Camilla Was the Jonas Brothers 'Dream Choice"

PopstarOnline is excited to have an exclusive chat with the director of the JoBros instant-classic music video for “Lovebug,” Philip Andelman! His answers provide some fun insight into the making of the video and into how the boys work as we all get revved up for their summer WORLD tour!

PopstarOnline: How did you get to be a music-video director?
Philip: I went to film school, graduated, was unemployed, started fetching coffee on music video sets and after a month a director found out I’d worked for one of his favorite photographers and said, “Come shoot for me!” I’d never operated a 35mm film camera and told him this and he said, “Don’t worry, we’ll give you a crew that will take care of all that…just frame up some great shots!” Two weeks later, I was in Houston shooting cars for a hip-hop video. I wound up shooting second unit (everything not involving the band) for this director for two years and learning everything I now know. Eventually, I began booking my own little videos and slowly worked my way up to the JBs!

PopstarOnline: How did you get the chance to direct “Love Bug?”
Philip: A month or so before, I did a video for Demi Lovato which the label [Hollywood Records] and management (same management) were very pleased [with] so they asked if I’d be interested in working with the Jonases and I jumped at the chance!

PopstarOnline: Did you come up with the yesteryear concept?
Philip: No, they did. They wrote the initial treatment, which had some great elements—a very romantic tone, the rose petals—but some impractical ones as well. They wanted a bunch of couples “coming together” over the course of the video, which I felt would take away from the intimacy of the piece, so the end result was basically a combination of their idea and a few of my own…

PopstarOnline: What was it like working with the Jonas Brothers? What were each of them like personally?
Philip: It was a blast. They are some of the most professional people I’ve ever had the chance to work with. They retain a wonderful, youthful playfulness and combine it with meticulous focus when necessary.

PopstarOnline: Do you think they’re good actors?
Philip: I do.

PopstarOnline: When filming, did fans find out where you were, and what if any fan incidents were there?
Philip: I was a bit sheltered from all the fanfare and remember on the first day stepping out of the ballroom for the first time after shooting for about six hours and seeing cops, security, paparazzi, etc., and being shocked. I literally had no idea any of that was happening. When we shot out in the middle of the ocean, there were literally boats of photographers following us. It was crazy!

PopstarOnline: Where did you film and how did you choose the locations?
Philip: We shot at the Cicada Restaurant in downtown L.A., which we converted into the grandparents’ apartment and ballroom, and then down in San Pedro on the second day to find the house, boats, beaches, etc. The Cicada ballroom was my executive producer’s incredible idea, and the other locations were all found by our location scout/manager.

PopstarOnline: Did you cast Camilla Bella or how did that occur?
Philip: I asked the band for a list of dream choices for the part and Camilla was at the top of the list and we were all really excited when she agreed a few days later!

PopstarOnline: When Camilla showed up on set, was that the first time they all met? What was that like?
Philip: I’m not really sure because I was already busy shooting when they arrived…

PopstarOnline: Did you get to meet Selena Gomez? What was she like?
Philip: I’ve never met her.

PopstarOnline: Was there anything you shot that was not used?
Philip: TONS!!! We shot about three hours of footage for those three minutes!!!

PopstarOnline: THANKS!
Source: Popstar! Magazine