Dharma Records filmed a music video in the third story of the former Jansen Heating and Plumbing building last week. Above, Jake Allen - Jacob Bondar - performs as Bob Hughes, the owner of the Oscoda based Wild Woods Cinema, films in the background. (Photo by Dan Sanderson)

by Dan Sanderson-Staff Writer

Members of a Grayling band returned to a historic building in hopes of creating more opportunities for their future.

Dharma Records filmed a music video in the third story of the former Jansen Heating and Plumbing building last week.

The video will be used to promote Dharma Records artist Jake Allen - Jacob Bondar - who is the son of Dharma Records co-owner Al Bondar.

Jake Allen, drummer Adam Hoppe and bassist Luke Alderton have an upcoming album called "Heart Consumer and the Artist." The album is a follow up to Jake Allen's "The Color EP," which was released last year.

The video was filmed for a song called "Healing Opus."

Members of the band, and Roscommon model Katie Melia, braved chilly temperatures in the third story of the building as the video was filmed.

The video portrays Jake Allen as he is pursued and lured by Melia. At the end of the story, Allen determines that the girl was not what he was looking for in the first place.

"I'm excited to put imagery with the music, as it creates more clarity for listeners, who may be confused to certain meanings of the songs," Jake Allen said.

Allen said he had envisioned filming the video in an old Victorian building that had wood floors and torn up walls. He said the former Jansen Heating and Plumbing building turned out to be a perfect fit.

"It was a dream come true, kind of," Jake Allen said.

The video will be put on Jake Allen's My Space Web page, and on U-Tube, with hopes of getting it released on V-H1 or MTV.

Al Bondar said promoters encouraged Dharma Records to create the video as the band hopes to perform at venues on a national tour.

"Before they book them, they want to see a video, so that's why we're shooting this," Al Bondar said. "They want it to sound good, but as sad as it may seem, they want them to look good too."

Dharma Records hopes that the video will give the band an edge for getting into renowned clubs and possibly a more lucrative recording contract.

"We don't want to have to claw our way to the top," Al Bondar said. "We want to start a little farther up on the scale."

Jake Allen said he looks forward to putting the final results out for people to view.

"We have a lot of footage to edit, but everybody played their parts really well, and I'm really excited about it," he said.

Dharma Records tapped Bob Hughes, the owner of the Oscoda based Wild Woods Cinema, to film the video.

"This just gives Dharma Records another multi-media outlet to promote its artists," Hughes said.

The building, where the video was filmed, was built as an Independent Order of Odd Follows Lodge. Over the years, it was used as a theatre, bowling alley and Ford dealership, before becoming the home of Jansen Heating and Plumbing.

Linda Nickert, the current co-owner of the building, said she was pleased to be able to help Dharma Records and the band with the production.

"I just thought it was pretty cool and we want to do anything we can to help out local artists," Nickert said.