Production Company

Riff Raff Films

Francois Rousselet reunites with The Rolling Stones, for Angry - their first new music in 17 years - to bring the billboards of Sunset Boulevard brilliantly to life with decades of Stones' iconography.Sidney Sweeney plays the 'rock chick' who is having the time of her life, cruising the strip in a vintage Mercedes SL, past those iconic billboards.&nbsp;But the main business of the video, the real star of the show,&nbsp;are the billboards themselves - beautifully designed, crafted and wonderfully executed with outstandingly creative VFX work by the team at Black Kite Studios in London. The most iconic moments of the career of the Stones - six decades of material - come to life in a video for what turns out to be a properly good new Stones track.[imgtoken data:1]Although the eye-catching billboards have almost all disappeared today - they started as hand-painted boards in the early days of Hollywood and then became part of the burgeoning rock billboard scene in the 1960s&nbsp;- the locations have not changed.Rousselet designed the Stones' billboards himself - all 109 of them. Then Black Kite's VFX Supervisor George Brunt, on-set VFX Supervisor Jonny&nbsp;Freeman and senior&nbsp;colourist&nbsp;Richard Fearon&nbsp;were tasked with putting them back on Sunset Boulevard, so they appear from the point of view of the car in which Sidney Sweeney is travelling.[imgtoken data:2]“We took iconic archive footage of the band and used traditional comping and 2D and 3D roto methods to work the moving footage into each poster," says George Brunt, explaining&nbsp;the brief that they were given by Rousselet - who has worked with the Stones before, on the 2016 video for <a href="https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2016/12/02/rolling-stones-ride-%E2%80%98em-down-francois-rousselet/45023" target="_blank">Ride Em On Down</a>, starring Kristin Stewart.As well as the archive footage,&nbsp;there was also new live footage to reflect every stage of the band, with the lyrics of Angry as part of the composition of each billboard. Brunt says that a variety of tools were employed in order for the Stones' performance of Angry to come to life with the vintage footage.[imgtoken data:3]“The lyrics of the track were matched to the footage using a combination of&nbsp;lip-syncing and AI," he says. "We used 3D&nbsp;lighting to match the plates and replicate the quality and sheen of a classic billboard.&nbsp;The end result had to look slick, and working with different resolution types is challenging.&nbsp;The devil really is in the detail with this type of work but slick it looks and we love it.”Jonny Freeman was on set for Black Kite, the one day shoot took place on Sunset Boulevard with a camera on the hero car, the team in a truck behind and LA police escorts in front and behind the action to keep the famous street clear.&nbsp;The camera was placed from the point of view of Sydney Sweeney to recreate the sensation of moving among the flow of the billboards on the Strip with the rock icons appearing larger than life the whole way.[imgtoken data:4]"It was essential to get the lighting just right for the VFX team back at the studio," says Freeman. "I went on a tech scout the week before and shot lighting reference images to make sure we had additional light passes to help bed in compositions in the final film."Black Kite’s Rich Fearon, a long time collaborator of Rousselet, was in charge of the grade. The promo was shot on 35mm film, with Christopher Ripley as DOP, and this really enhanced the edgy LA look.&nbsp;“This grade was all about bringing out the brilliant LA light with a lot of contrast in the rich colour, whilst keeping the gritty texture of the film," says Fearon. “It’s always a pleasure to work with Francois and this time was almost an extension of the last Stones’ promo we worked on together, for&nbsp;Ride ‘Em on Down."I almost instinctively knew what he wanted and this was apparent when he saw the first pass and loved it!”

