UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP NASHVILLE artist, Darius Rucker, has long captivated his audience with the raw emotion in his music, but what might surprise many is his talent for acting. In his latest music video release for the song "Fires Don’t Start Themselves," Rucker takes center stage as a detective hot on the trail of a passionate yet fiery couple.
Taillight’s Peter Zavadil, who's worked with Rucker on multiple music videos, was tapped to direct the new music video and gives nothing but praise for Rucker, describing him as the most easy-going and pleasant artist he's ever had the pleasure to work with and recalls his on-screen presence effortless and authentic.
The genesis of the video's concept was a creative collaboration between Zavadil, Jason Hauser from Darius’s management team, and the desire to break away from the traditional music video formula. Together, they sought to transform the song's narrative into a captivating visual experience, resulting in a unique blend of gritty cop drama and fiery passion that reminds us that “any time is a good time to start the fire with your partner…”
The action-packed video, produced by Taillight, was shot in the small, quaint town of Lockhart, TX, only a short drive from where Zavadil resides. “We wanted a different type of imagery and Lockhart provided that different feel,” said Zavadil, continuing to say “and the residents went
above and beyond for us. The entire cast, besides the couple, were all local, real people from small businesses to the local fire and law enforcement, the town was fully invested in the production of the video.”
A standout feature, of course, is the genuine chemistry between the real-life couple from Texas who played the passionate pair on screen. Zavadil reminisced about how their comfort and authenticity while portraying their characters lent an undeniable realism to the video's content.
While the couple showcased moments of intense passion with dazzling special effects, only one scene featured real fire – the pants burning on the clothesline. As Zavadil pointed out, "The only actual fire that we used was the pants burning on the clothesline, the rest were post-effects and smoke and mirrors." Yet, the central focus was not the fire itself but the lingering impact it left behind.
In the end, "Fires Don’t Start Themselves" is more than just a music video; it's a testament to the power of collaboration, community, and the enduring flames of love.
Watch Darius Rucker's music video "Fires Don't Start Themselves" below and explore more of Peter Zavadil’s work here.
Special thanks to the crew and cast for their hard work on this music video:
Artist: Darius Rucker
Label: UMG Nashville
Production: Taillight
Director: Peter Zavadil
Producer: Matt Houser
1st AD: Lynn Norton
PM: Nick Lantz
DP: Justyn Moro
1st AC: Neil Dearman
2nd AC: Alexx Dominguez
Key Grip: Clayton Null
Best Boy Grip: Ted Davis
Gaffer: Colin Scherr
Best Boy Electric: Brad Keffer
G&E Swing: Jon Sherman
H/MU: Jessica Lindsay
H/MU: Daisy Maldonado
PA: Chelsea Henack
PA: Sean Ryan
Wardrobe Stylist: Penelope Arth
Wardrobe Assistant: Brittnee Rhodes
Set Decorator: Brad Blei
Art Dept Lead: Scotty Perez
Set Dresser: Aaron Statler
Talent Agents: Sara Rhodes, Tierra Hollis
Detective: Teresa Rowley
Female Lead: Olivia Clari Nice
Male Lead: Corbin Mayer
Bartender: Travis Tober
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 traditional broadcast spots helping brands share their message in an authentic, powerful way.
For over 20 years, Taillight and Porchlight have offered a 360 approach to providing the highest quality creative and production services for brands, agencies, and artists.