Post production company

Black Kite Studios

Eleanor Grace Hann directs a thrilling promo for Irish-British singer-songwriter Empara Mi.&nbsp;The video for Masochist - the second release from her forthcoming second album Monsters &amp; Masochists -&nbsp;is an empowering, absorbing feat, anchored by a strong performance and beautiful choreography.&nbsp;Interweaving martial arts swordplay and anachronistic styling, the video is a ritualistic, high-energy piece that builds to an explosive climax.

Renäta Fabri

Empara Mi

Eleanor Grace Hann

Edward Lloyd

Adam Trz

Scarlett Gardner

Cheyenne Enninful

Ismah Ansari

Jak Waughman

Darius Williams

Elise Matthew-thompson

Louis Lasa-tarbuck

Alan Kitrell

Daniela Alves

Serena Rossi

Nomad Editing Company

Simone Chiavini

Sam Unwin

Empara Mi 'Masochist' by Eleanor Grace Hann

Empara Mi - MASOCHIST (Official Music Video)

Rory Alexander Stewart directs a spectacular promo for Squid.&nbsp;The video for Cro-Magnon Man follows a&nbsp;frenetic rollerblader, played by Neil Nelly Ingall, as he carves through a dimly lit cityscape, on a surreal journey combining physicality, distortion, and a puppet made of bones.With a heavily-textured, vintage digital aesthetic and experimental cinematography, it's an inspired concept for an equally strange piece of music.&nbsp;Cityscapes have never looked so weird -&nbsp;another great project from&nbsp;Rory Alexander Stewart.

Jamie McCubbin

Rory Alexander Stewart

Zaigham Hameed Butt

CANADA

Ruth Morris

Rowan Biddiscombe

Callum Harrison

Taff Williamson

Jordan Glancey

Tom Chick

Rich Fearon

Javier Botella Pérez

Marina M. Campomanes

Marta Ferrero

Álvaro Posadas

Neil Nelly Ingall

Warp Records

Squid 'Cro-Magnon Man' by Rory Alexander Stewart

Squid-'Cro-magnon-Man'-by-Rory-Alexander-Stewart

Joe Connor captures surfer Ryan Watts' mastery of the waves pounding the North West Ireland coastline in his extraordinary video for&nbsp;Colorado-based singer-songwriter Gregory Alan Isakov.Connor collaborated with specialist cameraman Clem&nbsp;McInerney to shoot New Zealander Watts riding the pipeline through huge Atlantic Ocean waves crashing into the rocky coast of County Donegal.&nbsp;Watts's skill and enigmatic presence&nbsp;provides a highly effective accompaniment for Isakov's plaintive track Mistakes.It's astonishing footage - graded to a silvertone-tinged black and white by George K at Black Kite. Arguably the best ever shot for a music video.&nbsp;

United States

Joe Connor

Clem McInerney

Jacques Simon

Trim Editing

George K

Rogue Films

Alexa Haywood at Free Agent UK

Singer-songwriter

Gregory Alan Isakov 'Mistakes' by Joe Connor

Gregory Alan Isakov - Mistakes (Official Music Video)

A support group becomes shared catharsis in&nbsp;Piers Dennis' latest entertaining excursion with Rebecca Lucy Taylor, aka&nbsp;Self Esteem.&nbsp;The video for 69 opens in a community&nbsp;setting, where Rebecca sits in a circle of women, delivering the song’s verse with characteristic intensity (and yes, it's all about sex)&nbsp;as the group nods along in understanding, and then begin to be visibly moved. Then it transforms into a hypnotic, almost ritualistic display, blurring the line between personal release and shared experience.[imgtoken data:1]Rebecca played Sally Bowles in the acclaimed production of Cabaret&nbsp;in the West End last year and Dennis's latest Self Esteem video - following previous excellent collaborations on the likes of <a href="https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2023/01/09/self-esteem-345-piers-dennis/79875" target="_blank">The 345</a> and <a href="https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2024/06/25/self-esteem-ft-moonchild-sanelly-big-man-piers-dennis/87034" target="_blank">Big Man</a> - has tapped into that aesthetic , with a witty, increasingly torrid song-and-dance number that could have been adapted from a grown-up Cabaret-like&nbsp;stage show.&nbsp;Building from naturalistic cinematography to an eruption of vibrant red lighting, the edit builds to a frantic climax where the characters purge all the bad vibes with breathtaking choreography. And its simply a great vehicle for the talents of Rebecca Lucy Taylor: her charisma burns through the screen.&nbsp;

