Remember Vimeo? 

Not the shell of itself that exists today, hocking screen recording tools to marketing teams and HR departments. But the Vimeo that music video directors used to care about. The Vimeo where a single Staff Pick meant tens of thousands of views, a wave of positive comments, and a one-way ticket to getting signed (and a year later dropped) by Partizan. 

But how did Vimeo go from the birthplace of Daniels, Mimi Cave, Isaac Ravishankara, and Hiro Murai to a mid-tier SaaS company that in over 20 years has never been profitable? That story can be pretty easily tracked by following the timeline of their CEOs and the top down decisions that led to their divestment from the filmmaker community that made them. 

Vimeo was founded in 2004 by Connected Ventures, the parent company of Busted Tees and CollegeHumor. And while Vimeo technically beat YouTube to market, and to HD video, it was no match for YouTube’s popularity and social impact. As two of the founders, Jake Lodwick and Josh Abramson said to Wired:

In 2006, Connected Ventures was bought by IAC, a holding company owned by billionaire Barry Diller. A media executive since the 1960s, Diller has a deep resume that includes starting Fox with Rupert Murdoch in 1984. When IAC acquired Connected Ventures, the prize was CollegeHumor - Vimeo was a throw in much like Big Shocker, the giant novelty foam finger sex joke that Diller quickly killed. 

Looking back on Vimeo’s early days, things were very cringe. They kept inaccurately claiming that they invented the “like” button. And for a while they were heavy contributors to the lip dub meme. An action that basically put them on the radar of the record labels and opened the lid to years of legal battles and DMCA takedowns.

Eventually, IAC saw enough value in Vimeo to instruct the founders plus their first official hire, Andrew Pile, to work on the site full time. Abramson exited almost immediately and started TeePublic, a direct ripoff of BustedTees. But Lodwick stuck around for a while until he was pretty publicly and dramatically fired. Luckily, Pile kept going, and the community trudged along thanks to product launches that legitimately centered their needs, building the foundation for what eventually became the Good Vimeo.

Eventually, IAC saw enough value in Vimeo to instruct the founders plus their first official hire, Andrew Pile, to work on the site full time. Abramson exited almost immediately and started TeePublic, a direct ripoff of BustedTees. But Lodwick stuck around for a while until he was pretty publicly and dramatically fired. Luckily, Pile kept going, and the community trudged along thanks to product launches that legitimately centered their needs, building the foundation for what eventually became the Good Vimeo. 

The creation of Staff Picks as a curatorial destination emerged from a product development. Vimeo was the first consumer platform to support HD video hosting. This launch drew professional filmmakers to the site, and led to the creation of the hand-curated Staff Picks channel and HD channel, which later merged into a single channel once HD video became the online standard.

But even though it was now owned by a billionaire, Vimeo never really outgrew its history as a side project, and cash was consistently an issue. They weren’t big enough to get real investment from Diller, but not small enough to kill off like the Big Shocker.

They also didn’t have a real CEO, which led to some suspect behavior. They banned gaming content in 2008, mostly because they couldn’t afford to host it. An early sign of their willingness to alienate rapidly growing communities on their platform to save a few bucks. In their blog post explaining the choice, the tone was weirdly defensive and antagonistic:

In January 2009, after unsuccessfully trying to sell Vimeo to Kodak for $10 million, IAC hired Dae Mellencamp as GM to run the site and determine its viability as a business. Finally Vimeo had an adult in the room. No more erratic blog posts dunking on gamers. Dae brought a sense of maturity and operational discipline to the company, and before the end of the year she was promoted to CEO.

While Vimeo’s whole deal was being “ad free,” that was always a little dishonest. It’s true Vimeo has never served video ads, but they’ve had display ads on the site from the beginning. And when Dae started, most of their revenue came from those ads. Vimeo Plus had already launched, but it mostly just subsidized hosting costs for power users. The margins were slim, and it was cheap by design to not scare the indie filmmaker hoes. But this made it more of a community-sustaining gesture than a growth engine.

So in 2011, we get Vimeo Pro, and for a moment it felt like she discovered the business model buried in the beloved side project. Pro was actually Vimeo’s first real attempt at entering the software as a service space. It had a community foundation, but technically it represented Vimeo’s earliest pivot into SaaS.

But IAC never really let Dae cook. Under her two years as CEO, Vimeo’s revenue grew from almost nothing to tens of millions of dollars, the monthly unique users from 9 million to 90 million, and the staff from 13 to 60. But for all its growth, Vimeo still wasn’t profitable.

By 2012, the whole internet was pivoting to video, and Vimeo aka “Hipster YouTube” was already there. It had a niche and voice in a market that everyone was rushing to, and all of the coolest new filmmakers on the internet were posting their videos there.

But the revenue growth wasn’t coming fast enough. YouTube was printing money under Google, and papa Barry wanted some of that cake. Enter Kerry Trainor, a former ad guy at AOL and Yahoo whose move to Vimeo was supposed to signal that they were serious about making “real revenue.” Would this finally be the CEO to turn this rowdy group of lip dubbers into a business?

But while Kerry had a proven understanding of content monetization, he didn’t have a filmmaking background. So in a somewhat ambiguous move, Dae stayed at Vimeo as President while Kerry became the CEO. As IAC put it at the time, “by uniting Kerry’s understanding of monetization and scale content businesses with Dae’s keen product and community sensibility, I’m confident Vimeo’s growth will accelerate.” It’s at the point that we enter into the era I like to call, “The Vimeo CEO Falloff.”

The first idea that emerged from Kerry and Dae’s co-leadership was Vimeo OnDemand in 2013. A transactional service (rather than a subscription model like Netflix), it marked Vimeo’s first serious attempt to monetize the viewer, not just the creator. A fundamental shift in strategy. But the vision and execution was clunky.

Vimeo had spent years cultivating an ad-free ethos, wearing it like a badge of honor. But that idealism came at a cost: no built-in revenue stream to share with creators. YouTube, by contrast, offered uploaders the option to monetize their videos with ads, or not. Most monetized, because the upside is real. Vimeo, refusing in-video ads entirely, had no equivalent engine. VOD was their attempt to fill that void.

VOD launched at SXSW with an exclusive rental of It's Such a Beautiful Day. It was a savvy, street cred driven move heavily rooted in the Vimeo community. But despite the Don Hertzfeldt co-sign, the product never clicked with Vimeo’s users.

While a better monetization option than the ill-conceived Tip Jar, the VOD catalog was fragmented, discovery was weak, and creators were expected to drive their own marketing. Without an engaged viewer base willing to pay for one-off short film rentals, very few creators saw success on the platform. It was a noble attempt to build an ethical business around independent film, but in practice, no one other than Naked Yoga was making any money off it, including Vimeo.

Vimeo’s refusal to adopt pre-roll ads — which was a proven, scalable monetization model for their market — not only made revenue a challenge. It also made it impossible to play ball with the record labels, which was becoming a bigger issue.

By 2014, Vimeo’s most important, high profile community was music video directors and production companies. These weren’t SVA students making their final thesis, these were working professionals that relied on Vimeo for their livelihood and were the lifeblood of the platform. And basically every single one of them got hung out to dry by Vimeo in a massive DMCA avalanche. 

In March of 2014, directors including Daniels, David Wilson, Vincent Haycock, Diane Martel, Frank Borin, Isaiah Seret, Isaac Rentz, Josh Forbes, and Joseph Kahn all started tweeting that their videos had been removed by Vimeo due to DMCA claims. Production companies Somesuch and Good Company soon joined in. Some of these folks were given three strikes all at once, and had their entire account deleted overnight. It basically turned half the websites in the industry into one giant Vimeo error.

These were the actual directors and companies behind the videos, being treated like some common lip dubber.

Rather than having the music video director’s backs, Vimeo hid behind safe harbor laws. They complied with the takedown requests and put the responsibility on the directors to slug it out with the labels. Some of the higher profile directors got carve outs in their contract to allow for Vimeo posting, other directors filed counter notifications that went uncontested and led to reinstatement. But most of the videos were gone forever, and some of the strikes still linger on the director accounts. The writing was on the wall that music videos would soon go the way of gaming content on Vimeo. 

Vimeo continued to bet on Transactional Vimeo OnDemand, while hinting at the potential of a subscription channel to compete with the big dogs like Netflix and Hulu. Although most of the homegrown Vimeo content wasn’t translating to VOD, they hoped something with more film and TV sensibilities could work. So Vimeo took an enormous bet on High Maintenance, a comedy web series originally posted to Vimeo. Vimeo funded a full season of the show, and heavily marketed it. They literally wrapped New York City busses with the Guy’s giant head. Making the show the literal poster child for Vimeo’s new product. Only to have the creators immediately abandon them and the TVOD model for HBO the first chance they got.

Eventually, Dae quietly left as Kerry continued to pursue the on demand strategy. While losing High Maintenance to HBO was embarrassing, it reinforced Vimeo’s talent for curation. Unfortunately, they never really attempted to utilize it for VOD. Rather than to try to find another High Maintenance, Vimeo started licensing content for VOD that they thought had a built in audience. There was Da Sweet Blood of Jesus, a Spike Lee joint with a 48% on Rotten Tomatoes. An extremely sexist Jake and Amir show called Lonely and Horny. And of course, everyone’s favorite, SMOSH: The Movie.

Everything flopped. Nothing was hitting. Vimeo’s revenue had ballooned to $75 million but it still wasn’t profitable. And IAC started to lose trust. Slowly, more senior level staff started leaving the company. After Dae came Pile. Then Head of Curation Jordan McGarry. Followed by SVP of Product Sox Hong. And finally, in June 2016, Kerry announced he was leaving, too.

IAC CEO Joey Levin directly took control of Vimeo and continued to chase the VOD dream. They laid off a chunk of staff, including most of the strongest cultural defenders of the Vimeo brand, like Head of Production Andrea Allen. Joey announced a plan to spend “tens of millions of dollars” on original content. A comically small amount of money to drive an SVOD channel, especially compared to Netflix’s content budget at the time. That wasn’t even enough for a single squid game.

Vimeo spent years fighting a losing battle with YouTube, only to pivot to Netflix and lose before the fight even started.

It was at this point Vimeo decided to get out of the filmmaker business entirely. Maybe video isn’t art after all, maybe it’s just a service they thought. While most of the company was caught up in the VOD hype cycle, Head of Marketing Anjali Sud had been focused on a skunkworks project called Vimeo Business. A subscription tier so expensive, it was no longer aimed at the filmmaking community, but instead the business community. Very few freelance filmmakers could afford the $600 price tag, but if that’s just a line on a marketing budget it doesn’t look so bad.

Right as Vimeo was about to go live with SVOD, Anjali proposed an alternative plan to IAC. Pivot hard to SaaS.  

IAC was convinced. They made Anjali CEO, scrapped the SVOD plan completely, and did their second round of layoffs in a year.

But what did that mean, really? We all saw the homepage change. We all saw Staff Picks transform into a slop bucket full of commercials and branded content. But who is using Vimeo now and what are they using it for? Who is their market?

Training videos. Internal comms. Product demos. Sales enablement decks dressed up as product walkthroughs. Onboarding videos that autoplay in full-screen the moment a new hire logs into their corporate portal. Investor sizzle reels with royalty-free synth pop and drone shots of glass buildings. Virtual town halls for companies that wanted the illusion of culture without the overhead of interaction. All hidden behind white-labeled players or tucked into internal Slack threads. This wasn’t about building a community anymore, it was about charging companies to upload things their customers would never know were on Vimeo.

Like music video directors in 2013, filmmakers from all industries could tell they were being left behind. It wasn’t just that Vimeo pivoted, they did it while still co-opting the image of a filmmaker platform. Instead of clearly communicating the shift from creator platform to SaaS utility, Vimeo tried to wear both skins. They kept the Staff Picks going (barely), kept the filmmaker-friendly language on their homepage, and kept mining the glory days for PR.

Initially, this pivot was successful and Anjali got a ton of glowing press. The Forbes article quoted from above is called “How A Young Outsider Turned Failing Vimeo Into A Billion-Dollar Company.” They remained unprofitable, but revenue exploded. They raised a ton of investment money in preparation to spin out into their own publicly traded company. IAC’s 11th spinout to date. 

Vimeo went public in 2021 and immediately started bleeding cash. The stock dropped 90% in 12 months. The press shifted from puff pieces to articles called “What Went Wrong With Vimeo?”

What went wrong is that the special sauce at Vimeo has always been the organic community that developed despite the erratic ownership and business decisions. And their Covid-era SaaS numbers were inflated by a temporary demand for employee onboarding videos. 

In January 2023, Vimeo laid off 11% of its employees. In August 2023, Anjali Sud stepped down from the role of CEO. She is now the CEO of Tubi. Today, Vimeo is headed by Philip Moyer, a former Google Cloud exec with an AI background. Vimeo has pivoted again, this time to AI.

Currently, the AI tools are focused on supporting their SaaS business. Per Axios, “Vimeo has been experimenting with adding AI features that can learn and replicate a creator's storytelling and on-camera personas to generate everything from custom client-facing video messages to scenes in documentaries and films.”

So far, there’s been no official statement about a pivot to licensing data, but Vimeo isn’t going to regain its footing with AI productivity tools.

Most generative AI is trained on garbage. Stock footage. Public domain. Weird porn. Vimeo spent over 15 years building a richly human-curated archive of video content. Now that same archive is sitting there, perfectly labeled, ready to be scraped and fed into generative AI models.

Every Staff Pick has editorial metadata attached: title, description, genre, keywords, director names, the type of camera used, often even visual styles called out. Playlists, categories, all with hand-written, user entered blurbs, not machine-generated tags. It may be the most valuable dataset for generative AI video that exists online. If you still have your content on Vimeo right now you should just expect it to eventually end up in an LLM.

This is not just based on speculation either. Last year, Vimeo’s former parent company IAC closed a deal with OpenAI to license their content for AI training. Here’s Joey talking more about it.

