NZ MUSIC MONTH: Studio Halfgray

Words Hannah Powell. Images by Jiaqi Tang.

Yo Vocal talked to Studio Halfgray, a creative video production company in Wellington. With a number of music videos, ads, and live sessions to boot, Studio Halfgray is a fresh addition to the industry. Pioneered by two uni graduates, we talked about business, projects, and how it all works.

Meet Ben Stewart and Will Cho, the two co-founders behind Studio Halfgray. “It’s a creative video production company focusing on making videos and also ads,” Ben says.

“Both Will and I have been doing video work in the past both as a one-man-band sort of production – it’s super fun, and we still love doing it – but we’re keen to start working in larger productions and with bigger, exciting ideas.”

The idea for the company started late last year. Friends through their school years, Ben and Will both knew they would make a great team. At the time, Will was about to graduate with an MFA in Film Production, having graduated in Management. With Honours in Jazz Performance and a diploma in Marketing, Ben introduced the idea of a company for music video production. “I didn’t really have any idea of what I wanted to do coming out of that degree,” Will explains to me.

“This felt like a really good way to get my foot into the door of doing creative video work instead of doing commercial stuff to make ends meet.”

Launched in March, Studio Halfgray entered the world with a good-looking website, a friendly approach, and a spectacular showreel. Including projects they had done previous, they encourage new clients to talk ideas over a cup of coffee with them.

I ask Ben and Will about some of their favourite projects thus far. Ben tells me about making an ‘80s themed music video for synth-pop artist Aidan Verity, as well as a promo video for fellow Sky Canvas band member Taylah Barker. “That was really cool,” he says.

“For her [song of her] solo project, it featured a whole choir of female, non-binary and trans vocalists singing the end of the song. It was sick.”

For other local Wellington artists, they’ve filmed a live session for Wiri Donna, as well as a music video for Sam Cullen and his track ‘All Night Long’. “That one was crazy but really cool,” they said. Based upon Sam’s concept and directed by his friend Tessa Keenan, the cast featured thirty extras choreographed to move in one continuous shot. “They all had to be coordinated to move across the room,” Ben explained.

“There’s a fight scene and a love interest walking across the screen – all timed with the music.” That one, they said, took a few meetings and a good rehearsal to get it right.

Self-employed for a few years under Ben Stewart Photography, Ben then talks about his work with Raw Collective. A ten-piece band made up of a rhythm section, two to three horn players and two MCs, they filmed Raw Collective’s entire album recording process. Filmed in Surgery Studios in Wellington, the band smashed it out in one day of recording, with another day of filming at the now-demolished Manky Chops. It took them a year and a half to finish it, both for the video and the album. You can check out the 37-minute film, shot and edited like a music video, online. Looking back, “[It] was very ambitious,” Ben smiled, “but we managed to do it”.

As for the business side of things, owning a company is something they’re both getting used to. “I have to figure out what I have to do [each day]. We both have to figure out what the business needs,” Will says. It’s a juggle of finding people to pitch ideas to, what stuff to make, and what direction to take it.

“Our end goal is to make really nice music videos and films,” Ben says.

For Will, film director Spike Jonze is an everyday inspiration to move forward. “He’s got this indie energy behind him, and he brings so much creativity to everything he does. He does anything…and that’s kind of what I want the end goal to be.”

For those wanting to break into the music video industry, Ben and Will have some advice. For Ben, who’s a musician in bands HUMMUCIDE, Sky Canvas, and Dr Reknaw, he says hanging out with musicians is a good start. Make a music video for an artist where you love their music, and ask them what they want. Both mention it’s a good idea to make a reel, have a nice looking website, and reach out with your skills on Facebook noticeboards (for them, it was Vic Deals). Most importantly, share what you’re up to. Enter the 48hr Film Fest. You never know who knows who.

At the mention of this music month, Ben reminisces on a video he edited together last lockdown. They’re hoping this year to contribute with videos.

I ask them what’s next for Studio Halfgray. Looking forward to future projects and collaborations I sone, and Will and Ben will be making a music video for an upcoming HUMMUCIDE track release too. There are two videos filmed for a competition with Tiny Triumph Recordings and Chris Shetland to be released soon.

Don’t be shy to hit them up, either. “We’re pretty open-minded,” they say, “[we’re] keen to be working on cool stuff with cool people”. Keep your eyes peeled – Studio Halfgray is bound to go far.