'The Guy Was So Good'

A month ago, Bruce Jones (25) witnessed something incredible: Michael Jackson, live on stage, rehearsing for his upcoming concerts in London. He worked for about two and a half months as a visual effects supervisor to put together graphics presentations for the concerts.

"He was on fire," Jones said. "He was back — if he was ever gone."

Jones' other work includes producing visual effects for three of the "Star Trek" television series and movies such as "Chicago," and "The Italian Job".

Ric Ellingson worked as a set photographer and videographer for the so-called THis Is It "Dome Project" — the high-tech, 3D production.

"He shot probably the last and best pictures that have ever been shot of Michael on set working with us," Jones said.

Their work included creating nine "heavy special effects-driven" segments for Jackson's concerts.

"We were asked to put together, in record time, some high-end concepts that would play in concert with Michael Jackson's performances."

Three of the pieces actually were short films to introduce the next songs in the set list. The films would give Michael and the dancers time to change costumes and were intended to be "fully entertaining" with a complete story line.

Jackson and Kenny Ortega were the concerts' co-creative directors.

"They would pass on their ideas to me, and it was my job to put them into a cohesive story, a sort of stand-alone piece leading up to and in some cases in conjunction with" the songs Jackson was performing.

"One of those pieces specifically highlighted Michael in a film noir-type setting. That was the last stuff ever shot, the last video to ever be shot for Michael."

Everything was shot in stereo to create a "full 3D effect," he added.

Jackson was intimately involved in the production and interested in every detail.

"He would pull me aside and say — because he was concerned about how good the 3D was — 'Now, it's going to come right out of the screen, right? Right out at us? Right over the audience?' I'd show him tests, and he'd love it."

At one point in the concert, Michael planned to strike a pose as characters "came raining out of the sky" above him . Jackson told him he wanted "angelic music" playing at that moment, and he sang a few notes to illustrate his vision. t wasn't Jones' first meeting with Michael, but it was the first time he'd heard him sing live.

"He sang like three notes. It brought chills to my spine. Here's a man at 50 years old — not that 50 is old — and he hit those three notes. What a brilliant performer and singer. For me to be sitting two feet away from him ... The guy was so good."

Jackson was innately talented, but he also worked hard to be great, Jones said.

"I was touched by his positive energy, his childlike delight at stuff we would show him, and his intensity for making it the best that it could ever possibly be. He always pushed the envelope. Look at any of the work he has done: It was always setting a bar."

Despite the star's incessant pursuit of excellence, Jones said Jackson was a gentle, sweet man and a good father. His three children often were present while Michael was working with Jones and the crew at Culver Studios in Culver City, Calif.

"I saw him deal with the same kind of things every dad deals with.

If they were asking questions, he would say, 'Now, listen, I'm trying to have a conversation with Bruce now. Wait a second. Can I get you juice? Let me get you a juice.' And he would insist on getting the juice himself."

As a photographer, Ellingson tried to be a "fly on the wall" to get candid shots of Jackson and the crew and tells there was a "good feeling" radiating from Michael Jackson.

"You don't expect somebody in that position to be so nice. That's what permeated the whole air: What a gentle spirit we were in the presence of. Just the feeling you got was what a kind-hearted fellow he was."

Once Ellingson caught Jackson and a group of dancers, all in heavy makeup and costumes, laughing at something someone had said.

"Then he really got going and bent over in laughter several times. He was in the moment interacting with everyone and having real fun. It was a natural, fleeting moment of hilarity just hanging with the guys."

Both Jones and Ellington were stunned when they learned about Michael Jackson's death.

"We were just so heartbroken," Jones said.

Ellingson's photos and the product Jones helped create now belong to concert promoter AEG Live. Jones said he doesn't know what will happen to the Dome Project.

"We're hoping it can be in some form put out there for people to see. It's all the concert promoters' decisions. I imagine they have a lot of issues they have to work through to make sure everything is still done in a very honorable way. We want to be very respectful to what Michael's wishes would have been."

Source: MJFC / Northwest Montana Daily