While IAC no longer owns Vimeo, they set the course and the direction of the company from 2006 to 2021. It’s easy to imagine a not-so-distant future where Vimeo’s library — uploaded lovingly by indie creators — gets scraped, sorted, and sold to train some generative video model that will one day pump out fake Hiro Murai lookalikes on demand.

So back up your videos. Rip the embeds. Save the comments. Then nuke it all. Because at this point there isn’t much left to pivot to. 

I don’t think anyone sees a list that features Maroon 5, Charlie Puth, and OneRepublic and says, “this is when our culture peaked.” What this list represents is a time capsule of an era when music videos were the priority content on YouTube. This isn’t a greatest hits list, it’s a sediment layer. A fossil record of Vevo-era homepage takeovers and autoplay momentum, preserved by an algorithm that has moved on to UGC. 

The turning point was 2018 - the year YouTube relaunched YouTube Music, restructured its deal with Vevo, and quietly dismantled the infrastructure that the industry was built on. 

Before that, Vevo was the closest thing to a premium layer YouTube ever had. Dedicated players. Curated launches. Actual editorial. A sense that music videos were an event, not just another upload. 

Launched as a joint venture between the major labels in 2009, Vevo’s goal was to license and monetize official music videos on YouTube and other platforms. Labels had control over ad sales, curation, and branding while still riding YouTube’s scale. Initially, Vevo only monetized official, high-production-value music videos and rarely featured live performances, lyric videos, or BTS content. That exclusivity gave the format a kind of cultural weight, and also brought online a lot of legacy videos that were lost to the MTV-era. 

Vevo quickly became synonyms with music videos online, and was the most popular music website in the US just a few months after launch. Although it wasn’t the home for all music videos, and sometimes that stood out. From the Verge in 2012:

In late 2014, YouTube introduced autoplay, which significantly increased views on music videos, while also pivoting away from Vevo’s curation model. Despite this rapid and continued growth, by 2016, the relationship between YouTube and the labels was tense. Vevo wasn’t profitable, and the labels felt like they weren’t getting a fair share from YouTube streams. According to Midia research, while “YouTube music streams increased by 127% in 2015, ad supported music industry revenue only increased by 11%.”

YouTube was paying billions of dollars to the music industry, but it was still far behind platforms like Spotify, which labels called the YouTube “value gap.” In response, YouTube tried to find creative ways to cut labels in on additional ad revenue. While initially only monetizing official music videos, YouTube eventually started using their content ID system to find videos using licensed music, and would allow the labels to monetize other user’s content if it used their song. By 2016, YouTube had paid out over $2 billion to labels through the content ID system alone. 

The thing about YouTube views is it is an entirely fake metic. YouTube doesn’t just measure views, it defines them. There’s no third-party audit, no transparent accounting. One tweak to autoplay, one shift in how recommendations are served, and suddenly a video gains millions. Is a view counted when someone finishes a video? Or every time someone starts a video? That’s entirely up to YouTube. 

YouTube and Vevo kept pumping more and more views into music videos, breaking view records faster and faster each year. Luis Fonsi ft. Daddy Yankee "Despacito" was released in January 2017, and by August it was already the most viewed video on the platform. The view pumping had reached a peak, but YouTube was still paying significantly less per stream than its competitors. 

By 2018, YouTube accounted for nearly 50% of all music streams, but only 7% of music industry revenue. That value gap - billions of streams earning fractions of pennies - wasn’t just frustrating, it was insulting. Labels watched vinyl bring in more money than their most-watched videos. They weren’t just annoyed. They were preparing an exit.

In January 2018, YouTube reported that 70% of what people watched on the platform was recommended by their algorithm. Users were no longer in control of their video consumption, YouTube was. Lyor Cohen, YouTube’s Global Head of Music, and former artist manager slash label exec, began shifting his messaging away from traditional music videos. This coincided with YouTube's strategic pivot toward a hybrid revenue model that featured subscriptions, advertising, and UGC. 

Later that year, at a keynote at SXSW, Cohen discussed YouTube’s plans to launch a new music subscription service, YouTube Music; highlighted the integration of Google's recommendation algorithms; and hammered the importance of both ad-supported and subscription-based revenue streams. 

Vevo had always felt like a temporary solution that was trying too hard, and no one was happy with it. So the stage was set to kill it off, along with the music video industry as we knew it. 

For YouTube, they wanted something scalable. Vevo was a holdover from when labels had leverage. Killing it allowed YouTube to own the full monetization stack: inventory, distribution, ad sales, UX, and metrics. 

The labels were looking for predictable payouts. Vevo’s flash didn’t translate into dependable revenue, but YouTube’s new hybrid model promised it would. So they traded cultural impact for quarterly consistency. It was fine to deemphasize music videos and treat them the same as any of the other slop content hosted on YouTube. They just needed the line to go up. 

The same year, YouTube and the labels restructure their deal, folding music videos into the new hybrid monetization system. Vevo shut down their standalone website and apps. Music videos got integrated into artist channels, making it harder to distinguish official music videos from lyric videos, vlogs, and other artist content. 

Cohen ended his year like he always does, recapping YouTube’s payments to the music industry, strategic initiatives, and future goals in an open letter. This time, he featured a conversation with music video director Karena Evans. Praising music videos and the humans behind them from one side of his mouth, while orchestrating the gutting of the industry from the other.

So where do we go from here? If you ask Lyor Cohen, the answer kind of sucks. In March 2025, he was asked the long term future of music videos on YouTube, and this is what he said:

This reply went from good, to bad, to terrible in like 2 seconds. The fact that any human-created music video gets made in 2025 is a miracle. YouTube’s Global Head of Music has been actively undermining them since joining the company in 2016. Cohen’s background in the music industry was supposed to signal that YouTube was serious about nurturing the relationship between YouTube and the labels. But the idea that generative AI is going to improve the quality of visual story telling is the most unserious answer he could have given. Especially for an art form that often relies heavily on the physical presence of a musician. Someone to look cool, or hot, or weird, or even just alive while performing the song. 

Music videos have never lost cultural relevance, they have only lost structural support. What used to be the centerpiece of an album campaign became nothing more than a costly line item. And yet, they keep getting made. Despite powerful people fighting against them, they still break through and move culture forward. While the days of the 8 billion view music video may be over, videos are still setting records for vitality and view counts. Just this year, “APT.” by Bruno Mars and Rosé broke the record, previously held by "Gangnam Style," for fastest K-pop video to reach a billion views. 

Music videos have always been the most effective tool for artist development, longevity, and audience building. They’re the only way for an artist to truly contextualize their music online, before TikTok get’s their hands on it and reduces it to a meme. They will continue to break records, drive culture, and dominate YouTube far longer than Lyor Cohen will. Or as Bruno Mars would say, don’t believe me just watch!

Hello everyone out there in Music Video Land! 

Is it just me or were there a lot of sick ass music videos in April? I did my best to list them all but honestly there were a few cool ones I had to leave off because the length of this list was getting intense. I also included a couple videos I hated to prove I watched everything all the way through. These are just my personal opinions and not the opinions of my employer or best friends.

When I first saw frames from this video circulating I was worried it was going to be boring. But the subtleties in the style, movement, and atmosphere really elevate this into something spacial and a worthy counter balance to the bigger, in your face videos from GNX. Director Karena Evans feels in full control of every move Kendrick and SZA make, and is a brilliant choice to direct one of the more timeless tracks from the album. Although, it’s hard not to see some subtext with the decision, noting that Karena burst onto the scene in 2018 after being hand picked to direct a million Drake videos.

The Hives are a garage band from Fagersta, Sweden that I’d never heard of until yesterday but don’t care because this video rips. It’s the perfect amount of tongue-in-cheek self indulgence mixed with physical comedy and weird violence. The lead signer gives a spirited star performance, but it’s the integration of the rest of the band that is especially satisfying. Very dialed in direction and amazing detail that the guy wears the boxing gloves throughout the whole video.

On paper this is a standard performance video on a cyc with minimalist art department and styling. But directors Claudia Calderón and Joshua Rivera get maximum value from all of these elements. Every few seconds it feels like we get some new trick or fun camera gag, but it never gets in the way of Young Miko’s incredible performance. Extremely precise and entertaining video while keeping on brand for the artist and genre. Long live the high concept, high energy, white cyc performance video.

I can’t tell if I’m just millennial brained but these old goofballs still have the juice. OK Go videos are a genre of their own and every time a new one drops I convince myself it’s gonna flop, and then it literally never does. This is the type of idea that only makes sense as a music video and has no other logical application, and if not for the art form just simply would not exist. It’s the most rewatchable thing I’ve seen all year and really hope these dudes never stop getting brands to fund their wacky ambitious music videos.

There are few directors with the level of name recognition that Bradly & Pablo have that actually deserve it, but these guys are the true extension of the music video golden era of the early 2010s. If not for these two, all the high profile videos would go to directors named Aiden. This may be the most restrained we’ve seen B&P, but their fingerprints are still all over this, and the music video community is lucky folks like Bradly & Pablo, the producer Jason Baum, and the DP Larkin Seiple are still willing to break their backs to elevate this art form.

The last band I thought would have a video on this list is OneRepublic. Their music feels like it’s designed to be played in a Target, and their work doesn’t usually offer much emotional depth or complexity. They don’t want to challenge you, they just wanna be safe for a retail environment. They also usually play it pretty down the middle and don’t often get very weird. Even their more comedic videos read like the Will Ferrell Paypal ads. That’s why I was so caught off guard by the charm and silliness of this video. I guess it’s from the soundtrack of a Manga series, but as someone who came to this fully cold as a music video consumer, it brought me a lot of joy.

We’ve seen several “breaks the 4th wall” videos in 2025, but what makes this one stand out is that Coco Jones is an actual TV star. It’s her background in this world that not only give context to the concept, but it also is a vehicle for her to showcase the comedic skills and timing that she developed through years in front of the camera. The steady hand and experience of director Sebas Coto helps maintain a level of class and sophistication that feels rooted in classic R&B, while seamlessly weaving in the comedy and fun without being too heavy handed with any of it.

One of the most difficult things about making a video for artists at this level is integrating the production process into their lifestyle. You have to be adaptable and extremely quick on your feet to maintain a plan and keep everyone motivated. You can feel that in this video, where there is a sense that the production team is doing everything they can do to keep up with artists that are notoriously impossible to pin down. But they do so without sacrificing artistry and the manage to treat Young Thug’s first single since being released from prison with the significance and importance that the moment deserves. I can’t believe they pulled this off.

This video is kind of a slow burn at first, especially when you’re speed running through April trying to watch as many videos as you can in one night. What initially may come off as a bunch of friends making a run and gun video, suddenly twists into a beautiful, stylize, springtime classic. It never loses the organic, friends-shooting-a-video-on-the-weekend energy, but the cinematography, color grade, and location choices all feel really inspired. Big time sleeper hit for April. 

This video manages to pull off the impossible where the outrageous physical comedy is legitimately funny, but they still maintain enough of the hot girlie star moments to make it a pop banger. Charlotte Rutherford has owned this lane in photography for years, but at this point she’s a fully realized directorial force as well. She’s one of the most sharp witted and stylistically locked in directors working, and she seems to have just enough online brain rot to keep setting the trends. 

Very much in the same world esthetically and tonally is “Malibu Pier” by The Living Tombstone. A band that predominately lives online, they require a video that understands online culture enough to exist in their world. But as only their second live action video to date, they need something that can bring them into the physical form in a way that will help their online presence translate to their live shows. Enter Danin Jacquay aka Deathcats, a director with enough context and reverence for this band, but with enough of her own voice and style to help bridge their physical forms into their own cinematic universe. 

Just making the cut for the end of April was “Gnarly” by KATSEYE. This is such a wild girl group I am still kinda wrapping my head around it. It’s like as if a copy of a copy of a copy somehow turned out better than the original. They are an LA-based act with artists from the Philippines, South Korea, Switzerland, and the United States. They’re US based, but very K-Pop coded, which itself is extremely influenced by US pop culture. The video itself draws from all the right elements of the genres and aesthetics that the band is influenced by, and the fusion absolutely works. This is the future the libs want and it’s gnarly.

There is a part in this video where a CG version of OT7 Quanny in a MAGA hat gets on a private jet with skinny Donald Tru*p. And even with that context, the most offensive thing about this video is the style and quality of the animation. It’s like they tried to replicated the look of AI with the computing power of a Sony Gamecube.

If you are curious why some Gen-z boys are turning MAGA, watching these two fail sons ride misogyny and cultural appropriation to a million YouTube views should help you understand.

Folks, it's May 2024, and let me tell you, the music video industry is facing some tough times. Some people said we couldn't find enough great music videos to make a top 10 list. They said maybe five, if we're lucky. But guess what? We found ten. Ten incredible music videos, the best you've ever seen. Believe me, they’re fantastic. From huge stars to up-and-comers, these artists have delivered some of the most creative, most stunning visuals ever. So, sit back and enjoy as we take you through the top 10 music videos of May 2024.

Folks, it's so important to recognize when a big-name artist spends a lot of money on a weird concept. They could have just let Megan and the dancers carry the show with a simple performance video. But no, they went for something bigger, something more interesting. And that, my friends, deserves to be celebrated. However, we have to be honest, it takes more than a minute for the song to actually start. And those kids in the video? They just don't hold your attention long enough to justify that wait. Who are these people? Why so much build up?

Folks, this is the first of many K-Pop videos on the list. We've seen the concept before, believe me. You take rich and famous musicians and put them in heavily stylized blue-collar jobs. You’ve seen it a thousand times. But let me tell you, the flawless group choreography and the energetic camera movement really elevate it. It feels fresh, it feels new. But, when you compare it to the other K-Pop videos on this list, it does feel a bit one note. Still great, but we've got some tough competition here, folks. 