United Kingdom

Harriet Cawley

Molly Dickson

Francois Rousselet

Jane Tredget

Josh Sondock

Hands 

Semera Khan

Christopher Ripley

Matthew Fone

Brooke Eliot

Josh Montes

Matt Planer

Glen Coco

Patrick Ta

Dominic Leung

Marsheen

Richard Fearon

Black Kite Studios

Abi Klimaszewska

Hannah Ruddleston

Jonny Freeman

George Brunt

Sydney Sweeney

Polydor

Kirstin Cruickshank

Rock

The Rolling Stones 'Angry' by Francois Rousselet

The Rolling Stones - Angry (Official Video)

Tanu Muiño takes us on a surreal trip behind-the-scenes of a vaudevillian travelling circus, in this whimsical promo for Harry Styles.&nbsp;The video acts as a final farewell to the Harry's House album campaign, which has brought with&nbsp;it a string of hits and videos - including the massive hit and multi-awardwinning Muino-directed video&nbsp;for <a href="https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2022/04/14/harry-styles-it-was-tanu-muino/75920">As It Was</a>&nbsp;- although it was actually shot a year ago.&nbsp;[imgtoken data:1]&nbsp;&nbsp;The theatrical, larger-than-life energy seen on Styles's&nbsp;international tour is on full display here, as he takes on the role of showman, interacting with different performers in a cheeky, happy-go-lucky way. There's also plenty of wirework magic to admire, with soaring flying shots and&nbsp;tightrope stunts, all in a day's work for this performer.&nbsp;A wonderful way to close one of the most notable artist releases in recent memory, and a welcome return to Muiño and Styles's collaborative relationship to close the loop.[imgtoken data:2]&nbsp;

Spencer Graves

Tanu Muino

Maurizio Von Trapp

UnderWonder Content

Elliot Beach

Nikita Kuzmenko

Frank Borin

Olwyn Fagan

Jai Lusser

Tom North

Sam Rawlings

James Middleton

Holly Blakey

Spencer Horne

Oskar Pera

Georgia Hope

Carlos Font Clos

Joseph Bicknell

Tiltvfx

Ivanna Borin

Company 3

Bryan Younce

Alexa Haywood at Free Agent UK

Nicole O'Connell at Hart Represents

Harry Styles 'Daylight' by Tanu Muiño

Harry-Styles-'Daylight'-by-Tanu-Muiño

US director Omar Jones makes his UK music video directing debut with&nbsp;an inspired&nbsp;promo for Stormzy featuring&nbsp;Raye.&nbsp;Bringing together two artists at the very top of their game, the video blends nostalgic R&amp;B concepts with killer performances and set pieces.&nbsp;A focus on inventive camerawork and subtle edit effects gives the video plenty of flair, whilst snapshots of a narrative help give some context to the imagery.&nbsp;A perfect summertime collab with plenty of visual appeal.

Anti

Paleta Calmquality

Natalie Roar

Omar Jones

Ghandi El-Chamaa

Nicola Sheppard

Joe Sherno

Tomáš Kotas

Laura Clayton

Matthew Clyde

Ayo Alli

Steve Wingrove

Sebastian Joly

Ali Baines

Ernie Griffith

Sheree Jourdan

Gina Blondell

Nick Denisov

Jacob Mckee

Forager

Artist Building

Universal Music Group

Def Jam Recordings

Stormzy & Raye 'The Weekend' by Omar Jones

STORMZY & RAYE - THE WEEKEND

David Wilson directs a stunning 'monster film' for MASSTOR's&nbsp;Self Control, a cover&nbsp;of&nbsp;Raf’s 1984 hit.&nbsp;After spending his free time experimenting with Midjourney&nbsp;in September of 2022 - and creating @RetroFuturistDaddies, a gorgeously curated feed of AI-generated moustachioed men as a result of it - David Wilson caught the eye of LA-based artist MASSTOR, who enlisted his help in creating this&nbsp;tour de force amalgam&nbsp;of performance, character design and queer muscle aesthetic.&nbsp;[imgtoken data:1]Blending high-fashion nostalgia, retrofuturistic imagery and moments of pure fantasy, we see the artist hanging out in a bar, surrounded by muscle men and fellow plush creatures, having a whale of a time.It's camp, eclectic and completely engrossing, and explores areas of queer iconography that spoke directly to Wilson’s passions, having carved his name as an ever-growing presence in the&nbsp;queer filmmaking community.&nbsp;From costume design through to art direction and cinematography, it's a polished visual that retains a certain dancefloor grit and sex appeal,&nbsp;and there's one thing that can be almost guaranteed - you won't see another music video like it today![imgtoken data:2]

