How much should I tell in this blog? Do you really wanna know what goes on behind the scenes of becoming a star, or turning your dreams into a reality? Well, about three weeks ago... I had a video shoot scheduled with the director,
Rodolfo Duran of
DoneRight - digital. But as it turned out, one of my team mates (anonymous music producer) suggested that I record a brand new song for the next video to keep my projects current, so I agreed. Off into the studio we went and in a matter of 3 hours, it was done. I look happy in that picture there, don't I?
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| Jasmine Clemente at Sullivan Hall, NYC |
Well, the wheel of fortune took a low turn when the producer and I had a few discrepancies regarding issues that I can't disclose on this blog. Needless to say, on the morning of the video shoot we had a huge fall out. In fact, it was such a
tumultuous experience that I almost felt compelled to cancel the video shoot due to becoming physically, emotionally and mentally stressed out. However, the music producer convinced me not to reschedule despite my condition. And somehow... (through a miracle) I gathered the strength to not only walk onto set, but to give this video a fire within me that I never even knew I had.
So there I was, all dolled up. Make up done right, hair looking fierce and my outfits complimenting my figure. No one, absolutely no one from the film crew knew how stressed out I'd been only a few hours prior to filming. They all continued setting up bright lights, plugging in tons of equipment, and brainstorming ideas, etc. Once the camera began rolling, I switched into character and sang as if this video would be up for a Grammy Award. (Hey! You never know!) A deeper purpose began to rise from within, as if Lucifer - the angel of music - revealed himself to put the yin into the yang. Yet I didn't fear or repress my anger, because it was something that I believe I had to express in order to become a more powerful person. Perhaps even, my anger is what propelled me to push forward. But whatever it was, the director loved my energy.
The reason why I'm sharing this information is because the road to success is not a smooth and straight path. If anyone is thinking of breaking into show business, please bare in mind that you will be dealing with a lot of different personality types (Tyrants, Manipulators, etc. Like a Puff Daddy or a Kanye West who are rumored to be extremely strict and overbearing to work with) and so imagine always running away from them? In fact, maybe the key is not to run at all, but to face these moments regardless of how challenging they seem. All I know is this... What one person may do to you, he may not do to a mega superstar like Madonna, Sean Combs, Jennifer Lopez, Beyonce or... You get my drift? (Because they wouldn't want to burn a bridge) And knowing this makes me want to step into my own power that much more. I may not have platinum record sales but I'm still a successful woman in this business with a golden reputation. And this is how we should all carry ourselves and feel right down to the core. Our confidence should be UNSHAKABLE, and we must draw the line when people try to overstep our boundaries. Oh yeah, there's a reason why they say, you must have thick skin in this industry.
Ironically, the name of this record is called Everything You Need. And what that means is that everything we need is already inside of us. Our gifts, our strength, our inspiration, our answers, and our power all come from within. Once we realize this, then we can go out into the world and make our dreams a reality. Although no one said it would be easy, how bad do you really want it? Are you sure you're built for this? When certain problems block you from completing a project or achieving a goal, it can definitely leave you feeling discouraged. That's understandable. But it helps to remember the responsibility that comes with being blessed. God wouldn't give you a voice if he didn't want it to be heard. And with that, it's important to treat yourself well so that God can use you as his instrument. You weren't born to shy away or hide your natural gifts. A writer writes, a singer sings, a director films, a producer produces, a dancer dances, and a painter paints. Although in this business, the reality is that egos may clash, ideas may be stolen and politics may pull strings, that doesn't mean that you back out because you think life's unfair. What you do is this... draw strength from your higher power so that he may lead you out of darkness and into the light. There are some very creative individuals who have integrity, class and wisdom. Hence, they make excellent mentors and people to join forces with.
This blog entry displays a few pictures of DAY 1 on set, however, there will be more footage to share plus a video release party to follow. In addition, I'd like to thank Rodolfo Duran and his entire film crew for exuding great vibes on set, and for being professional, courteous, creative, humble and extremely generous with their time, energy, and resources. Until next time - dreamers, keeps your heads up!
