Production Company

Caviar

A robot boyband take the world by storm in Maxim Kelly's alternative history of computing and artificial intelligence for Hot Chip - in which music video takes an even more important role...&nbsp;&nbsp;For Broken, taken from the band's recently released eighth album Freakout/Release, we follow the engaging story of Jerry Fairchild, creator of the Fairchild 7000, and its role in turning computer nerds into music video directors (including one named Jon Glazer). That is the introduction&nbsp;to the 'proper' video that features anonymous, frequently multiplying android pop stars, busting moves in a familiar white-syc studio.&nbsp;[imgtoken data:1]As in some of his previous work - perhaps most notably the video for shame's Nigel Hitter - Kelly reworks obscure vintage corporate film footage to create the foundations for his concept.Then he has created his robot boyband by adding cool robot mask prosthetics&nbsp;to a trio of denim-clad dancers presenting them in a pop video, rooted in the classic form. And that is hugely effective for a song that is at the catchy pop-end of Hot Chip's musical&nbsp;spectrum.[imgtoken data:2]&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“I’m intrigued by AI machines doing artwork," says Kelly. "In the future, robots and computers might make music videos too - and this is what I imagine the first will look like."I referenced the boyband videos I grew up watching on MTV - overly sentimental with emotional and gut-wrenching performances. In this video, soulless androids run through all the motions and cliches of these videos with deadpan robotic precision. It’s a pop video with all the entertaining and watchable bits taken out.”

United Kingdom

Maxim Kelly

Eleri Evans

Sachin Chande

Samira Conteh

Afzal Robbani

Matthew Emvin Taylor

Malte Huebner

Lucy Bradley

Beau Pritchard-James

John Phillips

Laurent Arnaud

Syd Harmony

Robert Smith

Begona F.Martin

Celia Arias

Kloe Dean

Tom Mangham

Black Kite Studios

Steve Shaw

Trim Editing

John Moule

Domino Records

Hands London

Alternative

Hot Chip 'Broken' by Maxim Kelly

Hot Chip - Broken (Official Video)

A young maid finds herself at a crossroads, in Maxim Kelly's mesmerising promo for Ethel.&nbsp;Waiting hand and foot on a slightly surreal family, we see the main character run errands and try to stay out of the way, as the father figure&nbsp;lip-syncs to the track, getting oppressively close to her wherever she tries to escape to.&nbsp;Ending with a climactic dance in the living room - performing to the awkwardly apathetic parents and daughter - the video is haunting and contemplative, echoing films from French and Korean arthouse cinema. A subtle manipulation of the textures of the image at certain points also heightens the surreality of the concept, which creates an unnerving atmosphere.[imgtoken data:1]“Initially I thought Ethel should be the main character and do the dance at the end, and I always had this image from this French film called My American Uncle, where it’s like a little girl standing up at a table," Kelly explains.&nbsp;"I originally had that image in my head for a rap video, but it didn’t really make sense to the song. I wanted this to feel more like surreal so then as I started finding more imagery. It kind of transpired that maybe the maid was the more interesting character.”

Ginny Kerr

Myana Van Cuijenborg

Dave Frost

Lewes Bridson

Marianthi Hatzikidi

Sam Katz

Riaz Ahmed

Ollie Ford

Sacchin Chande

Phillips Nortey

Milo Brown

Arran Green

Elena Diaz

Vid Price

Stephen Harakis

The Murder Capital 'Ethel' by Maxim Kelly

The Murder Capital - Ethel (Official Video)