Victoria Foraker

Ollie Ireland

Tai Chi Alfonso

David Wilson

2+2=5

Sebastien Nuta

Eric Vera

Amy Seach

Jose Espinoza

Brendan Riel

Alexander Han

Julien Oustalniol

Anthony Hernandez

Chelsea Delfino

Amber Saunders

Cabin Editing Company

Matt Turner

Absolute Post

Lisa Vaughan

Dave Mason

MASSTOR 'Self Control' by David Wilson

MASSTOR - Self Control (Official Video)

First there was Telephones 4 Eyes, one of the most imaginative videos of the year so far. But it turns out that was just for starters. Here is&nbsp;the main dish, as served up by East London troubadour and top geezer Hak Baker and Irish director Hugh Mulhern. It's the&nbsp;remarkable&nbsp;tour de force that is Doolally.As Baker delivers a blow-by-blow account of a very messy night out - seemingly channelling Mike Skinner in his Streets pomp&nbsp;- Mulhern takes the turbo-charged pace and mix of live action, VFX and AI animation, and up the ante as he interprets this fruity story.&nbsp;It all starts in Hak's tower block flat, where the weirdness soon kicks in with the appearance of his nemesis - a pudgy grass-covered gremlin. When his mates arrive, to get in the party mood, the action turns&nbsp;into a computer game as they speed through London streets to reach their party destination.[imgtoken data:1]Then the mayhem begins, as Mulhern transforms the track's&nbsp;house party into a heaving mass of people in a club, constantly transforming in a way that feels all of a piece with Baker's&nbsp;hallucinogenic state. AI animation takes over - 2D and 3D - in a way that goes further than Telephones but still controlled to meet the vision.&nbsp;Mulhern uses AI&nbsp;so it augments his creativity rather than replacing it.There is a real sense of visiting the recesses of a the human mind in an altered state - when it's gone a bit Doolally. So between the human and&nbsp;artificial intelligence, there is a brilliance at work here.&nbsp;[imgtoken data:2]“Doolally is a party anthem,"&nbsp;says Hugh Mulhern. "But within the context of Hak’s album and its wider themes, I think it’s also about escaping, disassociating and connection through disconnection. I wanted to use this as an excuse to see how far we could push all the techniques and visual language I established for Hak with our previous video for Telephones 4 Eyes."We mixed 3D animation, AI generative animation, props, and puppets at an active warehouse party. I wanted to make something that felt like you were falling through different layers of reality swept up in the momentum of a night out that lasts 36 hours.”