Folks, let me tell you, a big trend in K-Pop videos right now is excess. They love their excess! Every new video tries to outdo the last with bigger and bigger performance setups. And this video has plenty of those, believe me. But what really stands out are some of the simpler moments. Like when Cocona, one of the group members, shaves her head mid-video. Incredible, right? And there’s also some weird reimagining of American cultural imagery, like burning football helmets. Very interesting stuff, folks. 

Let me tell you about this fantastic director, Andrew Thomas Huang. He's incredible, just incredible. Now, on paper, this idea seems simple, right? Just an artist performing in front of rear projection. But in practice, let me tell you, this guy maxes out his tools and resources like nobody else. You look at what he’s been doing for over a decade. People call him a music video legend. A true legend, folks. His bag is incredibly deep. We're talking about the king of VFX-heavy masterpieces, like Bjork's “Mutual Core” and FKA Twigs “Cellophane.” Just fantastic work. But let me tell you, he has plenty of more restrained work that goes just as hard. Tremendous talent. 

Let me tell you something, folks. If you're a US-based record label and you're annoyed by all the K-Pop on this list, well, you only have yourself to blame. You're getting beat at your own game, and it's not even close. It's like there's an actual music video industry in Korea, a tremendous industry, where in the US, we're just getting TikTok leftovers. It's a disgrace. The K-Pop music, it's still too formulaic on its own, folks, but when you combine it with these amazing videos, you see how they work the formula into something exciting, something really special. And let me tell you, Director Rima Yoon, fantastic, deserves a lot of credit. She brings all these elements together, and she creates a video that starts big and keeps building. Rima Yoon, she edited the video too. Tremendous job, really. 

Let me tell you about this video, folks. It's a very silly video, but in all the best ways, believe me. If you're a music video director or just a creative person, you're the target audience, no doubt about it. Now, it features James Blake, a talented guy, being forced to make this #content to stay relevant. It’s unbelievable what they put this guy through. But what's really fun, folks, is the custom camera rig they used. It gives this distorted POV that's super weird to look at, in fact it might make you a little sick. As the Brits would say, "Nice one, James Blake. Good on you." 

Namahsis is a Palestinian Canadian pop singer from Toronto, Ontario, and her latest video was shot in her hometown of Jericho, Palestine and and features her family. There is a lot of important art being made right now in support of Palestine, including this Kehlani video, and all of this work deserves to be shared at this moment. But the simplicity of this video in its depiction of daily life in Jericho made it especially powerful. 

This is how you build tension, ladies and gentlemen, let me tell you. Orville Peck, Noah Cyrus, both tremendous. But also very theatrical. Very, very theatrical. And this video, every frame is highly staged, highly stylized. But the emotions, they work. It’s very emotionally effective, and the attraction, the chemistry, it all feels extremely authentic. If you told me everyone involved in this video, from the cast to the crew, at some point fell in love with François Arnaud I would very much believe you. Very inspired casting, folks. 

Folks, let me tell you about RM, the leader of the boy band BTS. Tremendous talent, absolutely fantastic. He released multiple great videos this month, really great, but this one? This is definitely the best. It's the most subversive of all the K-Pop videos on the list, and it's also the best song from the genre. Incredible, really. It integrates all the techniques together so effectively, it's breaking a lot of new ground creatively, folks. A lot of the setups feel new, not just bigger versions of what we've seen before. Very innovative. And let me tell you, it features a shot of a guy dumping one of those big jugs of water on his head, which is something I've always wanted to do. Tremendous video, just tremendous. 

The greatest music video director of our generation made another great video with his most frequent long-time collaborator. We can pretty much just leave it there with this one, folks.

Last month, The Guardian published an article, written by Michael Cragg, asking if TikTok killed the music video. While we’re glad the normies in the mainstream media are covering videos in this way, we struggle with the framing since obviously music videos never die. But we also think it puts too much blame on TikTok and not enough on YouTube. So we decided to write this companion piece, that adds context to some of the claims and fact checks a few errors.

Cragg begins talking about how much the music industry loves stats. After listing off a few billion view videos, he claims that “music video viewership has plummeted, Beyoncé and Drake have stopped releasing videos altogether, and pop’s A-list are struggling to make a dent on a platform they previously dominated.”

First of all, Drake has released multiple official videos in the past several months which would have been a very easy thing to double check before putting it in the actual newspaper. 

Cragg then moves into a section about how Dua Lipa, Ariana Grande, and Taylor Swift haven’t had any billion view videos in a while. For an article that’s as metics-brained as this one is, it cherry picks data points and doesn’t give context to the numbers. It’s true music video views are down, but the article assumes it’s due to some conscious choice by viewers, rather than the decisions of the video platforms to prioritize user (or AI) generated engagement bait over highly produced content like music videos. The view count on YouTube isn’t a reflection of user preference, but a reflection of content currently being prioritized by tech companies. The Guardian sees YouTube push out more slop and concludes people just really love slop these days.

The reason for YouTube’s push to slop is mostly due to their relationship with Vevo, the music video streaming platform owned by the major labels. Most of the videos you see on YouTube are there through a licensing deal, which gives the labels a much larger share of the ad revenue than your average uploader. The original agreement gave the labels exclusive control over the ad sales on music videos, meaning as a business Vevo was mostly sales people. Because of that, YouTube’s main way to grow their music video revenue was to push more and more traffic to music videos.

By 2017, Vevo was still not profitable, despite growing at a 30% rate and earning $650 million in revenue, almost completely though ad rev share on their 300 billion YouTube views from that year. At the same time, YouTube was in the process of launching YouTube Music, which created leverage and allowed them to restructure their deal with Vevo. This gave YouTube’s sales team access to the music video product for the first time, and effectively ended Vevo as we knew it. The new deal created a much better financial splits for YouTube, and opened up additional ways to monetize music content on it’s platform.

Suddenly, YouTube didn’t need to pump so many views to music videos to earn the same money. This is way you see the number of billion view videos grow steadily through 2018 and then fall completely off a cliff.

Like all platforms, YouTube just inflates the numbers of whatever content helps their bottom line. It was in their interest to drive traffic to music videos, and then they cut a better deal to make more money from less views. Highly produced content like music videos then got hit with a second wave, as Covid accelerated the push to the creator economy, and now the whole world needs to upload content to YouTube to survive, not just musicians.

In order to pull music videos back from where they are now, we want more outlets like The Guardian covering them. But the coverage needs to be accurate, and it can’t let the most responsible platforms off the hook. If anyone is killing music videos, it’s the YouTube salesforce, and it’s about time we start calling it for what it is. 

This post was originally published on MVND.co.

Last month, YouTube put out a list that claimed to show the "top trending" music videos of 2021. We're here to tell you that this list is a hoax. 

Not only does it omit several of the most watched videos of the year, it's not even ordered based on view count. Say what?! Yes.

Here is the actual list of the most watched music videos from 2021:

And here is YouTube's bogus list:

1 Back In Blood Artist Pooh Shiesty Director Jerry PHD 466.1M views 2 Save Your Tears Artist The Weeknd Director Cliqua 2.3B views 3 Montero (Call Me By Your Name) Artist Lil Nas X Directors Tanu Muino, Lil Nas X 640.6M views 4 RAPSTAR Artist Polo G Director Arrad 277.8M views 5 EVERY CHANCE I GET Artist DJ Khaled Director Joseph Kahn 258.1M views 6 Outside Artist Mo3 Director Prophecy 210.8M views 7 Leave the Door Open Artist Silk Sonic Directors Bruno Mars, Florent Dechard 968.4M views 8 Up Artist Cardi B Director Tanu Muino 336.7M views 9 Drivers License Artist Olivia Rodrigo Director Matthew Dillon Cohen 639.6M views 10 Street Runner Artist Rod Wave Directors Rod Wave, Yawn Rico 337.7M views

We're not sure why more people aren't talking about this major conspiracy in the world of music video view counts, and we're damn not sure what YouTube is trying to pull, but either way we're blowing the lid off of the whole charade! 

YouTube tries to hide behind a loophole, claiming these are the "top trending" videos of the year and not the "most popular," but no one asked for a pretend metric that YouTube invented. It's undemocratic and unAmerican and we're calling on the music video community to publicly denounce this list as a lie. 

Send us a tip if you have a theory about why YouTube lied to the whole ass internet. And for anyone who is outranged, especially any musicians who were unfairly left off the YouTube list, we made you this very funny custom meme to share. 

Hello out there in music video land.  I don’t want you to think I’m getting lazy or that I’m sleeping on my responsibilities to the faithful followers of my annual blog.  But, I really had a hard time doing most things this year, let alone getting to ten videos on this list... and I’m not gonna start gerrymandering my standards so I present to you, my top FIVE of 2021.

Some people are gonna give me flack because this is technically a “live” performance video for an awards show.  But, it’s the coolest thing I’ve seen all year.  Year after year, my picks do seem to represent a greater body of work and I have to acknowledge Abel’s ability to continue push us into brand new worlds time and time again.  This one from Cliqua and this from Hajime Sorayama in particular deserve some praise.

A new Gavras video is always a global event. But, is this a global warming parable ala Waterworld? What happened to everyone’s eyes?!? Romain or Greta— please tell me what to do, I don’t want swirly marbles for eyes! And don’t tell me it was the mRNA! [Editor’s Note: Global warming is real and mRNA vaccines saved millions of lives]

Vania and Gal always leave me speechless. They can paint me like one of their French girls anytime. (and yes, the door was definitely big enough Rose)

I’m still mad that I didn’t personally come up with the punny scenario of having Phoebe Waller-Bridge do a Phoebe Bridgers video. So I’ll settle with Phoebe Waller-Bridge dancing with Harry Styles. When does Harry get knighted so we can call him Sir Styles?

Speaking of knights, Paul McCartney is an international treasure. Do yourself a favor and check out McCartney 3,2,1 or The Beatles: Get Back and tell me otherwise. Peter Jackson might have put us in the room with the fab four, but Andrew Donoho took us back to what Beatlemania felt like. Just chuffed to see Paul move like that in 2021. But for the end, it was really a missed opportunity for Tom Cruise to be underneath the Beck mask (like this, but also like this). Don’t tell other artists about deepfake tech or else they’ll never show up on set again!

Honorable Mention: All of 2020 and into 2021, I was looking for the perfect pop cultural milestone to sum up this time that we all want to forget. This film is that and I’d almost go as far to say it makes the pandemic worth it-- just so we can get this incredible piece of musical genius. [Editor’s Note: the pandemic will probably never have been “worth it”] Get your hands up and get on out of your seat!

Welp that’s 2021! I’m very much looking forward to 2022 as it’s the tenth anniversary of the best year for music videos since the turn of the millennium. Catch up on that here. It was like 1999 (party over, oops, out of time!)

What is left to be said about 2020? Literally nothing. I thought about bowing out this year, but I just needed you to know that despite all the frustrating heartbreaking chaos in the world, these videos exist and leave us all with something to aspire toward creating.

Much of my reluctance to participate was based on the fact that it still doesn’t seem like the best time to be making jokes. While I love sharing my favorite music videos of the year, the joy I get out of this list is thinking about the quips and witticisms that at least make me chuckle. I take this so seriously that I even had a dream one night about this year’s posting!

Speaking of nightmares— to sleep better, I have paired every music video on the list this year with a charity. It sounds pretty silly or trivializing, but I urge you to pick your favorite video on the list and donate to the charity I have chosen to complement it. Whatever amount you feel comfortable with. (Disclaimer: I promise that I did my best to research each charity here) Washing my hands and away we go...

Yoann sees his music like no one else can. Wear a mask because black lung can lead to hyperventilation in this case. [Donate]

I like to think of myself as a man of discerning taste. One of which a big pop video like this wouldn’t normally make the list. But, the ending was a real swift kick to the groin of my male privilege. [Donate]

I’ve been through the snow on a horse with no name, it felt good to be out of the rain… While I don’t think that mask is CDC approved, you gotta respect Orville for being one of those people that wear face coverings despite no one being around for 600,000 feet. No guts, no glory, with panDADmic jokes here. [Donate]

When the coronavirus reared its spike protein head, it seemed like the world could only expect the next genius stock footage masterpiece from Vania and Gal. However, they left that accolade to Stylewar and Keith Schofield (to an extent). Always one to awe visually and mind blow technologically, they delivered this socially distant piece of abstract weird poetry when we needed it most. [Donate]

Covid 19 continues to aerosolize this list. I don’t know very many directors that can be dealt a stay at home order and still make an amazing video. But, that’s what Erin Murray did. This isn’t an asterisk “Best Zoom Video” slot, it’s really one of the most impressive videos of the year. [Donate]

I don’t really know what is happening in this video and I’m perfectly fine with that. [Donate]

While this is similar to Zhang + Knight’s video for Eden last year, I feel like they took their James Turrell sherbet aesthetic one step deeper here. (side note: James Turrell sherbet really should be a flavor at Mashti Malone's) It's hard not to fawn over every gorgeous detail in this. But, maybe one day we all can be inside one of those Instagram pop up traps again and it could look like this? [Donate]

It really makes you think about the types of people you meet on Hollywood Blvd. [Donate]

If ICE saw this video, they probably would have said something to the effect of "mission accomplished". If that joke disturbed you and/or made you laugh, definitely go and… [Donate]

For the 10th spot, I am kinda awarding it to all of the Weeknd videos and live performances. He created such a distinct world and I loved every bit of it. So praise to Anton Tammi, Alex Lill, Cliqua, Arthell Isom, but I’m moving a-head with this jam [Donate]

We know this about Hiro Murai. He doesn’t create music videos, but expansive galaxies and universes. Hence why this is getting the honorable mention slot because I had a hard time defining this as a music video? However, you can’t deny it as one of the most visually arresting pieces on the list. [Donate]

Take care of yourself out there and 2021 please be kind to us all.