Sasha Nathwani launches a new phase of his music video directing career with this scintillating showcase for Tamil-Swiss singer-songwriter Priya Ragu, which combines elements of South Asian cinema and Kill Bill in a eye-catching style the director dubs 'Tamiltino'.Having celebrated&nbsp;South Asian fashion and culture in her previous videos, the video for&nbsp;Adalam Va! - which&nbsp;translates loosely as Let’s Dance -&nbsp;raises the bar in terms of visual elegance, choreography and pure physicality,&nbsp;with Priya mastering an eye-catching array of intense martial arts moves and energizing dance routines, created by the choreographer Supple Nam.The eye-popping action and performance elements also dovetail wonderfully within the striking splendour of&nbsp;Strawberry Hill House &amp; Garden, a place&nbsp;that is also clearly influenced by subcontinent architecture.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[imgtoken data:1]Adalam Va! is a most vibrant cocktail of electro-pop and soul-stirring South Indian sonics, with Priya’s voice rising like a beacon of positivity. “Adalam Va! is about hope in the darkest of days," she says. "It’s about the fresh energy that emerges out of these times. We wanted to express that feeling through this song and to get everyone on the dancefloor!”And Nathawani's well constructed visual captures the essence of the track with admirable wit and timeless cinematic glamour.“I’ve wanted to work with Priya for a while now," says the director. "This Adalam Va! video was the perfect opportunity. Working collaboratively with Priya and Japhna Gold, we crafted a narrative inspired by classic Tamil films from the 70s and 80s starring Indian film legend Rajinikanth, and fused this with the cinematic flair of Tarantino, coining this combination of styles: TAMILTINO.[imgtoken data:2]"The video tells the story of a Kill Bill-inspired character played by Priya, that liberates a gang of youths enslaved by an evil villain, freeing them through the encouraging chorus line Adalam Va which means Come and Dance."Priya really threw herself into the physical challenge of this video, working closely with choreographer and fight supervisor Supple Nam, she learnt how to use a silambam stick, a South Asian martial arts weapon, alongside numerous dance sequences, inspired by South Asian choreography.”

Sasha Nathwani

Manoela Chiabai

Joshua Noon

Smera Kumar

David Wright

Isusko Garcia

Gary Kent

Joshua Dadson

Felix Wildey

Ciaran Beale

Jake Hunte

Natalie Wilkins

Daniela Alves

Shamara Roper

Tasnim Nahar

Supple Nam

Blaine Pearson

TenThree

Jonny Tully

CHEAT

Kirstin Cruickshank

Warner Records

Priya Ragu 'Adalam Va!' by Sasha Nathwani

Priya Ragu - Adalam Va! (Official Video)

Chrissi's marvellous takedown of an unworthy lover in Lipo gets a charming and witty treatment by Denisha Anderson.Lipo is Chrissi’s ode to body positivity, self-love and the trials of getting to the point where you believe you deserve it. And although the subject is serious&nbsp;she treats it in a smooth, laidback fashion, addressing her ex with an 'this is your problem, not mine' attitude. That makes it all the more impactful.Anderson gets the mood exactly right, by putting Chrissi in a naturalistic situation with her friends, echoing some classic R&amp;B videos along the way. Chrissi and her pals&nbsp;are enjoying each other's company, and aided by the choreography by Claudia Lois, and some fun set-ups, this is playful as it spreads it's serious message.[imgtoken data:1]“When I initially heard the song, I was gassed at the bar 'Fxck your feelings'," says Anderson.&nbsp;"I really felt that, and knew I had to create something which was full of energy yet super empowering."Drawing inspiration from Destiny’s Child’s Bootylicious and Janet Jackson’s That’s The Way Love Goes, I wanted a similar home environment, where we see Chrissi and her friends vibing and enjoying each other’s company, dissecting F-Boys, and saying goodbye to that energy and hello to an evolved version of self."Utilising a variety of set-ups and working with a choreographer for the first time, I think we pulled it all together with smiles, energy and charisma to make a film I am really proud of.”&nbsp;

Denisha Anderson

Liam Wallace-Cook

Nisha Mullea

Ffon Kunz

Jed Darlington-Roberts

Stephen Ofori

Jecelnena Gubatan

Sachin Parmar

Claudia Lois

Bethan Dadson

Jasmine Hamilton

Samelle

Rose Moya

Florence Kennard

Ollie Thompson

Olivia Jessop

Electric Theatre Collective

Quinn Titsworth

Island Records

Soul

Chrissi 'Lipo' by Denisha Anderson

Chrissi - Lipo (Official Video)

