Director

Price James

Price James has landed in Hollywood. The British director, who at 6ft 6in considers himself “officially the second tallest director in the UK” after a certain Dougal Wilson, has been&nbsp;marooned in Los Angeles during the 'pandy' - and&nbsp;this gentle giant is currently making big waves with his first movie, released last month: You Cannot Kill David Arquette, an unconventional meta 'documentary' he made with his good friend David&nbsp;Darg about an unconventional actor-cum-wrestler.&nbsp;The film has gained critical acclaim&nbsp;and a solid Rotten Tomatoes&nbsp;score of 84%. Not bad for a (self-confessed) Central St Martins layabout. &nbsp;The film subject is, of course, the same David Arquette who starred&nbsp;in the Scream movie series, married to his co-star Courtney Cox (aka Monica from Friends), becoming a Hollywood A-list couple in the Nineties; and as member of the Arquette family, brother to actors Rosanna and Patricia, is member of a proper Hollywood dynasty. Arquette then outraged American wrestling fans by improbably winning the prestigious WCW World Heavyweight crown in 2000, consequently being described as ‘the most hated man in wrestling’. You Cannot Kill David Arquette is, among other things, the story of this maverick actor’s unlikely return to the strange world of professional wrestling.[vidtoken data:0]Described by Indiewire as "The surprising love child of Sunset Boulevard&nbsp;and The Wrestler”, the film&nbsp;is streaming now on all the main platforms&nbsp;and has smashed into profit. That means that Price is now a proper Hollywood contender, talking to investors about his next feature script - which happens to be the one he was originally planning to make when he first arrived in Hollywood in 2018.Price is also back in the game to direct music videos and commercials at <a href="https://www.curly.tv/" target="_blank">Curly</a>. He first made his name from the late Noughties onwards&nbsp;with outstanding videos&nbsp;for Simian Mobile Disco, The Gossip, Friendly Fires, and many others. He says that experience in music videos came in very useful on both the shooting and the editing of&nbsp;YCKDA&nbsp;. He is planning to come back to the UK to do the real thing very soon.WORK:How long have you held your current position?&nbsp; 12 yearsWhat were you doing before this? I was in a band on Island Records in my 20s which ended abruptly on tour in America after playfighting with the drummer. My finger snapped in a game of mercy that went horrifically wrong. I fainted and pee’d myself. End of music career.Before that, I studied Graphic Design at Central St Martins. It was the hype course in the year 2000. But after two weeks I realized I didn’t want a desk job and I couldn’t use QUARK, so I hung out with the AV technician Steve Radmall and learnt everything from him.What was your first job, or first significant break in the industry? Sasha Nixon at Partizan commissioned me to make a video for Shitdisco’s OK, which probably became my favourite video ever.[vidtoken data:1]Name a music video that inspired you that get involved in making music videos?&nbsp; Anything and everything by Michel Gondry. He proved you didn’t have to go to film school to make interesting videos. [Okay, so here’s a great, but lesser well-known Gondry video, for Japanese duo Cibo Matto][vidtoken data:2]Name one project you’ve done that was significant as a learning experience – and why?&nbsp; Making a movie is the best film school you could ever want. Actually, practically making anything is. Certainly making&nbsp;Battlefield Casualties - my Action Man PTSD films I made with Matt Berry doing the voiceovers - was a big influence on making YCKDA.[vidtoken data:3]You Cannot Kill David Arquette&nbsp;was supposed to be made in six months, but it ended up taking over two years. This was my first feature, so I felt I had to really lean into it. And with a real subject like this you don’t want to put the camera down.[imgtoken data:1]The wrestling part is interesting, the way it's orchestrated – like a butch Cirque de Soleil. And then you have this sensitive guy, raised in Hollywood, who has been through the mill. It’s really a film about ageing and Hollywood, and being defined by celebrity. And how you fill the gap when the adoration dies away.[imgtoken data:2]My friend David Darg came on board as co-director as he was great with camerawork and traditional docs. My main role was scripting, blocking of scenes, dialogue and making sure we were hitting the genre story beats. I edited it with Paul Rogers at Parallel.Essentially I wanted to approach it like a genre movie in itself. And the genre I picked was the one I really loved when I was growing up, but couldn’t admit that for years because it was so uncool. It's the retro sports action movie genre! This is basically The Karate Kid, but with David Arquette…[imgtoken data:3]<blockquote>It's&nbsp;basically&nbsp;The Karate Kid, but with David Arquette…</blockquote>What are your favourite music video-related jobs of the past year or so? Well, there hasn't been any, because I've been completely absorbed by&nbsp;the movie. But there are several music montages in the film. It’s been great fun making them, and that's where my music video experience came in very useful. Picking and licensing music is apparently my specialty now. I definitely learnt this from years of doing promos.What are you currently working on?&nbsp; Developing a show for FX, and finding funding for my next feature. Two and a half years ago, I arrived in LA with my own script to make a film. The day I arrived the company who brought be over told me that they only made documentaries and then suggested that I worked on their next project - the David Arquette doc. So now I’m back talking to investors about that first script that I wanted to make in the first place.What kind of work would you like to be doing in future?&nbsp; Making things that help you escape reality. And I really want to get back London to shoot some commercials and music videos with the help of <a href="https://www.curly.tv/about" target="_blank">Curly, my new London commercial home with Julia Frost and Rich Guy</a>. I do miss London and the creative forces there.What advice would you give someone entering your field?&nbsp; Just make it. Don’t overthink, just do.[imgtoken data:4]Above: Price James, David Arquette and David DargLIFE:Tell us something that we don’t know about you...&nbsp; I was signed to Black Dog in 2008. When I first met Ridley Scott, he caught me stealing fruit from his personal kitchen.When you’re not working, what do you like to spend time doing? I’m a foodie asshole, so I cook to relax. I’m the guy who spends three days prepping for a friend’s birthday feast.Where did you go on your last holiday (or vacation)?&nbsp; Back to London last Christmas for a booze and meat-athon.And where would you love to visit? Right now, anywhere!What are your favourite currently-running TV shows? Succession, Curb.[vidtoken data:4]What’s the best movie (or movies) you’ve seen recently? YOU CANNOT KILL DAVID ARQUETTE. Sorry for another shameless plug! We don’t have big marketing budgets, so I’m going all-in on the promotion![imgtoken data:5]<blockquote>There are several music montages in the film...that's where my music video experience came in useful.</blockquote>What are your favourite music videos by other people in the past year?&nbsp; Anything by Ian Pons Jewell [okay here’s the Beardyman video by IPJ, from last year][vidtoken data:5]Favourite music artist(s) in the past year? I love Dream Wife right now.[vidtoken data:6]Best book you’ve read, and/or best exhibition you’ve seen recently?&nbsp; Book: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28686959-based-on-a-true-story" target="_blank">Norm Macdonald 'Based on a True Story'</a> Art: Black News by Kahlil Joseph[imgtoken data:6]Favourite food and/or favourite restaurant(s)?&nbsp; All the street food in LA, because the restaurants try too hard and the waiters are annoying.What’s your favourite political or charitable cause, and why? <a href="https://www.mind.org.uk/" target="_blank">MIND UK</a>. For being such a wealthy state, California has the worst homelessness I’ve ever seen, and it’s hard to disconnect sometimes. You realise that charities like MIND in the UK are doing incredible work providing support networks. I wish California could replicate this.Best recent purchase (send photo, if poss)? Brittanie’s Thyme Lavender &amp; Peppermint Hand Sanitizer.[imgtoken data:7]Work &amp; Life - balance/ imbalance out of five (1 for imbalance; 5 for balance)?&nbsp; I don’t understand this question. So I guess I'm as imbalanced AF!• Watch Price James’s music video and commercial showreel at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.curly.tv/price-james" target="_blank">Curly</a>. You Cannot Kill David Arquette is available to rent and stream, or buy and download, on Amazon, Apple, and other&nbsp;outlets.