I wasn’t invited to contribute until 2014, but I wanted to share my top 10 from 2010 - 2013 because I’m a crazy obsessive. In alpha order as ranking them was just too hard.

Arcade Fire “The Suburbs” (Dir.: Spike Jonze)

James Blake “Limit To Your Love” (Dir.: Martin de Thurah) 

Kanye West “Runaway” (Dir: Kanye West)

Manchester Orchestra “Simple Math” (Dir.: Daniels) 

Mark Ronson “The Bike Song” (Dir.: Warren Fu) 

M.I.A. “Born Free” (Dir.: Romain Gavras) 

OK Go “The Suburbs” (Dir.: James Frost, OK Go, Syyn Labs) 

MGMT “Congratulations” (Dir.: Tom Kuntz) 

Primary 1 “Princess” (Dir.: Radical Friend)

Yeasayer “Madder Red” (Dir.: Andreas Nilsson)

Battles “My Machines” (Dir.: Daniels)

Calvin Harris “Bounce” (Dir.: Vincent Haycock & AG Rojas)

Chromeo “When The Night Falls” (Dir.: Daniels)

Cults “Go Outside” (Dir.: Isaiah Seret)

Duck Sauce “Big Bad Wolf” (Dir.: Keith Schofield)

James Blake “Lindisfarne” (Dir.: Martin de Thurah”

Jay-Z & Kanye West “Otis” (Dir.: Spike Jonze)

Kina Grannis “In Your Arms” (Dir.: Greg Jardin)

Raphael Saadiq “Good Man” (Dir.: Isaiah Seret)

TV On The Radio “Will Do” (Dir.: Dugan O’Neal)

(this year was epic and can’t be distilled into 10)

Alt-J “Breezeblocks” (Dir.: Ellis Bahl)

Delta Spirit “California” (Dir.: Abteen Bagheri)

Feist “The Bad In Each Other” (Dir.: Martin de Thurah)

Flying Lotus “Until The Quiet Comes” (Dir.: Kahlil Joseph)

Foster The People “Houdini” (Dir.: Daniels)

Frank Ocean “Pyramids” (Dir.: Nabil)

Grimes “Oblivion” (Dir.: Emily Kai Bock)

Health “Tears” (Dir.: David Altobelli)

Is Tropical “The Greeks” (Dir.: Megaforce)

Justice “New Lands” (Dir.: Canada)

Lana del Rey “Ride” (Dir.: Anthony Mandler)

Major Lazer “Get Free” (Dir.: So Me)

M.I.A. “Bad Girls” (Dir.: Romain Gavras)

Norah Jones “Happy Pills” (Dir.: Isaiah Seret)

Passion Pit “Take A Walk” (Dir.: David Wilson)

Rudimental “Feel The Love” (Dir. Bob Harlow)

The Shins “It’s Only Life” (Dir.: Hiro Murai)

The Shins “Simple Song” (Dir.: Daniels)

The Shoes “Time To Dance” (Dir.: Daniel Wolfe)

Sigur Rós “Fjögur píanó” (Dir.: Alma Har’el)

Solange “Losing You” (Dir.: Melina Matsoukas)

Spiritualized “Hey Jane” (Dir.: AG Rojas)

Toro y Moi “So Many Details” (Dir: Harrys)

Vitalic “Stamina” (Dir.: Saman Kesh)

Wild Belle “Keep You” (Dir.: Melina Matsoukas)

Arcade Fire “Afterlife” (Dir.: Emily Kai Bock)

Beach House “Wishes” (Dir.: Eric Wareheim)

Gesaffelstein “Hate Or Glory” (Dir.: Fleur & Manu)

Is Tropical “Dancing Anymore” (Dir.: Megaforce)

James Blake “Retrograde” (Dir.: Martin de Thurah)

MGMT “Cool Song No. 2” (Dir.: Isaiah Seret)

Portugal. The Man “Modern Jesus” (Dir. AG Rojas)

Rhye “Open” (Dir.: Daniel Kragh-Jacobsen)

Tame Impala “Mind Mischief” (Dir.: David Wilson)

Yeah Yeah Yeahs “Sacrilege” (Dir.: Megaforce)

Catch up to the rest of the years here:

2014

2015

2016 

2017 

2018 

2019 

If you follow my top ten lists every year, you might recall that I normally don’t include videos that I have worked on. However, given the celebration, I’d like to think I’ve made some pretty cool things. So indulge me as I share some stories on the videos that are most dear to my heart from the past decade. In alpha order…

I think you’ll always remember the first time you are nominated for a Grammy. But, I will always remember the little things about this shoot. Driving through the palm tree farms, knocking on trailer park doors and using Google Translate to explain to farmers that Spiderman is going to present as a female to tell a story written by a Canadian rock band all while the town has their yearly influx of boho chic influencers running around. Also, who else gets to “scout” Coachella?!

Sometimes the tiniest budgets are the most fun. (don’t quote me on that ever again) I think part of the reason why the entries on this list are here is because I truly don’t know how these videos could have been the same if they were produced by anyone else. My uncle runs a non-profit called Youth Mentoring Connection which helps inner city kids find a positive community and he helped me cast the real family for this video.

Ever get a treatment and they have references for a video you did? That was my year after this video came out. I’d like to think this was the first and possibly only 5D music video that ever actually looked good. And the road trip you see on screen was exactly how it felt everyday. Whomever said that starring in a music video together will doom your relationship is wrong! Because Jenny and Jason are now married, have a child, and are still very much in love. Kardashians take note.

If “Clapping for the Wrong Reasons” was a music video, it would be here instead. It quite honestly is my most favorite thing that I’ve ever made. But, how often do you get to take all your friends to your childhood home and shoot a video about a tropical alien romance? Damn, that was so cool too. Or alt classic Hiro collab: St. Vincent “Cheerleader” aka the time I almost lost a location at 5 PM the night before a shoot day.

Back to what’s it like to find out that you’ve been nominated for a Grammy? Well I was scouting a strip club for this video that morning. So success isn’t everything you or your parents might have imagined for yourself. What is the secret to that success you ask? Dedication. There wasn’t time to celebrate and I think we worked until 1 AM that night. Well we had to street cast a stripper and I wasn’t going to leave my director hanging. Can you imagine anything more awkward than attempting to hand over a business card to someone while they are working a pole?

This video didn’t win a Grammy, but it’s the most lauded video I’ve ever produced. (other than the one that did win a Grammy) To think a video made for less than $10k can end up on multiple year end top 10 lists, win Best Music Video at the MVPA Awards, and SXSW kinda blows my mind still. If you want another producing tip, be good to your friends because you never know when you need to call them all in to paint cardboard, learn choreography and stay up on a scaffold for 12 hours. And stay tuned for my top 10 list of videos filmed at The Escarpment!

I have spent most of this decade trying to make something with Isaac Ravishankara. That’s kinda an inside joke, but you know the Hollywood thing where you run into people and say loose promises about how you should work together sometime? Well, I was always serious with him. Then we finally did it, in one take, over two miles, at 40 miles an hour.

You always remember your first Vimeo Staff Pick. Well this was mine as a producer and I couldn’t have shared it with a better bunch of folks that I continue to get to work with to this day. The weird thing about looking back on all of these projects is I wouldn’t even do these ideas today for the budgets that we had. But, we did it? And they didn’t suck. So moral of the story-- we’re all old. Also, the best director is the one who stays with you in pitch black night as you jump start a cube truck in the middle of nowhere.

I almost put “Alive” on this list because I’ll probably always break up my autobiography as “Before Sia” and “After Sia.” Working with her and Dan really changed my life that much. However, this video is just a little more special to me. We shot it over my birthday, 49 kids sang to me, and it’s one of those videos that looks simple, yet required so much craft to pull off. You try to get 49 kids through make up, hair, wardrobe, and school at the same time.

Overall, I think what I’m getting at here is-- producing is the best and also the worst. You stress out for at least a week and you survive on some relative level. You can’t help to think why you’re doing this or why you would ever do it again. But, every so often everything lines up and you create something memorable. Like when a real fire truck drives past your permitted police lock up and attempts to pull your cast out of your fake low budget car accident. You live for that and stories you can tell afterward.

Thanks to all of these directors, the crews, the cast, the commissioners, the artists for the memories.

When Doug first hit me up to put together a list for the best of the decade, I was pretty excited and I basically scribbled this entire thing down in Notes within an hour at 11 PM.

It came so easy because I still think about all of these videos constantly. Every day I aspire to make something that can stand shoulder to shoulder with every video on this list. So I set out to make something all encompassing. No repeats of directors, no repeats of artists, at least one video from every year. Most importantly, I wanted to chronicle the people who provided us with the most awe inspiring visuals over an incredible time in my life.

And what a decade it has been. The rise of Vevo, the irrelevance of Antville, the coveted Vimeo Staff Pick. Remember the YouTube Music Awards? The birth of the Alexa, the death of the 5D or even better the Hot Rod 7D? Consumer drones! Ironic 4x3. RIP FCP 7. Visual albums! 1 billion views! Beats headphones! Vertical videos!?!

The crazy thing is that almost everyone here has at least another two or three videos that could have easily been on this list any other day. In fact, I would be making a Palm Pictures DVD for everyone here if YouTube didn’t make that series irrelevant.

Honestly though... making this list felt weirdly like a closing of a chapter for me. It’s the changing of the guard and I’m excited to think that there will be 30 completely undiscovered directors that will be on this list in 2030.

In chronological order…

Before you complain-- yes, this list is obviously flawed! I mean, I’m evidently nostalgic as 75% of this list is 2015 or earlier. My manifesto also has me overlooking modern classics like “Otis” and “The Suburbs.” And I get it, where’s any video from Arcade Fire, Frank Ocean, Kanye, Gaga, MIA, Solange… “Call Your Girlfriend,” “Chandelier,” “We Found Love,” “Hotline Bling”? Beach House “Wishes”?!I do regret that this list doesn’t have more diversity. Of ethnicity, of gender, of everything. So I hope we all do a better job of bringing those minority voices to the forefront as we all continue to aspire to include all people in the work we make. (check out Free The Work if you need some help)

I admit, I struggled to make a top ten this year. But, that doesn’t make the talent in this list any less dope. The truth of the matter, I had to do three other lists (here, here, and here) so let’s just get to it for once! At number one...

I’m going to call it a day at six this year. However, I’m never one to disappoint... check out these four music video-esque films because they are all phenomenal.

And be sure to check out my top 10 for all the previous years of this decade here.

Has it already been a year?  In the words of IMVDB editor Doug Klinger, "it really makes you think."

No long intro needed, let’s start at the top.

Anderson .Paak – “'Til It's Over” aka “Welcome Home” (Director: Spike Jonze) 

Arguably not a music video (hence why it isn’t on IMVDB).  But, it is the best thing I’ve seen all year.  Charming, breathtaking, technically impressive magic by VMA winning choreographer FKA Richard Koufey.

Childish Gambino "This Is America"

There’s nothing left to say about this video. Mainly Because The Internet has come up with a million ludicrous theories about it on its own.  But, I am most thankful for it bringing this meme into my life.

Beyonce, Jay-Z "APES**T"

Fast like a Lambo.  The Carters beat the record by running through the Louvre in six minutes, skrt skrt skrt.  Mona Lisa still playing it cool, not even breaking a smile for Beyonce.

Dua Lipa "IDGAF"

Duo Lipa.  Duel Lipa?  Sorry.  IDGAF that it was a 22 hour shoot because you made something for the ages.  Henry Schofield, Marion Motin and Stromae deserve some praise for the incredible chorégraphie of bodies and camera.

Prince “Mary Don’t You Weep”

Just gorgeous.  The perfect complement to this soul baring track.  Let’s shoot film instead of people from now on?

Benny Blanco f/ Halsey & Khalid "Eastside"

This easily could have been in the top three for me.  The simplicity.  The feels.  It could have been a cheesy video of a doomed romance between a Highland Park hipster in love with a Venice Beach type.  But, Jake Schreier knows better.  Lock a camera off and just watch.  It wouldn’t be his first or last time.

Vince Staples “FUN!”

Best use of Google Maps in a music video since The Wilderness Downtown.

Beck "Colors"

Edgar Wright and Ryan Heffington are back in the driver’s seat and it’s a trip.  Oh and how I adore Alison Brie.

Billie Eilish "When The Party's Over"

I had a bellyache on what Billie Eilish video to include here.  There were so many good offerings like this and this.  But, the howyahdothat factor of this was too good to ignore.  Maybe Carlos should go make a movie?

Florence + The Machine "Big God"

Last year I saw Florence Welch in the audience of a Pina Bausch performance in New York.  She obviously really soaked it up.  I’m Hungry for more.

Lil Dicky f/ Chris Brown "Freaky Friday"

I want to give an honorable mention to Chris Brown for an Oscar level acting performance as Lil Dicky stuck inside his own body.  Lindsay Lohan, who?  Beat.  And, now let’s go back to blacklisting Chris Brown like it’s 2009… because he hasn’t proven himself otherwise?

There you have it 2018.  I wish you Money + Love in 2019, maybe go start a Corporation, but most importantly, let me live My Life.  Until next time…

Hi IMVDB readers! I know this site has been a bit broken as of late, but it doesn’t mean you can’t rely on it for your annual recap of everything good in music video land for 2017 AD. (Anno Domini, not Assistant Director)

The internet was overwhelmingly exhausting this year so there might have been a video or two that you have missed. I don’t blame you! Or maybe a certain one deserves another tally on the ol’ YouTube dial. (that only requires about 30 seconds come to find out)

I truly enjoy this exercise every year ([2016] [2015] [2014]) as I spend a good part of the year crafting these puns and musings. So please take your time and scroll down as we begin at #1…..!

