The finished product features a story in itself. The video took nearly a year to plan, featured more than 300 community members and Northwestern students during the homecoming game on Oct. 2.
Released on Thanksgiving Day, “Behind the Bleachers” got 3,000 views in less than 12 hours, and will soon be promoted on Country Music Television and other outlets.
When Hasting and band mate Josh Beale wrote “Behind the Bleachers,” it brought back several school memories for Hasting, a 2006 Northwestern graduate.
“This song is so special to us, and we wanted to tell its story in a way everyone could relate to on some level,” Hasting said. And she knew where the video would take place.
Co-writer Beale felt similarly.
“It’s crazy for me to think about going from sitting alone in my living room writing the beginning of the song to seeing the finished video. I’m so thankful to everyone involved, especially knowing the immense amount of work that went on behind the scenes. We couldn’t be happier with how it all turned out.”
The video, produced by Nishan Gilmet, a former videographer for WHIO-TV, has present-day Kate at a football game being reminded of her school-age self, played by her cousin, Northwestern student Britney Snapp. She’s also with the boyfriend she had back then, played by another Northwestern student, Brock Cattell.
A ground team of more than 30 people helped make the video despite temperatures that dropped into the 40s, strong winds and constant rain.
The band said this actually added to the video’s dramatic impact, even as it made getting shots more difficult, using a drone to capture aerial shots among the footage.
In all, the 3-minute 41-second song took nearly 12 hours to shoot. But worth it in the end.
“It was nothing short of amazing,” Hasting said. “I’m so thankful to everyone at Northwestern who let me come ‘home’ to film this video. This song is so special to us, and we wanted to tell its story in a way everyone could relate to on some level.
“From the beginning stages of planning this our goal was to give something back to a community that has given me and the band so much, and we’re so touched by how involved everyone was. From the “Welcome Home” message on the sign at Oakes Door, to the beautiful cakes made for us, to the flowers, signs, cards, and all the people who braved the cold to work or be in the video, it was all just incredible and we are forever grateful.”
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