Director

Dora Paphides

Sugababes are back with an instant classic, and a very slick promo from&nbsp;Dora Paphides.The video for Jungle finds the trio in a vast office space, where a menagerie of artistic vignettes unfold.&nbsp;Switching up between performance, choreography and abstract cutaways, it has all the markers of a classic Sugababes video, filtered through a mature, contemporary lens."I think I approached this video from a fan perspective," explains Paphides.&nbsp;"I’ve loved the Sugababes forever so this was an instinctive thing to do. I sort of thought, what would get me excited watching a new Sugababes video, and led with that instinct."The concept was an editorial/pop take on day and night. I wanted to create this sense of night time and things aren’t what they seem at night.&nbsp; This translated into these office scenes, where the band slowly break out and enter the rave. Blink, and you might miss something. I wanted to create this sense of being in the dark and misinterpreting something you’ve seen. Or being drunk and trying to remember what happened."I looked a lot at Kito Munoz’s work, previous Prada and Rick Owens campaigns... I wanted the classic pop video to have a fashion edge."[imgtoken data:1][imgtoken data:2][imgtoken data:3]

United Kingdom

Furmaan Ahmed

King O’holi

Jack O'mullane

Emma Cook

Justin Hamilton

Neil Stuart

Lottie Lindsay-Beavan

Mouthpiece

Kode

Laura Taylor

Joe Sherno

Stefan Yap 

Nathan Killham

Anita Okpongete

Chris Malin

Marcus Albertsen

Oliver Bingham

Cameron Sealby

Isabella Furness

Jason Goh

Devon Maxwell-whyte

Jade Campbell

Dalia Bone

Roisin Donaghy

Geri Docherty

The Quarry

Jim Bracher

The Post Arm

Ed Chambers

Yash Agrawal

Ikki Dhesi

Sugababes 'Jungle' by Dora Paphides

Sugababes - Jungle (Official Video)

