I’M TIRED
ARETHA SCRUGGS MUSIC VIDEO
Creative Direction
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Videography
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Video Editing
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Photography
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Project Management
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Creative Direction • Videography • Video Editing • Photography • Project Management •
SKILLS UTILIZED
Reasserting Black Dignity in the midst of ongoing systemic racism.
Following the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, musician Aretha Scruggs wrote I'm Tired - a song about the ongoing fight for equality in the midst of continued systemic racism and police brutality.
I first connected with Aretha through a mutual friend, then heard about the song soon after, and also that she was looking to create a music video for it. While her initial idea was to simply put the song over an animated slideshow, I knew the song deserved so much more.
Inspired by music videos from Janet Jackson, Beyoncé, and Christina Aguilera, we got to work contacting friends, family, and colleagues to see who would be interested in being a part of the I'm Tired music video.
The concept: a series of black & white video portraits, showing moments of Black tenderness, love, resilience, and dignity.
One of the key lyrics in I'm Tired is: When will you see my humanity?
The music video is meant to be the answer to that question:
Later, after the video was unveiled, I was invited to the virtual listening party to speak more in-depth about the creative process behind the video.
To this day, I'm Tired remains the most-viewed video on Aretha's channel. It was a privilege to amplify her voice, to stand with the Black community, and proclaim Black Lives Matter.
Because no matter what my medium is - design, photography, or video - goodness deserves to be seen and heard.