In the words of our holy God, Beyonce, when life gives you lemons, you turn it into this year’s Lemonade. I live in fear of shoots like the one depicted in this video. Ryan Staake has always been clever, but he really outdid himself here. What a tour de force of music video making! Thank you Young Thug for letting this exist and someone please let Ryan do his alternate pitch of just filming an entire music video budget on fire. I’ll produce that job for free in fact.

Irony is a common theme for my picks this year. But, man, do I love me a story of supernatural biblical proportions. It’s been four years since Isaiah Seret dropped a new music video and this was one for the ages. And he even licensed Stan Brakhage! I’ve watched this a dozen times and I find a new nuance with every view.

What else do I love? A good existential meandering. It’s these kind intellectual dead ends that keep me up all night when I have a 5 AM call time. I just don’t have a hot girl to mansplain to. (P.S. If that happens to sound like the perfect night to you, you can find me on Raya and every other dating app known to man) Minus the mansplaining though because that’s not cool, but you probably already knew that. Sorry. There I go mansplaining again, where were we? Dinosaurs? God? How this song reminds me of “Cat Person”?

I forced myself to choose only one Haim video for my list, and despite my adoration for all things PTA, I went with this one! Simple California Laurel Canyon Ventura Boulevard sisterly love. If only there was a car crash tho?

It’s hard living in your wife’s music video shadow. But, Jay-Z gave it a solid attempt in 2017. I was moved by Mark Romanek’s Merrie Melodies, and laughed at Lakeith Stanfield as Chandler?! There is also some wonderful dialogue and acting in Legacy. However, is that a music video? The song was the ending credits! But, not like this classic. Anyway, all said and done, I was in awe by this one from Miles Jay. Gorgeous intimate work for an epic period piece. I want a photo book of some of these frames!

There was another artist who went the Lemonade route this year. I always try to be HUMBLE and not include anything I work on in these lists. However, I truly think ELEMENT is the best video Kendrick has ever done. I always wanted him to have a video like this that can capture the poetry, honesty and intensity of his lyrics. It’s just a shame that it had to come as a Gordon Parks rip. But, apparently, it’s all good now?

Normally my list is mostly filled with little gems like this. I love a well executed gag and what a great song to add to your Apple Music playlist-- “Songs I first heard in an Apple Commercial” or “Elevator Music”

I’m glad someone finally figured out why it takes girls so long to get ready to go out at night! They are filming elaborate one takes with their iPhones! Although, I think Henry Schofield took it a little to the extreme here—they didn’t even go out and were like f it, let’s keep our make up on and just hop into our bikinis in the morning! I feel like this pitch was “what if there was a more polished version of 7/11?” Have to give props to Hyatt for not plastering their product placement over this. After all, we have the internet to figure that out on our own.

I mean, these two kids… If this doesn’t make you just giddy and smile uncontrollably, you must be the 45th President of the United States. And hate immigrants. And/or universal healthcare.

I hate watching videos on my phone. No director or DP deserves that. Even the crappiest cinematography deserves at least a Sony 17” monitor. But, I stand corrected-- this video belongs on your phone and nowhere else. It brings new meaning to “doin it for the gram.” I’d double tap this fo sho. #isanyonestillusingnashville

I really overused the word love in this post and I don’t care. I love love. So much that you should check out my latest release LOVE. Thanks for reading and see you around the crafty table in 2018!

Hello IMVDB land! It is I, Jason Baum, back to bring you my top ten list for 2016. (see 2015 / 2014) I’d like to think that my annual list is now a crucial staple of the music video community. Something certain in a world of uncertainty. Right there next to impossibly low budgets, Beats product placement, and Beyonce visual albums.

If you are new to the party, let’s restate the goals here—what music videos crossed the social feeds this year that really made my head turn. Kinda like a good Boomerang.

Man oh man. Where to even begin. First of all, you know you have a kick ass music video when your BTS is legitimately more amazing than your actual video. (aka Hearts of Darkness syndrome) I would have done anything to just sit and watch this shoot in person. It’s just spectacle in the purest form with the most delicate execution. I love it so much that I would have dressed up as these guys for Halloween if more than two people would have understood the joke.

They are the band that essentially founded the concept of a viral music video. So it’s kinda crazy to think that they are still making the most impressive videos ten years later. It truly is a testament to the genius that is Ok Go and Trish Sie. The Smithsonian even took notice! As much as I love this video, I wouldn’t have produced it if they asked me. I just don’t have the stomach for it. (their Netflix BTS is equally queasy) Gravity aside, I’ve watched this video so many times and am still amazed. It was easily the most monumental thing created by Russians in 2016… well until the US Presidential election. Sad!

Honestly, I almost put the end credits for “Mania” aka “I Feel It Coming” on my list, but I felt like I had to only pick one Weeknd video and this one had to be on it. xo

Massive Attack must have really wanted to make an indie feature length film in 2016 and somehow folded it into making a bunch of solid music videos instead. They had some of the biggest indie actors ready to bring the group’s inner demons to life-- Cate Blanchett, John Hawkes, Kate Moss, Arta Dobroshi and last, but not least, Gone Girl herself. When you realize how little actually happens in this video, you can’t help but bow down to the genius that is Rosamund Pike.

I know, I know. One person contemporary dancing in a room has become an embarrassing music video trope (frustrating dance fans everywhere). But, this is just a beauty, unless you’re trypophobic. It also stars Sonoya Mizuno who I have a huge crush on. You might remember her disco skills in Ex Machina? You should also check the behind the scenes for this too! (Trend Alert: BTS crews killed in 2016)

I’m actually kinda mad at Method Studios for this. I could have made at least 50 individual music videos with them if they didn’t put all these damn characters into this one project. And surprisingly—no BTS for this video!?! Also, for an entirely different vibe, make sure to check out Sam Pilling’s version of the same track—it’s pretty dope.

Well here is the obligatory Hiro Murai spot. As I say every year, all of his videos from this past year could easily have made the final list, but for the sake of spreading the love, I chose this one as my favorite. It’s crazy to think he has time to drop these gems on us when he is off creating great television.

Nez delivered two beautifully impressive, yet deceivingly simple videos this year (as did Michael Kiwanuka). This one and another for Flume. I chose this because it’s just so engaging. Not stilted at all.

I love the moment when you hear a song for the first time and you’re nodding your head… Thinking ok I could like this… Ok yeah this is getting good… Wait this is really good… Damn don’t screw it up now… Crying, dying, DEAD… If that makes no sense, basically it’s what happens in this video here. I love Maggie’s more famous song “Alaska” so much, but this video had a little more for me at the end of the day. In a dog eat dog world, it’s nice to see something pure just exist.

Gahd damn gawd damn. I’ve been in Kanye’s corner since the first time he was at Cedars for a car accident, but it’s hard out there for a Ye fan these days. I’m going to disregard the alternate dimension that he’s living in right now as I love this video for what it is. It’s that bold IDGAF attitude that made me love him in the first place. The video is kinda too long/repetitive to be honest, but there’s no way of denying it’s power. 21st century schizzzoooooo

Well there you have it friends. Looking forward to seeing all your post-apocalyptic videos in 2017!

I don't blame you much for wanting to be free

I just wanted you to knowwwwwwwwwww

One of the most underrated videos this year. This thorough look at violence throughout the course of history proves sobering and astounding in the same breath.

This video is done with so much style and intention, I couldn't take my eyes away. The way it is put together is connected in a careful fashion, from the costumes, to set design,to choreography- definitely want to see more like this from director Dugan O'Neal.

What can one say about 2016 that has not already been said through memes? It’s been turbulent year, but it has also produced some fantastic music videos (smooth transition, right?). 

 The following is a perfectly curated, indisputable, egomaniacal list of the best music videos from the past year. Our selection skews itself towards the surreal and features a plethora of puppets, copious amounts of cocaine, and healthy dose of homoeroticism. Apologies to Beyoncé and her fanatical fans in advance, please do not come after us with baseball bats and yellow sun dresses.

This was a great year for music videos, and as always it's hard to narrow down a top list in order, especially when dealing with different genres and criteria. We saw some bold voices this year from Nicolas Davenel and Miles Jay - really raising the bar with their cinematic visions. Nicolas and Miles have both been around for a minute, but it's nice to see them now get the recognition they deserve. Nikes was an immediate classic, and it felt like a natural step forward in the context of Tyrone's body of work. Much of a "great video" relies just as much on the artist, song, and context as much as it does the director's vision, and luckily Nikes had it all. And again, Miles and Tyrone remind us that Kodak is nowhere near dead. 

The top two were a tough choice. It's impossible to not love anything Keith Schofield makes, and I think his deconstruction of the music video and mv director (himself, us) in Bike Engine make it strong contender for video of the year. His ability to blend comedy, satire, and flow are second to none. Ultimately it boils down to personal choice (and legacy). For me, Gavras edges slightly in this category. It's hard to argue that anyone else made a bigger splash than Romain (at least in music video circles) with his Jamie XX video. It has all the hallmarks of a classic, iconic video, and of course it came from the guy that's done it again and again before. Maybe he'll share the secret formula with us one day.

In a year that absolutely sucked the life out of me, these videos kept me going. And I kept going back to them for inspiration, to relive the feelings they gave me, and for a few minutes of escape. Feel free to fight me on Looking Glass by Celia Rowlson-Hall not perfectly fitting into the music video category. Come at me bro. I'll just throw flowers in your face! 

Thanks to all the 2016 music video directors for sharing your art and ideas. I think you're cool.

Directing duo BRTHR did some real justice to the Japanese crime masterpiece that was the Weeknd's In the Night. The new video for Keith Ape ft. Jedi P's "Diamonds" plays to the same tune, though this one toys around with some more experimental visuals, including virtual reality simulation. While In the Night felt a lot more narrative driven, and similar to Wong Kar Wai's Fallen Angels, "Diamonds" feels much more ambient, and simply explores the world it creates. 

The camera loosely follows Keith Ape around a brightly lit fantasy city, dipping in and out of parties and pretty much anywhere it feels like taking you. There is some pretty serious Gaspar Noe influence in the way that the perspective and tone resembles that of Enter the Void; but this feels like a positive expansion of that theme, dipping into some VR fantasy that only excites the imagination for what could be possible for the art world. I'm really stoked on how DP Erik Henriksson captured this world- his experience in creating sweeping, rich shots really shines through here. (Also here)

Overall, I think that this video serves as a well realized piece of psychedelic art, and what it lacks in narrative, it makes up for in world building, and a concise amalgam of visual styles. I am interested in what BRTHR will create next- and perhaps what they will do with actual VR when the technology catches up!

The world needs more people celebrating music videos as an art form. It needs more people championing music video directors, and the rest of their crew all the way down the line. Basically, it needs more people doing what the UK Music Video Awards do.

Heading into their 9th year, the UKMVAs have positioned themselves as one of the most vocal champions of music video craft. Most folks expect a lot of flair, and very little acknowledgement of actual creators in their music video award ceremonies, but the UKMVAs have focused on video creativity, rather than artist popularity, allowing them to recognize the talent that goes into music videos. They’re not just showing love to UK creators either, but to all of the creative people behind the music video art form around the world.

Entries are open now through August 2nd, so if you’re a director, DP, producer, editor, animator, art director, or anyone else working in the music video industry, head over to ukmva.com to learn more and submit your work. The ceremony is October 20th in Camden, London at The Roundhouse.

3oh!3's “Mad At You” is the second single released from the album “Night Sports”, which released on May 13. This is also their first release after being signed to Fueled by Ramen Records. “Mad At You” is a huge exploration of what can be done with a few distinct physical elements, and they really made sure to explore them with a healthy curiosity of what’s possible. This vid is a really cool play on “traditional” rap videos where the performers are the focus of the content, and the setting seems to add to the atmosphere. Director Isaac Ravishankara's video sticks to those rules, but digs even deeper, by interchanging between several different versions of the same space by way of physical manipulation. 

The sets are very well put together, thanks to production designer Tyler Jensen. He’s designed some of my favorites, including but not limited to Thundercat’s Them Changes, and Miike Snow’s Heart is Full. The different setups are well developed and convincing, and make the copious amounts of environments feel relatable- the sheer amount is stunning, going from a simple fogged room to a McDonald’s play pit, to a green lawn BBQ, to to a raging party, to a sci-fi theme, complete with a scorched sky and chrome costumes.

The camerawork in this video is really interesting, in that it's not concerned with trying to make the video more professional by way of hiding the effects, or the cameraman for that matter. It just plays around, trying to milk as much out of the analog effects as possible. The camera captures a few subjects that multiply in the mirrors, but it just lets us enjoy the effect without laying an extra layer of believability on top of it. That said, it looks amazing, and the DP Frank Mobilio did a great job of letting the camera move constantly- it definitely sets the tone for the controlled chaos.

Ravishankara is one of my favorite directors, and he’s been on a roll lately. He dropped a tracking shot driven video for The Lumineers' Ophelia in February, with more collaborations with the Lumineers to come.  I really like his style in that he is very versatile in the kinds of projects he signs onto. He has made some of the most moving, sincere work out there- his video for Selah Sue's Fear Nothing stuck in my mind for days when I first saw it (And gave me the motivation I needed to re-evaluate Shane Carruth’s Upstream Color) But he has this other playful side that this 3oh!3 video comes from, as well as the video for Lazyboy Empire, featuring director Dugan O’Neal portraying a comically absurd idea of a vampire in the modern age. That all to say, I’m glad to see this side of him come out in this vid, and I hope he continues to maintain this awesome polarity of content.

Here at IMVDB, we love to watch videos that go above and beyond promoting the artist’s track by way of visual accompaniment. This new video for Pekko's Hunger really pushed the art form, and got us really excited for a groundbreaking year of quality work.

The narrative for Hunger takes place in Helsinki, the home of director Anton Tammi, and it seems obvious, in that he has an in-depth knowledge of the filming locations- the sheer amount contained in this project is amazing, but the conjunction with good cinematography and camera work made for such an incredible video. I loved that there was such a diversity of material, and the camera almost never stayed still. 