<h3>In our latest Snapshot, the KODE director talks about why pop music is so exciting right now, her obsession with a classic Jonathan Glazer video and feeling like Timothee Chalamet.</h3>Having made start as a music video director&nbsp;with promos for Eaves Wilder and Fred Roberts, Dora Paphides joined KODE almost exactly a year ago. Since then she's directed videos for The Last Dinner Party and Chinchilla - working with fellow KODE signing Harv Frost - and Ella Eyre and Sports Team.She's also a photographer, working with brands like Juicy Couture and JD Sports, shooting album artwork and artists for magazine shoots. So she's busy - but Dora still found the time to spill some beans about what's going on in her life for the Snapshot Q&amp;A...Name: Dora PaphidesBirthday: 05/02/2001Where did you grow up? North London!Place of further eduation and course (if any)? I left education at 18, after attending The BRIT School (16-18) to specialise in film.Where do you live now? Bethnal Green!What were the important first projects for you, in terms of a learning experience and getting&nbsp;noticed?I’m still at the beginning of my journey, but <a href="https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2023/10/13/last-dinner-party-my-lady-mercy-harv-frost-dora-paphides/83648" target="_blank">My Lady of Mercy [for The Last Dinner Party]</a>. The band were honestly&nbsp;sensational, really magnetic and so clear in their vision. They’re a band with real artistry and it was&nbsp;such a pleasure working with them and being a part of their world.[vidtoken data:0]Best film you’ve seen this year? <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ckWTn-y5Rw" target="_blank">Harold and Maude</a> [directed by Hal Ashby, 1971].Favourite song/album/music artist this year? It really feels as if club music is coming back and I’m so here for it. I’ve currently got The Dare, Shygirl, Elkka and Tove Lo and SG Lewis’s EP on repeat.Favourite music video/videos you’ve seen this year? Everyone is saying it but <a href="https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2024/07/23/jade-angel-my-dreams-aube-perrie/87449" target="_blank">Aube Perrie’s Angel Of My Dreams&nbsp;for JADE</a>&nbsp;blew my mind. To direct a commercial pop video that is dark, so stuffed with symbolism, glossy in some respects but offbeat, with such a tight narrative arc (and world) is unbelievably impressive. It taps into this thing currently where I think people want to see real, messy popstars (hence the rise of BRAT). Pop music currently is the most exciting it has been in years.<blockquote>I watched America's Next Top Model when I was a kid - and became hooked on fashion photography.</blockquote>It didn’t come out this year, but I’ve been obsessed with The Universal by Jonathan Glazer for Blur. Damon is absolutely captivating, and it’s a real absurdist love letter to people and life, but tinged but such a deep sadness (as well as a homage to A Clockwork Orange). It made me able to rehear The Universal away from The British Gas adverts lol..[vidtoken data:1]I went to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_E-N9qaGUSE" target="_blank">Marina Abramović’s exhibition in the RA</a>, and the video of her partner pointing the arrow into her heart is maybe the most visceral pieces of art I’ve ever seen. Watching her art is like drinking from the original source, you can see how much her art has changed the world.What has been (or usually is) your favourite night out this year? I had an amazing Glastonbury this year. I’ve been slacking on nights out - I normally invite people to my house to drink with me and play games and chat.Name a film or video or other creative work that had a huge influence on your career choice?Honestly, I remember watching America’s Next Top Model when I was a kid, and I was so obsessed with seeing how the photos would turn out at the end. After that I became hooked on fashion photography.My teenage bedroom was covered in HP printed images of Tim Walker’s, Ryan McGinley’s, Elaine Constantine’s and David LaChapelle’s work (I also liked normal teenage things like The 1975. But yes, I was basically like Timothee Chalamet’s role in Lady Bird).[imgtoken data:1]Photo: Tim WalkerIn terms of&nbsp;music video-related jobs of the past year or so - what was the most rewarding creatively, and why?I really loved making <a href="https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2024/06/11/ella-eyre-ain%E2%80%99t-no-love-blind-dora-paphides/86777" target="_blank">Ain’t No Love That Blind by Ella Eyre</a>. It was the first time really where I felt confident in my own abilities and felt really sure in myself about the decisions I made. I had loads of people around me who believed in me, but if I’m honest (not to sound cheesy) before then I didn’t believe in myself. Making the choice to back my decisions and my ideas, has changed my approach to directing and pitching for the better.OBVS&nbsp;this was also helped by Ella being amazing the most EGOT performer ever. She really put the work in learning and perfecing that choreo, we only had a two-hour window to shoot all the dance stuff and she just absolutely nailed it. We were all screaming on the other side of the monitor. She’s AMAZING.[vidtoken data:2]<blockquote>Making the choice to back my decisions and my ideas, has changed my approach to directing and pitching for the better.</blockquote>What are your favourite other (non-mv) projects of the past year or so?I just shot the cover for <a href="https://www.gaytimes.com/music/kate-nash-9-sad-symphonies-cover-interview/" target="_blank">Gay Times with Kate Nash</a>, who’s now a long time friend and collaborator. She’s absolutely amazing, a genius and a total force — the cover we shot is really special.&nbsp;[imgtoken data:2]What’s the most surprising thing that’s happened this year? a) Falling in love b) Not being able to stop making car-based videos. I’ve made two so far this year, and hoping to move into more vehicles before 2024 is out.Your top suggestions to change and improve how the music video industry works?&nbsp;I saw <a href="https://www.promonews.tv/interviews/snapshot-qa-pedro-takahashi/87323" target="_blank">Pedro Takahashi’s Snapshot</a> and I think paying directors for writing treatments would definitely help. I think also having more regulations and transparency around the pitching process. Music videos directors are the only directors in the industry not to have unionised, which really doesn’t give us a voice.What are you looking forward to most for the summer and/or the rest of the year?&nbsp; I've planned a few personal shoots which I'm excited about&nbsp;doing and I'm also off to New York for a couple of weeks!• Dora Paphides is signed to <a href="https://kodemedia.com/" target="_blank">KODE</a> and represented for music videos by <a href="https://www.mouthpiecerep.me/" target="_blank">Mouthpiece</a>; watch more of Dora's work <a href="https://kodemedia.com/directors/dora-paphides" target="_blank">here</a>

THE SNAPSHOT Q&A: Dora Paphides

The Last Dinner Party - My Lady of Mercy

Blur - The Universal (Official Music Video)

Ella Eyre - Ain’t No Love That Blind | Official Video

Sports Team return with a video directed by Dora Paphides made in the spirit of pop promos from the 1970s and '80s.The single I'm In Love (Subaru) marks a change in a musical direction for the erstwhile indie-rock outfit to an 80s-tinged pop-soul sound - replete with Spandau Ballet-style saxophone. The studio-set video duly pays homage to the period, with vocalist Alex Rice centre-stage amid his ST bandmates and a crucial prop - an era-appropriate&nbsp;Subaru car.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The video plays with light and shadow to recreate the look of videos of the times, whilst elevating certain aspects to modern day standards."Working closely with the band, and [DoP] Tasha Duursma, we looked at a lot of Roxy Music vids and Spandau Ballet," reveals Paphides.&nbsp;"We wanted to make a homage to music videos of this era - from artists who may have been inspired by the Blitz club - but with some punchier, editorial, contemporary details."It needed to be part-editorial, part-music promo. [And] it was essential for us to shoot this with the types of grip/rigs that would’ve existed at the time for a real sense of authenticity."

