When Zaldy Goco answered the phone last April and learned that Michael Jackson’s creative team wanted him to develop some costume ideas for the King of Pop’s long-awaited comeback concert series in London, he could scarcely believe his luck. A long time fan of the sometimes-maligned, but always-loved music legend, Zaldy set about developing an approach for creating costumes that at once hearkened back to iconic images from Jackson’s past, while also making him relevant for contemporary fashion of the day.

The results were amazing and once the decision was made to make Zaldy the chief costume designer for the upcoming concerts, the process to get there involved five up close-and-personal fittings between Zaldy and Michael Jackson over a period of a several weeks, including the last fitting, just days before the singer’s sudden death.

Zaldy kindly spoke to Business of Fashion about the experience of designing for Michael Jackson and shared some photos of Jackson from the fittings, published here for the very first time.”

BoF: And now for the topic that I am sure everyone is most interested to hear about: your collaboration with Michael Jackson for the This Is It tour. How did that come about?

It was such a surprise that began with a really casual phone call from someone who was representing Michael’s choeographer, Travis Payne. It was already the end of April and the tour was starting in July, and he asked me if I was interested in making some outfits. Of course I said yes! But, I really didn’t take it all that seriously as I knew that Michael had only ever really worked with one designer in the past named Michael Bush. He had developed all of Michael’s iconic looks for Thriller and Bad. So, by no means was it definite. I thought maybe I’d get to make a couple of outfits — maybe.

It turns out that Michael had been advised to take more of a fashion look with his presentation, and he had asked to see designs from some really big names, including, I believe, John Galliano and Alexander McQueen. My impression is that he got all these packages from these different designers and then he chose who he wanted to work with.

When he got my package, they called me right away and said he that Michael was jumping up and down screaming, saying “I’ve always wanted to do this! I’ve always wanted to do this!”

They asked me to come to L.A. the next day to meet Michael and told me they wanted me to do the entire show. In the end, because Michael is so faithful, he did ask Michael Bush to work on a few of the outfits as well, which I thought was really nice especially because it was supposed to be Michael’s last tour.”

BoF: Wow, that’s pretty amazing. How would you describe what you designed for him?

This is the thing. When they first asked me to do this, they said “we need you to re-invent Michael.” And my first thought was that Michael does not need to be re-invented, especially not now. He is one of the only artists who created iconic looks and iconic images to go along with iconic songs. It’s not necessary for those looks to be reinvented — they just needed to be made more relevant for today. Nobody wants to see a Thriller jacket that it isn’t red and black. People were going to want to see those iconic images, made more relevant to the times.

So, that’s what my approach was — referencing what we knew, but bringing more technology and new techniques that Michael had never used before.”

BoF: What are your favourite looks that you designed for Michael Jackson?

They all kind have their own specialness for me. But, if you ask anyone who works with me, they will always say the We Are The World outfit, embroidered with all kinds of techniques from around the world — from African to American Indian to Japanese to Chinese. It was quite a mix, and very beautiful.

But for me, I loved the Black or White leather jacket, with three different custom plated coloured studs, which was kind of a Sumurai-referenced jacket. The finale jacket is also a favourite, especially because Michael was so excited about it. I had made what Michael called ’secret treasures’ in the shape of little teardrops that enclosed around crusts of crystal chunks.

And then of course there was the light-up outfit for Billie Jean, which was a collaboration with Philips Technology, which really, really made him the happiest. The last time I saw him was about six days before we were leaving for London, and I tried these pants on him and he was silent; completely stunned. After about thirty seconds, he said “It’s everything I’ve always wanted.

So, that was pretty special for me.”

BoF: And then, of course there was his sudden death, which must have turned things upside down for you.

I experience anti-climax after every project, but I was in disbelief. I didn’t know what to do with myself. I had been living and breathing Michael Jackson for weeks on end. When I design for a musician, I immerse myself completely in their music. It just has to play in my head the whole time.

I decided I needed to lock myself away in a hotel to get away, but even that didn’t work. Everywhere I went, people were listening to Michael Jackson. There was no escape.”

BoF: Did you have any sense that he might be unwell?

Not at all. And that is the thing that I think the movie really shows. He was quite lively, energetic and strong. And, he was super in tune to all the details. Every time I met with him, he was always catching little details. When I’d do fittings with him, he was very solid and very strong.”

BoF: Last year was quite a year for you. Doing Lady Gaga and Michael Jackson in one year is pretty big. What lies ahead for you 2010?

