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Because of the video being about an abused call girl, Michael didn't want to be associated with such a dark topic.
That's Fincher's side of the story yeah, but I'm not sure I buy his claim that Michael didn't know what the phrase 'call girl' meant, he wasn't stupid was he

Karen Faye says Michael left after the first day because he felt Fincher was wasting his time, leaving him waiting in his trailer for hours only to shoot a small scene. It's one of those situations where it was probably a combination of factors that led to it falling apart


 
And what year did that song release?
The song was written and recorded in 86 or 87 and revisited in 89/90 and again in 94/95 so I don't get your point.

Michael Jackson had a little girl hit across the head, stood on and about to be injected with heroin in Moonwalker - I don't for a second believe MJ would balk at the idea of wanting to be associated with something that dark.

Especially when he released a teaser 2 years later drenched in imagery inspired by a nazi propoganda film.
 
I don't know what to think about this one. There are ocasionally more details but overall the picture looks smeary.
 
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I don't know much about E'Casanova but I'm sure Michael had a stand-in for some shots in other videos too.

There was a stand-in for every MJ short film, why wouldn't it? You do need someone to stand in the scene to make the adjustments, light it properly etc. Every minor film production makes use of stand-ins. You just don't use the main actor's time to do on set prepartions, (lightning, camera angles, ...).
In MJ's case, very rarely it ended up in the final (released) product, though.
Besides E'Casanova in Who Is It, there's also a photo of Earnest Valentino inside the HIStory album booklet marching with the army.
 
There was a stand-in for every MJ short film, why wouldn't it? You do need someone to stand in the scene to make the adjustments, light it properly etc. Every minor film production makes use of stand-ins. You just don't use the main actor's time to do on set prepartions, (lightning, camera angles, ...).
In MJ's case, very rarely it ended up in the final (released) product, though.
Besides E'Casanova in Who Is It, there's also a photo of Earnest Valentino inside the HIStory album booklet marching with the army.
Also in You Rock My World for few things. In that new Smooth Criminal video that was filmed for This Is It too. I would expect them to have a stand-in just in case one was needed, for stunts or if Michael wasn't available at some point.

I have always liked this video:

:D
 
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For simple scenes, using a double like sitting in a car or lying in is not a good decision
 
I'd say it's not a good look for MJ if he said "I can't be bothered to appear in my own video. I'll stay in my trailer and you use somebody else". Appearing in a video is literally his only job for the whole month.

Similarly for movies. If an actor is literally getting paid millions of dollars per month, them damn right I would expect them to be available whenever the director wants them. I wouldn't pay for a stand in as well. And we wonder why movie costs have spiraled out of control.

Also a body double is not at all the same thing as a stuntman...
 
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There was a stand-in for every MJ short film, why wouldn't it? You do need someone to stand in the scene to make the adjustments, light it properly etc. Every minor film production makes use of stand-ins. You just don't use the main actor's time to do on set prepartions, (lightning, camera angles, ...).
In MJ's case, very rarely it ended up in the final (released) product, though.
Besides E'Casanova in Who Is It, there's also a photo of Earnest Valentino inside the HIStory album booklet marching with the army.

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That's actually not E'Casanova — it's someone else. I can look it up for you when I get the chance.

EDIT: Ah, found it — it was Valentino Johnson.


In the Remember the Time music video, E'Casanova really does perform the very short floor-dance scene, which is why the cut in that moment looks so striking.
 
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Stand-in ≠ body double ≠ stuntman

Stand-ins are common and only necessary for prep work on the set, such as setting the white balance, exposure, so when the main actor enters the scene everything is ready to shoot. In MJ's case his stand-ins were Darrick Morgan, Earnest Valentino, among a couple of others. They are never intended to appear in the final product. They don't actually need to look like the main actor, a general similar look (height, hair/skin color, clothes) is enough.

Body doubles are intended to replace the main actor, mostly for different body features except the face. In MJ's case this is where E'Cas came into play (e.g. Who Is It, because of MJ's absence). They are meant to appear in the final product.

Stuntmen do physically demanding or dangerous performances for the actor. They are meant to be in the final product but it should be carefully edited so you don't notice the swap. In MJ's case there are several examples, such as the Smooth Criminal videoclip for This Is It and plenty more in various other short films, or even think of the rocket man to end the Dangerous tour shows.

s.jpg


That's actually not E'Casanova — it's someone else. I can look it up for you when I get the chance.

EDIT: Ah, found it — it was Valentino Johnson.


In the Remember the Time music video, E'Casanova really does perform the very short floor-dance scene, which is why the cut in that moment looks so striking.

I didn't say it was E'Casanova on the Teaser, his name is Earnest Valentino. The profile you linked to seems to be a fake one, though.
This is him: https://www.facebook.com/EarnestValentino
 
Stand-in ≠ body double ≠ stuntman

Stand-ins are common and only necessary for prep work on the set, such as setting the white balance, exposure, so when the main actor enters the scene everything is ready to shoot. In MJ's case his stand-ins were Darrick Morgan, Earnest Valentino, among a couple of others. They are never intended to appear in the final product. They don't actually need to look like the main actor, a general similar look (height, hair/skin color, clothes) is enough.

Body doubles are intended to replace the main actor, mostly for different body features except the face. In MJ's case this is where E'Cas came into play (e.g. Who Is It, because of MJ's absence). They are meant to appear in the final product.

Stuntmen do physically demanding or dangerous performances for the actor. They are meant to be in the final product but it should be carefully edited so you don't notice the swap. In MJ's case there are several examples, such as the Smooth Criminal videoclip for This Is It and plenty more in various other short films, or even think of the rocket man to end the Dangerous tour shows.



I didn't say it was E'Casanova on the Teaser, his name is Earnest Valentino. The profile you linked to seems to be a fake one, though.
This is him: https://www.facebook.com/EarnestValentino
No, it’s not Ernest Valentino. They are actually two different people. It is Valentino Johnson. Here’s a different profile from Valentino Johnson:


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