Production Company

FRIEND

Six storming individual performances are highlighted in Grajper's mesmerising series of visualisers for&nbsp;rock 'n' roll legends The Rolling Stones new album&nbsp;Foreign Tongues."For these visualisers, we were searching for the emotional space each song could live in rather than illustrating the lyrics," says Grajper."I wanted to capture people in quiet, private moments where something might have just changed in their lives, a breakup, losing a job, or simply the way they behave when no one is watching, while leaving enough room for the viewer to bring their own interpretation to each story."[vidtoken data:0][vidtoken data:1][vidtoken data:2][vidtoken data:3][vidtoken data:4][vidtoken data:5]&nbsp;

United Kingdom

Grajper

Hurry Sundown

Shift

Rock

The Rolling Stones 'Foreign Tongues' visualisers by Grajper

The Rolling Stones - Back in Your Life (Official Visualiser)

The Rolling Stones - Beautiful Delilah (Official Visualiser)

The Rolling Stones - Covered In You (Official Visualiser)

The Rolling Stones - Hit Me In The Head (Official Visualiser)

The Rolling Stones - Rough And Twisted (Official Visualiser)

The Rolling Stones - Side Effects (Official Visualiser)

Douglas Reddan directs a dazzling comeback promo for pop star and producer MNEK.&nbsp;The video for Reverse!! - his first new music in seven years - finds the artist walking alone in a multi-storey parking garage, when a couple of 'thugs'&nbsp;decide to start a fight.&nbsp;Before we know it, the toxic masculinity dissolves into flamboyant choregraphy, impassioned performance and strobe-lit slow-mo.&nbsp;It's a powerful, unabashed visual that celebrates not only MNEK and his new music era, but the LGBT+ community as a whole. It's a spectacular comeback from one of the UK's brightest stars - and more standout work from Douglas Reddan and his team.[imgtoken data:1]&nbsp;

Douglas Reddan

Garage

MNEK 'REVERSE!!' by Douglas Reddan

Mnek-'Reverse!!'-by-Douglas-Reddan

Maxim Kelly once again demonstrates that making&nbsp;AI work in the creative space requires real intelligence.&nbsp;Kelly's video for Purple Disco Machine&nbsp;is a love letter to Pacha, the legendary Ibiza nightclub, by revisiting its&nbsp;humble beginnings as a holiday hangout for an eclectic variety of likeminded souls, back in the 1970s.His raw materials for the video for Disco Cherry&nbsp;was original archive footage, mostly photographs, of those days, supplied by the good folks at&nbsp;Pacha.&nbsp;In a similar way to Andrew Dominik's video last year for <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnDm9w2F3KE" target="_blank">Nick Cave &amp; The Bad Seeds'&nbsp;Tupelo</a>, Kelly brings these images to life with a sensitive eye. It's illuminating - and also witty. Like in his recent AI-gen videos for Archive, he creates a narrative that is full of mordant, absurd humour.And if you're not looking for that stuff, you can also dig the vintage vibe, the sense of fun in the original Pacha bar, full of&nbsp;warm textures, groovy dancing and somewhat startling portraiture. And what's more, it's a suitably funky visual for the feelgood track.&nbsp;

Maxim Kelly

Purple Disco Machine 'Disco Cherry' by Maxim Kelly

Purple-Disco-Machine-'Disco-Cherry'-by-Maxim-Kelly

It's collab number five for Say Now and director&nbsp;Douglas Reddan - and quite possibly the best yet.&nbsp;The video for Millions evokes girlgroup nostalgia in every frame, paying homage to videos like <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCLxJd1d84s" target="_blank">The Pussycat Dolls'&nbsp;Buttons</a> whilst keeping things fresh and cinematic.&nbsp;From slick choreo to decadent, gold-hued&nbsp;performance vibes, it's an accomplished, ambitious visual that still feels intimate and authentic.&nbsp;The future of girl group videos is in good hands. And let's see what both sides bring to the next collab - it's sure to be a hit.[imgtoken data:1][imgtoken data:2]&nbsp;[imgtoken data:3]

Say Now 'Millions' by Douglas Reddan

Say-Now-'Millions'-by-Douglas-Reddan

It's been a while coming, but the video for the title track of Dave's current album has arrived - and the Edem Wornoo-directed visual has been worth the wait.The video for The Boy Who Played The Harp had to do justice to the quality of the track - in particular, the words. Wornoo's video does exactly that, honouring the artist and his subject with direct references to his reflections. But also doing so with a very creative approach and a very successful visual device.The video takes us into different times and places, with Dave as the focus in each scene. These are recreations of the places that Dave mentions in the song: London in the Blitz, Robben Island, the prison of Nelson Mandela in 1960s, the Titanic. Plus modern London, represented by a grafitti-stained tube train, and also a&nbsp;dreamscape - where Dave ponders life next to a&nbsp;giant skull.[imgtoken data:1]Within these scenarios Dave is present,&nbsp;in character, but always the same.&nbsp;Wornoo match cuts between each of these scenes, so&nbsp;whatever the time period, we remain mesmerically fixed on Dave. He becomes like a time-traveller, and also a philosopher. Its very effective in presenting Dave's thoughts and ideas, with visual flair.&nbsp;And even by the gifted London rapper's standards, the lyrics of TBWPTH&nbsp;are outstanding: a reflection on the meaning of his life, no less, within the greater scope of history. He asks some serious questions of himself, and us.&nbsp;"It’d be an understatement to say that The Boy Who Played The Harp&nbsp;is a powerful song," says Wornoo. "I think Dave put it best when he said that it’s one of the most important tracks he’s ever made and maybe ever will.&nbsp;It’s obviously a huge honour that [he] entrusted me with the task of creating the visuals. It was very important to me that this video’s primary function was to be in service to the song.[imgtoken data:2]"I very quickly settled on a collection of cinematic vignettes that place Dave at the centre of pivotal moments in human history as he questions what he might’ve done if he was actually there. It was also important to me that we captured the majority of this video in-camera."And the video is the result of some oldschool film production craft, with fantastic production design by David Hamilton - and complicated motion control set-ups.&nbsp;"David Hamilton and his team absolutely smashed it out of the park with a collection of beautifully intricate set builds that made me feel like I was hurtling through time and space as I walked across the studio each day. We built upon these sets with a few moments of considered CGI the majority of which were crafted by our Lead VFX Artist Harry Davidson."We transported Dave from scene to scene using match cuts. These were made possible through one very long, very complicated motion control move that allowed us to replicate the exact same movement across multiple sets. Other than the fact that match cuts are super satisfying to see (but definitely not satisfying to shoot lol), they also help with getting the idea across that we could just as easily have been dealt a different hand in life if we were born in another generation. At the snap of a finger, we could find ourselves on the sinking Titanic or as a prisoner of war.[imgtoken data:3]"Our editor Amy Dang was on set with us, piecing each scene together as we went. She was absolutely the woman for the job given how patient and tech savvy she is. She created all of these wonderful grids that helped align all of our shots, and, when a transition worked in the edit, it was the most joyous feeling ever. We’d be shooting things and honestly just crossing our fingers and toes in the hopes that they’d slot together and thankfully they absolutely did with the help of a little movie magic here and there."This was the first time that I was able to work with Jaime Ackroyd whose phenomenal portfolio speaks for itself. We’d been trying to connect on a few projects but this is the first time that the stars aligned and I was probably most surprised with how nice of a guy he was. With a body of work as brilliant as his, he’d be excused if he was a little bit of a dick but he wasn’t dickish at all, he was actually a very chill breh. Anyway, I digress… The way in which he chose to light the video helped us establish a painterly quality to each scene that really helped in making the entire film feel timeless despite what time period we were depicting.Shout outs to our colourist Tim Smith for accentuating these lighting choices and also introducing some gritty texture to the video that helped in tying everything together. This is definitely turning into a bit of an extended credit reel but who cares, it takes a village as they say![imgtoken data:4]"The cherry on top of all the bells and whistles were our hair, make up and costumes that our Costume Designer Cara Hayward and Make Up Designer Ayopo Abiri pulled together. From beaten down uniforms to bruised and bloodied prosthetics, these little details go a long way towards making the video feel authentic, alive and engaging."In that vein, I also want to say a huge thank you to every single cast and crew member that I haven’t yet mentioned. What you all brought to this video, big or small, is invaluable and I’m forever grateful to you for it. My final thanks would be to Friend London and my production team Andre Wooz, Liz Adeleye and Scarlet Green as well as my execs Mel Giles, Luke Jacobs and Saam Farahmand all of whom poured into this project in so many different ways."I am more proud of this project than I could ever put into words. Given the state of the world right now, this is more than just entertainment, it’s a call to action. I would hope that everyone who has the chance to watch this can take a moment to look themselves in the mirror and ask what they’re doing about the situations in front of them. The answer to that question is what will define our legacy on this planet."

