Switch from punk to mellow makes Morristown singer happy camper

Filmmaker Christian Schuller and singer Diana Van Der Jagt at premiere of Diana's music video, 'Sunday Afternoon.' Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Filmmaker Christian Schuller and singer Diana Van Der Jagt at premiere of Diana's music video, 'Sunday Afternoon.' Photo by Kevin Coughlin
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Diana Van Der Jagt grew up blasting Blink 182 and the Alkaline Trio in her headphones.

But by the time she got to The New School, someone new had caught her ear:

Jack Johnson.

Filmmaker Christian Schuller and singer Diana Van Der Jagt at premiere of Diana's music video, 'Sunday Afternoon.' Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Filmmaker Christian Schuller and singer Diana Van Der Jagt at premiere of Diana’s music video, ‘Sunday Afternoon.’ Photo by Kevin Coughlin

Diana put down her electric guitar and started bringing an acoustic model to open mic nights. The result is songs like Sunday Afternoon, an original tune featured in the 27-year-old singer’s first music video.

“It’s so weird to have cameras in your face all day,” Diana recounted at last week’s video premiere, at Hops in Morristown. Yet she was pleased with the final production, by Morristown filmmaker Christian Schuller of Happy Camper Creative.

Diana Van Der Jagt
Diana Van Der Jagt

“He has such great ideas… I never would have imagined it would be so beautiful,” said Diana, a Warwick, N.Y., native who works for the Rainforest Alliance. She moved to Morristown five years ago.

“It came together really well. The visuals were very summery. The song is very ‘Sunday,'” said Christian.

The four-minute video took about a month to complete, he said. Outdoor scenes were shot in Hunterdon County, near the home of Christian’s friend, Jared Flesher.

FAN CLUB: Marisa Sweeney, Abby Ray and Jennifer Moschella at Diana Van Der Jagt music video premiere. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
FAN CLUB: Marisa Sweeney, Abby Ray and Jennifer Moschella at Diana Van Der Jagt music video premiere. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

They co-produced Sourlands,  a 2012 documentary about one of New Jersey’s last untouched forests.

Chris also is creative director for Bike and Walk Morristown, and his documentary Growtown Motown, about the Early Street Community Garden, was an award-winner in the MorristownGreen.com Film Festival. He is working with the nonprofit Peaceworks on a documentary about Nicaragua.

Now that she has a video, Diana is thinking ahead to her next music project, a CD. Stay tuned for more on that. In the meantime, you can see her perform locally this summer:

  • Wednesday, July 23, 2014 – HOPS Happy Hour: 6-9pm
  • Friday, Aug. 8 – HOPS: 9:30pm
  • Thursday, Aug. 14 – TASHMOO: 9:30pm
  • Wednesday, Aug. 20 – HOPS Happy Hour: 6-9pm
Fans watch Diana Van Der Jagt video, at Hops in Morristown. Photo courtesy of the artist.
Fans watch Diana Van Der Jagt video, at Hops in Morristown. Photo courtesy of the artist.

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