It’s funny because I kept seeing the two of them side-by-side in stories or hearing their names mentioned in the same story. And then, all of a sudden I was working with both of them. But right now, I’m pretty excited to get back into the Scissor Sisters, who are launching their third album. But also, last year was a big music year, and I’m thinking of leaning back towards fashion again.”

BoF: So there could be a Zaldy label again?

There could be. Right now I am working on a gown for the Met Ball. So, let’s see. I’m working on a couple of things.”

Want to See Even More Photos of the costumes Zaldy designed for Michael Jackson?

Concert suits for Michael Jackson

Concert Jacket for Michael Jackson

Shoes For Michael Jackson

Additional Concert Jackets for Michael Jackson

Source: mjfanclub.net

GRAMMY winners Celine Dion, Jennifer Hudson, Smokey Robinson, Carrie Underwood, and Usher will join together, along with the voice of Michael Jackson, in a moving tribute to Jackson at the 52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards on Sunday, Jan. 31. This very special GRAMMY Moment will feature the never-before-seen 3-D mini-movie for “Earth Song” that was created by Jackson as the centerpiece of his much-anticipated This Is It tour, but was never seen by the public prior to this GRAMMY performance.

The 3-D film was created to support the performance of “Earth Song,” an original composition and a No. 1 hit for Jackson. The song has a strong theme about the future of the planet, and Jackson saw it as a unique opportunity to deliver a message to millions of people who would have seen him on tour.

“It was one of the most important portions of the concert tour to Michael and when Michael saw the film for the first time at his last rehearsal, there were tears in his eyes,”

according to Ken Ehrlich, GRAMMY co-Executive Producer and longtime Jackson associate, who was also at the rehearsal that night.

“This very special GRAMMY Moment will feature some of our most respected GRAMMY recipients, all of whom have a great love for Michael,”

added Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy.

“This segment promises to be an emotional highlight of this year’s show, and is sure to join the unique list of amazing performances for which the GRAMMY Awards have become renowned.”

This special segment also represents another GRAMMY technical breakthrough in that it will be the first time a major awards show broadcasts in 3-D. The GRAMMY Awards also were the first awards show to broadcast in high definition and 5.1 surround sound (2003).

So that viewers can enjoy this unique 3-D TV experience at home, CBS and Target have partnered to provide millions of free 3-D GRAMMY Glasses. From Sunday, Jan. 24 through Sunday, Jan. 31, Target stores nationwide will exclusively offer these 3-D GRAMMY Glasses so that fans have the opportunity to see the film that was very personal to Jackson. Additionally, the audience at Staples Center will share the 3-D experience, wearing the same glasses as those being worn by viewers at home.

This GRAMMY tribute to Michael Jackson joins previously announced performances by nominees Beyoncé, the Black Eyed Peas, Bon Jovi, the Dave Matthews Band, Green Day, Lady Antebellum, Lady Gaga, Maxwell, Pink, Taylor Swift, and the Zac Brown Band.

The 52nd GRAMMY Awards will take place live on Sunday, Jan. 31 at Staples Center in Los Angeles and will be broadcast in HDTV and 5.1 Surround Sound on the CBS Television Network from 8–11:30 p.m. (ET/PT). The show also will be supported on radio via Westwood One worldwide, and covered online at GRAMMY.com and CBS.com, and on YouTube.

The 52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards are produced by John Cossette Productions and AEG Ehrlich Ventures for The Recording Academy. Ken Ehrlich and John Cossette are executive producers, Louis J. Horvitz is director.

Source: mjfanclub.net

Kenny Ortega went through hundreds of hours of rehearsal footage putting together Michael Jackson’s This Is It, a tribute to Jackson for his fans, but he says it was a labor of love. It was also a way of helping with the healing process after the death of his close friend. The film, which will be released on DVD on January 26th, exceeded expectations at the box office and earned a nomination in the Best Documentary category at the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards. On the red carpet before the show, Ortega shared his memories of working with Michael Jackson and what set him apart as an entertainer in a video interview.

Source: mjfanclub.net

American Cinema Editors, the industry’s leading organization of motion picture editors, has nominated Brandon Key, of Tustin, CA, for a 60th annual ACE Eddie Award. The announcement was made Jan. 12.

Key’s “Best Edited Documentary” nomination, for his work on the critically acclaimed Michael Jackson film “This Is It,” is shared by co-editors Tim Patterson, Don Brochu and Kevin Stitt.

Winners will be announced by ACE on Feb. 14.