Edem Wornoo

Avenues

Hip Hop

Grime

Dave 'The Boy Who Played The Harp' by Edem Wornoo

Dave - The Boy Who Played the Harp

<h3>We spoke to FRIEND director Noel Paul about his extraordinary new video for singer-songwriter Mitski, hearing about&nbsp;the idea at its heart, the pros and cons of working at a&nbsp;remarkable location&nbsp;and the big influence of experimental filmmaker Guy Maddin on it's breathless narrative&nbsp;style.&nbsp;BTS photos by Melanie Safi.</h3>Although he has been largely occupied on a feature film in the past year or so, Noel Paul has managed to crowbar a couple of significant music video projects into his busy schedule. And both of them have contributed to a very distinctive storytelling technique that Paul has been working on for a while, where the action all takes place much more quickly than normal.In his UKMVA-winning video for Black Midi's Sugar/Tsu, the accelerated pace of the video is a contributing factor in achieving a suitable level of weirdness that goes hand-in-hand with the eccentric nature of the band. Then in his video for&nbsp;Geese's Taxes, which came out last summer, it's central to the plot, as the band's show at a small club explodes into chaos.And now, there is Paul's video for Mitski's Where My Phone?, where the technique is applied in its most ambitious form yet. It's fair to say that it transforms an existing text, and in doing so, creates&nbsp;something unique and hugely powerful.&nbsp;[vidtoken data:0]The base material is a gripping gothic tale, in which Mitski takes on a very surprising role - the guardian of a younger girl, desperate to prevent her charge to leave the picturesque house&nbsp;where they live, paranoid about her connecting with any of the stream of strange visitors who descend upon the house.Under Noel Paul's direction, this is delivered at a crazily zany speed, rendering it strange and cartoonish. It's both highly original and utterly gripping - with a fantastic performance by Mitski in the lead role, leading to a jolting denouement.It's undoubtedly one of the best videos of the year so far.&nbsp;So we got in touch with Noel Paul to find out how it happened.<h3>PROMONEWS: How did this project start for you? What kind of brief did you get from Team Mitski?</h3>NOEL PAUL: It started with a text message from Mitski’s manager that just said “Noel.” Then like 20 minutes went by with no follow up message and my curiosity was piqued. That’s how the real pros convince you to pitch.Mitski’s prompt mentioned <a href="https://archive.org/details/wehavealwayslive00jack" target="_blank">Shirley Jackson’s novel&nbsp;We Have Always Lived In The Castle</a>&nbsp;as a vibe reference, and asked for an absurd video involving Mitski repeatedly facing obstacles of some kind.<blockquote>Mitski can express all kinds of things with her body language. That emboldened me to ask her for an over-the-top performance.&nbsp;</blockquote><h3>The idea for the video seems a long way from the song title. Did the theme of the song influence the concept, or did it come from another place entirely?</h3>NP: Well, the song seems to be about losing more than your phone. Losing yourself, or wanting to lose yourself, or wanting to get away from yourself and from the world. From everything in you and around you that’s hijacking your attention. That’s how it resonated with me, anyhow.So a barrage of exaggerated gestures felt appropriate. The premise is lifted from the Shirley Jackson novel Mitski mentioned in her brief, with Mitski cast as a protective paranoiac struggling to keep a younger woman confined in a gothic house.[imgtoken data:1]Above; Mitski (centre) and Noel Paul (right) on the Where's My Phone? video shoot in upstate New York, November 2025<h3>She’s experienced in the medium and seems comfortable expressing emotion on screen. Was that a factor in the idea, and the choice of story?</h3>NP: Mitski gives fearless performances and she’s a gifted mover. She can fight, jump, learn choreography, change her pace, and express all kinds of things with her body language. That certainly emboldened me to ask her for such an over the top performance.&nbsp;PN: Did your previous collaboration with Mitski have an influence or a bearing on this one?&nbsp;NP: In our previous video,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WW7cuAm-7Y" target="_blank">Bug Like an Angel</a>, Mitski was the fixed point around which the action swirled. She barely moves. She gives a quiet, inscrutable performance. The tension and power comes from her restraint, her stillness, and then the one moment of eye contact when she looks up. In Where’s My Phone? she gets to do pretty much the opposite of all that.<h3>PN: What were the biggest challenges in pre-production?&nbsp;</h3>NP: The biggest challenge in prepro was finding a location. We needed a Victorian gothic revival house with a magical quality, it had to have a yard that set it apart from nearby houses, and it had to be inside the 25-mile radius “production zone” around NYC. That’s a tall order.[imgtoken data:2]Above: "My producer Lucy&nbsp;and I just went and knocked on doors... Eventually we came to this little green house that looks like it’s from a fairy tale."I follow some photographers who document neighbourhoods in the five boroughs. By trawling through their photos I made a list of houses that looked interesting, but I had no contact info for any of them. So my producer Lucy and I just went and knocked on doors.&nbsp;The first place we tried turned out to be right next door to an open-air shooting range and the sound of gunfire was extremely oppressive. That didn’t seem like the right vibe for Mitski so we moved on.Eventually we came to this little green house that looks like it’s from a fairy tale. We rang the doorbell and met Edwin, its owner and restorer, who graciously invited us in and showed us around. His home is not only beautiful on the outside, the interior is essentially a museum of period antiques and furnishings. It’s extraordinary.We were very fortunate to be able to shoot the video in such a special place with such a cool host. Edwin has a cameo in the video too: he’s the neighbour holding a rake.[imgtoken data:3]Above: Autumn in New York;&nbsp;Mitski watches on at the Where's My Phone? shoot location&nbsp;<h3>PN: When and where did you shoot the video and how many shoot days? What were the biggest challenges on the shoot?&nbsp;</h3>NP: The shoot was two days in mid-November. I wanted the camera language to have the energy of a moth frantically orbiting and smashing itself around a lightbulb. But the house was cramped and full of precious antiques, so an FPV drone wasn’t possible. And anyways, I think they lack the finesse and personal touch you get with a handheld camera.And we had to work fast. The shotlist was enormous. We did something like 35 setups per day. So a big part of the challenge was just how to let my DoP Ramzi Hibri be a moth without all the footage feeling too homogenous.&nbsp;<blockquote>I wanted...&nbsp;the energy of a moth frantically orbiting and smashing itself around a lightbulb.</blockquote><h3>PN: The storytelling technique in Where’s My Phone is something you’ve explored before, in your videos for Black Midi, Geese, Danny Brown. Where did it originate? How is it evolving? And how do you achieve it in terms of shooting - slower frame rate?</h3>NP: Exactly, the similarity across all those videos is the use of slow frame rates, aka undercranking.I think it originates with an experience I had as an art student many years ago when I got to work on a Guy Maddin film,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVl5Bnj_EO8" target="_blank">The Brand Upon The Brain</a>. It was the first time I was on a film set. Guy was constantly changing framerates, improvising shots, putting vaseline on the lens, often recording sound independently of picture, shouting directions at the cast mid-performance. There was a freedom and playfulness to his approach. It had a tremendous influence on me.[vidtoken data:1]<h3>PN: Mitski gives an amazing performance in the video. What kind of direction did you give her?</h3>NP: We worked hard to constantly shift gears throughout the shoot, both emotionally and physically. Ramzi and our cast needed to change their pace from shot to shot and move through space and emotional states at different speeds. We listened to different music on set to set the vibe, like <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKOxwPWTuo0" target="_blank">Stravinsky’s Firebird</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IS2at_MP9GA" target="_blank">Popol Vuh’s soundtrack of&nbsp;Aguirre, The Wrath of God</a>.&nbsp;Because the story is so hyperspeed and Mitski’s role has so much paranoid/protective motivation, there was a danger that her character could seem too one-dimensional. Ramzi, my movement director Monica Mirabile, and my dramaturg Martha West were all very attentive to this, helping to make sure we made space for Mitski’s character to give moments of sorrow, ecstasy, resignation, and serenity amidst all the crashing out. It required a lot of mental and physical dexterity from everyone.[imgtoken data:4]Above: Mitski with co-stars&nbsp;Madison Wada (left) and Miki Orihara on set of the Where's My Phone? video, Paul sitting on the right.&nbsp;&nbsp;The other thing that really helped Mitski give such a great performance was the quality of the rest of the cast, many of whom are gifted dancers and movement practitioners that Monica brought onboard. Madison Wada and Miki Orihara, who play Mitski’s family, are both incredible dancers. So are Tara-Jo Tashna, Kate Williams, Christina Torres, Reed Rushes, Martha West, and Allison Hsu. And Sam Geller, who Mitski murders [in the video], is an Aikido instructor.<h3>PN: What’s next for you?</h3>NP: I’ve recently finished two years of editing and co-producing a feature documentary called&nbsp;<a href="https://www.berlinale.de/en/2026/programme/202604750.html" target="_blank">Bucks Harbor, that's&nbsp;just premiered at the Berlinale</a>. It was my first time editing a feature and it was an enormous undertaking - so much so that the only two videos I directed in the last two years were <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Phh3oVCtzBg" target="_blank">Geese's Taxes</a> and Where’s My Phone. So now I’m starting to look for the next big project. And in the meantime I’m hoping to do more music videos this spring and summer.• Noel Paul is with FRIEND London in the UK for music videos and commercials; he is repped for music videos by Sam Davey at Hurry Sundown. &nbsp;

Noel Paul

Noel Paul on Mitski's Where's My Phone? video: 'A barrage of exaggerated gestures felt appropriate.'

Mitski-'Where's-My-Phone?'-by-Noel-Paul

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

Maxim Kelly drops his third and final instalment of a trilogy of videos for Archive.The video for City Walls features&nbsp;an anachronistic, AI-generated montage of events, unravelling across a week.&nbsp;Lingering on symbolism and abstract interpretation, the video focuses on stirring snapshots of death, disease and natural disaster, encapsulated in a UK-adjacent environment. Kelly also maintains a tension between drama and absurdity that has been the hallmark of his previous AI-gen Archive videos for <a href="https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2025/09/11/archive-look-us-maxim-kelly/92546" target="_blank">Look At Us</a> and <a href="https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2025/11/26/archive-wake-strange-maxim-kelly/93319" target="_blank">Wake Up Strange</a>.It's a thought-provoking piece, representative of what&nbsp;AI is now able to achieve - whether that's a good or bad thing is for viewers to decide.&nbsp;

Vid Price

Trim Editing

Archive 'City Walls' by Maxim Kelly

Archive-'City-Walls'-by-Maxim-Kelly

Pedro Takahashi brings&nbsp;Essex&nbsp;club culture to life in this pulsating short video for Jeshi's&nbsp;new song&nbsp;Champagne, featuring Fredwave.Set in a club in Tottenham, we are straight onto a packed dancefloor,&nbsp;full of young people, with Jeshi and Fredwave in the centre. It's breathless and it's bouncy - and it's brief.Leaves you wanting more - but apparently the one minute cut is all we're getting...

Pedro Takahashi

Jeshi ft Fredwave 'Champagne' by Pedro Takahashi

Jeshi ft. Fredwave - Champagne

Eaves Wilder enters a South London pub on a mission to&nbsp;create havoc&nbsp;in Douglas Reddan's action-packed promo for the rising indie artist.Bursting through the doors of the boozer, Eaves is quickly causing mischief, stealing drinks and starting fights - the epitome of a Hurricane Girl.&nbsp;Combining classic cinematography with&nbsp;frantic, mini-DV footage, the pace never&nbsp;flags. And Eaves' antics provoke the peaceful patrons of the pub to also get feisty - while she gleefully looks on.It's a promo with plenty of attitude - and a great Britpop-flavoured track to boot - to burnish Douglas Reddan's growing reputation.[imgtoken data:1][imgtoken data:2]

Eaves Wilder 'Hurricane Girl' by Douglas Reddan

Eaves-Wilder-'Hurricane-Girl'-by-Douglas-Reddan

Noel Paul turns the longing and introspection at the heart of the first release from Mitski's new album into a remarkable video, both breathlessly zany and undeniably chilling.In the video for Where's My Phone? Paul plays against the relatable aspect&nbsp;of the songtitle by making Mitsky the lead character&nbsp;in a gripping anachronistic&nbsp;ghost story. The setting is very Edgar Allan Poe, a house in rural, autumnal New England, with Mitski as the guardian of her younger sister, paranoid about her connecting with any of the stream of strange visitors who descend upon the house.It's the manner that Paul delivers&nbsp;this story - based upon&nbsp;Shirley Jackson’s novel&nbsp;We Have Always Lived in the Castle - which makes it so special. Following the style of his videos for Black Midi and most recently for Geese, events occur at a relentless, disconcerting speed, as if in a dream.The actions of the performers are heightened to appear virtually cartoonish - or resembling the acting in early cinema - and the camera is feverish, moving like a&nbsp;character in the scenario.&nbsp;Mitski herself gives a ferociously strong and committed performance, as the woman driven to mania (and violence)&nbsp;to protect the younger girl. But as it turns out, with very good reason. As in any ghost story, the proof of its quality is in the ending - and this has a very good one.&nbsp;Noel Paul has been directing videos for well over a decade, originally in the duo That Go and then as solo director. It's tempting to say that this is one of the best he has ever made.[imgtoken data:1]&nbsp;[imgtoken data:2]

United States

Alternative

Mitski 'Where's My Phone?' by Noel Paul

Maxim Kelly delivers the next instalment of his creative collaboration with Archive.The AI-generated video for Wake Up Strange is an Americana-infused trip through the surreality of life and excess, presenting a cinematic narrative tinged with a haunting undercurrent. It's&nbsp;Playing into the&nbsp;uncanny valley&nbsp;nature of it all - both highly convincing visually yet also dreamlike and ludicrous -&nbsp;this follows Kelly's video for the eclectic London-based band's Look At Us (also from forthcoming album Glass Minds) and it's another collaboration raising questions about AI and its place in the music video production process.&nbsp;

Archive 'Wake Up Strange' by Maxim Kelly

Archive-'Wake-Up-Strange'-by-Maxim-Kelly

Grajper directs a moonlit, surrealist fantasy for The Last Dinner Party.&nbsp;The video for Count The Ways finds the group in the middle of a model village, performing as a montage of illusory vignettes play out on screen.&nbsp;Imbued with unearthly, liminal vibes, it's a striking concept and one that fits perfectly within the offbeat videography the group has built over the last couple of years.&nbsp;[imgtoken data:1]<blockquote>Everything is familiar, but [the world] is&nbsp;too small, too artificial, too perfect.</blockquote>"The heart of the song is about love, heartbreak, and the refusal to accept that something beautiful has ended," Grajper explains.&nbsp;"It’s about being trapped in grief, circling around loss, and being unable to move forward."For TLDP, that emotional space feels like being locked in a prison that is invisible yet everywhere, a cage built out of memories and feelings. That’s why the miniature park is such a powerful starting point. It’s a world that is at once charming and eerie. Everything is familiar, but it’s too small, too artificial, too perfect."When we place our heroine in this world she instantly becomes estranged from it: she is either too large for the space, breaking out of it, or she’s wandering through its streets like a ghost who doesn’t belong."

DOMA

Studio Island

Indie

The Last Dinner Party 'Count The Ways' by Grajper

Grajper-'Count-The-Ways'-by-Grajper

Bedroom direct an evocative performance promo for Chloe Qisha.&nbsp;The video for So Sad So Hot is a stripped-back, studio-based visual, with Qisha and a team of dancers performing breathless choreography under coruscating lights.&nbsp;Sexy, sweaty and slick, it's another brilliant collaboration between the directors and artist, which will leave viewers waiting for more.&nbsp;Great work.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Bedroom

Chloe Qisha 'So Sad So Hot' by Bedroom

Chloe Qisha - So Sad So Hot (Official Video)

London-based production company <a href="https://friendlondon.tv/" target="_blank">FRIEND</a> has announced a new partnership with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/hurrysundown.agents/" target="_blank">Hurry Sundown</a>, the music video representation company founded by award-winning agent Sam Davey.&nbsp;The collaboration marks a new chapter for Friend’s music video division, expanding its reach and creative capabilities through Hurry Sundown’s distinctive approach to championing directors with labels and clients.“We’re absolutely thrilled to be working with Hurry Sundown and Sam Davey,” says&nbsp;Luke Jacobs, founder of FRIEND. “Sam’s vision and commitment to championing unique voices in music video direction aligns perfectly with our ethos at FRIEND. Together, we’re looking forward to creating work that is as inventive as it is impactful.”Sam Davey founded Hurry Sundown earlier this year with a mission to support and elevate exceptional directing talent in the music video space. The company has quickly gained a reputation for nurturing original, visually arresting directors and connecting them with the right artists and audiences.“Having known Luke for many years now, I’ve always been blown away with the quality of work that FRIEND produce," comments Davey.&nbsp;"They have a roster of talent that continually evolves and embraces music videos in the right way, so I’m so chuffed that our visions have aligned and we finally get to work together.” Hurry Sundown will now represent FRIEND’s roster for music videos, offering artists and labels a combined force of creative expertise, production excellence, and industry insight.• Watch FRIEND's music video roster, represented by Hurry Sundown,&nbsp;<a href="https://friendlondon.tv/" target="_blank">here</a>

FRIEND teams up with Hurry Sundown for music videos

Pedro Takahashi explores the idea of staying rooted to a place despite knowing that it is harming you in a&nbsp;conceptual performance video&nbsp;for Shame.&nbsp;Dialling in to the band’s live energy, the video for Quiet Life is anything but. It comprises the band performing in a rundown warehouse, whilst a group of hard hat-wearing intruders burst in with wrecking gear to&nbsp;cause chaos around them.&nbsp;As the camera orbits around the performance, we see snapshots of destruction of the space, with the mob getting ever closer to attacking the band, adding a frantic, breathless energy to the visual.&nbsp;Meanwhile the&nbsp;band barely&nbsp;acknowledge the mayhem around them&nbsp;- a manifestation of the meaning of the song which, according to vocalist Charlie Steen, "is about&nbsp;someone in a shitty relationship."The result is both a mesmerising video from Takahashi, and a more introspective and serious&nbsp;side of Shame than we've seen before.[imgtoken data:1]&nbsp;

post punk

Shame 'Quiet Life' by Pedro Takahashi

shame - Quiet Life (Official Video)

Noel Paul directs a characteristically immersive and offbeat promo for American rock band Geese.The video for Taxes takes place at an intimate gig, with the first minute or so shot on a mobile phone or lo-fi video camera.&nbsp;But then it's all turned on its head, ramping up into a mesmerising fever dream of sped-up dancing, fighting, melting faces - even a spot of cannibalism.It's ferocious, kind of disturbing, all the more intense for being at odds with the laidback pace of the track.&nbsp;A standout visual indeed.NOEL PAUL:"When Cameron sings 'nail me down',&nbsp;everything changes. The format morphs from strictly phone footage to a hodgepodge of textures and frame rates."The action becomes dislocated from documentary reality, instead taking the form of abstract isolated shots of expressions and gestures being repeated endlessly and maniacally by the people in the crowd. It's like we're inside a contemporary version of some medieval painting of the Damned, writhing and carousing in ecstasy and agony as they are herded towards Hell's gaping maw."Our crowd now becomes a vehicle for exploring a cavalcade of human expressions, gestures, and simple actions, boiled down to some kind of fetishized essence by way of filming them in hyperspeed with endlessly repeating manic motion. A simple action repeated over and over again and filmed in this style becomes mesmerizing and absurd and ritualistic."

Leethal Reppin

Geese 'Taxes' by Noel Paul

Geese-'Taxes'-by-Noel-Paul

Tohé Commaret takes Spanish pop sensation Isabella Lovestory into a fabulous and fraught fever dream in her latest extravagant music video outing.Isabella finds herself in an anonymous office building that becomes an increasingly constricting force on her exuberant personality. Can she break free?It's another impressive addition to Tohé Commaret's body of work in a year that kicked off with a video with Oklou and Bladee and a show at Fondation Pernod Ricard then going on to being shortlisted at Berlinale and Cannes."I made Isabella Lovestory’s music video at a time in my life when I couldn’t stop watching Hitchcock’s films," she says. "They were a real inspiration for me - film noir, puzzle films, labyrinthine stories - all of that fed into the creation of this video.[imgtoken data:1]"I felt it matched her universe perfectly, which is all about vanity, reflection, duplicity, and self-observation. That’s why we used so many mirrors, split shots and reflections. The post-production took us a huge amount of time, and the set design beforehand was just as important."We shot it on 35mm to get closer to that classic cinema feel, but with a slightly futuristic twist: greenish and pinkish tones inspired by Matthew Barney’s films."

Spain

Tohé Commaret

Isabella Lovestory 'Vanity' by Tohé Commaret

Isabella-Lovestory-'Vanity'-by-Tohé-Commaret

New Zealand singer-songwriter BENEE has dropped Off the Rails, a thrashy pop-rock rush of feminine rage just shy of two minutes - and&nbsp;directing duo Bedroom have&nbsp;directed a suitably furious&nbsp;video that attempts to articulate dating in a modern world.&nbsp;“It’s an aggressive, angry, chaotic product of my navigating the current state of the world and channeling my existential dread,” says BENEE of the song. “It’s feminine rage - sick of being pushed around and embracing the chaos.”And she comes across really well in Bedroom's video, representing that position of trying to&nbsp;protect yourself from all the trials and turbulations of life while also being brave enough to be vulnerable.

BENEE 'Off The Rails' by Bedroom

BENEE - Off The Rails (Official Video)

British-Punjabi musical disruptor&nbsp;Raf-Saperra's infectious pop track Step Out has inspired&nbsp;a suitably vibrant visual by directing duo Amir Hossain and Soren Harrison - aka Bedroom - and Avleen Kaur that playfully crosses cultural borders.Reflecting his contemporary take on South Asian music that&nbsp;blends western music styles with traditional Punjabi singing, it's&nbsp;an intoxicating mix of East and West in one colourful and cartoon-like&nbsp;package. Raf pops into the beauty salon to celebrate the girls (of all ages) as they prepare&nbsp;for a big night out.&nbsp;Then he becomes the model in a fashion magazine&nbsp;wearing some outlandish clothes, but charming his fellow model - the girl&nbsp;from the salon. He's also&nbsp;the guy in the magazine ad for Fatboy breakfast cereal, before becoming a boxer in the ring and appearing at his press conference, where his favourite girl turns up as his interviewer.&nbsp; &nbsp;[imgtoken data:1]For Amir Hossain, one half of the Bedroom project, this was an important opportunity to articulate the blurred lines between his South Asian and British heritage and what that means to his directorial work. It marks a&nbsp;bucket list moment for the director and stands out as one of the director's strongest videos to date."For me, Step Out was just as much about pushing representation as it was about pushing culture," he says. "Growing up South Asian, you’re often boxed in, caught between tradition and perception. There aren’t many people who look like me breaking into these new spaces or showcasing that we can play in the same field as everyone else."With this video, I wanted to show a more layered identity: bold, modern, unapologetically brown. Something that breaks away from the stereotypes and can stand shoulder to shoulder with the work that’s always inspired me."Soren Harrison adds: "There are boundaries to be pushed in South Asian culture right now and the response we have gotten with the video shows us how important it is to be broadening the cultural limits. We wanted the life and colour of the song to breathe into the visuals and let Raf’s playful performance carry us from one set to the next."

Avleen Kaur

Raf-Saperra 'Step Out' by Bedroom, Avleen Kaur 

Raf-Saperra - Step Out (Official Video) | Ikky | Latest Punjabi Songs 2025

Pedro Takahashi directs a brilliant&nbsp;promo for Humour.&nbsp;The video for Memorial&nbsp;draws inspiration from poet Alice Oswald’s reinterpretation of Homer’s Iliad, exploring themes of mortality and inevitability.Running from something off-screen but ominous, we follow vocalist Andreas Christodoulidis in a single tracking shot, building to a finale that reframes the entire visual.&nbsp;Rousing and restless, it's a thrilling video with impressive execution.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Humour 'Memorial' by Pedro Takahashi

Humour-'Memorial'-by-Pedro-Takahashi

Directing duo Bedroom reunite with the poptastic&nbsp;Chloe Qisha to tackle the thorny issue of contemporary dating through expressive dance and roleplay.&nbsp;The video for Modern Romance sees Chloe in her element - playful, provocative, and full of future-pop flair - chucking out acerbic witticisms while engaging in an unbridled yet off-kilter encounter with her date (Sam Salter).&nbsp;Boasting great dance setups, abstract art direction and an ambitious concept, this follows on from Bedroom's work on their&nbsp;video for Chloe's <a href="https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2025/01/24/chloe-qisha-21st-century-cool-girl-bedroom/89758" target="_blank">20th Century Cool Girl</a>, the sultry visual&nbsp;explores intimacy and chemistry in today’s fast-paced, swipe-happy world, via noir-influenced studio setups and a zealous use of rain effects.

Chloe Qisha 'Modern Romance' by Bedroom

Chloe-Qisha-'Modern-Romance'-by-Bedroom

Pedro Takahashi directs a&nbsp;riotous promo for Glasgow punk band Humour.&nbsp;The video for Neighbours explores the surreality of suburbia, opening on a miniature set, before diving into the living room of a terraced house where the band are performing - at full volume. And someone is banging on the front door - quite possibly the neighbours.&nbsp;Imbued with a grungy, textural aesthetic, the video is cinematic, atmospheric and band-focussed. With excellent cinematography by Max Conran, it's packed with strange camera angles, as the mystery deepens as to who is&nbsp;trying to get into the house.&nbsp;Paranoid and claustrophobic, enhanced by Geri Docherty's intense edit,&nbsp;it's a stirring video smoothly&nbsp;aligned with the unruly track.&nbsp;

The Quarry

Humour 'Neighbours' by Pedro Takahashi

Humour - Neighbours (official video)

Pedro Takahashi directs an enigmatic promo for Edward Skeletrix, presenting his director's cut of the video.&nbsp;The Plastic Body visual&nbsp;follows the artist as he&nbsp;describes his detachment from the world and society, walking through a facility packed with broken mannequins.&nbsp;Interspersed with 'screenlife' style shots of a user designing a blank, stock character in a 3D programme, the video has an air of mystery, elevated by Skeletrix's abstract outfits.&nbsp;Pondering the blurred line between reality and fiction, flesh and plastic, it's a powerful vision with lots of standout moments.[imgtoken data:1]&nbsp;

Edward Skeletrix 'Plastic Body [Director's Cut]' by Pedro Takahashi

Edward-Skeletrix-'Plastic-Body'-by-Pedro-Takahashi

India Rose Harris returns to direct her fourth video for Confidence Man - and this time it's a joyous spin of unfettered chaos and camp&nbsp;featuring&nbsp;Eliza Rose.The video for I HEART&nbsp;YOU follows Eliza&nbsp;and CM's Janet on a typical day in the recording studio, before switching to&nbsp;a garage where the two battle it out amongst the mud.Off-kilter angles and strobing lights bring the party vibes to the concept, which moves at light speed through vivacious vignettes.&nbsp;It's just as playful as the previous&nbsp;three video collabs between the band and India Rose Harris - which began with <a href="https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2023/08/08/dj-seinfeld-ft-confidence-man-now-u-do-india-harris/82744" target="_blank">Now U Do</a> over a year ago&nbsp;-&nbsp;the&nbsp;visual is an inspired match to the upbeat track, and cements the group's ever-growing&nbsp;status in the dance-pop&nbsp;space.[imgtoken data:1]

India Rose Harris

Confidence Man ft Eliza Rose 'I HEART YOU' by India Rose Harris

Confidence-Man-'I-<3-U'-by-India-Harris

Sam Akpro takes a ride in the back of a van through deserted nighttime streets in Pedro Takahashi's latest for the London musician.&nbsp;The video for Tunnel Vision&nbsp;is&nbsp;painted in Takahashi's signature dark and moody urban atmos,&nbsp;following his work on Disposition, Chicago Town&nbsp;and the UKMVA-nominated <a href="https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2023/11/17/sam-akpro-death-entertainment-pedro-takahashi/84232" target="_blank">Death By Entertainment</a>, and heralds the release of his new album at the end of March.

Sam Akpro 'Tunnel Vision' by Pedro Takahashi

Sam-Akpro-'Tunnel-Vision'-by-Pedro-Takahashi

<h3>The award-winning&nbsp;French director - who has joined the roster at FRIEND - on success at the Berlinale, shooting her KUKII promo in Cairo and approaching music videos as experiments in filmmaking.</h3>A French-Chilean director based in Paris,&nbsp;Tohé Commaret has found acclaim in short films and music videos that seamlessly fuse elements of documentary and fantasy in a distinctive, signature style. With her short films 8 and Because of (U),&nbsp;Commaret blends the mundane and the hallucinatory, and raw emotion meets sensory exploration. Her work has been featured in international festivals and galleries, including the Berlinale.Towards the end of last year she brought her vision into the realm of music video, with promos for Egyptian/Iranian artist Kukii and French singer Oklou's collab with Swedish rapper Bladee.&nbsp;Her own gallery show has just opened (Feb 17th) at the&nbsp;Foundation Pernod Ricard in Paris.&nbsp; &nbsp;"We’re absolutely delighted to welcome Tohé to the FRIEND roster," says Luke Jacobs, the company's MD.&nbsp;"Her unique ability to blend the real and the fantastical aligns perfectly with the bold, innovative projects we’re passionate about."And we were delighted to find out more about Tohé, via the Snapshot Q&amp;A...&nbsp;Name: Tohé CommaretBirthday: 23/07/1992Where did you grow up? Vitry-sur-Seine, a&nbsp;suburb of ParisPlace of further education and course (if any)? Beaux-Arts Paris and Le FresnoyWhere do you live now? Paris<blockquote>We should consider music videos more as artistic objects and experiments by the artist.</blockquote>Name a film or video or other creative work that had a huge influence on your career choice? The work of David Lynch, Alice Rohrwacher, Luis Buñuel, and Apichatpong Weerasethakul is very important to me.What were the important first projects for you, in terms of a learning experience and getting noticed, or a foothold in the industry?&nbsp;I think it was when my film 8&nbsp;was taken to the Berlinale and won multiple awards.[imgtoken data:1]Above: still from Tohé's award-winning short film '8'Best film(s) you saw last year?&nbsp;<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6041312/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_the%2520human%2520surg" target="_blank">The Human Surge</a>, directed by&nbsp;Eduardo Williams.Favourite song/album/music artist in the past year? Trip9love - Tirzah, DJ KitFavourite music video/videos in the past year?&nbsp;Husky - Necro (World Of Flies, God Of War), directed by Ataka 51.[vidtoken data:0]What was (or usually is) your favourite night out last year? HeartBroken- Sacho at Petit BainIn terms of the music video-related jobs of the past year or so, what were the most rewarding creatively, and why?I loved doing KUKII's Rare Baby&nbsp;video in Cairo, Egypt. I discovered an incredibly rich country and culture, and the architecture made me feel like I was in a science fiction movie at every turn. The sounds and colours of this place also inspired me a lot, everything is very dense and rich.[vidtoken data:1] And then working with Oklou and Bladee [on the <a href="https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2025/02/14/oklou-ft-bladee-take-me-hand-toh%C3%A9-commaret/90096" target="_blank">Take Me By The Hand&nbsp;video</a>] was very easy. I’m incredibly grateful because I was given almost total creative freedom.Post-production was a huge part of the process. We were basically like teenagers, glued to our screens 24/7, eating in front of our computers to deliver everything on time and at the highest quality. The entire team - editing, color grading, VFX, and even the cinematographer - was deeply involved, which created a real sense of fusion and intensity between us. We spent a lot of time searching for the right shapes and forms."[vidtoken data:2]What are your favourite other (non-mv) projects of the past year or so?&nbsp;Organizing a collective nap and listening session with my friends.What’s the most surprising thing that’s happened last year? Kali Malone concert in a churchYour top suggestion to change and improve how the music video industry works?&nbsp;Consider music videos more as artistic objects and experiments by the artist, rather than just advertisements made quickly and without thought.What are you looking forward to for 2025?&nbsp;Making a feature film.•&nbsp;Tohé Commaret is based at FRIEND in London for UK representation; contact Lee Fairweather at Leethal Reppin for music video enquiries, and info@friendlondon.com.&nbsp;

THE SNAPSHOT Q&A: Tohé Commaret

Хаски - Некро (Мир мух, Бог войны)

KUKII - Rare Baby (Official Video)

Oklou - take me by the hand ft. Bladee (Official Video)

Tohé Commaret combines the everyday with the ethereal&nbsp;in a wonderfully stylish promo for French singer Oklou and her collaborator, Swedish rapper/singer Bladee.&nbsp;The video for Take Me By The Hand is an effects-heavy showcase of pensive performance&nbsp;and liminal worlds, breezing through its runtime with 90's inspired set pieces.&nbsp;Shot with unusual perspectives and composition, the cinematography leans into the experimental vibe of the track, and visualises the otherworldly soundscapes.&nbsp;it shows that&nbsp;Commaret, with a background in award-winning short films, has a distinctive eye for music videos.[imgtoken data:1]"Working with Oklou and Bladee was very easy, and I’m incredibly grateful because I was given almost total creative freedom," says Commaret, who recently signed to FRIEND in London for UK representation.&nbsp;"Post-production was a huge part of the process. We were basically like teenagers, glued to our screens 24/7, eating in front of our computers to deliver everything on time and at the highest quality."The entire team - editing, colour grading, VFX, and even the cinematographer - was deeply involved, which created a real sense of fusion and intensity between us. We spent a lot of time searching for the right shapes and forms."

France

Alt-Pop

Electronic

Oklou ft Bladee 'Take Me By The Hand' by Tohé Commaret

Bedroom take Teddy Swims from a lonely drink at a&nbsp;bar to an otherworldly therapy session and beyond in the hugely imaginative and&nbsp;atmospheric promo for Guilty.&nbsp;Diving into personal truth of the US singer, the video follows Swims' through his subconscious, as he tries to declare his love but always having something&nbsp;that stops him.&nbsp;Spanning surrealist landscapes and liminal rooms, it's a video that hops between reality and fiction&nbsp;with stylish flair.&nbsp;Fresh, evocative and unpredictable, it's another banger from Bedroom.[imgtoken data:1][imgtoken data:2]

Anchous

Teddy Swims 'Guilty' by Bedroom

Teddy Swims - Guilty (Official Music Video)

Directing duo Bedroom make a splendid return with this compelling promo for up-and-coming pop girl Chloe Qisha.Interweaving&nbsp;minimalist performance vignettes with art direction flair, the directors strike a balance of clean, cool setups and the usual hyper-vibrant, textural style for which they are renowned, nodding to their parallel interests&nbsp;in&nbsp;graphic design and photography&nbsp;and command of colour.Lyrically exploring teen romance and self-acceptance, the video showcases both an intimate and fun-loving side of Chloe Qisha, which erupts into lively choreography and celebration.&nbsp;&nbsp;Great work and a part of a strong&nbsp;start to the year by Bedroom, whose short film WANTED has been screening this month at the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/londonshortfilmfest/?hl=en" target="_blank">London Short Film Festival</a>.[imgtoken data:1]&nbsp;[imgtoken data:2]

Chloe Qisha '21st Century Cool Girl' by Bedroom

Chloe-Qisha-'21st-Century-Cool-Girl'-by-Bedroom

Pedro Takahashi returns with his latest Sam Akpro video, in anticipation of the South London artist's album release in March.The video for Evenfall follows Akpro and the band navigating liminal spaces at night, with Takahashi employing in-camera techniques including time-lapse and slow camera moves&nbsp;to create a sense of displacement, unease and alienation.The approach serves the atmospheric track really well - and feels consistent with the director and artist's previous collaborations, on the UKMVA-nominated <a href="https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2023/11/17/sam-akpro-death-entertainment-pedro-takahashi/84232" target="_blank">Death By Entertainment</a> and more.[imgtoken data:1]

Sam Akpro 'Evenfall' by Pedro Takahashi

Sam-Akpro-'Evenfall'-by-Pedro-Takahashi

India Rose Harris is back with her third collab with Aussie dance-pop powerhouse duo&nbsp;Confidence Man,&nbsp;a monochromatic masterpiece for the latest release from the&nbsp;new album&nbsp;3AM (LA LA LA). Six minutes of early 90s hedonism reimagined for now and it's flippin' awesome.The video for SICKO is a melting pot of ideas and aesthetics blended into something inspired and contemporary, inspired by&nbsp;the duo's recent move to London, meeting their idols KLF, and becoming immersed in the queer club scene.&nbsp;From vintage fashion ads to 80's alt-music videos, it's a visual that wears its inspirations on its sleeve, but elevates things to a whole new level, as ideas of&nbsp;hedonism, ecstasy and losing yourself to the music are distilled into pure A-grade euphoria.The third collab between Harris and the group feels like a huge leap out of any comfort zone, and the resulting concept is nothing short of spectacular.&nbsp;Plus&nbsp;it's rare to get such a lengthy dance break in music videos now, and this one is brilliant, perhaps the best part of the project. Bring back the dance break![imgtoken data:1][imgtoken data:2]