United Kingdom

Katie South

Alex Blowers

Alex Mullins

Piers Dennis

Rowan Macintosh King

Hands 

Riff Raff Films

Joanna Asia Szyczewska

Kiann Altman

Adam Singodia

Precious Mahaga

Maddy Williams

Joe Mulvihill

Dan Huntley

Ollie Pearson

Jess Averbeck

Stuart Roger

Lauren Bell

Byron London

Andre Rodrigues

Okay Studio

Richard Fearson

Polydor Uk

Alternative

Indie

Self Esteem '69' by Piers Dennis

Self Esteem - 69 (Official Video)

<h3>The Black Kite Studios colour producer on his love of street photography, buying Fontaines D.C. for his Dad&nbsp;and why he's feeling positive about the year ahead - including&nbsp;Black Kite's chances in the VFX football league.</h3>After a successful first year&nbsp;producing for three of the top colourist talents in London, Jamie McCubbin is looking forward to a busy 2025 for Black Kite Studios'&nbsp;colour department.Having previously worked as a VFX producer at Glassworks in Amsterdam, and before that at Okay Studio, Jamie joined Black Kite in late 2023 as colour producer for three of the&nbsp;most experienced, respected and in-demand colourists in London - George K, Rich Fearon and Tom Mangham.In the past 12 months he has colour-produced a number of music videos -&nbsp;including for Cat Burns, Self-Esteem, Tourist&nbsp;and Mura Masa -&nbsp;as well as numerous commercials. His crucial contribution to the Black Kite colour team's creative output was underlined by him taking an equally important role in the company football team - as goalkeeper.As we found out when we quizzed Jamie - courtesy of the first Snapshot Q&amp;A of the year - he also has an exciting&nbsp;year ahead with his side project, as part of a filmmaking collective. And he's looking forward to "Manchester's own Woodstock".&nbsp;Name:&nbsp;Jamie McCubbinBirthday:&nbsp;18.07.89Where did you grow up?&nbsp;Merseyside, LiverpoolPlace of further education and course (if any)?&nbsp;Manchester Met – studied AdvertisingWhere do you live now?&nbsp;South London massive<blockquote>A grade can transform something in a very short space of time.</blockquote>Name a film or video or other creative work that had a huge influence on your career choice?I’m into street photography and spend time around the city taking photos of things. London always has something interesting to shoot and there’s literally drama on every corner. William Eggleston is a hero and I finally got my hands on some of his photobooks showcasing his glorious 35mm colour work.[imgtoken data:1]Photographers like Eggleston have influenced how I see visual media which has allowed me to feel so passionate about colour grading and picture post. The more photobooks I can get my hands on the better. Garry Winogrand, Martin Parr, Nan Goldin... the list is endless.What were the important first projects for you, in terms of a learning experience and getting noticed, or a foothold in the industry?On my first day as an intern in post [at Okay Studio]&nbsp;I had the opportunity to sit in a grade suite. I sat at the back on a nice sofa listening to the DP and colourist discuss their project and talk shop. I began to understand how fundamental colour is to the end result of a project and my appreciation grew early on.I think a grade can completely transform something in a very short space of time and as a producer I’ve been lucky to be a part that process since starting out.Best film(s) you saw last year?I’ve realised I’m much more of a film person rather than TV series person, so I try to watch as many films as I can. An old friend Rich Peppiatt directed&nbsp;Kneecap&nbsp;last year which is up for a BAFTA! Another UK film I loved was&nbsp;Aftersun&nbsp;by Charlotte Wells.[imgtoken data:2]For a big blockbuster, I thought&nbsp;Barbie&nbsp;was an absolute riot! It made me laugh out loud and looked the part both production design and grade.Favourite song/album/music artist in the past year?My daily tube commute consists of an album in the morning and a podcast in the evening. I listened a lot to the latest Mount Kimbie album&nbsp;The Sunset Violent&nbsp;for something a bit calm. When I wanted more of a foot stomp to get the day going I listened to the new Fontaines DC album. I bought my Dad that on vinyl for his record collection with the sole intention to inherit it back!<blockquote>Involving the colourists in pre-production is a great way to collaborate.</blockquote>Favourite music video/videos in the past year?Really enjoyed Luna Carmoon’s promo for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2024/08/08/fontaines-dc-heres-thing-luna-carmoon/87678" target="_blank">Fontaines DC's Here’s The Thing</a>&nbsp;– a great mix of narrative storytelling within a music video. The best music videos are short stories in a condensed form and this one really stood out for me when I saw it. I caught Luna’s debut feature&nbsp;Hoard&nbsp;via BBC Film, which showcases her talent as a strong British voice.I liked rubberband.’s video for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2023/07/05/bakar-alive-rubberband/82265" target="_blank">Bakar's Alive!