Angelica Wolanska

Keeley Dawson

James Hackett

Vini Curtis

Natasha Duursma

Joe Mulvihill

Alex Bojic-aguilar

James Huthwaite

Sara Faulkner

Homespun

Megan Lee

Electric Theatre Collective

Indie

Sports Team 'I'm In Love (Subaru)' by Dora Paphides

Sports Team - I'm In Love (Subaru)

Dora Paphides shows again that she's a young director with a real talent for this pop video directing game with a pulsating promo for Ella Eyre.The video for Ain't No Love That Blind - Paphides' second for Ella Eyre - is a fully focussed showcase&nbsp;of Eyre's talents as a singer and performer - the song recalling her vocal contributions to those early Rudimental tracks - and everything comes together to showstopping effect. Paphides and the production team provide Ella with a platform to display her tigerish personality, with terrific camerawork and styling,&nbsp;and an&nbsp;intriguing 'car cemetery' location.And perhaps most notably of all, the feisty performance is abetted by an utterly fearsome edit by Sara Faulkner. This crucial decision&nbsp;to pursue a defiantly kinetic cut throughout - like an old-school MTV maniac cut transplanted for a Gen-Z audience - works brilliantly.The result is one of Ella Eyre's best videos, no question.[imgtoken data:1]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Ellie Rimmer

Dan Curwin

Charlie Relph

Henry Gill

Joe Mulvihil

Murray Boden

Orlando O’mahoney

Louis Peppiatt

Lucy Martin

Lisa Spencer

Peter Oppersdorff

The Mill

Dan Sanders

Ella Eyre 'Ain’t No Love That Blind' by Dora Paphides

Dora Paphides directs a playful gothic fantasy&nbsp;for Ella Eyre's comeback video, featuring Tiggs Da Author.The promo for Head In The Ground features Ella in her girly bedroom - which happens to be six feet under. Up above in the Beetlejuice-style graveyard, Tiggs arrives you encourage Ella to step up from her resting place and enter the real world, reflecting the song's theme that she's ready to make up for past mistakes.Anchored by lively performances and&nbsp;complete commitment to the visual world - composed by production designer Sasha Hilton -&nbsp;it's a standout concept with confident direction from Paphides, following up from up recent co-directing outings with Harv Frost for The Last Dinner Party and Chinchilla.&nbsp;

Sasha Hilton

Phoebe Butterworth

Lily Roberts

Matthew Bohun

Kia Fern Little

Henry Heffer

Billy Gadd

Fhuad Braimoh

Kristina Theodoris

Eden Read

The Assembly Rooms

Jesse Malisa

Ella Eyre ft Tiggs Da Author 'Head In The Ground' by Dora Paphides

Ella Eyre - Head In The Ground ft. Tiggs Da Author | Official Video

Following their successful collab for <a href="https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2023/10/13/last-dinner-party-my-lady-mercy-harv-frost-dora-paphides/83648" target="_blank">The Last Dinner Party</a>, Dora Paphides and Harv Frost join forces again to create another seriously impressive pop video, for&nbsp;rising singer-songwriter&nbsp;Chinchilla.The video for Cut You Off is a dark fantasy, boasting eccentric costumes, and offbeat, conceptual vignettes in the vein of Tim Burton - with a particular nod to Edward Scissorhands - and the darker side of fairytale lore, all embodying different toxic traits that the artist is ridding herself of.&nbsp;A complete&nbsp;step up in both scale and concept for Chinchilla, the video is a fully-realised, unique vision, which builds upon the artist's persona and character, whilst delivering some very solid alt-pop visuals shot by top American DoP&nbsp;Rob Witt.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Ethan Samuel Jacobs

Phoebe Lettice-thompson

Harv Frost

Steve Cameron

Rob Witt

Vanessa Mcdonnel

Daragh Mccann

Grant Sandy-phillips

Ben Oliver

Lily Taylor

Katsuya Kachi

Georgia Olive

Tim Smith

No.8

Alternative Pop

Chinchilla 'Cut You Off' by Dora Paphides, Harv Frost

CHINCHILLA - Cut You Off (Official Video)

