboards but also to collect my references and any other important information. It helped the team to be on the same page, have access to all the materials, and be much more efficient.

Phoenix Vaughn, Producer: MasterShot helped us during pre-planning and scheduling. It’s incredibly useful, as the program is perfectly designed for production. Our first AD, Tiffany Waxler, uses it to create a schedule based on the shots Jensen added to the program. Then we could move things around within the schedule with ease. The user interface of MasterShot is the best I’ve ever seen. It’s very intuitive and easy to learn. Yet, it has tons of power and ability to set things up however you’d like. MasterShot allows you to do everything you need when diving into a big or small production.

Tiffany Waxler, 1st AD: In the filmmaking industry, there are few applications that productions can use for structure, scheduling, shot lists, etc. Honestly, though, none that can give you everything you need and want to organize and execute your shoot all-in-one.

MasterShot changes that game. Firstly, it allows the Director and DP to build their shot list detailed with images, lens sizes, and camera equipment info, in each scene. The same scenes that I will inevitably organize by shot and use as the shooting schedule, with breaks and shots that I can time out individually. Second, it’s super user-friendly and allows me to move scenes or days around with ease. I can even take single shots from scenes and move them independently to another day or a more fitting place in the schedule. Brilliant.

What feature of MasterShot did you find most useful?

Ashley Haines, Producer: I find the scheduling element the most useful. The way that MasterShot allows you to lay out the shoot days, and the flexibility it gives you is incredible. Most other shot listing programs aren’t as flexible and are more difficult to operate. MasterShot even allows you to add events in between scenes, which is so helpful for scheduling meals, pre-lighting, and wrap times. The way the shot lists are displayed in the filming days is perfect.

MasterShot is the ultimate tool for filmmakers that covers all stages of film pre-production. From storyboards and scheduling to collaboration and document sharing, MasterShot streamlines the entire process. Unlock the full potential of this all-in-one filmmaking platform and start your free trial today!