マイケル・ジャクソンの新しいドキュメンタリー: 最後の写真撮影の舞台裏 (ダウンロード)

2013年09月21日 9月

マイケル・ジャクソンのファンにとって朗報が近づいています。

フォトセッションとその撮影の舞台裏に焦点を当てたキング・オブ・ポップの新しいドキュメンタリーシリーズが間もなくファンの家に届く予定だ。この新しいドキュメンタリーは、2014 年 2 月に米国で公開される予定で、おそらくそれより早く世界中の店頭で公開される予定です。

「マイケル：最後の写真撮影」と題されたこのドキュメンタリーは、2007年9月にニューヨークで行われたヴォーグ誌とエボニー誌のためのマイケル・ジャクソンの最後の写真撮影のエキサイティングな物語を語っている。

In 2007, Michael had returned from Europe to America to begin a new chapter of his career and to get back on stage. Appearing on the cover of Vogue in October was his first step. On September 14, 2007, in New York, photographer Bruce Weber and the editor of the fashion section and Michael’s costume designer, Ruscha Bergman, captured the magic of the King of Pop on the 25th anniversary of the release of the Thriller album. Ten days later, on September 24, in Brooklyn, New York, Michael carried out another interview and another photo session for Ebony magazine, which was published in December. This was Michael’s first interview with magazines in America in the past decade.

The documentary’s production company is Noval Williams Films. In a statement, the company said that the documentary tells a story through the voices of Michael’s close friends, collaborators, the photographer, makeup artist, fashion designer, wardrobe manager, and others.

Craig Williams, the writer and director of the documentary—who has made and produced music for many people, from Tupac Shakur to The Oprah Winfrey Show—announced:

“We are producing a documentary series of at least three parts. After the end of the third part in the first quarter of 2014, we will release it on DVD.”

Licensing this documentary may be one of the best decisions of the マイケル・ジャクソン Foundation, because fans are thirsty to watch raw and unseen footage of Michael. But this documentary doesn’t only show Michael’s photo shoots; it also takes us on an exciting and educational journey behind the scenes of the King of Pop’s artistic work, giving us the chance to watch him while he works.

He has said that the biggest lesson is watching the masters while they work. In the end, he is the boss—modest and humble. He is involved in every detail of the job. He doesn’t just stand still so that people can take his picture; instead, he guides people along the path he wants—and, of course, he leaves room for new ideas to be proposed. He applies the same meticulous, master-like approach he used in music recording studios to the photo-shooting scene.

In this documentary, we also see him getting made up, talking with the crew, posing—and even dancing. He has a very elegant look, a sweet smile and his own brand of charming humor, along with an innocent, childlike playfulness. But while working—when he needs to be serious and determined—he gives everything from the heart and soul, and in front of a camera that is supposed to capture only photos of him, he delivers an emotional performance.

Without a doubt, this is an educational documentary about a great master of our time.

Ruscha Bergman, the well-known fashion designer and the woman who accompanied Michael during the Vogue photo shoot, offers a casual description of the King: “Michael was truly the coolest man in the world.”

Michael was constantly joking with them. From Michael’s perspective, you have to enjoy the work and never miss the chance to laugh.

Because he loved art and was himself an artist, Michael said he wanted to be depicted somewhere where art is always alive and eternal. That’s how Ebony magazine chose the Brooklyn Museum of Art for Michael.

Harriet Cole, editor of Ebony/Jet magazine, says:

“Michael wanted to be photographed in an artistic place, and the Brooklyn Museum was happy to host us. We shot in a space that blended ancient and contemporary history. Being in such an impactful environment was inspiring.”

Williams, who accompanied Michael, confirms: “He really enjoyed the Ebony photo session—it was because of the location.”

Harriet Cole: “We worked with fashion designer Philip Blatch to come up with the ideas for the clothes. He and his team went shopping. We wanted him (Michael) to look stylish on the magazine cover and for his image not to look outdated. We found some visuals with those qualities and presented them to him. In the end, he chose the outfits he wanted to wear—there were far more of them than the time we had available for the shoot.”

“Every outfit we tried on him felt as if it had been tailored specifically for him. He has a body that any woman or man would be captivated by. At 49, he had the physique of a graceful dancer. Working with someone who shone in his clothes—who knew how to move his body and understood the camera—was very fun. It was magical.”

Brian Monroe from Ebony magazine says: “As a man who is almost fifty, he still had a flexible, soft body. During the shoot, he showed a number of his classic dance moves—especially hip turns and foot strikes. He was still like he used to be.”

Cole says: “When it came to working with Michael, I enjoyed his kindness to everyone more than anything. He treated the lift operator, the guard, and the museum supervisors in a pleasant way. After the photo session ended, he thanked everyone around him. He was generous and kind. Were some people afraid to be there and nervous? I don’t know whether that’s the right word. I think they were more starstruck. Some of them even pinched themselves to make sure they weren’t dreaming and that they were truly standing in the presence of the King of Pop.”

To watch a short segment of this documentary, visit its dedicated website, or download it from eMJey.

Watching these videos will undoubtedly put a smile on your face—and it also won’t let your thoughts rest for a moment that the world lost an extraordinary person before it truly got to know him. Indeed, the best way to know him is to watch the raw, untouched images that speak for themselves, and to deliver their message to the audience’s mind, they don’t need an expert or interpreter.