Beyond Borders: The Making Of Tilly Birds And Ben&Ben’s Music Video For “Heaven”

Bringing to life any ambitious creative project is never an easy feat. Just as the team behind the music video for Tilly Birds and Ben&Ben‘s collaboration single, “Heaven.”

From dealing with inter-country logistical challenges to various time constraints and literal storms, the people behind the dreamy single’s accompanying visuals faced many hurdles in order to bring this fun and colorful output to completion. Undeniably, the road that led to the music video that fans now know and love was not an easy path, but one well worth the adventure and one that many creatives in the same field should definitely know more about and learn from.

With this, Billboard Philippines caught up with four key people that helped translate “Heaven” into visual form: director MV Isip, producer Zamae Pacleb, artist liaison Camille Castillo of music PR agency Mirrorball Asia, and Tilly Birds’ creative director Sandy Chuchat — all of whom provide insight into the making of this one-of-a-kind music video.

Billboard Philippines: First and foremost, how did this project begin? How did the team behind the music video come to work together with Tilly Birds and Ben&Ben?

Camille Castillo: The bands met at music festival in Malaysia in mid-2024 and have stayed in touch since. I think [in] early 2025, Billy (Tilly Birds’ guitarist) has mentioned to me that they had been talking to the Bens about working on a collaboration together, but I didn’t really expect things to move so quickly knowing how busy both bands were. Fast forward to maybe late Feb or early March 2024, Tilly Birds shared that they will be coming to Manila in April for a two-day songwriting camp with Ben&Ben. 

Mirrorball Asia — a boutique music PR and artist services agency — helped Tilly Birds out with their “Retro-39” release, so they also tapped us to help their local logistics when they arrived in Manila. It was the best worst-kept secret in the sense that, fans knew they were in Manila, but they had no idea what it was for. Both bands attended a mixer we hosted where they were also with other Filipino artists like Lola Amour, Gabba, ena mori, Ysanygo, The Itchyworms’ Jazz Nicolas, and Raymund Marasigan, so the fans were left puzzled as to what was happening. I saw tweets of fans wondering what they were doing with all of these Filipino artists.

[Tilly Birds and Ben&Ben] wrote and recorded the song demo in two days and continued to work on the track while the bands were in their respective countries or even touring across Asia and Canada.

In late May, Billy called me to share the developments for the Tilly-Bens collab. He said they would be coming to Manila in July to shoot the music video together. He gave us the dates they would be available so I got to work on the logistics and assembling the team for the music video shoot. 

I only had one person in mind to direct this music video, MV Isip. She had been working mostly in fashion these days, but previously directed Brickcity’s award-winning music video “Salt & Pepper” and I worked with her a lot for music coverage in the past years. I thought it would be interesting to see her take on “Heaven.” Tilly Birds also asked Ben&Ben for their recommendations, and they were happy with MV as the top choice as well. 

MV and Billy set up an online meeting and they seemed to get on well. They loved the idea of an MV by MV (laughs), so we went ahead with the project. I left MV to assemble the creative teams while I arranged for the local logistics and potential partnerships — hotels, airport transfers, [and] catering. I assigned them a road manager to make sure their needs were taken care of. We also took care of some media engagements ahead of the shoot and after they wrapped up. 

Zamae Pacleb: I came into the project when MV reached out to me last June to produce the music video. I was still in Canada then, but when she mentioned it was for Tilly Birds and Ben&Ben, I was immediately sold to the project. MV handpicked each key staff for the music video — from our DP, production designer, HMUA, and stylist. I just recommended the Tilly Birds’ stylist when our initial collaborator had to opt out of the project due to conflict of schedule.

MV had a clear vision and direction for the music video from props, styling, location, and framing. It was just a matter of execution and finding the right location that was a challenge. All hands were on deck in finding the perfect spot and putting direk’s vision to life.

The whole vibe of the music video is fun and carefree. Take us through the process of coming up with its concept. What inspired it?

MV Isip: We really just followed the song, as a music video should! The track is fun and carefree and called “Heaven” so our goal was to really just show both bands having fun in a serene space

With that, what about the song’s lyrical theme and overall sound helped shape the music video’s creative direction? What steps did you take to capture the song’s essence in the output?

MV Isip: Part of the song’s essence is how it’s an out-of-nowhere regional collab, so conceptually, I locked in on the lyric: “How did we meet in this timeline?”

