Violent outburst of laughter da voolist : Interview with Dominant Legs Hoop of Love directors

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I stumbled upon the San Francisco band, Dominant Legs, last summer to find their first EP, Young at Love and Life, as my essential summer soundtrack. Originally a duo, but now a full five-piece band, Dominant Legs create emotive songs filled with breezy guitar swing, witty lyrics and danceable charm. Ryan Lynch and Hannah Hunt act as the primary vocalists and songwriters of the group. Ryan also plays guitar in the critically-acclaimed San Franciso group, Girls, and started Dominant Legs after being laid off from an office job in 2009. Thank heavens, right?

When I found out California filmmakers Eugene Kotylrenko (whom I worked with on his first feature, 0s&1s) and Hayden Shiebler directed Dominant Legs’ first feature music video, Hoop of Love, I couldn’t resist the urge to do a short Q&A with them about the project.

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How did you find yourselves to be involved with Dominant Legs?

Hayden: I’ve been friends with Hannah and Ryan for some years now, they approached me to do their first press photos when they started as a band. You find people you just work well with. Since then, we’ve collaborated on most of their artwork and photos for their releases and press. So naturally, when they decided they were making a video, they asked me to be involved because of our history with their imagery.
Eugene: Hannah was in some of the first movies I ever made about seven or eight years ago. I think I also went to the first Dominant Legs show in LA. I happened to be visiting San Francisco – actually staying with Hannah – around the time they needed a video for their first single. I was excited to work on it with Hayden, who I think has impeccable taste.

What influenced you as directors to make Hoop of Love the way it is?

H: After sifting through more complicated scenarios, we arrived at the idea to make a simple, well-executed video that complimented the feeling of the song. Hoop of Love is Dominant Leg’s first video, so there was also an intention to introduce them as people. We wanted to create a video that was graphic, stylized, decisive – bordering catalog-like, that also conveyed the band members’ characters and their music’s energy.
Any scenes that stand out as memorable to you while shooting?

H: All of the scenes at the ranch were enjoyable to shoot, hard to choose. I guess if I had to, I really enjoyed the grape/dartboard scenes or Ryan with his baseball bat. He is so emotive when he sings, we all agreed it could’ve just been that the entire video and it would’ve been equally as intriguing and entertaining.
E: I liked shooting with Hannah on the rickety wooden tree house bridge. The potential for death was always around the corner, and that gave me a rush. The last shot of them singing together and looking like they were filmed separate was great too, because I remember Sam, the DP, and the rest of us just sort of slowly figuring that look out after a few modified framings.

Where did the filming take place?

H: Gilroy, California. The house and property belongs to Hannah’s grandmother.
E: I think it’s a lil outside of Gilroy. Gilroy is the garlic capital of the world.
Any new projects coming up that either of you are excited about?

H: I am excited to shoot a video for a San Francisco band called Pamela this month in Reno, Nevada. Additionally, a new video for Wax Idols, whom which I made my first music video ever for.
E: I recently did a little video for myself with dogs and marines that I think is beautiful, which wasn’t really sanctioned by any band. Right now I’m mostly focused on writing two scripts: one is an erotic thriller, that I’m actually collaborating on with Hannah, and the other is a Horror Comedy. Although, I would be excited to do another video. I’d like to do something in the style of some French directors from 80′s I like – Leos Carax, Jean Jacques Beneix, the Blier films made around that decade.