Taichi Kimura has teamed up with dance behemoths Lewis Thompson and David Guetta to create a cinematic Tokyo-set comedy - incorporating ingenious dance moves -&nbsp;to accompany their infectious summer anthem Take Me Back.The delightful&nbsp;concept for the video sees a collective of intoxicated salarymen (and woman), rising from their alcohol-induced stupors - from roadsides, flowerbeds, and wherever else they happened to&nbsp;drop -&nbsp;to&nbsp;move&nbsp;in choreographed&nbsp;formation&nbsp;through the nighttime streets of Tokyo, in the manner of zombie-like sleepwalkers being pulled by an invisible force.It's a warmhearted, funny, and beautifully-shot vehicle for the&nbsp;team-up of Thompson - one half of successful DJ/production duo Just Kiddin' - and legendary&nbsp;producer Guetta.[imgtoken data:1]&nbsp;“At first, I thought it was going to be a challenge for me to make a visually cinematic music video with a sense of humour," admits Taichi Kimura.&nbsp;"But I believe we were able to pull it off on this one!&nbsp;I am very proud to make a video with such a unique concept in my home country and ever so grateful to make the visuals for these artists.&nbsp;"Finally, I would also like to thank the Japanese businessmen who have a weak tolerance for alcohol and pass out in the street. This would have never been possible without them.”

Taichi Kimura

Cekai

Taro Mikami

Shin Ohira

Miki Sakurai

Seiya Uehara

Koichi Kitamura

Kakeru Sudo

Wataru Sugimura

Risa Chino

Tim Smith

No.8

Michael Lewin

RCA Records

Dance

Lewis Thompson, David Guetta 'Take Me Back' by Taichi Kimura

Lewis Thompson, David Guetta - Take Me Back (Official Video)

Maxim Kelly creates an off-kilter tribute to '90s rave culture for Belief&nbsp; -&nbsp;the experimental dance music&nbsp;project of Stella Mozgawa&nbsp;and Boom Bip - featuring an impish dance elf who finds himself in an empty office. With a birthday cake.&nbsp;The video for Dreams, sees this intriguing&nbsp;character - played by Mark Crawley - break into expressive moves, as he confusedly comes to terms with his surroundings, and begins to sense&nbsp;the nearby presence of another figure: his somewhat hairier döppelgänger.&nbsp;[imgtoken data:1]In keeping with the era and the mood that he and DoP Arthur Loveday were trying to evoke, Kelly chose to shoot the video on MiniDV - the domestic format that was state-of-the-art back in the early 90s. But it is also composed and lit to make the format look as professional&nbsp;as possible, which gives the footage a&nbsp;distinctive&nbsp;high-end lo-fi quality.Kelly says that the video was inspired by watching rave footage from the 90s, and marvelling at "people looking their worst but feeling their best, and dancing the night away" - and also a certain kind of video from the era.&nbsp;"There’s a sub-genre of music video which became very popular for a time. It’s just one person dancing in a pertinent space. I wanted to make my version of that video. Almost like a parody."[imgtoken data:2]He adds that the&nbsp;decision to shoot on MiniDV was an aesthetic choice, and a homage to 90s rave footage. "Early on, Arthur Loveday and I decided to imagine that we were making a music video with the best technology we had available - and work to make it look as good as possible," he says."People today, when they shoot MiniDV, try to make it look bad, jerky and add glitches. But the technology is still great, and you can get some stunning results if you take the time and care to shoot it appropriately. And, it doesn’t hurt if you have Tom Mangham at Black Kite grading it too!”

Victor Shikhatov

Arthur Loveday

Pearce Crowley

Georgia Olive

Esme Horn

Mark Crawley

Thomas Mangham

Zoe Davis

Lex Records

Electronic

Belief 'Dreams' by Maxim Kelly

BELIEF - DREAMS (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

Maxim Kelly has created a fabulous fever dream of a Western - shot in blinding black and white - for&nbsp;experimental rock combo black midi.The song Eat Men Eat - from the forthcoming album Hellfire - is a typically eclectic fusion-jam (Rock meets Flamenco!), with lyrics by vocalist Cameron Picton, about two men and their quest to overcome the cruel captain of a mining facility. That's the starting point for Kelly's interpretation where two prospectors become embroiled a similarly overbearing personality, and their efforts to poison him.That barely does justice to the sense of abandon and euphoria, laced with doom and destruction, that powers the story. It features a compelling&nbsp;performance by Calvin Cornwall as 'the captain', luminous cinematography by&nbsp;Pieter Snyman, a brilliantly unhinged edit by music video editing legend&nbsp;Vid Price.&nbsp;Kelly also incorporates a characteristic&nbsp;multi-media element,&nbsp;which adds to the strange surreal silent movie atmosphere.[imgtoken data:1]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“The story starts in the desert with two men engaged in a desperate search for missing friends," says Cameron Picton of the song.&nbsp;"Their quest leads them to a strange mining facility which, despite a death of natural resources in the area, opens its door for even stranger hosts to welcome them.”Kelly adds that meant the story was already largely in place when it came to making the video.&nbsp;"I just worked to visualise that narrative whilst staying true to the band’s vision and songwriting," he says.&nbsp;"So, I had this idea in my head of an old silent movie aesthetic with inter-titles. But every now and then it turns into a 'talkie'&nbsp;with parts of lip-syncing."It’s a structurally unusual song, so it’s wonderful when a track like this comes along and forces you to break your usual patterns and habits and push yourself as a director.“I first listened to black midi in 2018 when my friend recorded a live performance in his studio for NTS Radio. I think this might be one of their first-ever recordings, and it blew me away. So I’m thrilled to have the honour of making their latest music video."

