Check out our BTS video with Ishod Wair and Magnus Walker
Here at Mr Feelgood, we’ve been having such a good ol’ time producing our shoots (in LA, NYC, London, Cornwall and coming soon, Melbourne), that we wanted to share some behind the scenes snippets. There’s no better way to start than with our recent day out with Porsche guru and regular Mr Feelgood contributor Magnus Walker and ace professional skateboarder Ishod Wair. These two, who recently collaborated on a limited edition Nike SB sneaker, have a wonderful ‘buddy dynamic’ that would not be out of place in a sitcom by writing pals Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, who we interview in this week’s edition.
Making shoots happen during these times can come with unforeseen challenges, but one thing is constant: fun and spontaneity occurs that is unscripted, raw and inspired. WC Fields famously exclaimed, “Never share a stage with children or animals.” And the little gift that Valentine, Ishod’s pup, deposited on Magnus’ garage floor is further evidence of the theory.
John finds a present from Valentine on set
Our intention here at Mr Feelgood is to share stories, achievements and people that inspire and make us feel good, and to celebrate those who go about their days trying to demystify and elevate this beautiful and often bonkers conundrum called life. It was a pleasure hanging out with these two men, both at the top of their game, each who’ve truly created their own successful worlds by trusting their smarts, working with passion and purpose and consciously or unconsciously subscribing to Joseph Campbell’s famous adage of ‘following your bliss.’
Ishod, a truly lovely man, whose skateboarding daring is perfectly balanced by the serenity and wryness of his character, explained in our recent interview his reasons for wishing to collaborate with Magnus (who goes by the moniker ‘The Urban Outlaw’ when he releases his car-related content) on their Nike SB Dunk High Pro sneakers. And Magnus responded in kind saying this of Ishod, ”He’s a rebel outlaw in his own way. He’s worked his way up. He’s got style, he’s got dedication, he’s got a whole lot of passion. He’s got a need for speed, on the skateboard and in the car. For me, teaming up with him was a great opportunity to work with a fellow, creative, like minded, live life to the fullest, experience everything it has to offer, making the most out of every moment, type of guy.”
I‘ve personally been on quite literally thousands of shoots in my time as a model and actor — it has been my world, my home, my working environment for over 30 years. Along the way I hope I’ve learned much from the brilliant creatives I’ve worked with and for. What has always been crystal clear is, if you have fun, don’t get caught up in the details, and just create the right energy, with respect, community and invention, nine times out of ten you’re going to capture a feeling that the audience will relate to. It’s because we all recognize when something is authentic. So, as much as this little BTS clip is about our two main protagonists, celebrating their creative union, it’s also about an entire team committed to producing a story and visuals that we hope will inspire you to follow your passions, create and enjoy, and all that good stuff.
I’ve gotta say, we had a blast — massive thanks to our brilliant crew, comprising photographer Lee Morgan and his trusty partner in life and work, Alyssa Wood, and to father and son director/editors Helmut and Dyde Schleppi. Mostly I hope you enjoy the clip as we look forward to putting more together, and to making video a regular addition to our site as we near our one year anniversary.
