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LAS VEGAS — Sunday night’s Super Bowl wasn't the only place where one could cheer on local people on a national stage. Utah is making it big everywhere — in movies, reality shows and music competitions.
"Gold" is one of the hottest music videos out right now by one of the hottest bands — Imagine Dragons.
Isaac Halasima, director of the music video, remembers when the band was just starting out in Provo because he was just starting out, too.
"The very first time I heard them was when I was doing a commercial for Real Salt Lake, and we couldn't afford music,” he said. “And so they gave us the music for free. I was a fan after that.”
Halasima, who graduated from Pleasant Grove High School in 1997, now runs his own production company. "Gold" is his latest project.
He invited KSL along during "Gold's" video shoot in Las Vegas last month.
The entire production crew is from Utah and Halasima is proud of that: "Anyone that knows me knows I’m a die-hard Utah guy," he said.
Bryan Fugal graduated from Lone Peak High School in 2003 and is the first assistant director on this shoot. He left Utah to get more involved in this field.
"To be honest with you, I thought there was no way I could make it to be in the film industry and stay in Utah,” he said. “So, I went out to school in California and I’m finishing school out there now."
In Utah, there is kind of an underdog mentality. You feel like you're going to get made fun of the second someone asks where you're from.
–Isaac Halasima
But Fugal said things are changing in Utah, especially in the past 10 years, for those who want to get into film production.
"You don't need to leave the state to make it in the industry,” he said.
Ty Arnold, “Gold” director of photography, knows that: "There’s lots to be done in Utah,” he said.
Arnold graduated from Bingham High School in 1996 and has seen a lot of Utahns making a name for themselves in entertainment and film production.
So, why Utah?
"I can tell you, LA is too crowded and too smarmy," Arnold said.
Halasima thinks it's that work ethic engrained in those from Utah that makes them stand out.
"The thing is, in Utah, there is kind of an underdog mentality. You feel like you're going to get made fun of the second someone asks where you're from," he said. "But, I think that helps because you want to prove you're worth something."
Last year, Halasima felt like he finally proved himself when he was nominated for an MTV music video award for directing the Imagine Dragons video "Demons."
"It was kind of a life dream, pulling that off, seeing my name on the big screen in front of all of these famous people. That was a big deal to me," Halasima smiled.
It was also a big deal to the band, which is why it keeps working with him.
"We’ve had the pleasure of working with Isaac a few times,” said Imagine Dragons drummer Daniel Platzman. “He is amazing. He’s visionary; he's professional; and he’s concise. He has a vision and a way of getting it done. It’s pretty special."
A sentiment echoed by bassist Ben McKee.
"Isaac is just the greatest. I mean, we've been working with him forever and you couldn't be happier with his professionalism and with his talents," McKee said.
He, and the rest of his team are just the latest guys from Utah proving you don't have to move away from the state to do big things in entertainment.
"The ones that really want it are going to get it,” Halasima said.
With plenty of hard work, Halasima is one of those who got it.