New KODE signings Harv Frost and Dora Paphides join forces to direct the impressive promo for The Last Dinner Party's My Lady Of Mercy.&nbsp;Opening with heavenly monochromatic scenes that&nbsp;feel almost daydream-esque, the video develops into a high-energy hallucination, full of theatrical performance and high contrast lighting.&nbsp;The vintage aesthetic works perfectly with the idea and the band's distinctive visual style and energy,&nbsp;transcending&nbsp;the studio setting to reach boundless heights, interweaving abstract narrative vignettes and religious iconography into the concept.Definitely TLDP's most stylish and passionate video to date, it's an impressive collab by Frost and Paphides that's designed to get the heart racing.&nbsp;

Théïa Maldoom

Agnese Picchio

Francesca Kloof

Rubina Marchiori

Christopher Broomfield

Amy Coop

Alex Bojic

Jonny Lewis

Callum Reeves

Macy Trieu-Dingle

Natalia Alves

Hannah Godley

Ruby Yu

Grace Ellington

Andi Chu

Rock

The Last Dinner Party 'My Lady Of Mercy' by Harv Frost, Dora Paphides

Dora Paphides directs an alluring&nbsp;promo for new pop artist Fred Roberts - her first since signing to <a href="https://kodemedia.com/" target="_blank">KODE</a>.&nbsp;With a cinematic, darkly romantic aesthetic, the video sees Roberts perform in an empty theatre, switching between dazzling on-stage setups and enigmatic backstage shots.&nbsp;It's a fast-paced, dramatic video, anchored by the artist's stirring performance and on-point cinematography by Owain E. Morgan.&nbsp;

Remi Black

Zak Maoui

James De Winton

Max Conran

Owain E. Morgan

Molly Fenn

Benjamin Eeley

Arthur Attenborough

Poppy Langley

Amie Harfrield

Fred Roberts 'Say' by Dora Paphides

Fred Roberts - Say (Official Music Video)

London-based production studio <a href="https://kodemedia.com/" target="_blank">KODE</a>&nbsp;has added four young directors to its ranks.&nbsp;Lloyd Wakefield (above, bottom right), Dora Paphides (top left), Harv Frost (bottom left) and Zebie (top right) have joined the roster for music videos and other visual content, solidifying KODE's reputation as a platform for nurturing young and diverse talent.Best known for being the tour photographer to Harry Styles - and winner of ‘Tour Photographer of the Year’ at the 2023 iHeartRadio Awards -&nbsp;<a href="https://kodemedia.com/directors/lloyd-wakefield" target="_blank">Lloyd Wakefield</a>&nbsp;has crafted an intimate yet energetic style.&nbsp;With a natural ability to break boundaries, his portraiture has led him across the globe, capturing images for the likes of Prime Video, Sony and the&nbsp;single cover for Styles' Music For A Sushi Restaurant.&nbsp;He strives to create work, be that moving or still imagery, that transports people into a moment or feeling. No matter how glamorous the project, he often harks back to his Manchester roots and experience in shooting with 8mm and 16mm film to capture specific emotions and forge connections with global audiences.“This has been in the works for a while, I’m so excited to be working with the team," says Wakefield. "I creatively align with&nbsp;KODE&nbsp;which just makes things very easy, the team seems to just get it. I’m excited to see what the future holds.”Since graduating from The BRIT School in 2019, <a href="https://kodemedia.com/directors/dora-paphides" target="_blank">Dora Paphides</a> has worked as a freelance director and photographer across music videos, fashion, press photography, and album artwork. Her portfolio boasts brand names such as Juicy Couture and JD Sports, music companies such as Universal Music Group and Sony Music, and artists such as Kate Nash and Emeli Sandé.&nbsp;With a penchant for punchy, saturated visuals, her promo for indie popstar Eaves Wilder’s&nbsp;I Stole Your Jumper&nbsp;follows the singer’s increasingly impassioned attempts to destroy an ex’s jumper that just won’t die. Her recent collaboration with&nbsp;KODE&nbsp;on Fred Roberts’ ‘Say’, meanwhile, sees the young musician tormented by a reckless desire.“I am thrilled to have joined the&nbsp;KODE&nbsp;family," says Paphides.&nbsp;"The first time I came into the office there’s such a brilliant buzz. It makes you want to create stuff. It’s so infectious. The little time we’ve spent working together has already made me excited to make films with the loveliest, most clever bunch of people.”<a href="https://kodemedia.com/directors/harv-frost" target="_blank">Harv Frost</a> is a trans filmmaker and creative who got her start making music videos for local artists on a shoestring budget, and has now worked her way up to crafting films for the likes of Sony Music, Polydor, Island Records, Chess Club, Ninja Tune and Columbia Records.Inspired by nerd culture, growing up around sci-fi, video games, cult-classic movies, comics, and graphic novels, Harv has curated an eclectic reel of music video, fashion, and editorial work that constantly redefines her identity as a director. She doesn’t shy away from purpose-driven work, challenging the British government’s treatment of the trans community in piglet’s It Isn't Fair&nbsp;promo, and the beauty industry’s promotion of vanity in Baby Queen’s Narcissist.“I’m absolutely elated to be finding a new home at&nbsp;KODE, and to be joining its already stellar roster," says Frost. "They are committed to creating content that goes further, and have always backed directors they believe in. That's why I feel honoured to take my place on this line up!”Jordan Boza - often known as <a href="https://kodemedia.com/directors/zebie" target="_blank">Zebie</a> -&nbsp;is widely regarded as a one-to-watch director within the UK film industry. Best known for creative directing and shooting for Stormzy, he has travelled around the world filming live shows and content, as well as sharing the stage and studio with artists such as Ed Sheeran, Burna Boy and Dave.&nbsp;Zebie’s natural passion for filmmaking has taken him from humble beginnings&nbsp;in North West London,&nbsp;to an enviable career in film and photography. Guided by his unwavering faith and sense of self, Zebie’s work is a personal reflection of his own experiences and original thinking, with a wide-reaching impact and purpose.“For me, making films has to come from a positive space and leave a positive impression on anyone that views the work," says Zebie. "At&nbsp;KODE, I immediately saw that the team feels and works this way too. I feel blessed to be joining and cannot wait to release films which reflect our collective passions.”The signings emphasise&nbsp;KODE’s ongoing commitment to championing new and diverse talent, having recently helped directors including Nicolee Tsin, Otis Dominique and The Berry Boys evolve into fully-fledged commercial directing talents.&nbsp;As with other KODE directors, the four new signings will be represented&nbsp;for music videos by Mouthpiece.&nbsp;“We are beyond excited to be welcoming these young and exciting creatives to our roster,"&nbsp;says Nathan Killham, EP and co-founder at&nbsp;KODE. "Where all four of them differ in terms of style and perspective, they align in energy and ambition."We are always on the hunt for new and diverse talent to nurture, and with all of them shooting or pitching already we’re looking forward to seeing their growth. Having recently signed established directors Liz Unna and Sye Allen, these new directors continue to demonstrate our ever strengthening and rounded roster.”• More at the KODE website <a href="https://kodemedia.com/" target="_blank">here</a>, and Mouthpiece <a href="https://www.mouthpiecerep.me/" target="_blank">here</a>&nbsp;