I wanted to set each of the members alone in the same wide shot but at different times — foggy morning, high noon, sunset, nighttime, never actually meeting until the final chorus where we finally see both bands together.

What points of reference, especially from other visual media, did you use? Were there any particular other music videos or even movies and TV series you took inspiration from?

MV Isip: Richard McGuire’s 300-page Here was my bible for this! It’s a visually stunning, pioneering comic work that covers stories of a singular spot in time (from prehistoric to post-apocalyptic future) with similar insets as the “Heaven” MV. Other sources of inspiration were Kenneth Josephson’s collages, Thai artist Suntur’s minimalist paintings, and even David Hockney’s double portraits for blocking.

The references were really more analog than digital, which I think translated to our use of a locked tripod throughout the whole video. If anything, our slow motion instrumental had traces of my obsession with Turnstile’s “Never Enough” but the South East Asia during monsoon season version. So really, not even close.

In bringing the music video to life, what roles did the members of Tilly Birds and Ben&Ben play from behind the scenes, if any? Were there any creative differences? If so, how did you resolve them?

MV Isip: They were actually very trusting and supportive, so no creative differences at all. I was worried we were pitching something too conceptual but they really gave us creative freedom, and from what I gathered, Gene Lab (Tilly Birds’s label) is used to handing over the reins to the director — which was so welcome and appreciated.

I do remember in the midst of the storm sabotaging our outdoor scenes and our window for shooting with daylight quickly closing in, it was a suggestion from Third (Tilly Birds’ vocalist) to clear out our holding area and shoot a quick performance scene against the window while they’re all still dry, before we do the group shot in the rain.

In retrospect, that was genius because I was able to use that one shot a lot, and it set up our space for the change of plans later that day. But what’s key to this was they never pressured me to do this additional request. It did feel very collaborative instead of a client/hired gun process.

With that, walk us through what it was like actually shooting the music video.

MV Isip: The process was actually pretty systematic! At least on paper.

We’d arrive on our scouted spot, shoot a background plate, add some production design, and call in a musician to perform their assigned section of the song. Then we change up the props and add fog or lighting. Rinse and repeat. All while making sure the camera stays locked in place. I think we requested for four tripods from Arsenal for this shoot. For one camera!

In between those, we’d shoot slow motion solos of them frolicking around the location, or swap out to the Lomography Petzval lenses for instrumentals. The rain never stopped us from rolling since we’d have a giant rainbow-colored Micromatic umbrella just out of frame to keep the instruments safe. Movie magic!

Tell us about the location. When and where did you film the video? What made you choose the location? How long did it take to finish the shoot?

Camille Castillo: We were originally planning for a Bacolod shoot, but looking at the logistical issues that would arise from that, we decided to shoot in a location we could drive to. We had narrowed it down to three choices — a farm property along Casile with heavenly views, a popular wedding venue in Santa Rosa, and The Old Grove Farmstead in Lipa, Batangas. MV and I were the ones who did the initial ocular trip, complete with torrential rain which I think also helped prepare the team for the actual shoot. 

Zamae Pacleb: We shot the music video in Batangas last July 22 and 23. Initially, we were thinking of a location in Bacolod but as the date started to approach, weather became one of our main considerations. Transportation of band equipment and props was our deciding priority for the change in location.

Once that was set in stone, we looked and scouted different locations near Metro Manila that can accommodate all of us in a span of two shoot days. We needed sufficient time to shoot all the 12 band members so a two-day shoot was a sweet spot for everyone’s schedule. MV had three shortlisted locations but ultimately we decided to shoot in Old Grove Farmstead since it provided the privacy, accommodation, varying landscape options, and shelter contingency needed for our project.

The coordination of the outfits that the members of Tilly Birds and Ben&Ben wore was a standout element in the music video. What were the guidelines and the process of styling them like?

Zamae Pacleb: MV wanted to highlight Filipino designers through the outfits. Ben&Ben were styled with Maligaya Clothing by Roko Arceo and Tilly Birds were styled and designed by Jiré. 

During one of our meetings before the shoot, Eak suggested that each band should have a distinct color so they can be differentiated by the global audience. At the same time, we had to make sure that the colors should be able to complement each other. 

The thing was, we were only able to see the Bens’ wardrobe on the first day of shoot. Once we placed the clothes side by side, it felt like two different puzzle pieces fitted to perfection. Both bands stayed true to their own personal style but together, it worked surprisingly well.

