Fogarty & Evans/Movies, Moves and Music, 6. The Essence and Momentum of Honey: An Interplay of Sound and Movement

Produced in 2003, Honey (Woodruff, 2003) is a dance film, featuring ‘behind the scenes’ music video production, in which the low socio-economic urban neighbourhood is juxtaposed with the affluence of the commercially oriented music business. These contrasting worlds are inextricably linked through shared commonalities of dance moves and musical beats in which the human body is portrayed as the expressive instrument. Featured choreography, predominantly commercial in style, draws on the energy and rhythms of ‘hood’ life and play. Pivotal to the film’s energy are the driving percussive and rhythmic qualities that culminate in a multifarious dance style finale. Honey is essentially a ‘backstage’ formulaic dance film and yet, even if at times predictable, it is also unique. Honey builds credibility through its exploration of ‘hip hop’ music and dance. Incorporated in ways to aid expressivity and cohesion, the relationship between sound and movement is consistently explored and crafted with the cinematography and music both serving to underscore such contrasts as street and club, video production and ‘live’ sequences. Contemporary industry professionals, with video and music production credentials, craft the choreography and musical elements. Adding to this ‘street cred’ are the cameo roles of featured artists. Supported through creative direction, it is the interplay of sound and movement that forms Honey’s essence and momentum.