‘Cry No More’ is a song on Headie One’s latest album, ‘The Last One’, featuring Stormzy. On the track, Headie raps about his past and moments inspired by his own personal story. The music video for ‘Cry No More’, directed by RAWTAPE, showcases both artists in their hometowns of Norbury and Tottenham, giving an honest portrayal of the London they grew up in and the struggles they dealt with daily. The music video also features Tyrese Walters, a lead actor in the music video and longtime Apprentice Nation member, who tells us about his experience on the music video and how Apprentice Nation helped prepare him for the role.
How did you get this incredible role in Headie One’s music video ‘Cry No More’ featuring Stormzy?
I got the role playing a lead actor in Headie One’s music video through my own initiative. I found the casting call for the music video through Instagram. It was on a casting agency’s page and I was able to apply as self-represented talent. I had to film a short self tape introducing myself and answer the question, “What does family mean to you?” as well as act out the music video scene where I offer my seat to an elderly woman and get my phone snatched out of my hand. My application was then sent to the director via the casting agency and I was asked to send in more pictures of myself before eventually getting confirmed for the role.
Tell us a bit more about the day of filming. What was the experience like?
It was a long filming day with a call time of 9:30am in Romford and a wrap time around 10:00pm. We started off the day by meeting the other lead actors in the video, having casual conversations and getting to know one another. We were then put in hair, makeup and costume and traveled to the house that would be the main set of the music video.
We shot the first scene in the kitchen and repeated the scene many times in order to capture all the different angles for the video.
Headie One and Stormzy arrived after a few other shots we filmed inside the house. When they arrived, the playback of ‘Cry No More’ was running and we all got to hear the track for the first time. It was fire.
We filmed a few other scenes outside the house where I was featured doing different things, such as greeting my friends while the camera tracked Headie One walking and rapping.
After lunch we filmed the bus stop scenes with all the chaos happening behind Headie One and Stormzy while they’re rapping. A lot of people walking down the high street were intrigued by what was happening and stopped to film us.
We shot the bus stop scene where my phone was snatched, and then the telephone box scene later where I was able to speak to both Headie One and Stormzy on a more personal level. After that scene, it was a wrap.
At the end of the day, I watched Headie One and Stormzy record some content for social media to promote the track and got to take a picture with the two of them, before heading home.
“It’s surreal to think I went from watching Headie One at an Apprentice Nation concert to featuring as a lead actor in his latest music video.”
How did your experience with Apprentice Nation support you in your role?
My experience with Apprentice Nation played a significant role in preparing me for the lead role in a music video with Headie One and Stormzy. Through Apprentice Nation, I developed crucial skills in communication, teamwork, and problem-solving, which were invaluable on set. Overall, my journey with Apprentice Nation instilled a sense of self-assurance and capability that empowered me to approach the role with confidence and deliver my best performance on the day of filming. It’s surreal to think I went from watching Headie One at an Apprentice Nation concert to featuring as a lead actor in his latest music video.
Apprentice Nation is a free platform for 16-24 year olds that provides them with the tools to shape your future and develop your career skills. By signing up you will get access to free videos and events featuring UK artists such as Headie One, RAYE, Cat Burns and AJ Tracey.
You can then earn credits to unlock rewards including exclusive mentor sessions.
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