In the savannas of Africa, they have seen a thing or two in their lives, albeit a surreal spectacle involving a white, Torah-observant young man who joins in dancing at night in front of a campfire, causing them to become part of a script in a music video that they may never understand what it is - they have not yet seen it.
That's what Rolly Dickman is, and when it comes to his music video, he will also travel to Africa – because it best fits the script.
Roli, one of the stars of the Hasidic singer, has already done big projects in his life, and filming a music video in Tanzania didn't scare him at all. Perhaps the challenge is greater in terms of production, but no man like him would be afraid of half a year of work.
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The new music video is for his latest hit - "You Always Lift Me Up.".
It was written, composed and arranged by the duo Eli Klein and Itzi Berry, and it went everywhere and thrilled its listeners, but that didn't satisfy Rolly. He wanted more.
And so, he sat down and thought about how he could express the essence of the song: "You always lift me up." The decision fell on a third world country - in Africa, from where you can only immigrate.
The script, which he wrote with cinematographer Bezalel Cohen, tangibly conveys the drama of falling to the lowest places and then rising from there. It was there, in faraway Africa, in the heart of remote tribes and people who know nothing about the modern world, that Rolly miraculously managed to connect with tribal leaders, school principals for children, and endeared himself to the Africans who collaborated until the completion of the different and special clip.
Ozer Druk, Rolly Dickman's promoter and personal manager, says that preparations for the clip included, among other things, six months of work from home. Attempts to coordinate with people in Africa who still live in the pre-telephone era, translation, getting to know different tribes in strange and even dangerous places, and only after leaving with the photography and production crew, a week of filming in Tanzania.
Filming began early in the morning and ended late at night, when the production had to take care of everything a Jew needed in a place where there is not a single kosher product for medicine.
Many suitcases arrived from Israel. Not only with professional equipment but with food, prayer arrangements, and more. "There's not even a Chabad house there," explains Rolly about the remote place.
The investment in producing the music video, and in its production and editing by the advertising agency 'Bekteh Ahar', is beyond the standards we are used to seeing here in Israel.
The clip expresses the personality of Rolly, who runs with the madness of his crazy dreams to the end of the world and does not stop in any way.
All you have to do is enjoy the result and join in the amazing African dances he performs there with his new friends.
And it's impossible not to think that if you've seen the music video "Hear Our Voice," which was filmed in Auschwitz, "The Power of Will," which was filmed in Germany and Austria, and "Lift Me Up," which was filmed, as mentioned, in Tanzania - Africa, you know where the next music video will be.
Coming soon: A fascinating journey behind the scenes of the production of the music video in Africa – stay tuned.
Credits: Lyrics and composition: Eli Klein, musical arrangement and production, mixing and mastering: Eli Klein & Itzi Berry, guitars and bass: Nachman Halvitz, brass instruments: Rafi Davidov, vocals: Rolly Dickman, digital distribution: Singold, photography, drone photography, script and direction: Bezalel Cohen, post director, editing, graphic design, grading, after effects: In Another Piece, production and stills photographer: Kobi Weinman, executive production: Helen Schleider, The Prince Who Didn't Miss a Single Detail. PR: In the Front