Dance

Confidence Man 'SICKO' by India Rose Harris

Confidence-Man-'Sicko'-by-India-Harris

India Harris reunites&nbsp;with Confidence Man&nbsp;and pulls off a stunning departure for the Aussie dance-pop duo, combining high energy and high concept for their latest banger.The video for So What opens on aerial shot of a London tower block, and begins to infinitely zoom, into the pair's high rise home, and through into a succession of scenarios, where they party, then after-party, then party again.Then in the second part of the film, Confidence Man's Grace stands on the roof of the tower block, then falls - continuing to energetically perform while plummeting back to earth - where the final section plays out in reverse.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Shot in London's hottest club venue, The Cause, with slick VFX, stylised&nbsp;cinematography&nbsp;and a dark, almost dystopian aesthetic,&nbsp;this comes in&nbsp;a stark contrast to the style of previous recent Confidence Man vids - including Harris's vibrant video for <a href="https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2023/08/08/dj-seinfeld-ft-confidence-man-now-u-do-india-harris/82744" target="_blank">Now U Do (with DJ Seinfeld)</a>. But it certainly contributes to&nbsp;the ever-growing aura of excitement around the band.[imgtoken data:1][imgtoken data:2]&nbsp;

Confidence Man 'So What' by India Rose Harris

Confidence Man - SO WHAT (Official Video)

Pedro Takahashi directs an offbeat exploration of self-discovery, in his second promo for Haich Ber Na.The video for Hallelujah! follows a young, initially shy and reserved boy, strolling through a housing estate while playing the song in his headphones. As the music intensifies, his demeanour evolves from timidity to unabashed confidence and aggression.Anchored by a fervent performance from lead actor Oli Coles, the video treads a fine line between surreal British comedy and coming of age drama, with inspired direction and dreamlike cinematography.&nbsp;[imgtoken data:1]

CHEAT

Haich Ber Na ft Paris Texas 'Hallelujah!' by Pedro Takahashi

Haich Ber Na - Hallelujah! ft Paris Texas (Official Video)

<h3>In our new series, we catch up with creatives making a big impression with their work in music videos in 2024 - and we're starting with FRIEND director Pedro Takahashi. Turns out he likes lots of bands that we've never even heard of.</h3>Over the past four years Pedro Takahashi has brought a distinctive vision to his music videos for cutting edge artists in alternative music and indie rock, including Shame, Chubby &amp; The Gang, Real Lies and Sam Akpro. At the start of 2024 he signed to <a href="https://friendlondon.tv/" target="_blank">FRIEND</a> in London, and its been a busy few months since then,&nbsp;with two new&nbsp;visuals resulting from his close collaboration with&nbsp;singer-songwriter Akpro and a promo for up-and-coming alt-pop artist Haitch Ber Na.We caught up with Pedro by sending over the questions in our new Snapshot Q&amp;A, and he fired back some answers, giving us a little insight into his world - and 'snapped' the self-portrait (above).&nbsp;Name: Pedro TakahashiBirthday: HalloweenWhere did you grow up? LondonPlace of further education and course (if any)? Film and Television at the University of Westminster.Where do you live now? Hackney!What was the important first projects for you, in terms of a learning experience and getting noticed?&nbsp;<a href="https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2020/11/19/shame-water-well-pedro-takahashi/68044" target="_blank">Shame - Water in the Well&nbsp;</a>[in 2020].&nbsp;It was the first project where I decided to fully look inwards for inspiration as opposed to looking outwards at what other people were doing. It taught me to trust my own instincts and helped me better understand my own sensibilities and style as a director.[vidtoken data:0]Best film you’ve seen this year? <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdqLQ2pZhQY" target="_blank">The Human Surge 3</a> by Eduardo Williams. The only film I saw this year that I felt genuinely tried to push things forwards. Effortlessly challenges cinematic codes and convention whilst retaining a playful edge.Favourite song/album/music artist this year? Chanel Beads, Model/Actriz HONESTY, Still House Plants, Lorraine James, Special Interest.Favourite music video/videos you’ve seen this year?&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mBtwweTkho" target="_blank">Wulu - Daylight Song</a> [directed by Ethan Barrett].What has been (or usually is) your favourite night out this year? Any night by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/cabinfeverldn/" target="_blank">Cabin Fever</a>.<blockquote>My top suggestion to improve the music video industry?&nbsp;Start paying directors to write treatments.</blockquote>Name a film, video or other creative work that had a huge influence on your career choice?Film: <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0387898/" target="_blank">Caché [or Hidden]</a> by Michael Haneke. It showed me a new way of approaching cinema. I’m still dealing with the ramifications of watching that film over 10 years later.[imgtoken data:1]Music Video: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAWzCmkJqpc" target="_blank">Canal by Ratking</a> [directed by Eric K. Yue]. There’s a physicality and dynamism to this video that set something alight in me. The energy, the aggressive editing style, the constantly surging camera... This video has had a profound effect on everything I’ve done since.Art: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKY8j_oKaNc" target="_blank">Triolets by Dóra Maurer</a>The photography of <a href="https://www.roslynoxley9.com.au/artist/bill-henson" target="_blank">Bill Henson</a>.In terms of&nbsp;music video-related jobs of the past year or so - what was the most rewarding creatively, and why?<a href="https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2024/03/20/sam-akpro-disposition-pedro-takahashi/85757" target="_blank">Disposition - Sam Akpro</a>. This is the first video where I felt I truly made what I wanted to make without compromise. I naturally make videos in quite a constructed manner and the process often involves a lot of planning and testing in pre-production. We were granted enough time to capitalize on this workflow and I feel the final outcome is as close to my original intention as it could have been.Of course, this was only made possible by the help of my very talented collaborators and Sam who was up for getting stuck in. I also really value works that attempt to experiment with the form and I’m proud that with this video, we genuinely tried to create images that we had never seen before.[vidtoken data:1]<blockquote>We genuinely tried to create images that we had never seen before.</blockquote>What are your favourite other (non-mv) projects of the past year or so? <a href="https://www.instagram.com/family_un1t/" target="_blank">Family Unit</a> + <a href="http://www.instagram.com/rip__magic/" target="_blank">RIP Magic</a> &lt;3What’s the most surprising thing that’s happened this year? Meeting someone who is now very close to me.What's your top suggestion to change and improve how the music video industry works? Start paying directors to write treatments.What are you looking forward to most for the summer and/or the rest of the year? There’s a short film idea that I’m very excited about and which I plan to shoot before the end of the summer.• Watch more of Pedro Takahashi at <a href="https://friendlondon.tv/directors/pedro-takahashi" target="_blank">FRIEND</a>; Pedro is represented for music videos by Lee Fairweather at <a href="https://www.leethalreppin.com/" target="_blank">Leethal Reppin</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

THE SNAPSHOT Q&A: Pedro Takahashi

Shame-'Water-In-The-Well'-by-Pedro-Takahashi

Sam Akpro  - "Disposition"

