How filmmaker Tarsem Singh incorporated Sergei Parajanov and an erotic-asphyxiation suit into Gaga’s latest Planet Chromatica video.
“But I loved the song.
I knew what to do with it.”
Credit: Lady Gaga/YouTube
And be sure to read ourcomplete breakdown of the story behind the birth ofChromaticawith Gaga’s producers and songwriters.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Gagasaid on Instagramthat this video is based on a 25-year-old concept of yours.
I had the idea more like 28 years ago!
Singh referenced Sergei Parajanov and Federico Fellini while shooting ‘911’.
I told her that the song is what would make a big difference for me.
But I loved the song.
I knew what to do with it, but I usually only listen to classical and folk music.
The original idea had more to do with blood loss.
My friend said, Its basicallyTheWizard of Ozwithout the first act.
At the end, its like, And you were there, and you were there!
So, to build the first act, [we went] abstract.
In the end you realize the images were abstractions because shes had an injury.
Theyre talking to her in the middle of blood loss.
These images are of people who were trying to help her….
When shes in that phase, shes seeing and imagining different things.
Around 20 years ago, I thought this would fit an idea for Massive Attack.
I love their song Angel.
But our schedules never worked.
Then, I got 911.
I didnt realize how wrap up the idea was to what happened to her.
When she told me [what the song] means, [the concept] fit like a glove.
You don’t have your pills, so youre not on your medication.
I realized not having your medication is just about as absurd as having a lot of medication or drugs.
I had to cede the idea of why this person is seeing the way theyre seeing these things.
I was like, fk, this is a lot more personal to her than I realized.
Then she said there was a filmmakers visual style that she liked.
I think she mispronounced his name.
I said, Are you saying Parajanov?
She moved heaven and earth for me….
The problem is we couldnt get permission to go to any city in a real location.
Because of the COVID situation, they wouldnt give us more than an hour past nighttime.
So, I embraced the backlot.
The ending is gritty, though, in terms of Gagas performance.
I only have two gears: Im full-on or Im off, and shes like that.
I knew I wasnt going to get too many takes….
In the wide one, I could tell she broke down straight away.
When we went outside, I realized I wasnt going to shoot it like a film…. Well, shes doing the dialogue to people who arent talking to her, and shes getting frustrated.
She was like, Why are you not talking to me?
She went into that phase…. She just did it and it was one take….
I knew with her I had one go and when that was gone, she would exhaust herself.
All the wide stuff I used with a body double.
I just wanted her to be present, and she was.
How did you approach filming this safely during the pandemic?
Everybody had to have solid tests.
We had to stand completely away from each other.
You had to follow a particular protocol.
Especially the heat, it was difficult, and it didnt help that everyone was sweating like a pig!
Which desert did you shoot in?
We shot this in Valencia, about 25 minutes north of Glendale.
I found a facade for the [oasis] and painted it completely white.
I wanted the sand to be white.
I drove up north near San Luis Obispo.
The sand is sand-colored, so I made it white.
Its supposed to look like New Mexico, where white sand is, but they wouldnt let us in.
How long did all of this take?
This was around three weeks ago.
I finished the cut in 48 hours….
Suddenly everybody realized the date was too close to 9/11, and that wasnt being sensitive enough.
Otherwise, from the day we finished it, you wouldve seen it four days later.
Do you have any other memorable stories from the set?
I said, I need one more take!
and she said, Oh, kindly, do you have it?
So, I cut in her arm from a previous take.
Im sorry, wait, that black outfit is a leather gimp suit?
Not a good thing to wear when its 118 degrees in the desert!
She was hardcore to the wardrobe department!
She didnt go there because things were easy!
This interview has been edited and condensed
Related content:
