Rogue is one of London's most distinctive entertainment production companies.

Production Company

Rogue Films

Joe Connor and Emile Rafael co-direct a stunning, action-packed video for their ongoing music project Supermodel that explores&nbsp;technology, addiction and modern anxiety.The second Supermodel video, following <a href="https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2024/01/10/supermodel-push-joe-connor-and-emile-rafael/84582" target="_blank">Push</a> in 2024, marks a step up in scale from that critically acclaimed visual. The video for Seventeen Days&nbsp;centres around an extended, choreographed fight sequence that runs through the full piece, pushing it beyond traditional music video structure.It's a visceral&nbsp;exploration of addiction, an internal war driven by the pull of power&nbsp;and control.&nbsp;At its heart is an ominous black orb embodies that consumption.Rafael and Connor&nbsp;write the music and lyrics collaboratively -&nbsp;a shared creative outlet, developed alongside their independent directing careers - with Connor as the Supermodel vocalist.&nbsp;Of the new project, Connor says: “We’re grappling with more complex ideas now:technology, addiction, dependency.”&nbsp;Rafael adds: “Emotion comes first. If it doesn’t leave you with something, the rest doesn’t matter.”The video was co-produced by Rogue, Closer, FutureFrank and La Pac, with cinematography by Martijn Melis with VFX by Agile lead by David Horsburgh, colour by Thomas Mangham at Black Kite Studios -&nbsp;and an explosive edit by Hannah Yerbury at Marshall Street Editors.[imgtoken data:1]

United Kingdom

Joe Connor

Emile Rafael

La Pac

Alternative

Electronic

Supermodel 'Seventeen Days' by Joe Connor & Emile Rafael

Seventeen Days  -  Supermodel

Don Prod direct an atmospheric trilogy of videos for Kidwild.&nbsp;Mixing performance and docu-style footage of the artist with cinematic VFX, it feels like a truly realised creative arc, following the journey, the roadblocks and the ambition.&nbsp;A seamless edit ties the three parts together, utilising flashing strobes and textural overlays to add a fluidity to the concept. With projects like this, there is always a risk of uneven style or balance, but Don Prod have executed perfectly.&nbsp;A brilliant, standout visual for a trio of great tracks.&nbsp;

DON Prod

Kidwild 'The Trilogy' by Don Prod

DON Prod pay homage to&nbsp;Peaky Blinders in their standout promo for Central Cee.&nbsp;The video for Iceman Freestyle follows Cee across a series of stylised performance vignettes, insterspersed with high-stakes narrative snapshots, featuring the rapper driving into the countryside in a vintage Aston Martin to a date with destiny.In fact, arguably this is the most engaged that Central Cee has been in one of his&nbsp;videos, in playing a role as well as performing. That makes a real difference to the end result.&nbsp;From his performance element with an orchestra, DON Prod&nbsp;interweave the Blinders-style storyline in the same space and in parallel countryside-set narrative. There's a strong conceptual throughline, giving this a fresh perspective and strong style.&nbsp;It's Cee as we haven't seen him before - and in the process, the directing duo have upped their own game once again.&nbsp;[imgtoken data:1][imgtoken data:2]

UK Rap

Grime

Central Cee 'Iceman Freestyle' by DON Prod

Central-Cee-'Iceman-Freestyle'-by-Don-Prod

Directing duo DON Prod team up with rising director and VFX artist Archie Erskine for a furiously dark visual for Liverpool rapper EsDeeKid.In the video for Century, the rapper who prefers anonymity exists in a threatening night-enshrouded city on a version of&nbsp;'Mizzy Night' - the day before&nbsp;Halloween when hooligans go around and set off fireworks, break windows and cause mayhem.&nbsp;Esdeekid is currently the subject of&nbsp;speculation that he is, in fact, superstar actor Timothée Chalamet. Somewhat far-fetched, although there is a cinematic connection for the Century video, that was partly inspired by a single word in the brief - Batman - and shot in the city that Christopher Nolan filmed one of his celebrated Dark Knight movies.The directorial collaboration happened when Erskine reached out to DON Prod, who have long been fans of his VFX work. And the result is something special.[imgtoken data:1]&nbsp;

