Director of Photography

Kristian Zuniga

Omar Jones, director of impressive videos for the likes of Pusha T, Isaiah Rashad ft Lil Uzi Vert and Doechii - and recently signed to Riff Raff Films in London - has confronted the subject of mental health head-on in his stunning video for LA hip-hop artist Ab-Soul.The rapper took a six year break from music as a result of mental health issues that led him to attempt suicide. In the video for Do Better, Jones and Ab-Soul actually recreate this suicide attempt, where he fell from a building resulting in serious injury and sight loss.It is a tough subject that Jones handles with both sensitivity and flair, with the brilliant use of visual effects within the almost fragile black and white aesthetic. Most importantly, the dignity and humanity of Ab-Soul shines through. You really do get a sense of him coming to terms with&nbsp;his life, disability and all, and in spire of everything, being in a better place.[imgtoken data:1]OMAR JONES"Moosa Tiffith from TDE initially came to me wanting the video for Do Better&nbsp;to be based on a real tragic event in Soul’s life. The fact that part of his story was being revealed in this video meant it had to be portrayed correctly and lensed using an autobiographical approach. Moosa’s close friendship with Soul was instrumental in making sure there was an open line of communication between me and Soul. This was a delicate story to entrust to a stranger at the time, and his involvement made Soul comfortable."I felt a deep sense of responsibility, not only to Soul, but to all who struggle with their mental health, and deal with thoughts of suicide. In the end, the song’s message is a positive one, encouraging people to face themselves and focus on their self-improvement. Soul faces loss, regret, depression but emerges stronger on the other side.[imgtoken data:2]<blockquote>The hardest part was to ask Soul to revisit the darkest moments of his past. I felt the weight of every shot...</blockquote>"The video shows what one sees on their way down, the moments that lead up to it, Soul’s constant conflict with the burden of the past and alternate realities surrounding the decision to jump. What does one see in those final moments? How does the world appear from such a heavy perspective? It’s hard to even begin to imagine, but my approach uses a non-chronological edit and flow to evoke the brain frantically reaching for any memory it can (while it can), while the concept of time completely shifts."Shooting it was tough. Because the video is based on true events, the hardest part for me was to ask Soul to revisit the darkest moments of his past. I felt the weight of every shot and tried to share some of that emotional load as the director. During the ledge scene, I had Soul thirteen stories up, looking down at the drop. He was secured with wires, yet it still felt like the longest shot of my life. I couldn’t wait to yell 'cut'. Throughout the shoot, he was extremely collaborative and willing to explore every option. I am humbled and grateful for Soul's trust. In his words: 'I’ve cried enough about it, so I’m choosing to laugh now.' "

United States

Omar Jones

David Wept

Farah Idress

Sixtwentysix Productions

Anthony 'Top Dawg' Tiffith

Anthony 'Moosa' Tiffith Jr

Austin Barbera

George Solomon

Spencer Wood

Emilio Fermin

Vatche Giragossian

Ron Dabach

Lucca Liberal

Mills Ticket Casting

Cynthia Irene

Barbershop Post

Dante Pasquinelli

Digital Axis

Sherif Higazy

Dan Gillette

Top Dawg Entertainment

Riff Raff Films

Hip Hop

Ab-Soul ft Zacari 'Do Better' by Omar Jones

Ab-Soul - Do Better (Official Video)

Released to tie-in with the release of his acclaimed debut feature Get Duked! on Amazon last week, Ninian Doff provides the movie's young quartet of unlikely heroes&nbsp;with a new mission of extreme&nbsp;mischief: an ill-advised break-in at a&nbsp;mansion containing the prized possessions of Run The Jewels and 2 Chainz.&nbsp;The feckless foursome's blundering efforts at a daring heist is overseen at all times by a series of animated portraits, and sculptures, of RTJ's Killer Mike and El-p, and guest star 2 Chainz. They discover the famous RTJ gloves, and some pink jewels giving off some psychotropic properties - and then they go too far.As in Get Duked!, the riotous fun that Doff creates around his characters transitions effortlessly from realistic live action comedy to something way more extreme and cartoonish - shrinking the characters down in a dimension,&nbsp;giving them metallic limbs and sending their faces into supersonic time warps, as they confront giant version of RTJ and 2 Chainz.[imgtoken data:1]It is high concept aesthetic - arguably a big step further from the movie - and it involved a really big production effort including shoots of the artists in New York and Atlanta - with Colin Read providing second unit directing duties - while Doff, aided and abetted by regular DoP Patrick Meller, shot the main action with his Get Duked! cast in the UK.&nbsp;&nbsp;It is a brilliant effort - but to properly enjoy, and get to know and love the characters, go check out the feature first.

