Miramichi family creates Justin Timberlake parody video for nanny's 90th
When Phyllis Lannan thought of how she'd be celebrating her 90th birthday, she likely didn't think she'd be performing in a Justin Timberlake parody music video. But some of her creative family members had another idea.
Erin Lannan said the concept for an unforgettable gift was sparked after watching Justin Timberlake's Can't Stop the Feeling video.
"It is shot in L.A., with different L.A. landmarks and it is just a bunch of regular-looking people dancing and having a good time," she said.
"It was not long before we were leaving Ottawa to go to New Brunswick to celebrate my grandmother's birthday and I thought this would be kind of cool for us regular people to do in front of some Miramichi landmarks and have some fun with it."
And so the idea for Can't Stop the Miramichi Feeling was born. An email was dispatched to all of the relatives who were planning to be in Miramichi for the 90th birthday party with a link to the video and instructions to get ready to dance.
Lannan said a few family members got on board immediately with the idea. For others, it took a bit of time to warm up and get their best Timberlake on.
Once the production started, they all came around and turned in original performances.
Over two and a half days, about a dozen family members hit many Miramichi landmarks and used their iPhones to capture the family performing their best "JT" dance moves.
"We tried to do a little replicating of the Justin Timberlake video but everybody has their own moves and their own style and I think that is what makes this an original," she said.
The family members scattered across the city and you can location spot the town square, French Fort Cove Nature Park, the Black Horse Tavern, Estey's Fish and Chips, the Morrissy Bridge and various other public places in the video.
This wasn't a surprise for Phyllis, who makes a couple quick cameos, often in the role of Timberlake.
In fact, Lannan said her grandmother's participation in making the parody music video was probably the highlight.
"I think my favourite moment would be that my grandmother was on board actually being in the video," Lannan said.
"I think she thought we were fools for putting it all together. She wasn't exactly sure what we were doing but once we had it pieced together and she had a look at it, she loved it."
While Phyllis isn't on Facebook to watch the video, the family has downloaded it on her iPad so she can watch it whenever she wants.
"It was such a cool way to capture that moment in time," her granddaughter said.
