BTS: Kameron Marlowe’s “Seventeen” with Director & Photographer Matthew Paskert

When Taillight Director Matthew Paskert took on the music video for Kameron Marlowe’s “Seventeen”, he knew from the start that this one wasn’t about flashy visuals or high-concept performance. It was about honesty, nostalgia, and the kind of memories that hit harder when you slow down long enough to feel them.

“We kept it intentionally simple,” says Paskert. “This was Kam telling a story, not performing to camera, but living in those memories.”

Rather than having Kameron sing directly to the audience, the video shows him seated at a table with his real-life friends and bandmates, flipping through a stack of actual disposable camera prints, photos they shot themselves at a recent show. Every reaction caught on film… smiles, laughs, emotional beats was genuine. They hadn’t seen the prints until the cameras were rolling. “None of those moments were staged,” Paskert notes. “That authenticity really drives the tone of the video.”

The main “present day” sequence is built around that table of friends. But throughout, we flash back to younger versions of the same group, played by lookalike actors, reliving those golden moments of youth. These narrative flashbacks aren’t just stylized filler. They’re part of the story being told to the friends in real time, as if everyone is collectively remembering.

One of the most interesting choices in the direction was treating the camera like a character, a “fifth friend” in the group. The narrative camera intentionally breaks the fourth wall, with cast members occasionally looking directly into the lens, or seeming to pass the camera from one person to another. “It should feel like you’re in the story with them,” says Paskert. “Not watching from the outside, but sitting in that moment.”

Production took place on a scenic property just outside of Nashville that gave the team everything they needed in one spot: a creek, an open field, a pond, a pavilion, and plenty of texture for both video and still photography. “We knocked out Kam’s entire press shoot that same day,” says Paskert. “It was efficient and helped ease him into being on camera before we rolled on the video.”

The shoot itself wasn’t without its curveballs. The original shoot date had to be pushed due to weather. It turns out that the decision paid off: the day of the shoot was sunny, 73°, and perfect. Even the unexpected mud from a monsoon the day before became part of the charm. “It was a go-with-the-flow kind of shoot,” says Paskert. “I was directing most of it in Crocs, because we were constantly in and out of the creek.”

In the end, “Seventeen” didn’t rely on flashy visuals or big performances. Instead, it leaned into something more powerful: authentic memories, honest moments, and the kind of storytelling that makes you feel like you’re right there in it.

A huge thank you to the incredible team behind the scenes, whose dedication helped bring this vision to life.

Artist: Kameron Marlowe

Clients: Sony Nashville, Red Light Management

Label: Tracy Fleaner, Lauren Taylor

Mgmt: Kaitlin Madewell

Production: Taillight

Executive Producer: Matt Houser

Director: Matthew Paskert

Producer: Nick Lantz

Production Asst. Grant Engler

DP: Diego Cacho

1st AC: Jonathan Medina

DIT: David Johnson

2nd AC: Connor King

Key Grip: BJ Hyman

Gaffer: Shelby Hyman

H/MU: Kelly Henderson

H/MU Labor: Forward Artists

Intern: Reece Kruse

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Taillight and Porchlight are premier production and creative companies dedicated to producing captivating and visually stunning content. Taillight specializes in creating entertaining and engaging content and programming for brands and artists, while its sister company, Porchlight, produces digital spots helping brands share their message in an authentic, powerful way.

For 25 years, Taillight and Porchlight have offered a 360 approach to providing the highest quality creative and production services for brands, agencies, and artists.

Contact: Taillight, Nashville: Music Videos, Matt Houser, Executive Producer, 615.385.1034, Matt@Taillight.tv