</a>&nbsp;too. A super-simple idea with its off-the-the-wall naturalistic vibe holding up Piccadilly Circus - radical! DP Patrick Golan did an awesome job with a mix of long lenses and handheld which worked really well with the music track.[vidtoken data:0]What was (or usually is) your favourite night out last year?&nbsp;Down the pub with friends and a pocket of pound coins for the pool table.In terms of the music video-related jobs of the past year or so, what were the most rewarding creatively, and why?We have a supremely talented team of colourists at Black Kite - George K, Rich Fearon and Tom Mangham, who are all a pleasure to work alongside.Last year Rich graded with the wonderful Ivana Bobic from Riff Raff on a video for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2024/02/02/future-islands-thief-ivana-bobic/84993" target="_blank">Future Islands' The Thief</a>. The video was a dance film&nbsp;with a colour palette based on the album’s cover artwork and we worked with DP Nanu Segal and Ivana to develop a LUT for the shoot.[vidtoken data:1]Involving the colourists as early on as pre-production is a great way to collaborate and spark an interest so I’m always keen for opening that dialogue up at the very beginning of a project. The video turned out super nice and just as we hoped.We value music videos as a creative outlet and they tend to have the most ambitious visual grade briefs.What are your favourite other (non-mv) projects of the past year or so?The standout project of last year for me was KFC – Believe In Chicken directed by Vedran Rupic at Business Club via Mother, which Black Kite did all VFX / Online along with grade by our very own Tom Mangham. The creative was cool, ambitious, and shone through from shoot to delivery.I remember seeing an initial edit and thinking it was a scene pulled directly from a feature film with a hypnotic soundtrack and great choreography. I knew it would be a great spot to grade and Tom did an incredible job bringing it to life with a strong 35mm print look. I’ve caught it regularly on TV and in the cinema and it’s always a joy to watch.[vidtoken data:2]What’s the most surprising thing that’s happened last year?Some friends and I run a small collective making short films on the side. Producing shorts on my own from shoot to delivery can be stressful but really fun.On the back of this, we landed a funding grant via the BFI which was a great surprise! Receiving a chunk of money and EP support from the BFI team to make a short film was amazing, so we were chuffed to get the funding and make something fun.Most annoying/irksome thing that’s been going on this year (work-related or otherwise)?I play goalkeeper for Black Kite’s team as part of the VFX football league. It’s a blast playing with a bunch of other post houses each week. We were pipped to last year’s league title, so we're going for the gold in 2025 with the season starting this month![imgtoken data:3]Above: Jamie (middle of back row, in yellow) with&nbsp;teammates in Black Kite Studios football team<blockquote>We were pipped to last year’s league title, so we're going for the gold in 2025!</blockquote>Your top suggestion to change and improve how the music video industry works?I’d always encourage young and upcoming directors to be bold in their choices to seek out creatives who they feel can bring something special to their project, regardless of the boundaries music videos can have with budget, schedule, etc.On the grade side, we value music videos as a creative outlet and they tend to have the most ambitious visual grade briefs. Music videos are a collaborative effort and rely on everyone involved to give their full energy and attention. We should always celebrate the music video world and what it offers creatively to Directors and DP’s as well as editors and colourists on the post side.What are you looking forward to for 2025?To quote the footballing term ‘Bouncebackability’ – I think the year ahead will be a positive one for our industry all round, which has been in an ever-changing flux since these past few years since Covid and even the writer’s strikes.For me personally, I landed tickets for Oasis at Heaton Park in July. I'm&nbsp;fully expecting a frenzy will hit the UK this summer – Manchester’s very own Woodstock.• Jamie McCubbin is a colour producer at Black Kite Studios in London; email Jamie for more information about the Black Kite colourists at jamie.mccubbin@blackkitestudios.com