KODE expands roster with four new directors

Dora Paphides follows up her directing debut for sister <a href="https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2022/11/21/eaves-wilder-i-stole-your-jumper-dora-paphides/79341" target="_blank">Eaves Wilder</a> with a bright and breezy&nbsp;video for young Irish singer-songwriter Nell Mescal.The song Homesick is about Mescal's emotional struggles since moving from Ireland to London, and the director takes her on a whirlwind tour, reflecting a sense of&nbsp;confusion and dislocation that comes from moving to a strange city. Using&nbsp;simple visual devices, fast-cutting and numerous locations, Nell begins to find a sustaining support network in this unfamiliar place."This video operates as almost a collection of memories," says Dora Paphides.&nbsp;"The scenes flash on and off screen as Nell tries to navigate home in geographical places. She realises along the video that home doesn't necessarily reside in places but more in people."[imgtoken data:1][imgtoken data:2]

Nellie Blake

Holly Mccandless Desmond

Harry Blackley

Charlotte Kraftman

Ivo Bright

Singer-songwriter

Nell Mescal 'Homesick' by Dora Paphides

Nell-Mescal-'Homesick'-by-Dora-Paphides

Up and coming indie-popster Eaves Wilder gets a bright and breezy, woolly-based revenge fantasy - directed by her sister Dora Paphides.&nbsp;The video for I Stole Your Jumper centres around, unsurprisingly, a jumper stolen from the artist's ex. A bright yellow garment,&nbsp;featuring a smiley face, that turns out to be remarkably resilient.[imgtoken data:1]The offending article survives all of Eaves's attempts to destroy it. And&nbsp;after a makeshift bonfire, we see another girl brush it off and take it to try on herself, continuing the cycle of despair.&nbsp;It's a enjoyable&nbsp;concept that fuses contemporary aesthetics with octo-sequel horror film franchises, and an entertaining way to introduce Wilder's unique musical style.

Dora Paphides

Director

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