Curly

Work & Life Q&A: Price James, Curly

You Cannot Kill David Arquette  - Official Trailer

Shitdisco- OK

Cibo Matto - Sugar Water (Official Music Video) | Warner Records

Action Man: Battlefield Casualties

Succession: Season 2 | Official Trailer | HBO

Beardyman ft Joe Rogan - 6am (Ready to Write)

Dream Wife - So When You Gonna...

Set in a dance studio and powered by some exceptional vogue-style choreography from Ayo Sato (also the lead dancer here), Price James&#39; stylish promo for Zinc&#39;s Show Me culminates in one almighty, very clever twist.

United Kingdom

Agile Films

Alex Chamberlain

Hase

Harry Chihara

Paul O'Reilly

Stitch Editing

My Brother Bob

Martin Fickling

John Moule

Virgin EMI

Ken Akaishi

Soichiro Kaneko

Aya Sato

Ayo Sato

Bambi Sato

Bear VFX

Katya Miranova

House

Zinc 'Show Me' by Price James

Zinc-'Show-Me'-by-Price-James

Beth Ditto and her band Gossip are back and as badass as ever in their promo for Move in the Right Direction.

This green screen shoot sees the band put in a cool graphically designed space of the song's lyrics and with great choreography from Natricia Bernard. Well worth a watch.

Sarah Tognazzi

Ed Rutherford

Thomas Grove Carter

Ben Rogers

Lumiere Studios

Gossip 'Move In The Right Direction' by Price James

Gossip-'Move-In-The-Right-Direction'-by-Price-James

Price James directs a straight forward performance promo for California rockers Incubus' to aid new single Promises Promises. 
By adding projections of fast-moving imagery on both a backscreen and onto the band themselves, this creates a spacious atmosphere and ramps up the interest with the end result being pretty damn effective.

Black Dog Films

Melissa Larsen

Jaron Presant

Brandon Driscoll

Brandon Chavez @ New H

Incubus 'Promises Promises' by Price James

Price James delivers this glamourous performance promo for new Xenomania signing Florrie - a pure pop four-minute studio shoot for the face of Nina Ricci...