Archie Erskine

Hip Hop

EsDeeKid 'Century' by DON Prod, Archie Erskine

Esdeekid-'Century'-by-Don-Prod,archie-Erskine

Directing duo DON Prod direct a coruscating multiformat promo for&nbsp;Blaqbonez.The video for Aura 4 Aura finds Blaqbonez and Pa in an empty office building, performing as the footage degrades, warps and waves.Boasting a lo-fi, retrofuturistic aesthetic, the video is a fast-paced clash of vibrant textures and creative perspectives, tied together by Don Prod's slick direction.&nbsp;

Blaqbonez ft Pa Salieu 'Aura 4 Aura' by DON Prod

Blaqbonez-(feat.-Pa-Salieu)-'Aura-4-Aura'-by-Don-Prod

Directing duo DON Prod get lost in the jungle with Fredo, in the atmospheric promo for No Comment.&nbsp;The video boasts a dazzling series of vignettes, experimenting with composition and unusual perspectives to keep things fresh.&nbsp;Contrasting&nbsp;Fredo's relaxed performance with quick-cut editing and dynamic camerawork, it's a rousing promo that feels cinematic and accomplished - no doubt one of his and DON Prod's best yet.&nbsp;[imgtoken data:1]

Hurry Sundown

Fredo 'No Comment' by DON Prod

Fredo-'No-Comment'-by-Don-Prod

Following up their guerrilla-style shoot in Paris for <a href="https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2024/10/21/central-cee-x-raye-moi-don-prod/88639" target="_blank">Moi</a> last year, DON Prod were reunited with Central Cee to capture the excitement and sheer adrenalin thrill of the rapper's recent UK and Ireland Can't Rush Greatness&nbsp;arena tour.This is a heady, breathless mix of backstage documentary and performance video, brilliantly shot and edited by the directing duo to showcase both Central Cee's talent and phenomenal success - and the fact he is still keeping it real.

Central Cee 'No Introduction' by DON Prod

Central-Cee-'No-Introduction'-by-Don-Prod

Directing duo DON Prod continue their breathless progress this year - including videos for Central Cee, Headie One and much more - with their latest visual for regular collaborator, London rapper Nemzzz.And for the first time they are in&nbsp;the US, for his team-up with Atlanta hip hop star Latto, adding a level of colour and glamour to their trademark grit and authenticity.DON Prod summed up the experience via Instagram:&nbsp;"It doesn’t get more iconic than a rap video in Atlanta."&nbsp;

Nemzzz ft Latto 'Art' by DON Prod

Nemzzz-Feat.-Latto-'Art'-by-Don-Prod

<h3>The REBEL-based directing duo on their unusual start in film, how shooting 6-a-side football led to making music videos - and embracing the terror of tight turnarounds.</h3>In the past couple of years DON Prod have become go-to directors for some of the UK's top grime and drill artists, including Headie One, Unknown T, Aitch, A1, Mist, Digga D, Fredo, Krept &amp; Konan, Nafe Smallz&nbsp;and Nemzzz. Last summer they directed their biggest video yet: the Paris-set promo Central Cee's collab with RAYE on Moi. They have started this year with videos for Aussie outfit ONEFOUR, metalcore band Malevolence and regular collaborator Nemzzz - and also&nbsp;started&nbsp;working with brands too, including Trapstar and Two Tone.DON Prod (aka DOUBLE OR NOTHING) are Jack Millward and Tom Kral, and their stream of videos (and accompanying BTS content) stems partly from their ability to move fast as self-shooters, that crucial quality in the world of grime and drill where pre-planning of video shoots can be absolutely minimal - but then creating highly watchable showcases of the music talent.&nbsp;They are very busy boys - but we managed to grab them&nbsp;for just long enough, via the SNAPSHOT Q&amp;A, for them to give us a glimpse into their world.Name: Jack Millward &amp; Tom KralBirthday: 7th March 2000 &amp; 11th May 2000Where did you grow up? Isle of WightPlace of further education and course (if any)? No further educationWhere do you live now? Haringey, North London<blockquote>We made DON Prod into a business for something to keep us occupied in our gap year.&nbsp; &nbsp;</blockquote>Name a film or video or other creative work that had a huge influence on your career choice?Jack: I started off by filming YouTube videos of me throwing frisbees into basketball hoops and ping pong balls into cups. At first I wasn’t interested in the filmmaking side of things, I just wanted to do the coolest trickshot possible.As time went on, I realised I enjoyed shooting the videos more than the trickshots. Me and Tom made DON Prod&nbsp;into a business for something to keep us occupied in our gap year. Not the most conventional way to start a career in film.Tom: I actually wanted to go to university for engineering and had a keen interest in business. I ended up not taking that route and joining Jack, building our own company so I guess the creative work that influenced me must have been the frisbees and ping pong balls.[vidtoken data:0]What were the important first projects for you, in terms of a learning experience and getting noticed, or a foothold in the industry?We started shooting content for the <a href="https://www.englandbeachsoccer.org/" target="_blank">England Beach Soccer</a> national team on the Isle of Wight. This opened up opportunities for us to travel to London. Whilst shooting on the sand, we met Locksmith from Rudimental who became our first London-based client. The football led to the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/StarzLeague/videos" target="_blank">Starz League</a>, a celebrity football league which we produced and allowed us to make our first few connections in the music industry.<blockquote>When we communicate directly with the artist and manager,&nbsp;the video is always better.</blockquote>Best film(s) you saw last year?Tom: The Elvis movie was great, I loved the style. All Quiet On The Western Front was also great, I may have been late to that one but now I get the hype. Outside of movies, Slow Horses and One Day were both fantastic.[imgtoken data:1]Jack: Basic but I finally watched Top Gun: Maverick after my rabbit died to cheer me up. By the end of it, I forgot I even had a rabbit.Favourite song/album/music artist in the past year.Has to be <a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/3DHtfeD4PsmR9YGhCP4VF7" target="_blank">Nemzzz</a>. Heard way too much of his music not to like it, haha.Favourite music video/videos in the past year?From our releases, it has to be Central Cee &amp; Raye - Moi. If we’re talking other peoples projects; it has to be the few videos Tom Emmerson &amp; Antslive have released. Raising the bar for us all.[vidtoken data:1]What was (or usually is) your favourite night out last year?We hired a Sprinter to Birdworld for my (Jack’s) birthday.<blockquote>We survived shooting 10 videos in 10 days.</blockquote>In terms of the music video-related jobs of the past year or so, what were the most rewarding creatively, and why?Working on tight turnarounds with independent artists may sound like a headache but I think we’ve both come to appreciate the process. There isn't time to overthink anything. You are just working directly with an artist to create the best possible thing in the time you have, with no space to worry about anything else.We got asked on the day to shoot a video for Lil Yachty. We were in Paris and flew back in the early evening, producing the whole video in the airport. We landed and shot for three&nbsp;hours on a boat in East London. Despite it being so last minute, working with Yachty and shooting it all on film was a crazy moment for us.[vidtoken data:2]We recently moved house. Our old house in Seven Sisters, Tottenham helped us connect with lots of local artists and was a big part of our come-up story. Just before we moved out, a Brazilian artist - Veigh came to London and asked to shoot a scene for his video at an estate.We thought it was only right to throw a party at our house and invite as many locals as possible. The video turned out great and it was a sick moment to give back to the community that helped us find our feet in the rap scene.[vidtoken data:3]What are your favourite other (non-mv) projects of the past year or so?We’ve started working with more commercial clients. We’ve just had one drop for <a href="https://www.roguefilms.co.uk/director-showreels/take-whats-yours" target="_blank">a new brand called TwoTone</a>. We feel like our ‘music video style’ translates well to engaging content and commercials.What’s the most surprising thing that’s happened last year?We survived shooting 10 videos in 10 days. We were also hired to shoot a video for a metalcore band called Malevolence, something neither of us saw coming but both thoroughly enjoyed. And we’re currently working on two more![vidtoken data:4]Most annoying/irksome thing that’s been going on this year (work-related or otherwise)?&nbsp;Cancellations! We’re more surprised when a job does happen than when it cancels.Your top suggestion to change and improve how the music video industry works?We feel like when we communicate directly with the artist and manager, the video is always better. There can be so many hurdles and things that need to be signed off before the shoot day, it’s easy for the creative energy of the project to diminish when you start to work with bigger agencies/labels.What are you looking forward to in&nbsp;2025?Stepping more into the commercial world, building our music video portfolio, pushing the creativity with strong director/artist relationships and documenting it all for the world to see.• DON Prod are based at&nbsp;REBEL. - Rogue's platform for breakthrough talent. Watch more of their work <a href="https://www.roguefilms.co.uk/directors-roster/donprod" target="_blank">here</a>