In addition to the quality camera work, locations, and wardrobe styling, the editing and visual effects drove the project forward- The opening shot really set the tone of the video by showing all of the characters climbing a ladder to a clocktower, set behind a bright sunset gradient. There were some really interesting effects applied to the shots, and were a welcome addition to the experience. The experimental effects lasted all the way until the end, and packed in a boatload of eye-candy, including the colorful textures that opened and closed the video. Those sequences of blue and red smoke respectively seemed to function as visual overture, and perhaps harkened to the art-crime masterpiece Blue Velvet.

In an interview with VOTD, Tammi describes the process of conceptualizing this project- he and Pekko had common interest in B movie trailers-The old school shock value marketing techniques really shine through to create a unique and intense feeling- I love the way this video uses those elements and mixes with those of  experimental short films. The finished product comes out lightning fast, giving scattered glimpses into the characters' interactions, still maintains a beginning, middle and end.

Anton Tammi only has a few videos out, but all of them are beyond amazing, and totally unique from each other. Admittedly, Hunger was my introduction into his catalog, but I was immediately interested in his style. He goes from a cerebral kung-fu video for a metal band, to a VFX driven 80’s goth performance video to an experimental project with scorpions and crabs, to this crime-art masterpiece.  I’m really watching this guy closely now, especially after he implied another collaboration with Pekko this year. (See interview above) I’m hoping they have a long winded relationship, similar to the one Aphex Twin had with Chris Cunningham

Phil Mucci is a filmmaker who has made a name for himself directing visual effects and animation based music videos for bands such as Disturbed, Pig Destroyer, and Torche, among other metal acts in recent years. His work is astoundingly innovative, and really pushes the limits of what can be done with a small amount of resources.

We recently caught up with Phil to chat about his most recent work, "Sorrow" by Huntress. We talked about why post production is more important than it's ever been before, and also got to discuss some of the filmmakers who influence him, and why they drove filmmaking to it's current state. Take a look!

IMVDb: You’re pretty influenced by older directors like Mario Bava and F.W Murnau, and more or less repurposed some of their effects that they used, but what directors are you influenced by in the modern sense? Who do you watch and who are you challenged by?

Phil: Guillermo Del Toro visually has been a definite influence. I don’t think he’s the greatest writer in the world, but he’s visually an interesting director. He’s along similar lines to me - but he’s much more a monster guy. And the Coen brothers, definitely were an influence in terms of the human elements in their stories. The fun characters, the zany camera work, and plot devices that they sort-of revel in. Sam Raimi was a big influence on me for a while, kind of in the same way as the Coen Brothers. I thought Evil Dead 2 was a fantastic movie when I was growing up. When I watch movies by Sam Raimi or The Coen Brothers, or Guillermo Del Toro, I can tell that these are filmmakers that love making film; that their joy is in the work, in a way that it’s not in a lot of other films. Those guys get their hands dirty on the films, and they just kind of reek of their involvement. That I find to be really inspiring. 

Soderbergh’s TV show [The Knick] he’s directing and shooting it all, under the name Peter Andrews. That’s his alias, but he’s the DP. If you watch the behind-the-scenes stuff about Soderbergh, and why he uses a fake name, he’s like “Eh, it think it looks dumb if you’re credited for everything” but it’s him. He likes to shoot like I like to shoot; to be right in the actor’s faces and be right there with them. I rarely use monitors when I shoot, unless I have to for some reason. I don’t get into that, I like to be in the action, I like shooting it. He does a lot of great stuff that reminds me of the Italians in the 70’s, where a lot of it’s handheld; they’re not gonna lay down the dolly track, but they do it in a way that’s not the shaky-cam. They’re trying to keep it relatively smooth, and I like that. It feels organic, and it feels real. I think that’s the kind of thing that us as filmmakers get off on. I think some of that translates to the general audience as well.

You kind of have a repertoire, and more or less an auteur status, as a music video director. In terms of your personal preference, how selective do you get to be with bands when taking on a project?

What I always say is you only get to pick the jobs you turn down, you don’t really get to pick the ones you get offered, other than to make work that draws those people in. But every time I’ve approached a band, which has only happened a few times, it’s like “Oh my God, we love your stuff! We have $2,000 for a video.” And then you’re like “UGHHH!!!!” because you love them and you wanna do it, but then you think to yourself, “I won’t eat, I won’t have any money, I won’t have enough money for rent if I take this job.” That’s kind of the catch-22, so when the jobs come in, it depends who they are. Five Finger Deathpunch approached me like 3 times to do a video, but I turned them down, because they wrote the projects themselves, and I wasn’t gonna get anything from it other than the money, so it wasn’t worth it for me. I don’t know why labels allow bands to write treatments, because they don’t know what it costs to make a video. You get handed this thing, and you’re like “Now I’m gonna develop your screenplay for you; What do I get paid for that? Nothing.” Or when they take the military and try to turn it into their song. I think it’s riding on patriotism, and it’s kind of bullshit. I get approached by bands that I love, but they just can’t come up with the money. 

Huntress is a great example: for "Sorrow," Huntress did a Pledgemusic campaign to raise money for the video, selling off old stuff, because they're smart. If there’s a band I want to work with, but they’re not well versed with how the system works, and the money’s not there, I’ll often say “You already know my work and your thing is definitely something I can get behind. You have $2,000 and I wanna work with you, but look at crowdsourcing, look at Kickstarter, look at Indiegogo, look at Pledgemusic.” Because they kind of have to do that now. A lot of them have to do that just to tour, because they’re not getting as much money from the label anymore either. It’s finding those people, and figuring out a way to make it work. That’s part of the job now. You can sit around waiting for the phone to ring all you want, but it is kind of a proactive thing right now. The rules are changing and we have to adapt. Because I do love working in music videos, I think it’s a great way to learn and you learn everything, I’ve learned everything on music videos. I learned a lot on two short films, but deadlines and budgets are what you need to crank something out. People talk about “pure creative freedom” but I think that’s kind of a joke. You need some parameters to work within focus your power and energy to get your shit done. I need a deadline, because otherwise my mind just wanders. I'll love this one thing, and then I get bored with that and go on to something else. I need that deadline to get it done. You gotta get it done and get that last piece of money.

Yeah I agree. Deadlines absolutely have to inform the project. And with [Adobe] After Effects, as with writing, the possibilities are endless. you can make anything you want, but if you have to make anything you want in 4 months, it’s like “Well I could put this extra space scene in there, but that’s gonna take me an extra week."

Yeah, you can’t be Kubrick, you can’t be Kurosawa, you can’t spend 5 years making one movie. I mean, I guess you can if you’re independently wealthy, but I also don't think that you would. I don't think you would bother. It’s hard, why would you?

Yeah, it’s kind of the “fine art” mentality that’s just not really practical.

That’s why I think filmmakers working in music videos is great training because you’re working on a project soup-to-nuts, which I don't think a lot of people really realize. They also think you’re rich, for some reason. You’re there from the beginning to the end. You’re writing it, you’re directing it. I don't know any directors who hire an editor right now. I know they’re out there, but who’s got money to hire an editor? I guess if you’re really busy and you’re really big-time, going from one set to the next, then you’d need to farm out some of that stuff. Part of it is it’s film school now. We’ve all got access to the digital media, and the Adobe Creative Suite. You can go from one program to another, and they understand each other. You can build in ways that it cost a fortune to pre-vis before, but now we can do pretty easily. We have the tools that were only exclusive to the studios, or projects with a much higher budget. That’s why I think that something smaller that you can make on your own could be unique, artistic and viable in the new VOD-streaming world. We can make things that were reserved to large budgets a long time ago. We can have more creative control without so many outside forces creating obstacles for us. The studios are more concerned with marketing, and commercially motivated, but they’re not about the work.

Something like Danger 5 is just Russo the writer/director just going brainstorm nuts on all this retro moviemaking stuff. Its all miniatures, and goofy stuff, like people wearing animal heads. That kind of stuff, I hope there’s gonna be more of that, more creative, imaginative stuff. And he’s not even using a lot of computer effects. I think that's where I wanna go, where my stepping stone is: to tell stories with dialogue in the style that I’ve already worked out through the music videos.

I wonder what it would be like for you to make a movie, because there’s so much packed into your stuff that it reads as “movie," but the format is “music video.” So if you’re able to take what you’re able to do with that and extend it three-fold or even ten-fold, then I think you could do something really amazing.

Thanks dude. I would love to work in longer form, maybe not so much in the animated style necessarily - maybe more like "Sorrow," because I don’t wanna be in post forever.

And there were still a lot of practical elements in "Sorrow," like the painting…

It was kind of a practical effect. I just shot the actors when they were getting their wardrobe fitting done on green screen in my apartment, and then just built the painting in Photoshop.

Well, for all intents and purposes, we’ll call that a practical effect, because you printed it and hung it on the wall. There's also the 3D printed model of Jill coming out of the blood, that was a practical element. And you shot in a real castle, right?

Yeah, we shot in the Hollywood Castle. It's this goofy castle that this guy built in the early 70’s. It sits up on the hill right across from the Hollywood sign. But in terms of the practical elements, we kind of had to. We had to shoot and deliver within a month. So there was not a ton of post. I mean, the castle landscape in the intro was built digitally before we even started shooting. The Hollywood Castle’s exterior is not good for shooting, because it looks like a theme park built by stoners. But inside, it was propped-out like a motherfucker. It was decked out with knights in armor and shields, and canopied beds, and it just had all this stuff that you’d never be able to afford to rent, and we didn’t have a budget for a production designer. We were like “we’ll just shoot all the interiors here, and build the exteriors digitally, with stock photography." I use Shutterstock and sometimes Pond5. I use Shutterstock a lot because they have a lot of epic European stuff, like abbeys and old castles. I love building this stuff in the computer, but it’s addictive. I love post for that reason, you’re like Dr. Frankenstein. When you put it all together, it’s like “It’s Alive!”

Do you have any advice for filmmakers who are trying to take the same route as you?

Learn Photoshop, even if you’re a filmmaker. A lot of the effects in [Adobe] After Effects are related to Photoshop. They’re brothers. It’s the same tools, and the same theories. The rotoscoping tool in After Effects is the same as in Photoshop - it’s the pen tool. And Photoshop’s got video going in it too now. You can build an entire matte painting in photoshop with layers, and get all that color correction stuff done. One problem that I ran into early-on doing animation that you don’t wanna fall into: Say you have a rough comp in Photoshop, and it’s got 10 layers but you have done color correction or adjusted them to match each other. If you bring them into After Effects, you're gonna load up each layer of your composition with filters to make it all look right, and thats just gonna slow down your playback, and you cant get a realtime preview of it in full-res if you do that. So it's better to get that visual worked out in Photoshop first, so when you bring it in maybe you gotta put one or two filters on a few things to get the blend right, but you’ve already done all the leg work in Photoshop, which is a much easier, faster way to do it in full-res, because you don’t have to wait for a preview.

Also, I think the obvious thing is to work with the newest machine with the most RAM as you can afford. Working with computers and the Adobe suite is a key to becoming a better visual artist in general. You get to see things immediately. You get to tone and tune an image to your eye in real time, right in front of you. I think that’s important for filmmakers, especially now. I think the luxury of just being a director who walks on set, picks up the bullhorn, and goes to work.. I don’t think that’s really pragmatic right now. The more you know, the more you can do, the better you're gonna be with the people you have to hire, and the more you can make out of your budget.

]]> calebjacksonmail@gmail.com (Caleb Jackson) Sat, 30 Jan 2016 11:43:00 +0000 https://imvdb.com/blog/phil-mucci-interview-61157 https://imvdb.com/blog/david-bowie-lazarus.-the-end-of-an-era-10955

I was quite sad and dismayed to find that my favorite singer and performer passed away last night. David Bowie was so influential to the art community, not only as a musician, but as a composer, actor, filmmaker, and painter. He passed away at 69, right after releasing his final music video from the Blackstar album, which was released 4 days before his death. As bummed as I am over the death of Mr. Stardust, it seems to give his recent videos more substance, in addition to the inherent metaphors and conspiracy theories for the world to run wild with.

"Blackstar" and "Lazarus" were the two videos that were released prior to the release of the Blackstar album on January 8th, both sharing the same director; Johan Renck. The two videos also share a few characters, but mostly the theme of impending death. It’s no secret that Bowie has reportedly released the content in a timely manner before his death, but I’m interested in what his purpose was in creating such spiritual and symbolic content. It would seem as though that through the allusions to Lazarus, the Biblical figure who rose from the grave 4 days after his death, seem to symbolize the legacy that Bowie is leaving. Will we perhaps see some sort of publicity stunt or posthumous media release?

The "Lazarus" video, while much simpler and shorter than the 10 minute "Blackstar" video, seems to have a more distinct purpose; to show Bowie in very personal states, that is, performing from a hospital bed, which has been where he has spent much time the previous 18 months battling cancer. The previous video relies more on ideas and ambition, while "Lazarus" feels more symbolic and intentional. It’s hard not to draw conclusions from the imagery, especially the final shot of Bowie returning to the closet he originally exited from.

Renck seems to have an affinity for creating abstract worlds without a sense of cohesion, and these two videos are no exception. According to an interview with Renck, the videos were simply a collaboration between the two artists, riffing on ideas, and just making something they both enjoyed, without relying on any intentional symbolism or narrative. It seems the perfect working relationship between two ambitious artists who could care less about perceived notions implied by onlookers. Renck’s other work for Lana Del Rey and Bat For Lashes shows his affinity for a drab color palette and ability to create a surreal world within a familiar environment. He’s also got this way of lighting people’s eyes- in the few shots where Bowie wasn’t wearing a button laden mask, his eyes are so black that you can’t help feel creeped out.