Final Cut

Alex Fouracre

Karolina Williams

Lois Gabrin

Gabriella Codardo

Andy Parker, James Thomas, Tim Orchard

Phoebe Arnold

Richard Mortimer

Ed Line

Florrie's Begging Me by Price James

Florrie's-Begging-Me-by-Price-James

In stark contrast to her releases with The Gossip, Beth Ditto's hot new direction is translated to the small screen by this nifty Price James homage to Madonna. 
Shot at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London, Ditto is in her element surround by three male dancers in various stage of undress...

Rob Mercer

Benedict Spence

Julian Eguiguren

Big Buoy

Beth Ditto’s I Wrote The Book by Price James

Price James recreates an early 90's House Party cable access TV show in this camp promo for Hercules &amp; Love Affair. 
From the grainy VHS, the ad break in the middle to the Versace gold chains, its pure nostalgia...

Watch: <a href="http://rsafilms.wiredrive.com/l/p/presentation=f99a48a3a484f890eef72b0232cb1a16" target="_blank">Quicktime Movie</a>
Hercules &amp; Love Affair <a href="http://www.inlovewithhercules.com/" target="_blank">website</a>

Greencard NY

Brad Payne

Max Knies

Brett Lautenbach

Adam Newport

Alan Capriles

Mark Vashro

Thu Tran

Ada Smith

Jason Farrer

Hercules & Love Affair’s My House by Price James

With some medieval chivalry thrown in. Would that be a hat or a helmet...

Denis Madden

Mark Connell

Alex Noble

Darren Baldwin

Glassworks

Monarchy’s Love Get Out Of My Way by Price James

Monarchy’s-Love-Get-Out-Of-My-Way-by-Price-James

The proper official Heavy Cross vid by Price James is here, a glittering, sparkling mystical-tribal thing coming out of the darkness.
And Beth Ditto, in tune with the quasi-Mayan vibe, is sporting some heavy bling - including it would appear, on her pinkie, the Golden Doughnut...

Karen Lin/Margo Mars

Giles Dunning/Ben Moulden

Clark Eddy

Nova Dando/Frederic Baldo

Ryan Heffington

Eight VFX

The Gossip’s Heavy Cross by Price James 

Price James reunites with Peaches, and they rock the house in a decidedly idiosyncratic and spooky fashion.
Peaches gives it much wild-eyed angst-ridden caterwauling, while unfeasibly hairy girl ghouls clutch each other and wander around in their pants. As you do.
It's nutty, shouty, sexy stuff - all shot at The George Tavern in Whitechapel. This sort of thing doesn't happen round my local.

Tara Thompson

Ashley Dando

Guy Stephens

Nova Dando

Charlie

Victor

Jamie

Jim Wright

Peaches’ Talk To Me by Price James

Dreamy, delicious, aquatic... the ironic pop is supplied by Friendly Fires, the delightful visuals by Price James on a mythical vibe quite possibly inspired by The Iliad. Or something.
Well, perhaps not - but Price is in the medals with his canny use of synchronised swimming and upside-down cameras.
And in a sense of timing that would impress Christine Ohuruogu, Price is showing this and more of his work - like Shitdisco's OK and Lost Penguins' Pleasurewood Kills, and quite possibly his hap-hap-happy <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watchv=j3KU6MnL-7Q">Mr Kipling ad</a> - at the Canary Wharf Film Festival running from August 28th to 31st.
Price's mini-retrospective and Q&amp;A is at East Wintergarden, Canary Wharf, Thursday 28th August, 7.30pm. Tickets, er, priced £3, are available <a href="http://www.cwff.org.uk:16080/08/main.phpl=booking_s1&amp;event=8">here</a>.

Price James on making the Friendly Fires' Jump In The Pool video
"I shot it on the Red cam. I doubt any video will not be shot on anything else in a year. The results are beautiful, although post houses are really gonna have to catch up - they are not happy about the file sizes! But The Mill really looked after us.
"We couldn't afford a casting as the swimmers are too in-demand. In fact, I wasn't actually allowed to 'rehearse' with them as that would count as a half-day and we couldn't afford that either! So I took my Speedos and 'met' with them at their training pool, and had to discuss 'moves', without them doing the moves, and without me discussing moves. It was a bureaucratic nightmare!!
"One of the girls was a world champion, and appeared at the Barcelona Olympics, the other one is a dead ringer for Lily Cole... they were like little nymphs.
"We shot at underwater studios in Essex - they shot the underwater scenes for Sexy Beast there. The owner was very excited when I asked who had shot there before, leading to the classic 45 minute recollection of him hanging out with Ray Winstone, etc. He barely took a breath!
"It was the first underwater shoot in Europe with the Red. There is only one housing for it, and that's in LA and we couldn't get it. We experimented with an SR3 bag and it fitted - but only just.
"The water was too warm on the day so the camera bag steamed up and dripped condensation over the lens. But the operator was so punk rock, he shoved loads of tissues down the sides and then put it back in the water to see if it was leaking!! We were glad that it didn't (I must add that he owned his own camera...)."

Price James

Director

Interviews featuring Price James

Videos featuring Price James

2014 (1)

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2011 (4)

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2008 (1)

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