REBEL.

THE SNAPSHOT Q&A: DON Prod

Nafe Smallz - GEEKIN ft. AJ Tracey (Official Music Video)

Central-Cee-X-Raye-'Moi'-by-Don-Prod

NEMZZZ - ITS US (FEAT. LIL YACHTY) [OFFICIAL VIDEO]

VEIGH - Figura Pública (ft Nemzzz) [Clipe Oficial]

MALEVOLENCE - Trenches (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)

<h3>He has made an awesome black and white surfing film for singer-songwriter Isakov - a passion project, shot in Ireland, that stands comparison with&nbsp;a certain famous ad.&nbsp;It was time to ask the Rogue Films director some questions.&nbsp;</h3>Joe Connor Likes to push himself.&nbsp;The director, who has worked with artists including The Rolling Stones, Sam Smith, Harry Styles, Coldplay and Placebo, as well as brands like Louis Vuitton, Volvo and Land Rover, became hooked on the terrifying beauty of big-wave surfing during a chance trip to Hawaii - the sheer scale of the waves and the fearlessness of those who chase them.Connor is a versatile creative - director, photographer, and musician (one half of the UKVMA-nominated electronic duo Supermodel) - who made the leap from the theatre, where he ran his own company and directed productions, to film over ten years ago. Last year he also&nbsp;directed his first feature, A Message To You, a documentary about The SpecialsHe also continuously engages in personal projects to challenge himself. So&nbsp;when his longtime friend Gregory Alan Isakov shared an early copy of his new album, which includes the sun-soaked track Mistakes, Connor recognised a chance to realise his latest visual mission. Instead of returning to Hawaii, Connor chose to take an unconventional route by focusing on Mullaghmore in Ireland. This location is known for its dramatic big waves, providing thrilling 50-foot peelers under the right conditions, allowing him to infuse his signature atmospheric visual style into the project.&nbsp;[vidtoken data:0] In the resulting video, surfer Ryan Watts carves through these apocalyptic waves on a lone quest, crashing through monstrous barrels and wiping out into the abyss. Rendered in black and white, the stunning footage juxtaposes the ocean’s menacing ferocity with the fragility of man - the thrill and the danger of the sport.It's amazing, and we wanted to find out more how Joe Connor achieved it.<blockquote>I wanted to&nbsp;capture surfing authentically,&nbsp;convey how&nbsp;terrifying these waves can be, whilst also telling an emotional story.</blockquote><h3>PROMONEWS: How did this project happen? Did it originate with a music video commission or start life as a personal project (or some other way)?</h3>JOE CONNOR: This project came about completely organically. I met Greg about 12 years ago in a little bar in Brighton. He was touring the UK [at the time]. We became friends, kept in touch, and always caught up when he came through the UK. We'd always talked about doing something together.He sent me his album&nbsp;before it came out to see if anything resonated with me. Aside from being an astounding piece of work, Mistakes&nbsp;struck me as something beautiful. Once I'd settled on the track, a sequence of coincidences led me to Mullaghmore Head in Donegal. It's a mythical place, and I think that comes across in the film.[imgtoken data:1]<blockquote>Mullaghmore&nbsp;has a reputation as a dangerous and unpredictable mutant wave. A wipeout here can kill.&nbsp;</blockquote><h3>P: How knowledgable are you about surfing? Have you been a surfer, ever filmed surfing before?</h3>JC: I'm actually not a surfer - I've never surfed. There weren't many waves in Manchester when I was growing up. But I tend to hyper-focus on subjects that catch my interest.Last year, while staying on Hawaii's North Shore watching people surf Pipeline, I became obsessed with the mentality required to surf such an incredibly dangerous reef. I'd never known waves could be lethal the way Pipeline can be - it's truly terrifying. I just became obsessed with surfing - I'd fall asleep watching surf films every night.When this song came up, I wanted to challenge myself not only to capture surfing authentically and convey how utterly terrifying these waves can be whilst also telling an emotional story through it. To go beyond mere documentation and find something more eternal that resonated deeper.&nbsp;I think people are yearning for work that stays with them longer.[imgtoken data:2]<blockquote>The key piece of this project was the surf cinematographer, Clem McInerney...&nbsp;a genius.</blockquote><h3>P: When (and how) did you cast your surfer, Ryan Watts? What’s Ryan’s backstory?</h3>JC: The key piece of this project was the surf cinematographer. I needed someone who knew the waves, knew the landscape, knew the surfers, but was also an artist who could capture the ocean in a dynamic, poetic way. That person was Clem McInerney, and Clem was the one who proposed Ryan.I can't really describe Ryan, he's a mythical creature. Some say he's still out there surfing now.<h3>P: You would be forgiven for thinking this was shot in California, Hawaii, etc. But its shot in County Donegal. What were the factors that led you to shoot there?&nbsp;</h3>JC: Gregory's voice is magic - it sends you into a dream state - but his lyrics&nbsp;have a depth that gets into your bones. I knew sun-kissed Californian or Hawaiian landscapes wouldn't do the song justice; the sea needed to be powerful, dangerous, terrifying, cold, brutal. You had to feel like the&nbsp;surfer was on a&nbsp;knife edge,&nbsp;a lonely tightrope with real consequences.[imgtoken data:3]<blockquote>I became obsessed with the mentality required to surf such an incredibly dangerous reef.</blockquote>I'd travelled up the west coast of Ireland just before Covid and remembered hearing about these waves as big as houses. Mullaghmore&nbsp;has a reputation as a dangerous and unpredictable mutant wave. A wipeout here can kill,&nbsp;it's not a joke. As soon as I started to think about this project, I knew It needed to be shot there.&nbsp;<h3>P: When did you shoot the video, and how many days were you shooting? Did you know when you went to Donegal that the conditions would be ideal for what you wanted to achieve?</h3>JC: We planned this shoot meticulously but kept it simple. With just myself and Clem as crew, we could move nimbly with the ocean and find calm spots for underwater work.The timing worked perfectly. The big weather storms in the States meant plenty of swell was crossing the Atlantic. Clem is a master at getting himself in the right places at the right times. The guy is a genius. I leant on his experience, expertise, knowledge and skills a lot over this project and the final film is a testament to his work.[imgtoken data:4]<blockquote>I knew sun-kissed Californian or Hawaiian landscapes wouldn't do the song justice.</blockquote><h3>P: So how did you organise the shoot? When Ryan is surfing through a wave, where are you/DoP Clem shooting from? What cameras are you using? (Is it as tricky as it looks?)</h3>JC: We broke down the shoot into controllable locations to capture specific story beats and moments that complemented the big wave surfing. Working in calm water, we focused on getting compelling performances and details that elevated this beyond mere documentation into a cinematic narrative.This approach allowed us to build layers of visual storytelling - from the raw power of nature in the big wave sequences to intimate moments that revealed the psychological and emotional aspects of facing such formidable conditions.Clem worked underwater while I was on the cliffs getting battered by the sea. For the wave work, Clem operated from various positions. Sometimes on the back of a jet ski, other times in the water managing the swell and currents to get the perfect angle at the perfect moment. I really can't stress how impressed I am with this guy's skill - and he's a great laugh as well. A total pleasure to spend two days with.[imgtoken data:5]<blockquote>Ryan is a mythical creature. Some say he's still out there surfing now.</blockquote><h3>P: Was the fact you’re shooting in a northern ocean off Ireland the main reason you finished the project in black and white?</h3>JC: Shooting in natural light across multiple days in uncontrollable environments - with sea conditions varying from gin-clear to foggy - meant finding a look that balanced all the footage would be challenging. I had a feeling black and white would be the way to go, as it would unify the project and focus attention on the story rather than the changing conditions.That being said, the grade done by my longtime partner-in-crime George K at Black Kite is astounding. Black and white may look easy, but it's incredibly difficult for a colourist to achieve the right tonality, contrast, shape, balance, and feeling in monochrome. They don't call him the prince of darkness for nothing.<h3>P: Is your surfing footage better than the surfing footage in that famous Guinness ad?</h3>That's a big statement. To have my work mentioned in the same sentence as the master is a compliment I'll take.• Joe Connor is based at Rogue in the UK, and represented for music videos by Alexa Haywood at Free Agent; more of his work <a href="https://www.roguefilms.co.uk/directors-roster/joe-connor" target="_blank">here</a>.

Alexa Haywood at Free Agent UK

Joe Connor on capturing Ireland’s giant waves for Gregory Alan Isakov's Mistakes: 'You had to feel the surfer is on a knife edge.'

Gregory Alan Isakov - Mistakes (Official Music Video)

Joe Connor captures surfer Ryan Watts' mastery of the waves pounding the North West Ireland coastline in his extraordinary video for&nbsp;Colorado-based singer-songwriter Gregory Alan Isakov.Connor collaborated with specialist cameraman Clem&nbsp;McInerney to shoot New Zealander Watts riding the pipeline through huge Atlantic Ocean waves crashing into the rocky coast of County Donegal.&nbsp;Watts's skill and enigmatic presence&nbsp;provides a highly effective accompaniment for Isakov's plaintive track Mistakes.It's astonishing footage - graded to a silvertone-tinged black and white by George K at Black Kite. Arguably the best ever shot for a music video.&nbsp;

United States

Trim Editing

Singer-songwriter

Gregory Alan Isakov 'Mistakes' by Joe Connor

Directing duo DON Prod direct a riveting&nbsp;video for the team-up of Aussie drill group ONEFOUR with UK pop queen Mabel.&nbsp;The video for Phone Call was shot in Australia and London, and features breezy performance vignettes interwoven with portraits of the cities and surroundings.&nbsp;Highlighting the ups and downs of a relationship, the video is peppered with narrative snapshots, but keeps the focus on the group and Mabel's cameo, to create a well-balanced, nicely textured promo.&nbsp;An unexpected yet inspired collab, and a suitably slick visual.&nbsp;

ONEFOUR & Mabel 'Phone Call' by DON Prod

ONEFOUR & Mabel - PHONE CALL (Official Music Video)

DON Prod go black and white and red to visualize Manchester rapper Nemzzz's breakout hit Cold.The directing duo's strong, studio-set aesthetic pitches Nemzzz's evocative&nbsp;storytelling&nbsp;in Cold in atmospheric black and white with judicious bursts of scarlet, punctuated with cutout VFX which elevates it further. Gripping stuff.

Nemzzz 'Cold' by DON Prod

NEMZZZ - COLD (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

Jeremi Durand directs a spectacular promo for German pop star Nina Chuba.&nbsp;The video for&nbsp;Farbenblind &amp; Waldbrand (Director’s Cut) takes viewers into an slick studio environment, using various props and camera techniques to elevate Chuba's absorbing performance.&nbsp;Boasting an incredible number of mini-vignettes, each segment embodies the theme of the track, whilst reaching into otherworldly, editorial territory.&nbsp;Ambitious and absolutely intoxicating, the use of visual effects adds a stylish flair throughout, and Durand's commitment to bold storytelling and visuals is on full display here.&nbsp;[imgtoken data:1][imgtoken data:2]

Germany

Jeremi Durand

David Wright

Nina Chuba 'Farbenblind & Waldbrand (Director’s Cut)' by Jeremi Durand

NINA CHUBA - FARBENBLIND & WALDBRAND (Official music video)

