This was the last footage of Aaliyah, other than the music video for “Rock the Boat.”
On August 22, 2001, Aaliyah began filming the music video in Miami. The video was directed by Hype Williams, who has directed other videos for many hip-hop and R&B artists.
Aaliyah is in a studio filming a dance routine in front of a green screen. The green screen would later be replaced by tidal waves in post-production. We meet her “sister,” her very close friend, Fatimah Robinson, who created the routine. Robinson stated that the dance moves were based on African and Caribbean (specifically Jamaican reggae and dancehall) influences. The two also joke about how they try to please Aaliyah’s mother in making sure that the routine is not too sexy. We also meet Aaliyah’s hair stylist and makeup artist, who wold also perish in the plane crash that happened three days later.
That night, Aaliyah films scenes underwater in a swimming pool. The illusion is created to make it look as though she is wimming in the ocean. She struggles to use the breathing machine, and so she holds her breath, and later, she states that it was hard, but worth the beautiful footage, they captured.
On August 24, 2001, production had since moved to Marsh Harbour, Abaco Islands, The Bahamsa. Aaliyah is up early in the morning to film scenes on the shore of the beach. She says that it is painful to wake up so early to get ready for filming, but she will do anything to make a great video.
Later she films scenes under what appears to be a hut, and the next day, she films scenes on a boat. We also see footage of some free time, where she lunges by a pool with her makeup artist. She asks her clothing stylist to explain how he is inspired to dress her as he does.
This episode is nice, but sad, as Aaliyah and her entourage are having so much fun (despite working very hard) on this video, and yet, they have no idea that this would be the last major thing they ever do. Filming in a tropical paradise location, and having not a care in the world, except for the work they are doing, and not knowing they would die soon, makes the tragedy all the more heartbreaking.
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