Elite? You BET it's local

Faces: Tommy Harris and Don Diego

When local musicians learn that Indy-based Elite Media produces video for BET in the Midwest region, they sometimes get intimidated. However, Tommy Harris and Don Diego, owners of the company, hope that their resume of working with artists such as Gucci Mane and Mike Epps motivates area artists to think big.

"We cover Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Louisville. We cover all the major events that go on and send them in to BET," Harris said. "Last year they used the footage that we did for Black Expo, and they used my Super Bowl footage from the celebration and parade."

While working as an executive production team for BET is a nice credential, Harris and Diego are most proud of the work they do with independent artists. Most recently, they shot the video for Nappyville's "Take 'Em Off."

Elite wants local artists to feel confident that they can put together a professional video that can be taken just as seriously as the majors.

"I've looked at things shot out of town, and when I get there, I realize it's no better than what we have at home. I want people to see that the talent is here, we just have to tap into it," said Diego, who has a 20-year background in photography.

Harris and Diego take their own style -- which Diego calls "organized confusion" -- and try to blend it with the artist's vision, for a happy medium.

"We are inspired by everything from horror movies to music videos. We take a little bit out of everything and all the elements go into how we shoot," Diego said.

"We listen to what they have to say, we hang with the artist for about a day, and try to capture what they were thinking in an artful way," Harris said.

Being artful and tasteful are key nowadays when trying to produce videos with any chance of making it on television. Long gone are the days when dancing, bikini-clad women were all that was needed for a music video.

"Women being shown disrespectfully is out of style. It needs to be done through art in a respectful matter," said Diego. "We don't like to shoot videos without meaning. We're trying to set our own path."

Catch the Elite Media team every Saturday night at the Vogue.

"Women being shown disrespect- fully is out of style. It needs to be done through art in a respectful matter." -- Don Diego, music video producer

- By L'Deana Brown / Indy.com correspondent