THE SNAPSHOT Q&A: Jamie McCubbin

Bakar-'Alive'-by-Rubberband.

Future Islands - The Thief (Official Video)

BELIEVE IN CHICKEN

Mumford &amp; Sons return to action with an irresistibly joyous video by Charlie Robins in which some of the band's most loyal fans listen to&nbsp;their new music for the first time, capturing their instinctive initial&nbsp;reactions.Fans and friends of the band were invited to hear Rushmere - title track of Mumford &amp; Sons'&nbsp;forthcoming new album and their first release in over five years - at an event in London in December. In a stripped-back studio setting and&nbsp;with multiple cameras, Robins' then focusses&nbsp;on each person, filmed individually or as a pair, and finds them reacting in a range of very personal ways to the song.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Opening with a mosaic-like grid&nbsp;of each person at the start of each take, the video then transitions into a glorious rollercoaster of emotions - the dawning&nbsp;pleasure of hearing a song that revives the band's early sound,&nbsp;turning into&nbsp;dancing in some cases, but also quieter, intimate&nbsp;contemplation&nbsp;and even a few tears.[imgtoken data:1]The genuine reactions of discovery from a group of ordinary people with a shared love of the band&nbsp;- some of whom came a very long way to attend - are fascinating and heartwarming to behold, captured in Jack Exton's cinematography and Ed Cooper's insightful edit. A delightful visual that is both affecting and celebratory.&nbsp;"Humans being humans is such a simple concept," explains Robins. "We decided to run with it and do a bit of a forensic study of Mumford’s fans and friends as they encountered the new music."We shot with eight cameras - perhaps slightly OTT but nothing beats good old-fashioned realness. Everything we captured was of the moment and honest and I think it really shows in the final film."What a lovely bunch of people."