Rory Mullen

Naomi Barling

Hugh Mulhern

Alexander Handschuh

Nadine Persaud

Joe Caple

Eoin McLoughlin

James Wicks

Joe Medlock

Ed Fay

Joseph Taylor

Assembly Rooms

Andrew Francis

Gabha Studios

Dafydd Upsdell

Daniel Morris

Awal Recordings

Digital Orchard

Alternative

Hak Baker 'Doolally' by Hugh Mulhern

Hak-Baker-'Doolally'-by-Hugh-Mulhern

The Sacred Egg - London-based directing duo Alex Mavor and Ed Kaye - direct&nbsp;a mesmerising, and thought-provoking promo for Depeche Mode.&nbsp;In&nbsp;this incisive, metaphorical short story,&nbsp;couple try to work their way through a&nbsp;communication breakdown in a world where talking in the normal fashion is evidently impossible - and can only be achieved underwater.It's a concept that bounces beautifully&nbsp;off the theme of the track Wagging Tongue,&nbsp;brought to life in a dramatic, and highly cinematic fashion, with&nbsp;gorgeous black and white&nbsp;cinematography by legendary DoP Simon Chaudoir, and consummmate performances from the lead actors, assisted by the use of visual effects in the underwater scenes that add a&nbsp;supernatural, otherworldly angle.&nbsp;Echoing the style of the band's longtime collaborator and creative director Anton Corbijn, the monochromatic colour palette adds to the raw aesthetic, and helps tie the concept&nbsp;to Depeche Mode's considerable videography to date.[imgtoken data:1][imgtoken data:2][imgtoken data:3]

Mikey Hollywood

Ivan Kolev – Zlatniya

Vasilen Milkov

The Sacred Egg

Saul Levitz

Peter Kostov

Simon Chaudoir

Julian Richards

Hristo Genkov

Georgi Petkov

Vanya Ivanova

Momchil Tasev

Petya Simeonova

Gergana Batanova

Ben Corfield

Homespun

Philip Hambi

The Mill

Andy Steele

Peter Hodsman

Tatiana Mitova

Jacob Beswick

Simeon Germanov

Columbia Records

Sony Music

Electronic

Depeche Mode 'Wagging Tongue' by The Sacred Egg

Depeche Mode - Wagging Tongue (Official Video)

On your&nbsp;marks, get set... go euphoric, with Fa &amp; Fon's hypnotically zany video for Georgia.The California-via-London artist is back with new single It's Euphoric, and the directing duo make her the star of her own wonderfully strange, uber-stylised world&nbsp;set in a the world's coolest athletics track.Georgia joins a intriguing cast of characters in a race around the track, where her competitors are weighed down with anxiety, and their devotion to Fashion.&nbsp;And soon the visual echoes of their bodies warp and glitch intermittently.It's a wonderfully vibrant, idiosyncratic vision, where Georgia stands at the pretention-pricking centre of a memorable clash of inventive styling and cool FX.&nbsp;Every shot works to reinforce its whimisical distinctiveness, yet Georgia emerges as the hero, both part of and apart from the surrounding lunacy.&nbsp;&nbsp;It's&nbsp;arguably the most impressive outing in music videos by the Watkins sisters - aka Fa &amp; Fon -&nbsp;so far.&nbsp;[imgtoken data:1]&nbsp;[imgtoken data:2][imgtoken data:3]

Ellie Beale

Lane Casting

Troy Smith

Dan Hills

Innes Woo

Fa and Fon

Rachel Bashford

Phil Lee

Ryan Delahunty

Ahmet Hüsseyin

Alexander Miguel-guerreiro

Ty Hack

Robert Barlow

Samuel Harding

Max Edmed

Gabriel Healy

Laura Vallejo

Rapahel Arcadios

Lainy Black

The Assembly Rooms

Katie Dymmock 

Domino Recordings

Sebastian Foux

Georgia 'It's Euphoric' by Fa & Fon

Georgia - It's Euphoric (Official Video)

Rich Hall puts indie band Elephant Kind on an intergalactic tube train chockful of aliens - in his superb video for Love As.The production team at Riff Raff&nbsp;says: "Possibly the most extreme recce we’ve done in a while, was to the Moon and back. Rich Hall wanted to set Elephant Kind’s video there, so we popped over to get the vibe. But the train on the way back to Earth was just so packed with characters, it was like a casting director’s hallway. So Rich said f*** it, let’s just shoot it now."The DoP decided zero-gravity worked in favour of a spinning train carriage shot, and the producer agreed to pay travel expenses for being outside the M25, only because they’d save on camera kit by using alien drool to a dolly effect."So the band warmed up, and busted out their single ‘Love As’. And that’s how we got a video for an indie band about intergalactic space train love.*"*actual sequence of events may have differed."[imgtoken data:1][imgtoken data:2][imgtoken data:3][imgtoken data:4]

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