There’s a very specific privilege in getting to collaborate with a young artist over the course of several years. When you string together the music videos we’ve made with Emma (EmRey), it stops being just a production portfolio and turns into a real-time cinematic time capsule. You get to watch someone grow up, refine their craft, and take complete ownership of their narrative.
Here’s a look through the EmRey files, from the loud, crowded beginnings to the stripped-down, vulnerable present.
Starting Loud: “Shake It Off”
The first time we rolled camera on Emma, she was only 14. We shot a cover of Shake It Off, and it was a masterclass in community indie filmmaking. With a massive assist from her mom and a bunch of incredible locals, we packed out a restaurant with her peers. There’s a raw, unfiltered energy to a 14-year-old stepping up to the mic in a room full of people, and the whole shoot was just about capturing that chaotic, joyful momentum.
Neon Nostalgia: “Turn Around and Say”
This one is probably still my favorite to date. For Turn Around and Say, we essentially took over a roller rink for an afternoon and invited a massive group of kids. Visually, there’s nothing better than the atmospheric, heavy neon glow of a rink to frame a subtle story about a teenage crush. It’s pure, emotive nostalgia. But the absolute best part happened off-script: at the very end of the shoot, we tricked Emma into thinking she actually had to kiss the boy. It was entirely her mom’s idea, a brilliant prank just to get her genuine, horrified reaction on camera.
Chasing the Light: “Summer Days”
For Summer Days, we stripped back the massive crowds and just spent some time at the beach arcade with her siblings. It’s a completely different vibe—less about a big performance and more about bottling that specific, fleeting feeling of childhood summers. You just chase the natural light, let the kids be kids amidst the flashing arcade cabinets, and build the feeling in the edit.
Taking a Stand: “You Do You”
You Do You was a massive shift in tone and intent. We took over the halls of St. Theresa’s High School to shoot a video anchored by a strong anti-bullying message. Emma managed to get a huge group of friends involved, which gave the whole project this incredible, grounded weight. It’s always powerful when a young creator uses their art to punch up and advocate for empathy. Visually, our job was just to make sure the camera supported that unified, human-centric message without getting in the way.
The Holiday Staple: “Warm Cozy Christmas Eve”
One year, Emma wrote an original holiday track called Warm Cozy Christmas Eve, and we shot a music video for it. Writing a Christmas song that doesn’t feel forced or overly saccharine is incredibly difficult, but she nailed the emotional resonance. The track is actually so good that it still organically finds its way onto our holiday playlist every single year.
The Maturation: “Being Alone”
Fast forward to the summer of 2023. We shot a live performance of a new original song, Being Alone, out in Penetanguishene. Putting this side-by-side with that 14-year-old singing a Taylor Swift cover in a crowded restaurant is staggering. It’s stripped down, deeply vulnerable, and entirely her own. No roller rinks, no massive crowds, no gimmicks—just an artist who has fully grown into her voice, holding the space entirely on her own.