The&nbsp;director, signed to Rogue Films' new breakthrough talent division REBEL.&nbsp;in the UK, talks about his whirlwind year, the importance of having trust in his work - and has two answers for most questions in his Snapshot.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Jeremi Durand is a French director and photographer who divides his time between Paris and London - when he's not travelling the world making beautifully cinematic, thought-provoking films.A former designer specialising in design fiction, his move into filmmaking and photography quickly&nbsp;attracted&nbsp;attention and acclaim as he developed his distinctive visual style creating&nbsp;memorable&nbsp;imagery through a combination of&nbsp;in-camera and post&nbsp;effects.&nbsp;He has worked with high-profile talent such as Muse, Placebo, Röyksopp, Gesaffelstein, Digitalism, Yodelice, Zimmer, Kaycyy, Jon Bellion &amp; Illenium - and tennis legend Roger Federer.&nbsp;In the past year, he has become a member of the founding directing roster at&nbsp;REBEL., the new division for breakthrough talent at Rogue Films, for his UK home,&nbsp;while also making two acclaimed videos for Chinese Man and Mustard featuring Travis Scott. So we're delighted that&nbsp;Jeremi found time to sit down with the probing questions on the Snapshot Q&amp;A, before he speeds off in the fast lane to the big time...&nbsp;Name: Jeremi DurandBirthday: 24th January 1983. I grew up in the 90s. I moved to the UK in 2004.Where did you grow up? St Etienne, France.Place of further education and course (if any)? Product Design &amp; Design Fiction at Sheffield Hallam University, then moved to London and studied acting at the Actors Temple on Warren Street.Where do you live now? Between North London and France.What were the important first projects for you, in terms of a learning experience and getting noticed?Zimmer's Lost Your Mind, which was my first professional music video. Kaycyy X Gesaffelstein's OKAY! &amp;&nbsp;The Sun. And <a href="https://vimeo.com/688439798" target="_blank">MUSE's Compliance</a>. These three MVs represent three different major steps in my career.[vidtoken data:0][vidtoken data:1]Best film you’ve seen this year? Dune II &amp; <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qlbr7gJgBus" target="_blank">Emilia Perez</a>.Favourite song/album/music artist this year? Billie Eilish's Hit Me Hard And Soft, for the richness and finessing of her music. And&nbsp;Dua Lipa's Radical Optimism, for the extreme efficiency of the tracks.Favourite music video/videos you’ve seen this year?&nbsp;Kendrick Lamar - Not Like Us.&nbsp;Asap Rocky - Taylor Swif. I know, I subtly squeeze two choices in each of your questions - I’m sorry, but there’s just too much to like! I promise I’ll try to stop.<blockquote>The most important improvement to the industry would simply be planning more in advance, label side.</blockquote>What has been (or usually is) your favourite night out this year? Boiler Room wherever they are. It never disappoints.Name a film or video or other creative work that had a huge influence on your career choice?Honestly, that’s such a big question… you’re not helping, ha! I think it’s a combination of so many creative inspirations that funnel down into one little spark, one instant, and step after step, that paves one’s career choice. I could speak about Tim Walker’s photography work, as well as Storm Thorgerson’s or David LaChapelle’s.Music videos from the likes of Martin de Thurah (Röyksopp - What Else Is There) or Chris Cunningham (Portishead – Only You). Also, Rocky I and Rocky II. Don’t ask me why.[vidtoken data:2]&nbsp;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/2023/11/07/chinese-man-weve-been-here-jeremi-durand/84046" target="_blank">Chinese Man - We’ve Been Here Before</a>.&nbsp;First of all, we had the complete and full trust from label and artists, so it enabled us to go all the way and create something special for this very special track. And I absolutely love the music. Even after 1000 times of listening to it, it still gets me every time; This track has a very specific tone to it since it’s a waltz with hip hop on top. Matching that uniqueness was the biggest challenge, but the most rewarding experience once we found the right vision.Eventually, almost everything is in-camera. VFX were mainly used to clean, help with one multi-pass, or enhance a few bits here and there, which also extremely rewarding to me. Don’t get me wrong, I love VFX, but I also love shooting practically. In fact, I love the combo. I’m also looking forward to embrace AI technologies in my work. Never to replace the craft, but rather to help push it out of the park creatively - exactly what VFX have been doing for 30 years now.[vidtoken data:3]<blockquote>Matching the uniqueness of the track was the challenge, but most rewarding once we found the right vision.</blockquote>Mustard ft Travis Scott - Parking Lot. Shooting in LA with my dream team, shooting Travis... what else is there? Big shout out to Jordan Buck (DOP) here. He had a lot to do, and the experience ended up being very rewarding. We’re going to enter the festivals circuit now, so we’ll see how much more rewarding it can get.[vidtoken data:4]What are your favourite other (non-mv) projects of the past year or so?A commercial that I shot with MYND (c/o WANDA) for SYNC in Vilnius, Lithuania. Crazy brief, crazy team, crazy clients, everything to be loved! I made this with David Wright, my friend and one of the best DPs there is.&nbsp;We had a lot of fun working on this one as it’s very cinematic and it feels very much like a blockbuster trailer. We had a lot of freedom and trust too.[vidtoken data:5]What’s the most surprising thing that’s happened this year? Going from being awfully quiet at the beginning of 2024, to utterly and crazy busy in no time, flying back and forth to LA to shoot with Travis. Also signing with top notch production companies across Europe and the US.Most annoying/irksome thing that’s been going on this year (work-related or otherwise)? Briefs with unrealistic budgets and deadlines that I see landing on my desk from time to time. 100% of the time, you can be sure that no project ever sees the light of day in the end.Your top suggestion to change and improve how the music video industry works?Paying directors in the final round for writing full treatments&nbsp;would seem fair. However, to me, the most important improvement would simply be planning more in advance, label side. There is a reasonable amount of time that would undoubtedly benefit the final result of any project. So why jeopardize your project straight from the beginning? Trust and (some) time, are the two most precious assets for any project success I believe.Eventually, more union [presence] maybe, and more mentoring for the younger directors. I see a lot of people trying to help and that’s a very good thing, but I think it needs to be more structured and more supported by companies.What are you looking forward to most for the rest of the year? My next project, always. And snowboarding, always #2.• Jeremi Durand is with <a href="https://www.roguefilms.co.uk/rebel" target="_blank">REBEL.</a>, the new platform for breakthrough talent at Rogue Films,&nbsp;in the UK, and represented by Alexa Haywood at Free Agent for&nbsp;music videos.