Overall, both videos rely on loose metaphor and blatant abstraction to create the experiences, but you can’t help but argue the intent of Bowie and Renck to give a sort of planned goodbye to those people who care enough to try and see something special in these pieces of fine art. However, I can’t help but think that Bowie’s relationship to music videos seemed to come in the wrong time, seeing that most of his efforts were put into this stage shows- seen clearly in the full length concert video Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars The Movie. Here you can see the amount of production that went into his costumes, set pieces, and makeup. Some of these aspects are reflected in a few of his early videos, such as "Life on Mars," but the reality is that the limitations of the time period constricted the exponentially creative efforts of Bowie. Basically, if the music video industry was as developed in the 1970's as it was in the 1990s we likely would have seen many more creative and groundbreaking videos from him. But fact of the matter is that at the very least, we got to see a new wave of Bowie videos over the last few years that undoubtedly redeemed his awkward period in the early 90’s.

"Everything suddenly slowed down.

I lost focus on reality.

I was no longer grounded to this earth.

For a single moment, I felt everything.

And in that moment…

I let go."

-Music Videos

DISCLAIMER: We love “Hotline Bling” and “Bad Blood,” just as much as any other flag-waving, hamburger-eating, vape-smoking American.

With that said, you probably won’t find our favorite music videos of 2015 on the lists of Billboard or Rolling Stone. However, all of the films we’ve selected are incredible works of art that elevate each song to an unforgettable audio-visual experience.

The following music videos are surreal, absurd, and outrageous. There is no room for gritty realism on our list. If you enjoy surfing zombies, singing memes, and a Venice Beach Jesus, then you’re in for a real treat. Sit back, relax, and “Netflix and chill” with us for a few of our favorite music videos from 2015.

As far as I'm concerned, 2015 broke some new ground for music videos, and more people are beginning to see what is possible to be done with the art form. Some of the younger directors are starting to take the place of the veterans of the 90's, gaining auteur status. I could be just seeing what I want to see, but there seems to be more opportunities opening up for music video directors, considering that more and more eyes are beginning to focus more on short form content - so much more can be done in a few minutes than with 90.

This has been a big year for really creative mainstream videos, notably "Bitch Better Have My Money," "Bad Blood," and "Hotline Bling." Many of the directors on my list have been able to take an idea that is bigger than its format, and just run with it; essentially producing a film disguised as a music video. Others take the best parts of one of those aspects, such as dance, costumes, or performance, and hone that one thing into a focused work of art that people gawk over. My hope for the industry is that the consumer's taste for quality continues to grow deeper, similar to the current golden age of TV that is going on. More money is being poured into better content. I can only wish the same upon the music video world.

Music videos are such a special thing to engage in and are commonly overlooked as a trend that started in the 80's and died in the 90's. But the music video world is not dead - it's alive and well, and is commanding the attention of many with less money, and even more creativity. This was a great year, guys. The mainstream had some really amazing releases, and the indie scene produced some realy groundbreaking stuff that will inevitably lead to more must-see picks in the years to come. Thanks for a great year!

Does it get any better than this? With a flashback narrative featuring Mads Mikkelsen acting, and Rihanna covered in blood, don’t think it does. I am really impressed with her for putting it out, although it seems a new direction for her.

By far my favorite dance video this year. Choreographed by Ryan Heffington, who had quite a year, doing all of Florence’s videos and another Sia video. This video is a boatload of fun (pun intended) and has a really great flow to it. I love the seeing Win Butler's talent being paired with other collaborators who create an incredibly enjoyable experience.

The guiltiest pleasure of my year. Ain’t even mad about it. Joseph Kahn is one of those directors who you know will go big, but you hope he does as many passion projects as possible, before he gets sucked into the Hollywood machine (But go watch Detention NOW).

The healthiest ratio of simplicity to amazing I can think of. The filmmakers at the Made Shop really pulled out the stops with this video to push the limits of stop motion filmmaking. There isn’t a narrative, but the symbolism transfers from the lyrics to the frame in such a perfect way.

Definitely the horror video of the year for me. The narrative is ambiguous, terrifying, and cohesive. Watching it multiple times helped me figure out how to connect the dots, because they are there. The character development is some of the most original I have seen.

A peek into a dystopian future where robots are sadists; but the humanity still shines bright. The narrative is well written, and has a lot of specific things to say about society through the characters. Among other things, the visual effects work is astounding, and pushes the limits of green screen based filmmaking.

The beauty of this video astounds me every time I watch it, and seems to stand as the most representative of the “How Big How Blue How Beautiful” video series. Though the other videos are similarly amazing, "St. Jude" seems to leave me with the most to consider after watching. It's beautifully shot, choreographed, and written with a perfect ratio of ambiguity to relatability.

Definitely the abstract pick of the year for me. This one hits from multiple angles but remains cohesive. There are three story vignettes - all different but are linked. This video has such a commanding pseudo-narrative, and really makes me want to know more about the two main characters. The setting is also extremely mysterious and visually engaging.

I loved the duality of tone in this vid. Such a huge juxtaposition of sadness and joy through music. This one really impressed me, and is critically underseen in my opinion. It takes place in the 1950’s and deals heavily with the current hot topics of police brutality and racism in a way that gets the point across without a heavy hand.

This video really blew me out of the water with the simple idea, engaging performance, and specific directing choices. There is a lot of subtle excellence packed into this video, but you have to pay close attention to get more out of it than is on the surface.

Choosing my top 10 music videos of 2015 was a lot easier than I thought it would be. The process was basically navigating through my Vimeo Likes and listening to my gut. When I'd come across a music video that I couldn't help but watch all the way through again, I added it to my top ten album. I'm the type of viewer that wants to watch a video again and again. These are the videos I want to watch forever.

Favorite of the year: “CLOSE YOUR EYES” | Run The Jewels directed by AG Rojas

So powerful and consistently surprising. You can enjoy it for the performances alone but it's much more satisfying to think about the social commentary. There are lots of ways artists can hold a mirror up to society, but AG puts on a masterclass with this video.

Runner Up: Sia - Elastic Heart directed by Daniel Askill

I was not a fan of Shia Leboeuf until this video turned me into one. The choreography is so emotive and enthralling and perfectly captures the struggle and synchrony between two aspects of a single personality. Something I think everyone can understand on a deeper level.

Special shout out to STROMAE / QUAND C’EST by Xavier Reye

The song is beautiful. The blur of reality and CG work is so effing on point.

Most fun - Boy Racers by David Wilson

ENJOY. NOW.

The rest are in no particular order, but are all worthy of a watch and a Like if you ask me!

Thanks to all the hardworking directors, crew, producers, and actors who make such beautiful, inspiring videos for us to enjoy. You make me super happy and motivated to keep working hard to make Vimeo the best home for your videos.

]]> (Andrea Allen) Wed, 30 Dec 2015 19:18:00 +0000 https://imvdb.com/blog/aas-top-10-music-vids-of-2015-93842 https://imvdb.com/blog/jason-baums-top-10-music-videos-of-2015-07991

Hello everyone in music video land! I am back to share my thoughts again on the past year— the year formerly known as 2015. Was a great one methinks. Hey, even the NYTimes felt compelled to chime in!

If you weren’t around last year, my criteria is simple and is as follows— what videos really stayed with me and were truly memorable? It was tough once again to narrow this down, but lets just start right at the top, with the #1 spot...

Don’t act like you forgot! Riri made this year’s video game her bitch, and has my money for the number one. No question— an instant classic, an epic to remember. Don’t just take my word for it, Katy Perry agrees! It’s a check list of #goals— celluloid, drones, boats, cars, mansions, drugs, cash, models, squad, Hollywood actors, Eric Roberts, blood, tattoos, piercings, guns, fashion, suitcases, 90’s Mann vibes. Brrap, brrap, brrap.

I hate Carlos Lopez Estrada. I don’t know about you, but it’s hard enough to make a great video when you have money. But, try doing that with less than $5k and I’d call you crazy and politely try to stop responding to your emails. So Carlos you suck and now I have to sheepishly admit that you can make a jaw dropping video with an iPhone, a few train tickets and After Effects. (for the record, I do actually love Carlos, he’s a great guy)

I can't think of a music video that has had such an effective political statement since Chris Milk's “The Saints Are Coming" video. I feel like someone is going to call me out on that lofty statement #sorrynotsorry. Back on topic— while this video is relatively simple, the message is strong and beautifully executed.

This was a surprising delight. Transcendently straight forward. Je t’aime.

Sometimes my criteria for video greatness is-- does this video make me want to learn how to make GIFs? will this inspire a great SNL parody? and will it be a meme that will last forever? bonus: does it also inspire Halloween costumes? In all seriousness, X was the perfect choice for this concept. Shout out to James Turrell! Now we can all stop ripping off your images in our treatments for the next year or two. Did everyone also catch Doug’s cameo?

This might be too specific of a reference even for the Los Angeles audience here, but I relate to the girl in this video sooooo hard. Everytime I'm at Zankou Chicken, I’m like "who are these crazy people here?” and "why does the wait have to be so damn long for a kebab plate!?!?!?"

Vince Haycock had me waiting with baited breath as The Odyssey series was dolled out. This one was by far my favorite. Steve Annis once again taking us to church.

You know what they say about hairy palms… What’s not to like here?! It’s CANADA at their finest. The colors, the movement, the set pieces, the cast, the sexiness… Also, can someone tell me how they aged Sissy Spacek to her 15 year old self? Am I right?

Young Replicant's work is just so sublime. Team him up with a cinematic maestro like Fly Lo and you get this beauty.

I always hate the tenth spot. The ones before are usually no brainers. Then this spot is like splitting hairs and there’s so much pressure to pick the absolutely right one. I’m going to go with this. It’s that classic Hollywood musical vibe with a captivating star. Ryan Heffington killing it as always.

There you have it. Ten for 2015. But, please oblige me as I have to shout out one more. I mean, you guys, TOM HANKS aka FORREST GUMP was in a music video?!?!

These are the ten videos of 2015 that stuck with me the most.

(It is actually just a list of shout-outs to my buddies.)

In no particular order:

I am embarrassed to admit how many times I've seen this one. It is so good, it makes me angry.

This reminds me of the videos I saw on MTV while growing up and initially got me excited about video-making. It gives me an early-2000's thrill that makes me very nostalgic.

The fact that this organization exists and allows kids to learn about film by making a music video for Brandon Flowers during summer camp is, I believe, a good enough reason to make this my favorite video of the year.

This is not a music video, but Andy is a brilliant artist and deserves all the recognition in the world.

This video has such striking, memorable images. It is also very thoughtfully designed around the music, and I appreciate that.

Ian is a good friend and a bottomless pit of creativity. I saw this video on a big screen at Cameraimage and it affected me more than most movies I've seen this year. It's better than Star Wars.

Such a good, fun, and concise idea.

I've had nightmares that look like this. More reasons to be angry at Hiro.

This is another one that really stuck with me. I think MIA is an artist who treats her work with a great sense of responsibility- and that should be celebrated.

Very pretty eye candy. They should make an interactive VR experience out of this. Imagine walking through those points and being able to push them around... Kickstarter!

Today the new Lance Drake video for Miike Snow’s “Heart is Full” dropped, and it’s jampacked with an original sci-fi narrative, and 90’s nostalgia eye-candy. “Heart is Full” premiered exclusively on Facebook, where Lance commented that his son was born during the production of this video, so it will always hold a special place in his heart. It's no coincidence that this is one of his most cohesive and story driven ideas yet.

We are first shown a wide shot of a pensive looking woman looking over a futuristic cityscape, and then shoots right into an intense action sequence, shot in the famous green-lighted underpass of Downtown LA. For all intents and purposes, they only shot in one location, and I think that’s all it needed. So much of the lighting was natural, and totally fit the sci-fi action aesthetic Lance and DP Todd Banzahl were going for. The video endures a revenge narrative packed with a handful of amazingly choreographed action sequences, thanks to Lance's frequent collaborator, stunt choreographer Mindy Kelly.

You can definitely catch the 90s and early 2000’s anime and action vibes in this video, so if you grew up in that time period, chances are, the references you are being reminded of are probably right-on; Lance himself admitting in a Facebook Q&A to many influences including, but not limited to, Spawn, Akira, and Ghost-In-The-Shell. There are more hidden references packed into the details, so if you care enough to figure them out, pay attention and try to connect the dots!

The cinematography is amazing as usual, Todd Banzahl utilizing a great combination of artistic static shots, and action driven motion. There’s a lot going on here, and I think the team captured and out it together in in a fun way, also thanks to editor Jeremiah Mayhew, a previous collaborator with Lance on his video for Middle Class Rut's Aunt Betty. The VFX were also very well executed, and served a narrative function within the video, star Braina Laviena wielding a chromed-out ball and chain weapon that seems to be alive, and uses it in her various action sequences, leading all the way up to the dramatic finishing moments. Fellow Doomsday director Roboshobo, known for his directing efforts on Brandon Flowers’ and Mastodon’s videos, totally knocked it out of the park with the visual effects. I really love seeing directors come together and help each other out, similar to director Zak Stoltz pitching in for VFX on DANIELS’ Turn Down for What.

I’m really stoked that the direction Lance is going continues to push the limits of narrative within music videos, and hopefully lead into features, God willing. If he got the money together, he could totally follow in the steps of music video turned feature directors like Jonathan Glazer or Joseph Kahn, because if he can pack this much into a few minutes with a small budget, imagine what he could do with a couple million!

The first night saw some well-established faces, including Daniels, Isaac Ravishankara, Eli Stonberg, and Hannah Lux Davis serving on the panel called the “Music Video Launchpad," followed by a screening of the “Student” and “Unofficial” category finalists for the festival.

Saturday held an amazing sequence of events, starting off with a panel entitled “Art and Commerce.” Sami and Colleen moderated the discussion, featuring a few label reps, commissioners, and producers. The discussion covered several topics, including the importance of product placement, social media, and how to break into the industry. One of the panelists, Devin Sarno, (a commissioner for Warner Brothers) admitted to sometimes finding the director of an artist’s video by scrolling Vimeo (Keep chasing those Staff Pick's, guys!). 