Aisha Kemp

Phin Shaughnessy-Symons

Pieter Snyman

Oliver Bingham

Charlotte Hayde

Joe Mulvihill

James Duffy

Melissa Davies

Rough Trade

Rock

black midi 'Eat Men Eat' by Maxim Kelly

black midi - Eat Men Eat

Denisha Anderson's latest collaboration with Miles Romans-Hopcraft - aka Wu-Lu -features the multi-instrumentalist/producer and his bandmates exorcising their demons in the wide-open spaces of a sun-scorched landscape.Primal emotions are explored in this desert-like environment - actually a quarry in Suffolk - for the video for Blame, from the back of a drifting car and elsewhere. Ultimately, a white-pupilled version of Romans-Hopecraft is buried, neck deep in the rock, by the rest of the band.&nbsp;[imgtoken data:1]“It is about a breakdown in communication between my inner voice and my external voice and a situation that arose which led me to end a relationship”, explains Wu-Lu&nbsp;about the song, which is featured on the forthcoming debut album&nbsp;LOGGERHEAD, which is released in July.“For this video, I was inspired by the films Dogtooth and Paris, Texas," says Denisha Anderson about the video - her fourth for Wu-Lu.&nbsp;"I ran with buzzwords such as road-trip, disconnection, fear and goodbyes to the old self. These themes were used as a starting point for my vision after a long chat with Wu-Lu about where he was emotionally from writing the track."As the song is high energy throughout, I wanted to juxtapose this with stillness, slow movement and negative space. Through this, I aimed to build to the pace of the visual so the viewers are ultimately carried on a journey when watching.”

Meghan Wilcox

Natalie Steiner

Rafael Ramirez

Cameron Sealby

Chris Wilson

Homespun

Warp

Wu-Lu 'Blame' by Denisha Anderson

Wu-Lu - Blame / Ten (Official Video)

Cyprien Clément-Delmas directs a thought-provoking promo for Moderat.&nbsp;Consisting of artists&nbsp;Sascha Ring (Apparat) and Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary (Modeselektor), the track&nbsp;contemplates the relationship between love and independence, lamenting how vulnerable we become when the balance between the two tips too far forward towards the former.The video for Easy Prey was shot across two days in Barcelona, and&nbsp;explores our heavy reliance on technology and its consequential fragilities and interconnectedness. The abstract narrative vignettes create a palpable energy, which bubbles with mystery and intrigue, whilst developing the aforementioned themes in a fresh and&nbsp;exciting way.&nbsp;[imgtoken data:1]“The idea of the music video is to talk about our dependence on technology,&nbsp;the vulnerability of our ultra-connected societies,"&nbsp;says&nbsp;Clément-Delmas.&nbsp;"We think we are stronger today but we are somehow weaker. Most of the essentials are now based on technology.&nbsp;"This main character represents the essential workers that make all this happen but are also fed up with society, with what we are expected to be. This is a sort of close dystopia I wanted to create in this film. I think this scenario is not too far away and we might experience something similar sooner or later.”Strikingly executed, with a darkly futuristic vibe and tonnes of atmosphere.&nbsp;[imgtoken data:2]&nbsp;