Taise Kerr

Alizee Levrino

Charlie Robins

Ynez Myers

Andre Reid

Agile Films

David Knight

James Duffy

Jack Exton

Myles Payne

Daniel Castro Garcia

Edward Cooper

The Assembly Rooms

Thomas Mangham

Rock

Mumford & Sons 'Rushmere' by Charlie Robins

Mumford-&-Sons-'Rushmere'-by-Charlie-Robins

Ed Morris directs a haunting promo for&nbsp;Everything Is Recorded, featuring&nbsp;Mary In The Junkyard's Clari Freeman-Taylor.The video for Swamp Dream #3 transports viewers to a desolate, otherworldly landscape where the line between music and emotion blurs. The video follows a stoic figure - vocalist Clari Freeman-Taylor - trudging through a muddy dirt track in the middle of a vast, barren field, carrying a small 1980s television.On the TV screen, a vibrant, expressive version of Clari’s face sings, juxtaposing her impassive expression as she presses forward. Connected to a long extension cable, the TV mirrors the tension in the track as the cord stretches to its breaking point.The textural, abstract aesthetic has hints of expressionism and experimental cinema, which creates an anachronistic, pensive atmosphere. Freeman-Taylor's performance is suitably stoic, and the inclusion of two versions of her - the TV and 'real life' ones - adds an intriguing visual hook.&nbsp;Lovely work.&nbsp;

Elena Isolini

Douglas Miller

Ed Morris

Chris Murdoch

Scott Wright

Tom Nowell

Peter Bishop

Natalie Arnett

Franky Stone

Mike Linforth

Liam Reardom

Rebecca Luff

Work Editorial

Richard Fearon

Jakob Thorlhallssan

XL Recordings

Everything Is Recorded ft Mary In The Junkyard 'Swamp Dreams #3' by Ed Morris

Everything-Is-Recorded-Ft-Mary-In-The-Junkyard-'Swamp-Dreams-#3'-by-Ed-Morris

Dir. Lx directs a contemplative&nbsp;promo for UK Garage icon Craig David, follows the artist and his younger self through a journey of self-reflection.&nbsp;The video for In Your Hands opens&nbsp;with a fun VFX scene of Craig splitting into the two version of himself, and proceeds with&nbsp;sun-kissed performance setups and breathtaking landscape shots - and references the artist's most famous video from back in the day. It's a lovely complement to the late summer track.&nbsp;"Having grown up listening to Craig David getting to work alongside him feels like an incredible full-circle moment," says Dir. Lx.&nbsp;"From paying homage to his <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5lmb5-tnM0" target="_blank">7 Days&nbsp;video</a> through little Easter eggs to collaborating on the idea and coming up with a narrative following a younger version of him and his love for music, it’s been an honour to work with Craig and his team."We wanted to make this video vibrant, nostalgic and youthful. A young child discovering their favourite song that they can’t get enough of. Something we can all resonate with till this day."&nbsp;

Joe Munroe

Vivian Nwonka

Dir. Lx

Michelle Smith

Greatcoat Films

Pierre Hall

Sam Mayer

Simon Oxley

Michael Grant

Michael Vega

Adam Fox

Maisie Boyd

Pyro

Tom Mangham

Ethan Bywater

Believe

Craig David 'In Your Hands' by Dir. Lx

Craig-David-'In-Your-Hands'-by-Dir.-Lx

Up and coming singer-songwriter Talia Rae escapes into a surreal world in Sarah Dattani Tucker's&nbsp;video for Rocket Woman.The visual, shot in London, sees Talia dreaming of an escape, while nursing a cuppa outside a café. And the video cuts between this&nbsp;everyday setting and her plunged&nbsp;underwater.&nbsp;Reflecting on the music video, Talia explains: "I wanted to create two opposing worlds, one which you can relate to and one which you can escape into. When I wrote Rocket Woman, I always knew I wanted the visuals to reflect both the weirdness and the reality of the song, and being underwater to me felt like it was the perfect way of showing what escapism looks like in a masochistic way.”

