Experiencing Interruptions?

Be Brave

In this narrative music video for the Oakland-based band Bells Atlas, lead singer Sandra Lawson-Ndu finds herself out of water in a strange desert landscape. After succumbing to dehydration, her lifeless body is abducted by strange beings that perform a ritual that revives her…with one major consequence.

  • Dominic Mercurio
    Director
  • Dominic Mercurio
    Writer
  • Geneva Harrison
    Producer
  • Sandra Lawson-Ndu
    Key Cast
  • Dominic Mercurio
    Editor
  • Matthew Rome
    Director of Photography
  • Project Type:
    Music Video
  • Runtime:
    4 minutes 16 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 28, 2017
  • Production Budget:
    2,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.35:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Dominic Mercurio

Dominic Mercurio is an award-winning San Francisco based filmmaker and musician. His video work has premiered on Billboard, FADER, PopMatters, The Bay Bridged, and has been featured at SFMOMA. Far Away and Long Ago, a stunning one-take music video he directed, won multiple awards at film festivals across the country including Best Music Video at the Atlanta Underground Film Festival.

Far Away and Long Ago and his other recent music videos, We Are Not Ourselves (NYC Independent Film Festival 2017 Official Selection) and Flames & Figures (Portland Music Video Festival 2017 Official Selection) are focused writer-director-editor visions that deeply intertwine visuals and music to create narrative music videos bursting with vibrant off-kilter characters and surreal nightmarish imagery.

Outside of film, he plays drums in the Oakland-based band Foxtails Brigade. He has played at major venues and festivals across San Francisco and beyond; such as The Fillmore, Great American Music Hall, El Rey Theatre, Noise Pop, and SXSW.

Born and raised in the SF Bay Area, Dominic has a B.S. in Digital Film and Video Production from the Art Institute of California – San Francisco.

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Director Statement

Be Brave is a story about sacrifice, empathy, and giving yourself up for something greater than you. As an ode to the golden era of cinema, all visual effects were practical and in-camera. There were no digital effects added in post-production.