Shortly after the world learned of the death of the legendary King of Pop, Key, a long-time Jackson fan, received a frantic call from Patterson, a friend and collaborator of 15 years, to help cobble together what had been raw rehearsal footage of Jackson’s ill-fated international tour into a full-length documentary for an ASAP theatrical release.

Quite unexpectedly, Key and his cohorts found themselves laboring over piles of video footage 12 hours a day, seven days a week last summer in a frantic effort to create a posthumous Jackson film tribute for a fast-approaching October release. “This Is It” opened last fall to huge audiences and critical praise.

“I just never dreamed,”

Key stated,

“that I’d be thrust into helping create what would become one of the biggest movies of the year — and the highest-grossing concert film of all time.”

That accomplished, Key and Patterson have gone on to edit and shoot additional content for the DVD, which is expected to ship this month.

“This Is It” has grossed over $250 million since its debut.

Source: mjfanclub.net

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment announced the January 26 release of Michael Jackson’s This Is It on Blu-ray with the kind of flourish you’d expect from associates of the King of Pop. Jackson choreographer Travis Payne performed live at the Sony booth at CES with two of the dancers who were set to tour with the late singer. Sony also ran a “Smooth Criminal” vignette from the disc showing Jackson “interact” with Rita Hayworth, Edward G. Robinson and Humphrey Bogart in classic black and white footage from Gilda and other old-time movies.

Sony Pictures says the Blu-ray features 90 minutes of new and never seen before footage.

See Photos below from Travis Payne’s performance which were posted on Facebook!

Worldwide release dates are now available for Michael Jackson’s This Is It on DVD and Blu-ray®

U.S. fans can pre-order the DVD and Blu-ray® with movie poster Here.

According to a new interview with Michael Jackson’s choreographer, Travis Payne, the late King of Pop was a big fan of Lady Gaga and had tried to set up a meeting to discuss a possible joint project.

The revelation comes from a video posted on December 30 on YouTube by Amsterdam-based producer/actor Raffles van Exel, who asks Payne which artists Michael Jackson was interested in collaborating with before his death last June.

I gave him a short wish list [of possible collaborators] … and he was like, ‘Sure, they can all come, as long as their schedules permit and it’s not too much of a problem for them,’ ” Payne said of Jackson’s humble response to a suggestion that he reach out to other artists to work with him on his This Is It series of shows in London. “Of course, I suggested Janet, of course Whitney Houston. … Diana Ross and Mariah Carey we talked about. We talked about Missy Elliott. We talked about Usher, of course. We talked about Justin [Timberlake], Celine Dion … Sting, Seal, Bono, Tina Turner. We talked about all these people that I thought were cool but that he liked.”

Then, Payne said he asked Jackson if there was anyone else he wanted to reach out to.

“He goes, ‘Lady Gaga.’ I go, ‘Really?’ He goes, ‘Yeah.’ He’s the one who really got me to get into her. He literally told me, ‘You gotta get into her. She’s good.’ So, I started listening to her music more and going on YouTube and looking at her performances, and I was like, ‘He’s right.’ “

Payne did not specify in the video when these conversations took place. He said that last November, he got a call from Lady Gaga and told her the story about the conversation with Jackson.

“She got moved by it,”

he recalled.

Source: mjfanclub.net

On January 26, 2010 in North America and on February 22 in the UK and Europe, Michael Jackson’s ‘This Is It’ will be released on DVD and Blu-Ray. An official trailer for the release of the DVD was launched online yesterday and can be seen Here.

Source: mjfanclub.net

Clearly Michael Jackson’s This Is It has a life of it’s own. I  (Trey Borzillieri) saw this movie at 10:30am and boy did I get a surprise. I was expecting an empty theatre this early in the morning. It was packed. I also expected the audience to begin dancing in the aisles from the onset. Not the case.

My expectations were way off. A few minutes into this unbelievable, one of a kind film, tears welled up in my eyes and began streaming down my face. I put my half eaten bag of popcorn to the side and my napkins turned into tissues.

I know I’m not alone when I say Michael Jackson had been absent from my life… a life he had been very much a part of many years ago. I remember being put in a long time-out in 3rd grade for wearing a green and purple sequined version of his glove, homemade by my mother. A “long time out” is good way to describe what Michael Jackson has been in for many of us.