Sarah Dattani Tucker

Ben Carey

Talia Rae 'Rocket Woman' by Sarah Dattani Tucker

Talia-Rae-'Rocket-Women-'-by-Sarah-Dattani-Tucker

Nick Leng is a&nbsp;private investigator - for creatures - in Sondock's off-the-wall&nbsp;yet riveting video for Beetlebugs.Sondock's second video for the Californian singer-songwriter, following the brilliant <a href="https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2022/04/13/nick-leng-morningmidnight-josh-sondock/75909" target="_blank">Morning/Midnight</a>, gives the classic private detective genre an unexpected, wonderfully absurd twist, when Leng is hired by a female beetle to find her missing male beetle partner, Blu Bug.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Following the traditions of the genre, Leng starts digging, asking questions -&nbsp;in various corners of the animal kingdom. And then the mystery deepens, things get complicated, with Leng navigating a world of shadows and secrets.&nbsp;The fact that Sondock (aka Josh Sondock) and Leng closely follow narrative&nbsp;rules of detective fiction with their silly concept is the platform to its success - before things get really crazy. The tension builds with each clue, until the climax, when the detective's fall is represented by a sequence&nbsp;of surreal animation, by Kohana Wilson.And then its time to deliver a final, shocking surprise...[imgtoken data:1][imgtoken data:2]&nbsp;

Ava Jones

Kohana Wilson

Sondock

Amy Teboul

Alex Advocaat

Chase DuBose

Gus Bendinelli

Matthew Clyde

Romy Jo Waller

Josh Montes

Steve Fitzpatrick

Gwennael Ghelid

2x2=5

Dante Pasquinelli

Ethos Studio

Jonny Freeman

Brenden Regan

Nick Leng 'Beetlebugs' by Sondock

Nick-Leng-'Beetlebugs'-by-Sondock

Director duo The Reids continue their collaboration with Mura Masa for Fly, taking themes from their previous videos together to the next level.Will and Ed Reid and Mura Masa - aka Alex Crossan - have been exploring and celebrating that heady mix of youth, drugs and dance music through&nbsp;a series of videos, since the marvellous, UKMVA-winning Whenever I Want last year. With FLY, we're drawn into a familiar scenario of a warehouse party, and back among the bodies of the clubbers.This is a more exclusive, well-styled&nbsp;revellers than the varied teen ravers of the previous videos, and this slickly produced affair produces an original moment of euphoria, as one dancer rises above the crowd.Simply yet beautifully done, and a marvellous addition to a series that's adding up to a body of work in itself.&nbsp;

The Reids

Mura Masa

Poppy Ashton

Anonymous Content

Sophie Hubble

Shion Haysaka

Annie Maguire

Freddie Wright

Toby Mckay

Fabienne Piolini

Reece Hearnshaw

Greg Probert

Sasha Hilton

Ailsa Chaplin

Claire Urquhart

Roman Harris

Hazel Gibson

Dance

Mura Masa 'FLY' by The Reids

Mura Masa - FLY (feat. Cherish)

Together with music videos for three songs from Cat Burns's debut album early twenties, Libby Burke Wilde has directed an accompanying short film.A cinematic rendering of Burns's coming-of-age album, the short narrative - also called early twenties -&nbsp;is a mirror to the transformative years of your adolescent years, touching on themes of mental health, friendship, queer love, and loneliness.Cat’s conversational lyrics are almost tangible in Libby’s script, interweaving the lives of five friends on a night out, all at different stages in life.[imgtoken data:1]Piecing together the narrative between the music videos for alone, end game&nbsp;and met someone - also directed by Libby Burke Wilde - the short film stars a wealth of emerging British acting talent: India Amarteifio (Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story), Sam Reuben (Everything Now), Aiyana Goodfellow (The Outlaws), Melina Sinadinou (Beyond Paradise), and BAFTA-nominated Samuel Bottomley (How To Have Sex, Sundown).“Your early 20s are one of the most transformative times in life, which I think is what makes it so memorable," says Burke Wilde. "It’s a time of limbo between childhood and fully-fledged adulthood. Responsibilities are creeping in, but some things are still carefree.&nbsp;[imgtoken data:2]"It’s also a time when your relationship to yourself and others is changing dramatically. Cat mentions all these things in her album. Not knowing where you want to be, not feeling comfortable in your own skin, loneliness and having low self-esteem. All universal themes that feel so heightened in your early twenties."I wanted to make a film that touches on many of these feelings. It reflects the dramatic highs and epic lows of this time in your life, but leaves you with a feeling of hope for the future."