Focus Puller

Jesse Bader

St. Louis rapper Mvstermind goes on a frantic adventure to reclaim his stolen possessions, in Dustie Carter's explosive promo for Square Up.&nbsp;After having his car unexpectedly repossessed, the artist goes on a frenzied chase through a series of different locations, in search of a unique, one-of-a-kind pair of sneakers. During the course of his journey, he encounters some of&nbsp;St. Louis’s most influential personalities – Mai Lee, Alonzo Townsend and Big Tone.&nbsp;Director Dustie Carter and DoP&nbsp;Mike Dalton&nbsp;have a real symbiosis that shines through every one of their collaborations, and this video is no different. Emulating a sense of nostalgia in the cinematography - whilst keeping things refreshing and contemporary - the colour palettes and textured overlays elevate the concept, helping it stand out from similar videos in the genre.[imgtoken data:1]

United States

Dustie Carter

Stolen Sun

Casey Nation

Mike Dalton

Makayla Hufziger

Ethan Waddell

Emily Pfeiffer

Sam Baiamonte

Brian Singler

Outpost

Andy Devries

Hip Hop

Mvstermind 'Square Up' by Dustie Carter

Mvstermind-'Square-Up'-by-Dustie-Carter

Two lovers are on the run from the law in Dustie Carter's mesmerising promo for German band Lovebyrd's Wanna Die Before You Do.&nbsp;Following their otherworldly video for <a href="https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2020/04/03/vancouver-china-maybe-its-best-dustie-carter/64136">Vancouver China</a> back in May, Carter and DoP Mike Dalton carry over the colour-washed hazy style that made it so impactful, and elevate the drama to new heights.&nbsp;&nbsp;The look of the video balances nostalgia and Americana, and it feels as if we are&nbsp;almost watching someone else's memories in our own minds. Shot on Super 8mm film, the video is absolutely stunning in its execution, and perfectly encapsulates the sense of regret and heartbreak in the track.&nbsp;[imgtoken data:1]DUSTIE CARTER:“I Wanna Die Before You&nbsp;is essentially a short film about two lovers on the run from the law.&nbsp;As one bleeds out in the rear seat, the other, riddled with guilt for allowing this to happen attempts to elude the police.&nbsp; The concept immediately resonated with the band and I. The story and song share a kindred tone and once we added the visuals we could sense the harmony. Looking at the finished piece, it is hard to imagine one existing without the other.&nbsp;<blockquote>Super 8 not only gave us the look and texture we were going for, but also created a new atmosphere on set.</blockquote>"From the beginning Mike (DP) and I knew how important the look would be in order to meld with the song's tone. After talking with Mike, we decide to go for it and shoot on Super 8mm film. The film not only gave us the look and texture we were going for, but also created a new atmosphere on set. I found it allowed me to be completely present with the actors since I wasn't watching a monitor, and forced me to stay closely connected with the story, thinking about every edit since the amount of film we had was limited. This really encouraged me to trust my gut as a director.”[imgtoken data:2]MIKE DALTON:&nbsp;"In the early stages of pre-production, Dustin and I knew that we wanted to capture the driving scenes all in-studio using rear projection and poor man’s process lighting. We had only done this process once in the past (without rear projection), and while it turned out fairly convincing then, we learned plenty of valuable lessons for our next go. With those learned lessons and our incredibly talented gaffer, Tim Hawn at our side, we had the confidence we needed to pull this off.<blockquote>We wanted to capture the driving scenes all in-studio using rear projection... and decided we needed to shoot our own plates.</blockquote>"One of the more challenging parts to this process was sourcing the background plates we would end up projecting for the driving scenes. Dustin and I searched multiple stock footage websites, but ultimately decided that we needed to shoot our own plates as we had a very specific look in mind."We ended up finding the perfect locations for the driving scenes and the opening scene and scheduled a couple evenings to shoot out of our studios trusty minivan. For the front plate we mounted via RigWheels Cloud Mount, a Black Magic Pocket Cinema 4k to the hood. The side plates were captured with Panasonic GH5’s. And finally, the back plate, was captured with the Red Helium on a Freefly Movi Pro."This project couldn't have been done without an extreme level of trust and collaboration between everyone. Because Lovebyrd are based out of Germany, we collaborated via Facetime/Zoom/Instagram every step of the way - finalizing the script, casting, wardrobe, production, and finally post. Add to this, production wrapped just days before a state-wide stay-at-home order went into place due to COVID-19. This meant that Sam and Brian (colourist) had to handle all of the post remotely, utilizing frame.io and Zoom chats to stay connected with myself, Mike, and the band, as we brought the piece to life."[imgtoken data:3]