Cyprien Clément-Delmas

Slime TV

MAGICK

Joceline Gabriel

Laia Vidal

Júlia Bas Anglès

Carlos Feher

Dominique Aizpurua

Riki Prat

Otti Ramirez

Carlos Font Clos

Marc Morató

Martes Studio

La Metropolitana

Frame 24

Cinelab Film and Digital

Sergi Lafuente

Moderat 'Easy Prey' by Cyprien Clément-Delmas

MODERAT - MORE D4TA - EASY PREY

Denisha Anderson has teamed up with the London-based up and coming artist Léa Sen for her debut single Hyasynth, and created a video which explores the singer's state of mind via the device of a triptych.&nbsp;Anderson dramatises Sen's domestic life in a studio setting, capturing commonplace moments of her day&nbsp;from different angles and altering timelines,&nbsp;as Sen performs the song - and prepares for an evening with friends. There is also a meditative and melancholic mood at play, as the excitment and comfort of a party atmosphere dissipates. It becomes clear that the singer is preparing to leave the space.Anderson's visual reflects the song, which&nbsp;is about Léa&nbsp;Sen's journey from her home on the outskirts of Paris to London - where she has established&nbsp;herself as one of the capital’s most in-demand talents, from her&nbsp;vocal features for Joy Orbison to solo work that references everything from Bon Iver’s electronic timbre and folk guitars to Sampha’s impressionistic lyricism.[imgtoken data:1]“In a way, I ran away from certain things," says Sen. "In another way I also made the first step into growing into the person I really wanted to be. Sometimes I feel like my past mistakes haunt me, that’s what I felt making this song. It’s about wanting to grow and handle life with more wisdom.”For the video, Denisha Anderson says she drew inspiration from influential British artist and filmmaker Isaac Julien.&nbsp;“I knew a triptych would be a great concept for this song as I wanted to create a visual that demanded your attention over and over again," she says."Being back with my dream team - my DoP, set designer, stylist and editor - immediately gave me the confidence to pull this off as they all were very clear in how I envisioned it and as always, the whole crew delivered in abundance.[imgtoken data:2]"Every element of this video demanded a lot from each HOD. Firstly, the lighting I wanted was very specific, as it acts as an arc as we drift into different time periods throughout each scene. Followed by set design, I wanted to create a space with objects familiar with it still feeling surreal i.e being in the studio. Finally, the edit, the flow of each scene was integral and it was essentially 3 videos in one, whoopsie!"Working with Léa was the icing on the cake. She was professional, a great performer and a warm character throughout the day and I feel so privileged to be a part of her new musical journey by having the opportunity to direct her first music video."Léa adds: “Denisha came up with that idea of the triptych to express the complexity of my disconnect from my loved ones when I decided to leave for London a few years back. I thought it was just a brilliant idea and it turned out even more gorgeous than I expected. I’m also grateful for my friends that came on set and had a dance with me, it was exactly what I needed!”

Sorcha Shepherd

Scarlett Gardner

Jorge Higgins

Britini Campbell

Sofia Paradis

Menelik Simpson

Partisan Records

Singer-songwriter

Alt Soul

Léa Sen 'Hyasynth' by Denisha Anderson

Léa Sen - Hyasynth (Official Video)