Ninian Doff

Drew O'Neill

Pulse Films

Davud Karbassioun

Rik Green

Claire Adcock

Jerome Franc

Patrick Meller

Jeff Vine

Jenny John Chuan

Jono Yates

Paulina Rzeszowska

Gaby Winwood

Paul O'Reilly

Homespun

Kai Van Beers

Nineteen Twenty

George Reid

Jessica Hayes, Nicole Palucsis  Peter Phillips

Chris King, Chrys Aldred, Adam Mchale, Claire Larkin                   Jamie Stitson

Colin Read

Miranda Kahn

Amaechi Uzoigwe

Cynthia Lawrence-John

Harriet Salmon

Ben Keswick

Ben Carey

Dylan Harrington

Run The Jewels ft 2 Chainz 'Out Of Sight' by Ninian Doff

Run-The-Jewels-'Out-Of-Sight-Ft.-2chainz-'-by-Ninian-Doff-(colin-Read-Nyc-2nd-Unit-Director)

A motion-capture performer strays too far from the axis of reality, in this visceral mind-bender for Ed Sheehan by Ryan Staake.Dancer Courtney Scarr treats us to a show-stopping routine in a MoCap studio, and on screen, her movements carry through to a shimmering, shifting CG universe. Travelling between these fantasies and the reality of the studio, Scarr assumes different identities -&nbsp;including 3D avatars of Ed Sheeran and Chance the Rapper. But when it’s time for her to hang up her bodysuit and call it a day, she finds it hard to leave this oscillating fantasy behind…The video is a remarkable achievement for Moving Picture Company, who were tasked with turning round the entire project in just three and a half weeks. MPC is obviously a global leader in VFX, but this required all kinds of&nbsp;ingenious improvisation to make it happen. For example, when Sheeran was not available for a photogrammetry, Dominic Alderson created&nbsp;his 3D avatar from his Madame Tussauds waxwork. More of this iintricate process is revealed in a <a href="https://vimeo.com/344754319">Behind the Scenes</a> video.&nbsp;While this is a masterclass in visual effects, a mention should go&nbsp;to Scarr and her choreographer&nbsp;Erin Murray. The confident swagger of their dance routine anchors this video in&nbsp;reality, and holds the audience's hand through the rapid&nbsp;shifts and glitches&nbsp;of this digital fantasia.[imgtoken data:1]

United Kingdom

Ryan Staake

Tom Knight

Natalie Arnett

Sam Bould

Cut+Run

Duncan Russell

Courtney Scarr

Dan Curwin

Atlantic Records

Erin S Murray

Michael Klein

Hip-Hop

Indie, singer-songwriter

Ed Sheeran ft Chance The Rapper 'Cross Me' by Ryan Staake

Ed Sheeran ft. Chance the Rapper & PnB Rock - Cross Me

For Kevin Gates's Great Man,&nbsp;directors Pasqual Gutierrez and Anthony Pham use their hybrid documentary/portrait-style video as a way to highlight fathers of colour in Los Angeles, the everyday heroes who aren't always in the limelight but are the backbone of many communities.Anchored by scenes of Kevin Gates and his children, the video tells the story of several families in the LA area, and even features a cameo from Pasqual and Pham with their dads.

Anthony Pham

Luke Arreguin

Florence

Ryan Huffman

Undefined

Richie Jacobo

Melanie Ervin

OB Management

Reprobates

Shadeh Smith

Pasqual Gutierrez

Kevin Gates 'Great Man' by Anthony Pham, Pasqual Gutierrez 

Kevin-Gates-'Great-Man-'-by-Anthony-Pham,-Pasqual-Gutierrez-

Andrew Donoho&nbsp;teams up with Jai Wolf&nbsp;once again to create this touching video centring around themes of loss and nostalgia within the imagination of a child for Starlight.

Andrew Donoho

Jack Winter

Joshua Cote

Michael Papavero

Tom Pena

Dean Newbury

Kris Smale

John Richoux

Electronica

Jai Wolf ft. Mr Gabriel 'Starlight' by Andrew Donoho

Jai-Wolf-Ft.-Mr-Gabriel-'Starlight'-by-Andrew-Donoho

Oscar Hudson&#39;s first video since Bonobo&#39;s No Reason is another one-shot tour de force. Well, nearly a one-shot.But in true Oscar Hudson style, the video for Young Thug and Carnage&#39;s magic is achieved largely in-camera, and once again it&#39;s the result of a specially-made camera rig - in this case, one that travels through a 360 parabola. It reveals a scene of domestic magnificence, that gets brutal - mostly off-camera. Add some gravity-defing visual flouriths and you have a video that demands to be watched again and again. It&#39;s nuts, and the business.

Oscar Hudson

Alli Maxwell

Griffin 'Griff' Evans

Van Dinh

Meliz Yilmaz

Mike Rooney

Austin English

Wayne Wolfgram

Andrew O'Connor

Crystal Broedel

Emily Kay Holloway

Fatima Bah

Toby Tomkins

CHEAT

Young Thug & Carnage: Young Martha ft Meek Mill 'Homie' by Oscar Hudson

Young Thug & Carnage: Young Martha "Homie" ft Meek Mill [Official Music Video]

Lacey Duke and Bosco collaborate on this gorgeous celebration of Women and Atlanta from a fresh perspective.Determined to show a side of Atlanta that&#39;s rarely celebrated in music videos, the lush-looking 16mm clip embraces a very 90s vibe, whilst still keeping its feet firmly in the present.With most of the performances shot from a low angle, we see a new perspective on the beauty of the architecture, but also we&#39;re made very aware that the women we&#39;re watching are very much in charge. A wonderful, stylish and brilliantly DIY aesthetic.