Tim Hawn

Jenna McDonald

McKenzie Moser

Indie pop

Alt Pop

Lovebyrd 'Wanna Die Before You Do' by Dustie Carter

Lovebyrd-'Wanna-Die-Before-You-Do'-by-Dustie-Carter

Dustie Carter directs an ethereal and transcendent visual for 'Maybe It's For The Best', premiering exclusively on Promonews.&nbsp;Across a series of dreamy vignettes, we follow the artist as he explores the memory of a relationship and the agonising decision to move on from it.&nbsp;[imgtoken data:1]Mesmerising performance setups punctuate the dreamscape, with vivid colour and textures matching the wistful vibe of the track. Clever transitions create a looping, Groundhog Day- style narrative within the visual, representing the fruitless yearning for normality and reconnection.DoP&nbsp;Mike Dalton utilises contrast across the colour scheme and lighting design, building upon the dichotomy that runs through the visual. The artist is trapped between a perfect past and an uncertain future, and the push-and-pull of his headspace is translated on-screen through distorted composition and breathtaking cinematography.It's a brilliant promo with a fresh perspective, and Carter balances the surreal aesthethic and emotional themes with great focus.[imgtoken data:2]DUSTIE CARTER:&nbsp;"With its melancholic tone and pulsing bass, Maybe It’s For The Best&nbsp;immediately began to create itself visually upon our first listen. The lyrics connected with me. While, the performance section of the video acts as a narration into the couples relationship, I wanted to capture surreal visuals to take us through the fleeting, uncertain memories of their past."We really had a blast on this one. Mike Dalton, the DP, and I found the sharpness of the digital sensor to disconnect with what we were trying to accomplish. Because of that, we found ourselves putting anything and everything on and/or in front the lens to achieve a dreamy and sometimes distorted vibe. We had goals for what we wanted to capture, but made sure we kept the shoot fluid allowing ourselves to discover new angles and ideas along the way.[imgtoken data:3]"Admitting to oneself that it is time to move on can be a tough decision, and the ebbs and flows of an unhealthy relationship can pollute that decision. With this music video, I wanted to uncover the process of finally admitting moving on is for the best."VANCOUVER CHINA:&nbsp;"Sometimes you’re torn apart by someone you love, or you tear yourself apart trying to make it work with them. They’re intoxicating but toxic. You find yourself losing yourself trying to be any and everything that they dream up that given moment."You wonder if you’re even who you want to be anymore. It’s about coming to terms with the end of what was a tumultuous relationship. You’ve bent until almost broken. Nearly crumbled. Maybe it’s best that you leave with what you still have left."[imgtoken data:4]

Elizabeth Perla + Tawaine Noah

Dream pop

Vancouver China 'Maybe It's For The Best' by Dustie Carter

Vancouver-China-'Maybe-It&#039;s-For-The-Best'-by-Dustie-Carter

Disco lights, bullies and embarrassing dancing. Nothing will stand between a boy and his school dance in Dustie Carter’s charming video for Sleepy Soul.Our young hero has two left feet and a girl to impress. So, armed with a pair of headphones, an instructional dance video, and a basement full&nbsp;of cardboard classmates, he overcomes his nerves with pure guts and ingenuity.The video has a nostalgic style. Period details&nbsp;will feel familiar to anyone who came of age at the turn of the millennium, but this is ageless middle&nbsp;school story transcends its '90s setting. Mike Dalton’s signature milky photography ebbs in and out of focus, establishing the warm atmosphere of a distant memory.A special mention should go to &nbsp;the video’s young star Mitchell Scheer, who is certainly not a terrible dancer. He carries the video with that strange mixture of confidence&nbsp;and naivety that defines the&nbsp;formative years of so many.

Jesse Bader

Focus Puller

Videos featuring Jesse Bader

2021 (1)

2020 (2)

2019 (1)

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