The night strolled into the finalists’ screening for the “Narrative” and “Non-Narrative” categories, including, but not limited to Thugli “Run This" directed by Amos LeBlanc, Benjamin Booker "The Future is Slow Coming” directed by James Lees, and Clipping “Summertime” directed by Carlos Lopez Estrada. Seeing these videos on the big screen was so enthralling; I had seen many of them before, but on the big screen, you can pick up so much more detail. I picked up on a lot more than I'd seen before in the Childish Gambino video for “Sober," directed by Hiro Murai. 

Following that section was the final event of the evening: pop artist Kimbra and two of her video directors held a small panel, following the viewing of 4 of their videos. I was blown away at the strength of the videos, especially “Come Into My Head” directed by Guy Franklin. Especially for pop videos, Kimbra’s content stood out to me for having a great combination between exciting performances and content that amplifies the tone of each song. Kimbra, Guy Franklin, and Adam Sager took the stage and discussed the videos from the conceptual side all the way into post-production. I was particularly amused at the way Kimbra pokes fun at her directors, she seems like a humble entertainer who would be easy to work with.

Night three wrapped up the festival with a “victory lap” of the winners in each aforementioned category. One that particularly stood out to me was the unofficial winner for Son Lux’s "Ransom" directed by Jing Shao and Jess Zo. It tells a tale of a female boxer who was abused as a child, and explores the conflicted relationship she has with her father. After the victory lap, we got a feature film length block of classic music videos, all in their original 35mm format, complete with film scratches, awkward 1980’s motion graphics, and Tim Curry’s expired music career. It was really awesome to experience these videos this way, because they would play before movies in earlier decades. I was not aware of this, as I’m sure most other millenials also were not.

Overall, it was a really fun event where I got to talk with a lot of music video creators, often ones who had pieces in the screenings at the festival - that alone was worth it. It was also really cool to see directors like NORTON attend the event, who got his start at LAMVF a few years earlier. This is a great event to submit to, it's a community effort put on by a lot of hard working individuals who are hustling to make the music video world truly awesome. Follow them on instagram, facebook, and/or twitter for updates! And see a full list of videos and winners here.

https://www.facebook.com/LAMVFhttps://twitter.com/LAMVFhttp://www.lamvf.com

The new video for California based metal act Huntress is a straight-up gorefest, playing to the tune of early Italian Giallo horror films penned most famously by Mario Bava and Lucio Fulci, with some influence from erotic vampire films such as Vampyros Lesbos. It’s a boatload of bloody fun, but only makes sense if you’re willing to play along with the campy aesthetic of horror films past. Director Phil Mucci really got this one right - "Sorrow" mixes the perfect amount of 70’s Italian horror and kickass metal imagery. 

Sorrow plays along with the image that Huntress has built up for themselves: a brand of metal that harkens back to bands like Iron Maiden, complete with old-school metal riffs, thrashy interludes, and operatic vocals, thanks to classically trained/former Playboy bunny turned lead vocalist Jill Janus. Their 80's metal throwback tendencies mix with their distinct sound, while also mixing in a self-aware sense of humor with songs like “I want to fuck you to death."

Phil Mucci is one of my favorite music video creators, and is utilizing some really amazing elements in his videos that fit the metal aesthetic, and simultaneously break ground in the music video scene, repurposing the motifs and visual effects of early horror filmmakers such as Jess Franco, and as far back as F.W. Murnau. In most of Mucci's videos, he utilizes a digital multiplane camera technique that is similar to the animated films of the past, moving the camera through multiple moving layers. He also combines a lot of practical effects, such as inkdrop textures, and 3d printed models (See photo below). In his commentary for Opeth’s “The Devil’s Orchard” he talks about how he started creating the visual effects himself to save money, but ended up creating a new style that he would continue to run with.

In "Sorrow," the aesthetic is more narrative based, and has more acting than in Mucci’s previous videos. That alone is impressive, not to mention the band members play most of the parts, along with executive producer Ian Mackay playing Professor Dario Bava. Mucci's videos for "Torche" and "High on Fire" have distinct narratives, but the videos are mostly driven by the imagery. However, “Sorrow” is more similar to a feature film with a beginning middle and end. Overall, it’s a lot of fun, and a new addition to Mucci’s repertoire of abilities.

Demi Lovato and Hannah Lux Davis have teamed up to do a really really awesome video in the revisionist 80’s vein, and its a power punch of fun and scandalous pop sensibilities. Based on the vibe of "Cool for the Summer," Lovato seems to be taking her career further down in the vein of Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, and Rihanna; that is, trying to brand herself by creating edgier, bolder, and more entertaining media. Lovato has continually progressed further from her earnest beginnings, professing non-conformist individuality and progressive Christian faith in previous videos (See "La La Land" and "Really Don’t Care," respectively). All that said, the new image could just be a “summer fling” as some artists seem to have. 

The video is super fun and 80’s which seems to be slightly new for director Hannah - though most of her stuff is just as colorfully sultry. The tones in this video shine in the same way that Kung Fury does, maintaining the VHS dulled silvery texture, but the sharpness stays intact. The colors are bright and well blended, adding to the 80’s Miami character stereotypes they are drawing from. 

Hannah has continued to create more fantastic videos this year for David Guetta, Nicki Minaj, and new Dutch singer sensation Natalie La Rose. She also just got an interview in this month’s issue of Status Magazine, where she divulges some elements of her workflow, and professes the desire to work with Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, and Selena Gomez, which doesn’t seem like a stretch, considering her strong portfolio.

If you care about music videos, you are probably still up in a tizzy about Joseph Kahn's Taylor Swift video taking video of the year at the VMA’s this weekend, but this is also the time of the year when another music video institution comes around the bend. That is, OMG! Cameras Everywhere. If you didn’t know, it’s a free summer camp for kids to come and make music videos with music video professionals around the world. I just spent a few days at the Los Angeles OMG, and Doug just wrapped up some time with the OMG posse in New York. Basically, IMVDb loves OMG, and so should you.

OMG has been around since 2011, and it’s become something that I look forward to every summer. It was one of my first really awesome experiences upon moving to LA, and it gave me the opportunity to meet some other filmmakers and make new friends. Most everyone that volunteers is involved in filmmaking in some form or another, and gives their time, abilities, and equipment to make OMG really fun and memorable for the kids every year. The goal of OMG is basically to just get kids to make something cool, and help them create it, no matter how crazy it is! Take a look at the OMG Vimeo page and you’ll quickly see how the imaginations of kids can come out when they have people giving them the ability to express.

Most of the material you’ll find online from the OMG world is a music video of sorts - on most days, the promoters of the camp subscribe artists to come out the camp for a day, let the kids dream something up from their song, and then make a full-on video out of it before the day is done. The following nights, counselors edit the videos together for everyone to watch the following morning. Finally, the counselors get together after the camp ends on friday and engages in a weekend long adventure of editing all the remaining footage down, sacrificing sleep and social life to create a viewing party for all the week’s events, followed by a Q&A with the young filmmakers.

OMG has welcomed many artists through the years, varying in genres, and giving the kids a diverse array of music to form ideas from. My personal favorite from LA OMG this year was a more solemn track from Soren Bryce called “Sirens.” It's a really fun one, where Bryce was shot at the same angle in several positions, and composited together, resulting in a cool, haunting effect, which fits the solemnity of the song. There's a lot more great videos to see, with artists varying from Little Dragon to Jack Johnson. You never know who’s going to show up, but you can always bank on there being some pretty wild dance parties happening at any given point in the day. If it sounds like it interests you, feel free to apply to be a counselor next summer in any of the cities on the OMG circuit, which for now are Los Angeles, Oakland, New York, and London.

And as I mentioned before the camp is free for the campers, so donations are always welcome, whether in money, props, equipment, or volunteering time as a counselor. But beware - if you don’t come the full five days, the campers may or may not let you live it down.

"Tainted" by starRo instantly caught my attention for the reason you could gather for yourself upon one watch: this is a whole movie packed into a music video. I’ve seen this approach taken before, but this video goes the extra mile, it’s a passion project. From the opening images, a cohesive and emotional story unfolds, using well-executed plot devices to keep us interested.

The narrative is character driven, and is packed with more information than most narrative vids. Just for a taste, I’ll give a little of the story away: The main character, Sean, develops the cure for cancer, inspired by his wife’s terminal condition. When his partner uses his own discovery against him, he uses the supernatural side effects to regain his life back. The cinematography in "Tainted" is pretty astounding. Specifically, the use of space within the abandoned laboratory complements the actions that take place there, and really brings attention to the actors. The performances are also stunning, namely the husband/wife played by Kate Cannon and Sean Meshew, both using convincing emotional display to achieve heart-wrenching performances that reinforce their love under fire. Cannon also knocked it out of the park in her role, showing her affection for her husband, but maintaining a melancholy sadness for her impending death.

Director Brad Wong is progressively stepping it up in the music video scene, directing videos for mostly EDM and hip hop artists. What I enjoy most about his work is you can see his talent, specifically for editing and visual effects, but he focuses on the raw ingredients to tie his projects together: good narrative, multiple angles, and movement, but most of all, good light - arguably one of the most important ingredients for a music vid. This is a common thread in his videos, and his project for V.I.B.E.’s "Ready for the World" had great lighting as well. What I enjoyed was how he used a very distinct color palette to assist the narrative, and ties it into the performance shots. I’m used to seeing gel lights a lot in the EDM/hip hop video trend, but Wong uses the lights to reflect the science-heavy narrative, while extending the palette to the performance footage, so that they are almost narrating the video through music within the same world.

There have been a lot of great music videos coming out lately, and today we're featuring the new one from one our favorites, Carlos Lopez Estrada, who gave us his signature blend of realism and fantasy. (Check out "Summertime" by Clipping and "Break Yourself" by Hook N’ Sling.) This funky jazzy track by electro-bass favorite Thundercat features a short glimpse into the plight of an unlucky samurai, having his arms chopped off, and getting put into some kind of purgatory with no arms and his family keeping the TV off. It’s unclear if he dies, but it’s pretty clear that his situation changes for the worst, and has his mind returning to his former existence. 

The setting really make this video awesome. Production designer (and costumer) Tyler Jensen is an old collaborator, working with Estrada as far back as 2010 for the extremely entertaining stop motion masterpiece "Chocolate" by Jessie and Joy. The costumes really sold the scene, complete with full-on samurai gear; and the art direction made the house location look especially depressing, with old school television and sad suburban elements scattered about. The lighting was also incredible, using candy lighting to achieve a surreal effect, and giving it the feel of a makeshift dojo inside a garage. 

The song really seemed to fit the video as well, using lyrics like “Now I'm sitting here with a black hole in my chest, A heartless, broken mess” and “it must've fell when I lost my mind, Deep in the cut, drowning in a pain." It seems that the lyrics must have evoked some imagery for the song, because the parallels seem pretty apparent to me. Overall, it felt like a good combination, and a very personally focused experience, while putting some over the top action. It was also cool to see Thundercat on an infomercial for a second.

Director Emil Nava is back at it with the hyper emotional new video for Swedish pop sensation Tove Lo. Nava has been booked solid for the last few years, churning out progressively more videos every year since 2011 for some of the biggest artists, but still getting to experiment and maintain some diversity. He can work with found footage (Ed Sheeran’s "Photograph"), and even goes into Chris Cunningham-level experimentation with Calvin Harris’ "Slow Acid." He also worked with Lo on Alesso’s "Heroes (We Could Be)," so it would make sense that they team up for one of their own.

"Timebomb" is a great track to pair with a video because of the explosive song structure. The shaky camera and chaotic dance moves match the song’s intensity, and makes for a cohesive style overall. This video is all about literal translation. It’s not trying to tell a story to entertain apart from the song, this video is trying to express the lyrics and tone as literally as possible. Because the feel of the song is so raw and vulnerable, it makes more sense than average for Lo to do some emotional nude shots toward the end, and to show physical disputes and affections of the couples dealing with their issues.

The ultra wide aspect ratio and fact that they shot only on the beach made it easy to become familiar with the setting, and the content also never jumped out of the set style or color palette. The style centered on a washed out white look, and didn’t jump into sunset until the end. Because the experience is supposed to rise and fall, it only makes sense that the calming of the storm, as it were, would come towards the end, and the time of day dictates that perfectly, as if to say “maybe we are the best thing ever." Overall, great use of space and narrative, and an absolutely enrapturing performance from Tove Lo - this track exposes a side of her that is still radio friendly, but a little deeper and more engaging than "Habits (Stay High)."

Former JLS member Aston Merrygold has been on the fast track back into the limelight, following in the footsteps of Justin Timberlake, releasing the video for single "Get Stupid" off his first album since breaking off from the X-Factor famed UK boy band. This video is a bag of pure nostalgic fun that packs in a lot of really great dancing and performances with a really fun song.

The setting of the video takes place entirely in a vacated mall, and they really make the most out of it - the crew shoots everywhere, from brightly lit clothing stores to dark hallways (complete with dancing janitor) and all over the moving escalators. Choreographer Aakomon Jones really knocked it out of the park! People are dancing crazy everywhere; the screen is almost always filled with dancers performing explosive moves that sometimes relate to the song's lyrics directly. Jones has been working as a choreographer for a long time, though most of his work is theater range feature films, from Collateral to Pitch Perfect 2. He really knows his stuff!

I love how the 80's influences are so clear, bringing in some of Michael Jackson's choreography, and pulling from some seriously classic 80s movie plot points. Director James Lees is great at creating a vibe, getting a little more quirky in some of his other projects, like Two Door Cinema Club's "Undercover Martyn," and using some fabulous cut-to-the-beat editing in the incredibly catchy OneRepublic video "Counting Stars." He's a very versatile director, and seems to be able to make something unique and entertaining, no matter the song genre.