MV Isip: Wow, thank you for noticing that! I wish we could take full credit but, as Zamae said, things just magically came together on the day. At most, we gave a color palette and a directive that it had to be local designers while making sure the clothes are comfortable enough to shoot outdoors. Everything else was all the stylists!

What particular logistical challenges did you face during filming? Was there anything you needed to change or adjust due to these challenges?

Camille Castillo: Ahead of filming, we were also trying to figure out their schedules and the best locations for their accommodations. On the day they arrived from Bangkok, they went straight to the Warner Music Philippines office in BGC for lunch and a couple of interviews with selected media, before heading off to the South to get some sleep before leaving for the location early in the morning. 

Having such a large group of people, it was also quite challenging to group people into room assignments, but I think Zamae did a great job with that!

After the shoot, we also had to manage their schedule, with a Wish Bus guesting at noon right before they had to go to the airport for their departure for Bangkok. We’re very lucky to have our Road Manager Bettina Dizon, who was dependable and more than capable of making sure that all our artists’ needs were met. 

Zamae Pacleb: Admittedly, shooting in heavy rain was the real challenge (chuckles). No matter how much we prepared, there were plenty of moments when we had to suddenly stop shooting or quickly pack up the setup once it started pouring, since we were working with sensitive music and camera equipment.

We had to think on our feet and make quick adjustments in location, timing, and visuals. It’s a good thing everyone was collaborative and understanding — it really helped that everyone came into the project with the same enthusiasm to bring the vision to life.

Even with all the changes during the shoot, everything worked out in the end. Everyone looked out for one another, and our shared love for music and art became the driving force that pushed us to go to great lengths to create a piece worthy of what the bands poured into making Heaven.

MV Isip: The dates were set from the get go, and while we did expect it to rain, we didn’t expect a string of three typhoons to arrive on our shoot dates.

The entire intro and first chorus was planned for our best location — a well on a little hill — but it just never got any sunlight. On top of that, our fog kept being blown away with the strong winds, so I was worried the “different times” concept wouldn’t translate. Thankfully, we had our barn setup as mentioned earlier. We made the last minute pivot to shoot indoor and light the space in different colors instead.

Additionally, we heard that the promotional photos for the single were art directed over videocall. What was that experience like? Did it pose any difficulties, especially given that there were 12 musicians that needed to be coordinated?

Sandy Chuchat: The shoot didn’t quite go as smoothly on my end, but to be fair, we had a feeling it might not. Luckily, Rocketeer Boy — the photographer — and I did a lot of prep work beforehand. We researched poses for a 12-person group so we could quickly guide everyone on set if inspiration ran out, and we scouted the location online in advance to plan for rain which, of course, happened. We knew the artists and crew would be on a tight schedule, with weather and timing working against us, so we wanted to be as prepared as possible.

What we didn’t anticipate, though, was the terrible internet connection, that was the real curveball. I ended up speaking to the screen with a few minutes delay, but thanks to all the prep (and Rocketeer Boy’s calm magic behind the camera), everything still went surprisingly smooth.

Given that it took a whole village to bring this music video to life, what did you learn from the experience that you believe other creatives in the same field should know about, especially for those who are just starting out?

Zamae Pacleb: In the years I’ve spent producing and directing, I’ve learned the importance of working with the right people— those I truly trust and believe in. It’s also important to work with people who can fill in the gaps of what you can’t do. They’ll not only complement your strengths but also support you in bringing your vision to life. Collaboration isn’t about doing everything yourself—it’s about building a team that makes the work stronger together.

The visual medium is one of the most collaborative forms of art, and when you surround yourself with the right people, execution becomes the most magical part of creating.

Experience will train you to do better work. Learn from the best people you can find, stay curious, and don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. Growth comes from trying, failing, and trying again. Your only competition is yourself—focus on being better than who you were in the past. Take the good experiences, learn from the bad, and stay true to your core.

If you’re a director who wants to do more, just go for it. Be clear with your intent and vision. In every project you take on, preparation is key. If plan A fails, move on to plan B or plan C—and if everything else fails, pick yourself up and try again. 

MV Isip: With lots of people involved and facing challenges outside your control, morale is important! Come prepared but be chill, be flexible, check up on your team, and play some music! It’s a privilege to be a creative, especially when working on a music project; it’s one of the most fun jobs in the world! For major releases like this, yes it’s a big deal, but the vibe doesn’t have to be serious and stressful. Have fun!

Watch the music video for Tilly Birds and Ben&Ben’s “Heaven” below: