Production Company

FRIEND

After the success of his&nbsp;<a href="https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2023/11/17/sam-akpro-death-entertainment-pedro-takahashi/84232">Death by Entertainment</a>&nbsp;video,&nbsp;Pedro Takahashi returns to direct another terrific, head-spinning promo for&nbsp;Sam Akpro.The video for Disposition features a shifting sense of perspective with split screen elements, video game-style camerawork and boundless experimentation as it delivers a series of eye-catching in-camera techniques around Akpro's performance, as he runs through a series of locations in London's industrial hinterland.&nbsp;In collaboration with DoP&nbsp;Max Conran,&nbsp;Takahashi has created&nbsp;a visual that pushes a few boundaries, continues to&nbsp;builds Akpro's on-screen profile, and resourcefully of the moment in its visual style. It's a must-watch.[imgtoken data:1][imgtoken data:2]

Luba Kuziw

Oliver Whitworth

Pedro Takahashi

Fred Qvortrup

Romy Roulin

Max Conran

Nicole Hartley

Joe Mullin

Roisin Byrne

Eddie Suthers

Connor Coolbear

Electric Theatre Collective

Anti Records

Sam Akpro 'Disposition' by Pedro Takahashi

Sam Akpro  - "Disposition"

Sahra Zadat directs an alluring&nbsp;promo for girl group FLO, with an upbeat performance piece among a fleet of gold sports cars.&nbsp;The video for Walk Like This&nbsp;places&nbsp;the group's performance front and centre, boasting a slick concept and plenty of standout visual moments.&nbsp;Confidently crafted, Zadat's eye for movement and performance is elevated by&nbsp;Jacob Erland's cinematography and a beautiful grade from Megan Lee at Electric Theatre Collective.&nbsp;A nostalgic vibe runs throughout the video paying homage to blockbuster promos of the Nineties and Noughties with a contemporary twist to reflect FLO's retro-influenced R&amp;B style.[imgtoken data:1]

Syd Harmony

Yasmin Williams

Sahra Zadat

Nathan M. Legger

Leethal Reppin

Marco Grey

Massimo Filippi

Jacob Erland

Manoela Chiabai

Milo Beyts

Jack Meredith

Marcus Albertsen

Milo Brown

James Burns

Lisa Spencer

Tyron Sweeney

Ben Cowan

The Quarry

The Artistbuilding

Robert Harold

FLO 'Walk Like This' by Sahra Zadat

FLO - Walk Like This

London-based production company Friend has announced that director Pedro Takahashi&nbsp;has joined their UK roster for music video representation.Previously an assistant to top director Daniel Wolfe, Takahashi has established&nbsp;himself as one of the most promising up-and-coming music video directors in London, working with an eclectic mix of exciting artists including Shame, Chubby and the Gang, and most recently, an&nbsp;acclaimed film for Sam Akpro.With roots stemming from Spain and Japan, coupled with a formative upbringing in London and a fervent passion for punk and techno, he draws upon a diverse spectrum of influences. Takahashi crafts music videos that captivate not only with their vibrant energy but also with their seamless editing and ambitious cinematography.“We are very excited to have Pedro on&nbsp;board," says Luke Jacobs, Managing Director/EP at Friend. "His journey so far has been extraordinary. His <a href="https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2023/11/17/sam-akpro-death-entertainment-pedro-takahashi/84232" target="_blank">Sam Akpro video</a> is next-level&nbsp;and&nbsp;really caught my attention. He is a visionary who has a unique ability to bring ideas to life&nbsp;on the screen and we can’t wait to help him produce more standout work.”For his part, on joining Friend, Takahashi adds: “I am beyond excited to be joining Friend as part of their UK roster. They’ve been on my radar for a while now as a company with impeccable taste and an inimitable ability to recognise and nurture young talent. As well as representing a number of directors whose work I greatly admire, they have an amazing in-house team who immediately made me feel at home. I can’t wait to get stuck in and start making new work with them.”For music video enquires&nbsp;about Pedro Takahashi contact Friend's director's rep <a href="http://nicoleh@friendlondon.tv" target="_blank">Nicole Hartley</a>&nbsp;and new business rep <a href="http://john@friendlondon.tv" target="_blank">John Rooney</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Watch Pedro Takahashi's showreel at Friend <a href="https://friendlondon.tv/directors/pedro-takahashi?cat-musicvideos#cat-musicvideos" target="_blank">here</a> &nbsp;

Pedro Takahashi joins Friend

After his outstanding videos for Residente's This Is Not America and UKMVA-winning Fatoumata Diawara's Nsera, Gregory Ohrel has directed a two minute commercial&nbsp;for German discount retailer&nbsp;PENNY for their seasonal social awareness campaign that is hugely impactful.PENNY's new campaign tackles a pressing social issue: children's rights. This is explored through different individual stories, in a series of interlinking dramatic vignettes - a technique that Ohrel has mastered, including in those aforementioned&nbsp;videos. We see how relatively accepted adult behaviour in the modern world applies huge pressure on children, and leads to what is a real epidemic of mental health issues among the young.Thought-provoking, heart-rending and a proper call to action - exemplified by the children's protest march that climaxes the film - this is one&nbsp;seasonal ad that definitely should demand&nbsp;your attention.

Germany

Grégory Ohrel

Doomsday Entertainment

Commercial Break: PENNY 'The Kids' by Gregory Ohrel

Spot | PENNY | The Kids (English)

A golf rivalry reaches fever pitch in Noel Paul's brilliant comeback promo for The Kills.&nbsp;Wasterpiece is an introduction to a new era for the iconic rock duo, and Noel Paul's idiosyncratic, eccentric vision is a perfect fit to the track.Featuring scene-stealing performances from Graham Dickson and Thomas Turgoose, the video is a cinematic feat that encapsulates the frustration and awkwardness of a game of golf, with a playful, sometimes surreal vibes - and a very unusual ending indeed.&nbsp;

United Kingdom

Noel Paul

Ramzi Hibri

Ginny Kerr

Mel Giles

William Atkins

Lucy James

Belal Hibri

Edward Heradia

Thomas Turgoose

Graham Dickson

Rock

The Kills 'Wasterpiece' by Noel Paul

The Kills - Wasterpiece (Official Video)

Noel Paul directs a characteristically offbeat and uncanny promo for Danny Brown.The video for Jenn's Terrific Vacation brings life to the hard-hitting lyrics of the track, presenting a horror-filled fever dream in which disembodied white hands steal everything around the artist - including Brown's Grandma.&nbsp;Tackling the issue of dehumanising gentrification, the track and video touch upon Danny's time living in Detroit, in a haunting, boundary-pushing way, which lingers long after watching.&nbsp;Gritty, confrontational and emotional - another huge hit for both the artist and director.&nbsp;

United States

Chazz Foggie

Celeste Khosravanlou

Lucy Rennick

Rik Green

Sean Gradwell

Conor Murphy

Raven Jensen

Cosmo Sweeney

Cameron Sizemore

Frank Milea

Lyndsey Smith

Done By Doug

Ebone Alloway

Florence Pedrosa

Warp

Found

Danny Brown 'Jenn's Terrific Vacation' by Noel Paul 

Danny-Brown-'Jenn's-Terrific-Vacation'-by-Noel-Paul-

Gregory Ohrel's video for Malian singer-songwriter Fatoumata Diawara's Nsera was one of only two multiple award winners&nbsp;at the UK Music Video Awards&nbsp;last month - the other was Mette's Mama's Eyes&nbsp;- and the only video&nbsp;to win in two&nbsp;Technical Achievement categories.Filmed in Senegal, it's a series of brilliantly realised set-pieces, where traditional Africa meets the modern world in various ways, for good and ill. Without being as fiercely polemical, or as harrowing, as Ohrel's acclaimed video for Residente's This Is Not America, it shares that's video's imaginative and ambitious approach - and it's celebration of humanity in all its diversity.Much of the credit for the vivid imagination and harnessing of the modern and the traditional in each scene is down to the work of production designer Anaïs Profit and stylist&nbsp;Dabby Naval - and both were duly recognised at the UKMVAs 2023.Anaïs Profit won the award for Best Production Design in a Video, while Dabby Naval won the Best Styling in a Video award - both richly deserved.[imgtoken data:1][imgtoken data:2][imgtoken data:3][imgtoken data:4]

France

Laure Massé

Pelican Paris

Deye Dieme

Duarte Domingos

Nadym Ben Bakar

Anaïs Profit

Dabby Naval

Jeanne Gay

Timis

Romain Lucchini

Abdoulaye Fadel Kane

Loic Hoquet

Marieme Ngom

Tony Horel

Matthieu Toullet

Company 3

Pape Sarr

World music

Fatoumata Diawara ft Damon Albarn 'Nsera' by Gregory Ohrel

Fatoumata Diawara - Nsera feat. Damon Albarn (Official Video)

Empress Of and Rina Sawayama come together for a heavenly collaboration in FRIEND director India Harris's impassioned promo for Kiss Me.&nbsp;Imbued with&nbsp;nostalgic, fantasy-inspired vibes, the video sees both artists perform in their own studio-shot vignettes. The evocative aesthetic feels like it could have been an editorial piece in a high-end fashion magazine back in the early Noughties, exuding confidence and style&nbsp;in every frame.Then they come together for the countryside-set finale as destructive angels. The&nbsp;costumes and makeup add&nbsp;to the sensibility, and work&nbsp;perfectly in the concept.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Ellie Koslowsky

Chris Horan

India Rose Harris

Maya Dufeu

Adam Singodia

Danny Herman

Dulcie Menzie

Ffion Kunz

Rachel Lee

Tomi Roppongi

Alice Dodds

Terry Barber

Empress Of ft Rina Sawayama 'Kiss Me' by India Rose Harris

Empress-Of-Ft.-Rina-Sawayama-'Kiss-Me'-by-India-Harris

Noah Lee reunites with 070 Shake for their third collaboration together, and another dreamlike offering, for Black Dress.&nbsp;The video is built&nbsp;around a haunting, hypnotic concept. It&nbsp;opens shortly after a plane crash, where we see 070 suspended in a tree, her parachute entangled in the branches, like a butterfly sprawled on a pin.&nbsp;From there, a surreal montage sees the artist float down to the ground, battle with the wind and transition into a new environment, constantly shapeshifting and fighting for her life.&nbsp;It's a hypnotic trip with a truly cinematic aesthetic and&nbsp;a lingering aftertaste. And a&nbsp;worthy addition to the previous collabs between Danielle Balbuena&nbsp;(aka 070 Shake) and Noah Lee - the stunning&nbsp;<a href="https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2019/08/01/070-shake-nice-have-noah-lee/60087" target="_blank">Nice To Have</a> and last year's <a href="https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2022/04/26/070-shake-skin-bones-noah-lee/76085" target="_blank">Skin &amp; Bones</a>.&nbsp;

Bon Walsh

Noah Lee

Theo Hue Williams

Harry Wheeler

Vladimir Mashinata Blagoev

Antony Tanev

Dimitar Bonev

Dimitrina Stoyanova

Gergana Batanova

Nikolay Furtunkov

Hip Hop

Alternative

Shake 070 'Black Dress' by Noah Lee

070 Shake - Black Dress

India Rose Harris directs a Y2K-tinged promo for DJ Seinfeld featuring&nbsp;Confidence Man.&nbsp;The video for Now U Do presents a nostalgic amalgam of hypnotic vignettes, full of fade transitions, cheesy dancing and questionable green-screen effects.&nbsp;It's India's&nbsp;first foray into music videos with FRIEND, and it's quite the concept to kick things off with.&nbsp;It will no doubt bring back some memories of early Noughties club videos for many viewers, and the upbeat playful vibes perfectly suit the earworm of a track.&nbsp;

Magnetic Fields

Natasha Duursma

Andi Chu

Ninja Tune

Josh Mannox

Trim Editing

Electronic

DJ Seinfeld ft Confidence Man 'Now U Do' by India Rose Harris

Dj-Seinfeld-Ft-Confidence-Man-'Now-U-Do'-by-India-Rose-Harris

Noel Paul directs a characteristically oddball&nbsp;and&nbsp;thought-provoking&nbsp;promo for Mitski.&nbsp;Exploring our human journey and the vices we often use as crutches on a day-to-day basis, we see an older woman stumble&nbsp;through the street, clinging on to things around her to keep stable. She is drunk and in her own world, unaware of the environment around her.&nbsp;[imgtoken data:1]As onlookers glare at her, she falls to the floor and is helped up by a street choir - including Mitski - but rejects their help in a selfish, self-destructive manner.&nbsp;It's a deeply emotional visual for an equally affecting track. Whilst a sense of absurdism and surreality bleed through in the neon-hued, cinematic aesthetic, the concept is much more grounded in reality, and sticks with you long after watching.&nbsp;

Carol Kim

Emily Costantino

Eric William Sorenson

Trevor Tweeten

Tasha Petty

Rob Agulo

Miled Boulos

Mitski 'Bug Like An Angel' by Noel Paul 

Mitski - Bug Like an Angel (Official Music Video)

Legendary indie-rock band Slowdive make a stunning comeback in Noel Paul's hypnotic nighttime promo for Kisses.&nbsp;The video features Charlie, a 17-year-old Neapolitan, who gives rides to the people of Naples, transporting them through the ethereal city streets.&nbsp;With a pensive atmosphere and otherworldly aesthetic, the video is a strangely calm yet stirring piece of work, that reflects the lilting shoegaze track.Noel Paul worked&nbsp;on the project with longtime collaborator, Lebanese&nbsp;DoP&nbsp;Ramzi Hibri - who he started working with during his time living in Beirut in the early 2010s, <a href="https://www.promonews.tv/news/2022/11/15/promonews-podcast-new-episode-noel-paul-out-now/79275" target="_blank">as Paul explained on The Promonews Podcast a few months ago</a> - and the video shares the quality of much of their work together, from that period through to the recent videos for Baxter Dury, Aylesbury Boy and Celebrate Me, and the beginning and end sequences on the <a href="https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2022/07/15/black-midi-sugartzu-noel-paul/77360" target="_blank">UKMVA-winning video for black midi's Sugar/Tzu</a>.Beautiful work which lingers long after watching.[imgtoken data:1][imgtoken data:2]

Robby Morris

Dead Oceans

Shoegaze

Slowdive 'Kisses' by Noel Paul

Slowdive--'Kisses'-by-Noel-Paul

FRIEND have announced the signing of director Alice Kunisué to the company's UK roster.&nbsp;Kunisué is a director, photographer, illustrator, painter, animator and art director, who is known&nbsp;for an irreverent&nbsp; comic style and inspired use of VFX and animation in brand films for the likes of&nbsp;Google, Hermés, Christian Louboutin and Nike, and in music videos for Vladimir Couchemar, Jacques and Franz Ferdinand.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Born and raised in Tokyo, Kunisué studied political sciences in&nbsp;Montreal before settling in Paris. Her visual style emerged from her artistic experiments with cut-and-paste techniques, loops, illustrations and the rest; all evolving to a multilayered and multidimensional feast for the eyes - matched by her irreverent, absurdist sense of humour.&nbsp;“I’ve honestly been obsessed with Alice since I first watched her films, but when we finally met it was game over," says&nbsp;Ailie Robertson, Head of Sales at Friend. "What resonated with us all so much was Alice’s self-effacing, utterly original and joyful character that just sings through her work, as that’s who she is. Alice is a rare gem of an artist and person, and Friend are honoured to have her on board.”On joining Friend, Alice says:&nbsp;“Meeting everyone at Friend was like finding a pod of dolphins in the middle of the ocean: magical and exhilarating! I instantly wanted to swim along with them and join their vibrant and playful energy. I’m so happy to embark on this journey together.”Danny Herman, head of music video at FRIEND adds: "Alice is joy personified - an exceptional artist that we’re so excited to work with."• Watch&nbsp;Alice Kunisué's showreel at FRIEND <a href="https://friendlondon.tv/reel/alice-kunisu%C3%A9-may-23" target="_blank">here</a>

Alice Kunisué joins FRIEND in the UK

Baxter Dury observes the absurdities of love and courtship as characters from classic romanticist paintings come to life, in Noel Paul's impressive promo for Celebrate Me.&nbsp;In a dreamlike&nbsp;world which Paul established in his first Baxter Dury video for Aylesbury Boy,&nbsp;we see the whimsical, playful vignettes unravel with Baxter in the centre of it all, playing both narrator and spectator to the chaos.&nbsp;Slowly getting more and more enveloped by the dreamlike scenes, Baxter doesn't get a happy ending in this one, but the journey is certainly a lot of fun.&nbsp;Another great&nbsp;visual feast from Noel Paul - including&nbsp;a cameo from Friend EP&nbsp;Danny Herman.&nbsp;

Charlotte Brason

Sholto Price

Alisa Tritenko

Rose Lucas

Heavenly Recordings

Indie Rock

Baxter Dury 'Celebrate Me' by Noel Paul

Baxter Dury - 'Celebrate Me' (Official Video)

Noel Paul directs an uncanny, bizarre and hilarious promo for Portland-based rock band Portugal. The Man - featuring unruly team mascot Tank Dog.&nbsp;Filmed (mostly) in Alaska - where the band originate - the video follows the all-pink character's anarchic progress through a snowbound community, bouncing between causing a nuisance and trying to find a sense of belonging in a series of eyecatching&nbsp;vignettes - including, most ominously, strapped to the roof of a moving monster truck, firing a machine gun.As the freezing conditions, and a group of young boys, get the better of Tank Dog, the climax of the video sees a sudden change in location -&nbsp;to a carnival in Colombia. It's quite possibly the most 'Noel Paul' video ever... a&nbsp;high compliment indeed.

Rich Hutchins

Poormans Productions

Portugal. The Man 'Dummy' by Noel Paul

Portugal. The Man - Dummy [Official Video]

FRIEND&nbsp;have&nbsp;announced the signing of India Harris to the production company's directors' roster, for representation in the UK and Netherlands.A self-taught director with a background in design and creative direction, India Harris has brought her punchy,&nbsp;colourful, tongue-in-cheek style to campaigns for Tinder, Nike,&nbsp;England's Women Euros 2022, Adidas, Puma and more.“We’re thrilled to have India join the FRIEND family,"&nbsp;says&nbsp;Managing Director/EP&nbsp;Luke Jacobs. "She’s been making waves in the industry with her creative and innovative approach to filmmaking and we’re so excited to get rolling.”&nbsp;India Harris adds: “Meeting the FRIEND team was like linking with old mates. Their work and roster has always been wicked and I felt like they fully understood my vision. I know we are going to be making some seriously spicy work together. Obviously a no-brainer and I’m so happy to be a part of the family.”• Watch India Harris’s reel at FRIEND <a href="https://friendlondon.tv/directors/india-harris#cat-liveaction" target="_blank">here</a>

FRIEND sign India Harris

Noel Paul directs a suitably uncanny promo for Baxter Dury - the first of a series of videos ffor the lugubrious singer-songwriter.The video for&nbsp;Aylesbury Boy is a feverish, super-vibrant trip into Dury's subconscious. In the song, he is recounting moments from his own youth; in Paul's nightmarish&nbsp;approximation,&nbsp;he's terrorised by a devil, some goblins and a bunch of school kids.&nbsp;With cinematography by Ramzi Hibri,&nbsp;this has an otherworldly atmosphere, in the vein of Paul's&nbsp;UKMVA-winning video for Black Midi's Sugar/Tzu. Abstract imagery clashes head-on with a soft, almost romantic aesthetic, which creates an&nbsp;uncomfortabl yet riveting atmosphere, which seems to reflect a certain personal version of Hell.“Wes Anderson, The Shining, Jabberwocky...&nbsp;Noel has made something so intuitive and beyond my expectations," says Baxter Dury of the video for Aylesbury Boy. "It reminds me of how inventive and creative video making used to be and still can be.”[imgtoken data:1]&nbsp;&nbsp;

Rose Esme Lucas

Indie

Baxter Dury 'Aylesbury Boy' by Noel Paul

Baxter-Dury-'Aylesbury-Boy'-by-Noel-Paul

<h3>In the latest of our new series asking British music video-makers about their experiences last year and thoughts on the coming year, we talk to Danny Herman - Head of Music Videos at FRIEND.</h3>Danny reflects on his first year in the job, having previously worked as a talent agent, and making an impact with some ambitious projects - and how he is setting himself some big goals in 2023.&nbsp;&nbsp;2022How would you describe last year in a few words?Pretty eye-opening! I hadn’t worked in production since my running days, over ten years ago... fml I'm getting old!&nbsp;What was your favourite project or projects you worked on last year?Our experience making the video for Black Midi's Sugar/Tzu&nbsp;was truly amazing. Our crew was absolutely magical, going above and beyond what was required.Noel Paul, Manoela Chiabai and I spent endless evenings casting, while our two incredible producers in Beirut and London moved&nbsp;heaven and earth to make sure we had the best tools possible: Manoela travelled&nbsp;across England to find rogue lenses and wrangle monkeys; Ayo Gohsn in Beirut organised&nbsp;43 biker couples to show up at midnight under a highway.[vidtoken data:0]Above: Black Midi's Sugar/Tzu, directed by Noel PaulOur amazing DoP's&nbsp;proved their credentials as two of the most badass music video DoPs, with Jake Scott jumping on the back of a motorbike with his Alexa Mini circling our boxing ring and Ramzi Hibri throwing cables from up the highway down to the crew in Beirut shooting in the middle of a bike ring of death.The whole experience was one of the most collaborative I've&nbsp;ever seen on any set. Our whole team, including our beautiful ‘Hulks’ and our sweet kid protagonist would help move our ring across East London studios and clean fake blood from the studio. We all left the shoot knowing we had created a fantastic video.<blockquote>I thought that Music Video EPs&nbsp;were pulling my leg with the deals they were offering for crew... I totally understand now.</blockquote>I [also] had the pleasure of being a small part of Noah Lee’s video for 070 Shake’s Skin and Bones&nbsp;and I think it's truly special. It was my first time shooting in LA and with Noah. We ended up shooting all over the place, including ranches and LA staples like Canters and the Swans. We had a huge array of snogging cast members and Marilyn Monroe impersonators, and we finished the shoot at the iconic Palace Theatre with a truck outside drenching Shake with a rain machine.This video was an absolute hustle from start to finish, and we almost missed the deadline as Noah had spent sleepless nights finishing the edit and passed out an hour before delivery. He absolutely smashed it. But my girlfriend won't miss my and Noah's 4am calls.[vidtoken data:1]Above: 070 Shake's Skin and Bones, directed by Noah LeeAny other project you enjoyed that deserved more attention, or went under the radar?Despite having around 1.6 million views, it feels like our video for Def Leppard went slightly under the radar. Helmed by the iconic Anuk Rhode, who directed the video seven months pregnant during a freezing February in Cambridge, and lensed by her boyfriend Pat Aldinger (talk about a power couple), her intrinsic attention to styling, makeup and production design was really inspiring.We had models and actors travelling from all over the world&nbsp;and received the funniest first round of feedback that I sadly won't be able to repeat. It was definitely one of the most hardcore shoots we did last year, but it was really energising.What were the best aspects of the job last year?I really wasn’t sure what I was walking into when I decided to make the move over to FRIEND. But I don’t think I’ve ever met so many legends in such a short space of time.[vidtoken data:2]Above: Def Leppard's Kick, directed by Anuk RhodeWhat were the most challenging aspects of the job last year?Having spent six years on the other side as a talent agent at Lux Artists I always thought that Music Video EPs&nbsp;were pulling my leg with the deals they were offering for crew...&nbsp;Hot damn - I totally understand now.Best or favourite video or videos last year that you weren’t involved with?I really loved Ebeneza Blanche's video with <a href="https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2021/09/10/little-simz-ft-obongjayar-point-and-kill-ebeneza-blanche/72741" target="_blank">Lil Simz and Obongjayar</a>,&nbsp;and as always Frank LeBon never disappoints. His link up with <a href="https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2022/07/24/pretty-sick-human-condition-frank-lebon/79842" target="_blank">Pretty Sick</a> was dope.What was other cultural highlight (or highlights) of the year?One of the best parts of this job is meeting people from all over, and I’ve worked and travelled with icons in Beirut, Kiev, Nairobi and Burundi to name a few.Any other personal experience that defines 2022 for you? Realising although I love it, I’m f**king shit at bowling.<blockquote>We need to do all we can to keep such a creative industry flowing,&nbsp;inspiring new generations of filmmakers.</blockquote>2023What are you looking forward to in 2023 – both for work and for other parts of your life?I kicked off this year doing a really special charity project in Burundi with one of my directors <a href="https://friendlondon.tv/directors/dawit?cat-musicvideos#cat-musicvideos" target="_blank">Dawit</a>. Really hope to do more of these.Have you set work objectives for this year and if so, what are they?WIN EVERY PITCH.Who are the up-and-coming talents that you think will break through this year – or at least deserve to be successful?We’ve just signed the magnetic <a href="https://friendlondon.tv/directors/india-harris?cat-liveaction#cat-liveaction" target="_blank">India Harris</a> who I really believe is going to make waves in music videos. <a href="https://friendlondon.tv/directors/chirolles-khalil?cat-musicvideos#cat-musicvideos" target="_blank">Chirolles Khalil</a> is developing into an absolute machine of a director. <a href="https://friendlondon.tv/directors/paul-herrmann?cat-liveaction#cat-liveaction" target="_blank">Paul Herrman</a> made his first music video last year for Lava La Rue,&nbsp;immediately notching a UKMVA nom and is producing more and more magic.Last but not least,&nbsp;<a href="https://friendlondon.tv/directors/bleu-d%C3%A9sert?cat-liveaction#cat-liveaction" target="_blank">Bleu Désert</a>, nominated as Best New Directors at last years UKMVAs,&nbsp;will make the jump to Best Director(s).&nbsp;[vidtoken data:3]Above: Lava La Rue's Hi-Fidelity ft Biig Piig, directed by Paul HerrmanWhat is your prediction for the direction of the industry in 2023? And what will be the big trends for the year ahead?The death of TikTok (sadly never going to happen). I think there will definitely be more long form-esque videos and my hope, especially for small budget stuff, is that artists engage directors to do their whole campaign instead of just one video.<blockquote>It'd be great for directors to get paid for their&nbsp;pitches.</blockquote>Any other comments about the current environment for music video production and music video creativity? What are the issues that we should be most concerned with?This is a question that I think will generate the most similar answers, but as budgets shrink so do young creatives incomes and we really need to do all we can to make sure were able to keep such a creative industry flowing and&nbsp;inspiring new generations of filmmakers.If you could ‘make a wish’, and reform or change the environment in which you work in one way, what would you wish for?Going back to my answer above about budgets – more transparency on actual budgets and how many people are pitching on certain jobs. It'd be great for directors to get paid for their&nbsp;pitches.• Danny Herman is Head of Music Video at <a href="https://friendlondon.tv/" target="_blank">FRIEND</a>

State of Play: Danny Herman, FRIEND 

Black-Midi--'Sugar/tzu'-by-Noel-Paul

070 Shake – Skin and Bones (Official Video)

Def Leppard - Kick (Official Music Video)

Lava-La-Rue-'High-Fidelity'-by-Paul-Herrmann

Bleu Desert direct an exceptional promo for Ziak, exploring the duality of man and machine in a rain-slicked dystopia.The video for Même Pas is a&nbsp;tour de force&nbsp;of creativity, boasting experimental vignettes which unravel&nbsp;in a thrilling, unexpected way.&nbsp;The visual effects work here is also truly noteworthy, using realistic cutaway models to peek inside different mechanisms, including guns, cars and motorbikes - and in one poignant scene, a pregnant woman's stomach, packed with gears and cogs&nbsp;instead of a child.&nbsp;Condemned to withhold their feelings, men are condemned to become machines in this world, and Bleu Desert's stunning direction brings the concept to life in vivid detail.Absolutely brilliant.&nbsp;[imgtoken data:1][imgtoken data:2][imgtoken data:3]

FRIEND

Production Company

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