In the documentary This Is It, he is back! Wow! From the films first song, Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’, the talent, emotion and love of Michael Jackson strikes you, no matter what age you are. If you’re a Gen-X’er then you will be quickly catapulted into a brief self-analysis of your life. A sort-of evaluation of what has happened to you since you last saw this man like this! Then comes the rush of emotions aided by the music of course… past, present and the finality that you are watching him for the last time. Napkins turn to tissues all over again. As I wiped the tears off my face, shocked and embarrassed, I popped my head up to look at the rest of the audience. It seemed people were having a similar experience to mine. One can’t help watch this incredible film in shock and awe – just to be clear, a good, thankful, wonderful version of “shock and awe.” It’s almost as if we were destined to have this last piece of Michael Jackson no matter what.

This Is It is now the highest grossing documentary in history. Behind the camera capturing these revealing, special and final moments with Michael Jackson was Videographer Sandrine Orabona. She is a small documentarian in comparison to the epic scale of what the film now represents on all levels. As the world shares these moments with Michael in this extraordinary documentary one can only imagine what it must have been like to be six feet away from The Magician at work! Please tell us Sandrine.

TB: I just saw This Is It.

SO: So what did you think?

TB: I was blown away. I think I was all business walking into it. Then everything hit me and I was a disaster.

SO: A disaster as in crying?

TB: I started crying and crying and crying.

SO: Do you know how many people said have said that to me?

TB: Like the first song…

SO: Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’

TB: Yes, yes and I mean I wasn’t expecting any of it. I think it was a combination of his life, what he represented in my life, his talent and the finality of it all.

SO: I’m so happy to have been a documentarian on it and even to just have been in the presence. I think that what the Director, Kenny Ortega, was able to do is to distill the emotion that we all felt while we were there during rehearsal. Everybody hired on the crew were very good at what they do all the way up. We all felt so gifted and fortunate to be on the project and to be around this man because of everything he represents, because of how amazing he is as a musician, as an artist and just to be in a room with him while he was rehearsing, performing or going through the paces. Just being around his process everyday, I would come home and just be like I can’t believe I’m a part of this, I can’ t believe what I lived today. And everybody felt that. My friend Chucky, wearing the green jacket, he is an Emmy award-winning choreographer. He won an Emmy for choreographing the High School Musical films with Kenny Ortega. He dropped a potential project to audition as a dancer with no guarantee that he was going to be a dancer. He got the job and everyday he would look at me and be like, “I can’t believe I am living this.” Now this is a man that not only is he a dancer, but he is an Emmy winning choreographer, ok, so it was not lost on any of us, you know how amazing this experience was. I think it is really captured in the film.

TB: Yeah it is. You’re describing what hit me so hard…everyone feeling so fortunate to be there and what a gift this is and so appreciative of that. At the same time it was a flashback to someone who has in many ways has been absent from his musical life, absent from being the person we all know in terms of performing and…

SO: You mean as far as his comeback?

TB: Well this was the beginning of his comeback, so he’s been absent from the stage for a long time and the movie allows you to get to know him again, it’s makes you appreciate his talent all over again and then in the back of your mind you know he’s gone… and this becomes a one, two, three punch that the audience can’t help but be effected by when they watch the movie.

SO: It’s a really powerful piece of work because, for everything that you just stated. And I think what’s really important is that Kenny chose to focus on the experience that we were living in the moment, this piece doesn’t focus on the fact that he’s passed already because it is understood. I think that the power of it is drawn from the experience that we all had and by focusing on our experience, people are able to embrace essentially what we lived [during the rehearsals]. I had a friend say to me, “I felt like I had a front row seat to this experience”. And I replied, “That’s cause I did.” I was there. If you feel in your seat like Michael Jackson is performing Billie Jean six feet away from you that is because he actually did perform Billie Jean six feet away from me. If you feel that power coming through the screen, you can imagine what I felt on stage when that was happening. And you can see that too… there is a handful of us, I turn the camera around and it’s like fifteen crew and dancers on the floor watching and they can’t believe what they are seeing. That was the experience.

TB: Can you describe the amped up feeling you had at that moment?

SO: It’s exactly what you are talking about in terms of when you go see the film. It’s like genetically we all have Michael Jackson inside of us. In some way or another because of the way we grew up. We listened to his music and we realized what a genius this man is. And then also we [the crew working on this] are all professionals and we appreciate that even more as a dancer, as a musician, as a documentary filmmaker we understand that side of it even more. And then all of a sudden all of that comes up in you and you’re like I’m watching a man that I’ve seen on TV, that I’ve appreciated from a distance, doing what he does best six feet away from me. And I’ve got his team of crew members behind me feeling the exact same and the only reason I can’t do it is because I’m holding the camera. So many times I caught myself dancing while I was shooting. The bassline for Thriller just moves right through you.