Polish&nbsp;director Grajper directs a very cool, clever&nbsp;and weirdly gripping&nbsp;video for Liverpool indie-rock band Stone, featuring two versions of frontman Fin Power.In the promo for Queen - the director's first UK video -&nbsp;Grajper presents a concept of the Stone vocalist and his&nbsp;döppelgänger hanging out, doing weights, letting time pass as they go through an everyday routine. It is filmed in a naturalistic, candid way on film, with great camerawork and unforced performances, so the conceit is entirely seamless. Unfeasibly real, in fact.&nbsp;Looking great, with fine cinematography by&nbsp;Louis Evennou,&nbsp;and skirting that line between everyday reality and the uncanny, whilst also retaining the energetic charm of previous Stone videos - like the UKMVA-winning video for <a href="https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2023/11/29/stone-left-right-forward-abigail-wilson/83930" target="_blank">Left Right Forward</a>&nbsp;-&nbsp;makes this video a really impressive achievement.[imgtoken data:1][imgtoken data:2]

Indie Rock

Stone 'Queen' by Grajper

Stone-'Queen'-by-Grajper

Pedro Takahashi reunites with alt-rocker&nbsp;Sam Akpro to conjure&nbsp;a trippy visualizer for the track Chicago Town.&nbsp;The video features a kaleidoscopic amalgam of performance and portraits, distorted with post effects, including videogrammetry. Marrying nostalgic digital footage and new technology, the visual celebrates the city - London, that is - but with a haunting undercurrent.&nbsp;"Chicago Town is a love letter to the city of London," explains Takahashi. "We wanted to show it in all its beauty but also highlight the harshness of the city and the effect it can have on people. Using VFX and datamoshing, we wanted to degrade and abstract faces and locations to the point where they were unrecognizable."Being a visualizer, we were able to be more loose than we would be with a normal video, and this gave us a chance to experiment with lots of interesting new techniques."[imgtoken data:1]

Sam Akpro 'Chicago Town' by Pedro Takahashi

Sam Akpro  - "Chicago Town"

Directing duo Bedroom’s first video at their new production company home brings them together with classic rockers Kasabian and is an ode to the gritty, audacious trailers of 1970’s exploitation, grindhouse, and B movies.For the video for Darkest Lullaby, Kasabian - led by frontman Sergio Pizzorno - star as characters in their own wild movie, bursting with frenetic and iconic visuals. There's a&nbsp;search for a mysterious woman, bloody showdowns, rough-ups -&nbsp;and a detective on his final, desperate case. The chaos unfolds through bombastic, iconic moments inspired by your favourite throwback trailers.As the video progresses, things get meta, as Bedroom expand the field of vision to include the B-movie's&nbsp;domineering director. The story climaxes, as the walls come down, in a fun and vibrant moment shattering the lines between reality and cinema.“Imagine stumbling across the abandoned film reels of a long forgotten movie that never reached completion, featuring a jaded private detective's descent into the depths of a dangerous assignment swimming with bloodthirsty mob goons, pyschoactive torture and all the inglorious hazards of the Grindhouse/B-movie legacy," is how Bedroom describe the Darkest Lullaby video.&nbsp;"This was the concept behind the music video we had the pleasure of writing and directing. One that couldn't be possible without the enthusiasm of the band whose threw themselves effortlessly into their roles - all acting and no sync, alongside the well-dressed, star-studded ensemble of cast and an impeccable crew. Captured of course on celluloid.”[imgtoken data:1][imgtoken data:2][imgtoken data:3]&nbsp;

Kasabian 'Darkest Lullaby' by Bedroom

Kasabian-'Darkest-Lullaby'-by-Bedroom

FRIEND has announced that director-duo bedroom have joined their roster for UK representation.The directing team of Amir Hossain&nbsp;and Sören Harrison are renowned for world-building sharp and inventive visuals, their&nbsp;signature bold and zesty imagery characterising&nbsp;their output of music videos for big names including&nbsp;Arlo Parks, The 1975, Maneskin and Beabadoobee, as well as up and coming artists including Lava La Rue and Willow Kayne.&nbsp;Their work has won multiple awards and been honoured with nominations at the UKMVAs, including for Best New Director and Best International Rock Video. Bedroom have also worked with huge brands such as Converse, Superdry and Dr. Martens, as well as&nbsp;directing a recent global campaign for ASOS.FRIEND MD Luke Jacobs regards&nbsp;bedroom's reel is a natural addition to the London-based company's eclectic and irreverent roster. “We’re stoked to have Amir and Sören join us," says Jacobs. "They are very&nbsp;much at the forefront of a new wave of directors breaking through into the industry with a fresh take on filmmaking, and have achieved so much in their career already. I’m excited about the next&nbsp;stage.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Amir Hossain of bedroom&nbsp;adds: "I've been a fan of FRIEND's work for a while. When looking for a new home we felt our work aligned very well with the team's vision and taste. I'm excited to create more together with such a great team."• Watch bedroom's showreel at FRIEND&nbsp;<a href="https://friendlondon.tv/reel/bedroom-2" target="_blank">here</a>; for more on bedroom contact&nbsp;<a href="http://luke@friendlondon.tv" target="_blank">Luke Jacobs</a>, <a href="http://john@friendlondon.tv" target="_blank">John Rooney</a> &nbsp;or <a href="http://nicoleh@friendlondon.tv" target="_blank">Nicole Hartley</a> for Music Videos&nbsp;

FRIEND sign bedroom

The daily grind is given a cinematic makeover in&nbsp;Pedro Takahashi's excellent promo for rising alt-pop artist Haich Ber Na.The video for Sandringham - about his yearning to break free of a life of low paid jobs&nbsp;-&nbsp;was filmed in Haich's hometown of Peterborough and twists&nbsp;the mundane suburban surroundings to feel grand and iconic with inspired cinematography.&nbsp;It's a relatable visual to go with a relatable song, that feels almost dreamlike in its presentation, meditating on life&nbsp;in an apathetic yet strangely alluring way. And a marvellous introduction to an artist capable of turning the struggles of everyday life into great pop music.&nbsp;[imgtoken data:1]

Haich Ber Na 'Sandringham' by Pedro Takahashi

Haich Ber Na - Sandringham (Official Video)

Friend have announced the addition of director Sharif Abdel Mawla to their roster for representation in the UK.Bringing&nbsp;cinematic flair, surrealism, and nuance intertwined with profound depth to his work, Sharif Abdel Mawla is a Dutch director with Egyptian roots. He has&nbsp;collaborated with renowned brands such as Adidas, Google, and Puma, and has also&nbsp;directed exceptional promos for leading artists such as Sevdaliza, directing the outstanding video for Everything Is Everything.A&nbsp;regular in&nbsp;publications like Nowness, Hypebeast, Another Man, i-D, Fast Company and It’s Nice That,&nbsp;Sharif has won Webby and Cannes Lion awards, as well as acclaim from 1.4. Most recently, he made his feature debut with&nbsp;Casting Call&nbsp;- a story about Amir, an aspiring actor&nbsp;with dreams of success who finds himself ensnared in a nightmare of his own making.For more information contact&nbsp;Luke Jacobs at luke@friendlondon.tv, John Rooney at john@friendlondon.tv or for music videos, Nicole Hartley at nicoleh@friendlondon.tv• Watch&nbsp;Sharif Abdel Mawla's showreel at Friend <a href="https://friendlondon.tv/directors/sharif-abdel-mawla" target="_blank">here</a>

Friend sign Sharif Abdel Mawla for UK representation

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]

Sam Akpro 'Disposition' by Pedro Takahashi

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]

Sahra Zadat

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;

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;

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]

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;

India Harris

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;

Noah Lee

Shake 070 'Black Dress' by Noah Lee

070 Shake - Black Dress

India 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;

DJ Seinfeld ft Confidence Man 'Now U Do' by India 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;

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]