We spoke to Maxim Kelly about his post-modern version of a classic adventure movie -&nbsp;featuring an alien ant - for experimental rock outfit Black Country, New Road, and discovered how it came&nbsp;from the band giving him creative freedom, and from cutting himself a bit of slack.Kelly has become known for some beautifully crafted videos anchored in a strong visual concept - such as his video for <a href="https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2021/01/13/shame-nigel-hitter-maxim-kelly/68968" target="_blank">Shame's Nigel Hitter</a>, released a year ago. Since then, he's experienced&nbsp;big changes in his personal life, moving from London to Barcelona - and he's just become a father for the first time.The track Concorde comes from Mercury-nominated London band Black Country, New Road's forthcoming second album <a href="https://music.apple.com/gb/album/ants-from-up-there/1586070259" target="_blank">Ants From Up There</a> - hence the hero of Kelly's video, who is certainly an 'ant from up there'. And much like the band's music, it has a style all of its own.This is a classic narrative that has been through the mixer of at least a couple of well-known movie genres, from war film to pre-blockbuster 'B-movie' sci-fi to post-war 'kitchen sink' drama and satire. It&nbsp;sees the heroic ant from another planet - or perhaps just from another country - held prisoner and sentenced to death in a&nbsp;retro-futuristic Orwellian&nbsp;Britain, under attack from an unknown enemy - represented at the start with vintage&nbsp;stock footage.&nbsp;[vidtoken data:0]As Kelly tells us, he thought he had missed his chance to make&nbsp;Black Country, New Road's first 'proper video', and the process to finally make it happen required qualities of tenacity and decisiveness that did not appear to be in his armoury before now. The recent advent of fatherhood, it appears, has brought him new focus in his work.He also provides us with insight into the creative process, sharing his storyboards, and the designs for the ant hero character&nbsp;by makeup prostethics designer Georgia Olive - as worn by actor Finbar Varrall (pictured above, with video commissioner John Moule, right).Promonews: You mentioned (in our <a href="https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2022/01/10/black-country-new-road-concorde-maxim-kelly/74507" target="_blank">review of the video</a>) that you were inspired by the band’s various musical influences. But what were your specific influences in making the video?MK: In the beginning, 'walking' music videos&nbsp;like The Verve's Bittersweet Symphony or Coldplay’s Yellow were the primary references. But&nbsp;once I have a precise genre or topic for a music video, I do an IMDB keywords search and look at as many references as possible.So&nbsp;there were loads. B-movies like <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054330/" target="_blank">Assignment Outer Space</a>,&nbsp;war films like 1918 and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091251/" target="_blank">Come And See</a>, and a Japanese melodrama I found which I don’t remember the name of. There was a scene I ripped from <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064040/" target="_blank">Army Of Shadows</a> by Jean Pierre Melville that didn’t get shot.<blockquote>Tom Hardy in&nbsp;Dunkirk&nbsp;inspired the Ant's character, and look.</blockquote>When I make a video, I like to start with a "Frankenstein's Monster" edit in Premiere, where I just place clips, images, text, etc. over the song and try to get a feel for how the imagery will work. Then I storyboard it, if I have the time. It can be quite an intensive process.[imgtoken data:1]Above: A page from Maxim Kelly's storyboard for the videoTell us more about your lead character – the Alien Ant. Did you create a backstory for him? Is he modelled on any existing character?Tom Hardy in Dunkirk inspired the Ant’s character and costume. There was backstory that didn’t get shot. I realised that in movies where soldiers become P.O.W.’s there was a tendency to feature flashback sequences where you see them excelling at 'track and field'&nbsp;events. So that was the genesis of the idea for this music video - because it tied in with the lyrics in the song of being a “gentle hill racer”.There was an un-shot scene based on the Loneliness Of A Long-Distance Runner, where the Ant is winning a road-race and then at the end, rather than crossing the finish line, he goes off into the hills and that’s when he meets his lover at the lake.[imgtoken data:2]Above: Georgia Olive's character design for the ant hero characterThe makeup design of your alien hero is unmistakeably ant-like.&nbsp;How much time did you and your designer have to develop the character?It took time to get the right person onboard. And then, by that point, we had to move fast. For the prosthetics, we looked at catalogues from SFX companies in LA. We had four hours to decide on what the character was going to look like, because we had to make sure that we would receive the prosthetics in the post, in time for the shoot.So we narrowed it down to the most 'ant-like'&nbsp;and then Georgia adapted it, chopped a bit off, filled a bit and added the antennae to turn it more into an ant.<blockquote>I’ve never consciously made a political, social or cultural point in a music video.</blockquote>I have a newborn baby at home, so my entire process has changed. I don’t have time to overthink things like I used to. And I’ve realised that making a decision is the only important part&nbsp;anyway. So&nbsp;I try to be way more instinctive with my decision-making.I think it goes hand in hand with just being a more confident filmmaker. Because it’s hard to get to this point - it’s difficult to shoot enough. It’s like trying to learn to surf when you don’t live by the sea. By the time you get back into the ocean, you’ve forgotten what you learned the last time.[imgtoken data:3]Above: Maxim Kelly (right) on the Black Country, New Road 'Concorde' video shootHe finds himself in a world (or a version of Britain) that’s repressive, war-like, paranoid and rather incompetent. What deeper meaning, or significance, should we read into that?The pandemic made me think, why do I live in London?&nbsp;I’m fortunate that I’m able to live anywhere I choose. So I moved. I’m now in Barcelona. It’s clear skies and sunny, I’ve just returned from the beach, had a couple of beers and patatas bravas on a charming plaza. It’s been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.<blockquote>The band had some great ideas but mostly they just let me get on with it.</blockquote>But I’ve never consciously made a political, social or cultural point in a music video. What excites me is a symbiosis between lyrics, melody, tone and the visuals. I’m searching for a hook. What I find appealing is how the music changes when the Ant shuffles out to the firing squad. Or when he says “I was made to love you...”, to the priest giving him his last rites.Which is why I find it complicated to pinpoint what my style is. I’m always led by something external to myself and my style changes from film to film. But I guess it doesn’t matter. Or maybe that is my style?[imgtoken data:4]Above: Ant alien transformation - actor Finbar Varrell&nbsp;having 'ant' prosthetics applied (left) and on set between takes, in completed makeupHow much were the band involved in developing ideas in the video? Do any of them appear in it?They changed the song and originally I wrote a concept for Chaos Space Marine. That&nbsp;idea was based on The Creature From The Black Lagoon, winning a war against the humans and nonchalantly strutting passed dead marines whilst singing the song.That video fell through because of timings. But I called John Moule, the commissioner, and just told him if there’s a chance to do something else with the band then please get in touch with me first. I never would have done that before, but becoming a father makes you stop sweating the small stuff.<blockquote>The idea to have the firing squad wearing Black Midi jumpsuits&nbsp;was a winner.</blockquote>They were the perfect client. They had some great ideas but mostly they just let me get on with it. This is the first time the band have ever made a 'real'&nbsp;music video. So they were like - “Hey it’s your video, do what you want...” Which was nice - but it’s one hundred percent their video.Tyler, Luke, Charlie and Lewis [from the band] came to the shoot. They were all amazing actors and so excited and fun to work with. And their idea for Black Midi jumpsuits&nbsp;was a winner. With many people online trying to get their hands on one, I could sell you one for the right price![imgtoken data:5]Above: Shooting the firing squad scene - with the squad in Black Midi jumpsuitsYou were shooting in winter, with a lead actor who presumably needed to be in makeup for ages. How much time did you get to shoot the video? Where did you shoot? Did everything go to plan?We shot at a farm near Gatwick. And we only had twelve hours. We actually didn’t get to shoot the backstory and Army Of Shadows scene. It’s easy to get hung up on that kind of stuff, but you just have to move on.Directors are always too hard on themselves. We need to learn to be more self-compassionate. Because the response to the video has been amazing, and that’s because the band are great and the song is great. So I probably should’ve predicted that.<blockquote>With a newborn baby at home, I don’t have time to overthink things like I used to.</blockquote>Like nearly all Black Country New Road songs, it's a long one - over six minutes. How did that impact on the shoot and the edit?We tried to get a radio edit, but that’s not what the band is about, and we had to respect that. So we went in knowing the extent of what we had to achieve.I broke it down to buy us the time with the long tracking shots for the verses, and then top and tailed with archive footage. So in reality I only had to shoot close to a traditional three to four minute music video - which is a struggle in twelve hours&nbsp;anyway.• Maxim Kelly is based at Caviar and represented for music videos by Hands London.

