The UK Music Video Awards are helping to bring the talented people working in British music videos to a wider audience.

Case in point: Richard Ayoade, nominated for best director and best rock video at the UK Music Video Awards for his beautifully-crafted videos for Vampire Weekend, Arctic Monkeys and Last Shadow Puppets, is interviewed in The Guardian today.

Richard denies it, but as the man from The Guardian points out, he is a very deeply cool. Being a successful comedy actor, writer and director is one thing, but he also directs meticulously referenced, playful, funny, and just plain very good music videos for cool bands. And being extremely self-effacing as well as hugely talented just makes him cooler.

And here’s more evidence: Richard’s lovely new video for Last Shadow Puppets. Shot at Pinewood, it was inspired by Fellini’s cult, largely forgotten short film Toby Dammit, and is dripping with stylised, subtly ironic atmosphere.

Not only is it perfect for the LSPs, it features Alex and Alexa – London’s coolest couple. Case closed.

Last Shadow Puppets
My Mistakes Were Made For You (Domino)
Prod co: Warp Films
Director: Richard Ayoade
Producer: Jon Adams
DoP: Sam Brown
Editor: Owen Oppenheimer
Grade: Steffan Perry at Framestore
Commissioner: Jonny Bradshaw
Watch: Quicktime movie

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