TB: A very cool moment was when he vocally did the little guitar thing in the rehearsal for Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ to show the way it was to be done. He made the guitar sound so well and for a long enough time that it actually sounded like a real guitar.

SO: Watching a process for an artist like that… I am in awe. For the legends like Michael Jackson or Martin Scorcese, to just be around their process and absorb that like a sponge it’s like an apprenticeship. Just watching these people work is like a gift.

TB: Any comments on the process you saw while filming?

SO: Everybody that was on the show, like Kenny Ortega, Michael Bearden, Travis Payne and Michael Bush. These are all people that have been around Michael for a long time and they are also great artists in their own rights. There is kind of like a creative short hand they use rather than a lot of technical jargon. Like when Michael says; “make it sound like you are dragging yourself out of bed” It immediately evokes an emotional reaction and you can then translate that into the music that you are making and I thought it was a brilliant way of conveying that emotion.

TB: Did he have down days?

SO: No. Because of the level of energy that everyone shared, I didn’t even have my down days. What you see is what you got everyday at rehearsal. Everyone from Michael on down was really focused and on their way to creating this amazing show.

TB: Something that jumped out at me… his hands. They just came out of the screen, like the hands of a magician; they were all over the place.

SO: I was so focused on my little screen [in the camera] that I never really noticed that but a number of people have mentioned that to me.

TB: One of my favorite parts of the movie was when he started working on Human Nature, the creativity and the spontaneity of that.

SO: But that’s what I’m talking about. That is the kind of creative short hand that was flying all over the stage. It was a very creative space for everyone involved. All of the musicians were spot-on.

TB: Everyone was front and center and ready to do their best.

SO: Well you don’t get that kind of job without that though, I mean, front, center and incredibly happy to be there. Everybody. Grateful.

TB: I was really expecting people to be dancing in the movie theatre and I could actually here crickets. It seemed like the audience was in shock, overwhelmed and grateful to being seeing it more than anything else.

SO: Different people have different experiences; I think it depends on the audience. I have seen it a few times and they’ve all been different. With the crew it was very much like reliving it. I have seen it when the audience has been dancing and also seen it with a crowd that experienced it very much like you did. I see new things every time I watch it.

TB: The film is important, thank goodness you guys were there to capture it otherwise we may never have had anything like it with Michael Jackson.

SO: It was one of the things that made it so special for me at the time. The fact, that I personally had never seen anything like this before. I had never seen this side of Michael Jackson. To this day I continue to treat it as an incredible gift. I think a lot of people feel that way now that they’ve seen the documentary.

TB: A random thing –E he was wearing a shirt with Popeye gambling on it at one point.

SO: That’s Michael Bush right there. That’s the incredible art of Michael Bush.

TB: Was that rehearsal costume? Or everyday clothes for him?

SO: Michael Bush dressed Michael Jackson. Always.

TB: How did everyone deal with news of his passing?

SO: It was a very difficult day. I was actually there shooting at the time and I almost dropped the camera. I had to shoot on my knees through the better part of that moment. I was overwhelmed with the emotion and I was like, “Ok, I am going to pass out”. But I couldn’t because I had to film. The way I can describe it is… the entire world was mourning that day, imagine how it was in the rehearsal space. I have a hard time remembering it actually. I feel like I had an out-of-body experience.

TB: Were you a fan of his growing up?

SO: Who wasn’t? But I have to say that I am even more of a fan of his after having done this and observing him as a professional.

TB: Who are you?

SO: A documentarian, more specifically a music documentarian. A documentarian, shooter and editor.

TB: Can’t wait to see what you do next. Thank you.

Source: mjfanclub.net

Michael Jackson’s concert movie “This Is It” has taken more than $200 million at box offices worldwide in the first two weeks of release, the studio behind the movie said on Thursday.

Sony Pictures Entertainment said the movie had grossed $61 million in North America and more than $140 million internationally. Japan ($27.2 million) and the UK ($14.3 million) were particularly strong markets.

The movie is now the 22nd biggest grossing movie worldwide of 2009, according to industry tracker boxofficemojo.com

“This Is It”, distributed by Sony Corp-owned Columbia Pictures, was compiled from footage of Jackson rehearsing for a series of planned comeback concerts before his sudden death in June.

Sony paid concert promoters AEG and Jackson’s estate about $60 million for the right to make and distribute the movie.

The $200 million plus gross is almost three times more than 2008’s “Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour” — a movie some box office watchers had used as a benchmark for “This Is It.”

The Jackson film opened on October 28 for a planned two week run but has since been extended until early December.

Source: mjfanclub.net