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Featured Frog Tim Halperin '10
By Kathryn Hopper
From The TCU Magazine
Tim Halperin '10 made the innovative video for his song "She Runs" for around $500 on one sweaty summer day, but it's already brought him priceless publicity.
"People are sharing in on facebook and in e-mails, it's been crazy,
says Halperin, a native of Omaha who honed his songwriting skills at TCU, playing everywhere from sorority houses to worship services.
Since being posted on YouTube in July, the video has gone viral, generating more than 100,000 views. Coupled with placement on MTV's series "The Real World," the video is helping Halperin edge ever closer to the big time.
"People want to know more about my music," he says. "I even heard from a pregnant woman who said my voice was the only thing that seemed to calm down her baby."
Created and directed by fellow Horned Frog Jonathan Combs '07 and Joe Childress and produced by Brian Kieta '95, the video tells the story of the singer's unrequited love for a girl named Karen in a series of scenes from childhood to high school heartache to young adulthood.
Shot in one continuous take, the video required building several sets on rolling platforms that move back as the story progresses. A crew of about 40 friends pitched in to build the sets and play various characters.
"There were a ton of Horned Frogs who helped out," Halperin adds. "It was awesome. I was really humbled by the support I got."
The video was shot in a Fort Worth church parking garage on July 10. Halperin says after rehearsing for a couple of hours, they managed to get it right on the on the 14th take.
"It was a long day especially for the little kids," he says. "I was so grateful they and the parents stuck it out. We were all pouring with sweat."
The video was posted on YouTube July 14 and quickly went vial, gathering more than 100,000 views.
"We had done some groundwork, sending it to bloggers, but it really took off," he says. "It was so cool."
The timing couldn't have been better. Halperin was also slated to have his music used in the MTV series The Real World in an August episode and the song and video of "She Runs" was featured on MTVU.com, a web site targeting college students.
Halperin has been working at warp speed to build on his momentum. He recently recorded a song for the Susan G. Komen Foundation that will be posted on iTunes in the next month, with all the proceeds going towards breast cancer research. Halperin will perform the song at halftime of the Pink Out game again BYU on Oct. 16.
He's also finishing up recording his album and preparing to kick off a concert tour beginning with a Sept. 10 show at the Aardvark in Fort Worth.
"There's been a lot of really random, awesome things that have come my way," he says.
He recently worked up several acoustic versions of hip hop hits.
"I'm trying to use this time with the music video generating so much buzz and interest to generate as much content as possible while interest is high," he says.
On the Web:
TimHalperin.com
On iTunes
Video on YouTube
Materials in the video were generously donated by Muckleroy & Falls, '74, '76.
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