Maxim Kelly on making Black Country, New Road's Concorde video: 'I tried to be more instinctive.'

Black Country, New Road - 'Concorde' (Official Video)

Black Country, New Road 'Concorde' by Maxim Kelly

Oden &amp; Fatzo stumble into a Flat Earth Society meeting and proceed to debunk all manner of daft conspiracy theories, in Kinopravda's beautifully-crafted comedy (with a killer punch) for the worldwide hit Lauren.Is your co-worker a reptilian? Has the moon landing been faked? And above all, is&nbsp;the Earth flat? The debate heats up when the house trio - comprised of producer duo Oden and DJ Fatzo - engage with the various nutjobs at their annual convention. They eventually attempt to prove the stupidity of their warped world view, taking the main Flat Earthists on a drive around the world.&nbsp;The video brings to the fore&nbsp;Kinopravda’s distincitve aesthetic -&nbsp;great casting and art direction, impeccable wit and visual flair, and matches it with the DNA and style of Oden &amp; Fatzo. It's a joy to behold - and then comes the brilliant twist...[imgtoken data:1]“It’s been a joy working with the band - they brought the same energy, fun and devotion to their acting as to their music and live act," says&nbsp;Bálint of Kinopravda.&nbsp;"We clicked instantly, probably thanks to having the same off-beat sense of humour - which indeed reflects in the video."As with every music video, you’re trying really hard to make your budget go as far as possible, constantly shooting, trying ideas, make the most of your time, which can be quite grinding. But with them, it didn’t feel like work for one minute, it was a blessed, super fun shoot.”&nbsp;

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