Lacey Duke

Paulette Agnes Ang

Kode Media

Nathan Killham

Alex Peterson

Paula Cuevas

Chris Dixon

Felix Geen

Alternative R&B

Bosco ft. St. Beauty 'Castles' by Lacey Duke

Bosco-Feat.-St.-Beauty-'Castles'-by-Lacey-Duke

Ryan Staake&#39;s video for Schoolboy Q follows the humble marijuana plant in its life cycle from harvest, to buyer and the many channels, deals and deaths that have to go along with that.It&#39;s an interesting POV video that makes the object in question the main character in the narrative - carrying on an aesthetic that <a href="http://www.promonews.tv/videos/2016/07/27/schoolboy-q-john-muir-aplus">APLUS started with their John Muir video</a>&nbsp;a few months back.

Kevin Staake

Pomp &amp; Clout

Ryen Bartlett

David Ledwith

Mario Mascetti

Chris Gould

Clayton Beisner (la)

Zebah Pinkman (ny)

Jessica Galvan (ny)

Cherokee Neas (la)

Ryosuke Tanzawa

David Torcivia

Aaron Vinton

Dave Free

Mark Bridges

Interscope

Schoolboy Q ft. E-40 'Dope Dealer' by Ryan Staake 

Schoolboy-Q-Ft.-E-40-'Dope-Dealer'-by-Ryan-Staake-

John Merizalde has shown how he can&nbsp;blur the lines&nbsp;between drama and reality in his recent videos for Declan McKenna and Lewis Del Mar. Now&nbsp;he&#39;s done a full-on documentary,&nbsp;with a heartwarming&nbsp;profile of the&nbsp;Cascade roller skating rink in Atlanta, its rich history and important place in the local culture,&nbsp;for&nbsp;SG Lewis&#39;s Holding Back.Merizalde returns to this haunt of his youth, with&nbsp;co-director Pasqual Gutierre, to capture the Cascade&#39;s&nbsp;unique flavour and recall the heady days of its past, while the delicious Holding Back provides an appropriately uplifting soundtrack. Lovely stuff.

John Merizalde

Bullion Productions

Daniel Guadalupe

Alex Allgood

Stephanie Lennox

Cami Starkman

Chad Sarahina

Colton Wheatley

Deanna Ross

Emily Ann Sonnet

Pmr/virgin Emi

Pasqual Gutierrrez

Whitelist

Richard Volsky

Soul

S G Lewis ft. Gallant 'Holding Back' by John Merizalde

Sg-Lewis-Ft.-Gallant-'Holding-Back'-by-John-Merizalde-//-Co-directed-By-Pasqual-Gutierrrez

John Merizalde takes the 17 year old indie prodigy Declan McKenna&#39;s Bethlehem and builds a&nbsp;story of blossoming love between two teenagers&nbsp;in a small American town where bigotry and religious zealotry&nbsp;hangs like a shadow over them.Shot on 16mm, Merizalde, who hails from Georgia, sketches a world of believable characters, and&nbsp;captures the claustrophobia of the place, with a lightness of touch that&#39;s perfectly pitched to the&nbsp;song. &nbsp;

Oren Malik

Jennifer Chandler

Amber Flores

Laura Clayton

Columbia

Azariah Oldacre

Edward Martinez

Indie, Indie, singer-songwriter

Declan McKenna 'Bethlehem' by John Merizalde

Declan-Mckenna-'Bethlehem'-by-John-Merizalde

John Merizalde captures the world of New York newcomers Lewis Del Mar, from street football to partying with their crew,&nbsp;with the deftness that marks him out as a standout rising talent in music videos. The guy is going to go far. And the band aren&#39;t bad either.

Pomp&Clout

Andrew Litten

Las Bandas Be Brave

Saul Levitz

Indie Rock, Alternative

Lewis Del Mar 'Loud(y)' by John Merizalde

Lewis-Del-Mar-'Loud(y)'-by-John-Merizalde

Andrew Bonoho&#39;s video for Jack Garratt track Weathered,&nbsp;follows three brothers as they set out on a camping&nbsp;adventure together.Bonoho&nbsp;managed to capture&nbsp;a heartfelt, realistic performance from the boys as they find the enchanted magical side of the forest. The visuals seamlessly match to the track, which celebrates the power that&nbsp;friendship in sheltering individuals from the more difficult aspects of growing up.&nbsp;Andrew Donoho&nbsp;was also responsible for the VFX in that final, dreamy sequence, but informed us that&nbsp;although&nbsp;those mushrooms may be magical,&nbsp;they are not Magic Mushrooms!

Kristian Zuniga

Director of Photography

Videos featuring Kristian Zuniga

2022 (1)

2020 (1)

2019 (1)

2018 (2)

2017 (2)

2016 (4)

2015 (2)

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