THE SNAPSHOT Q&A: Jeremi Durand

ZIMMER, Ft. Fhin - Lost Your Mind (Official Music Video)

OKAY! & THE SUN - KAYCYY x GESAFFELSTEIN (Official 2 Music Videos)

Röyksopp - What Else Is There?

Chinese Man feat. Isadora, Stogie T. & Miscellaneous - We've Been Here Before (Official Music Video)

MUSTARD ft Travis Scott - PARKING LOT (Official Music Video - DC & Spinoff)

SYNC - USE DIGITAL WITHOUT DIGITAL USING YOU - OFFICIAL GLOBAL CAMPAIGN (commercial)

Central Cee and RAYE land in Paris and make a big splash in UKMVA-nominated directing duo Don Prod's blockbuster for Moi.

Central Cee X Raye 'Moi' by Don Prod

Jeremi Durand directs a brillliant visual spectacle for US producer and DJ&nbsp;Mustard, featuring Travis Scott.&nbsp;The video for Parking Lot centres around an ambitious warehouse performance, featuring car stunt work, impressive set design and a flourish of captivating narrative vignettes. It's beautifully crafted work, hefty with elusive meaning, wonderfully shot by DoP Jordan Buck.Effortlessly cool and cinematic, complete with a gritty yet glossy grade, which pops with metallic hues and cool blue tones, it's a brilliant visual that gets the blend of performance and concept just right. It also confirms that Jeremi Durand is one of the most exciting directors working in music videos right now.[imgtoken data:1]&nbsp;&nbsp;[imgtoken data:2].&nbsp;[imgtoken data:3]

Mustard ft Travis Scott 'Parking Lot' by Jeremi Durand

Mustard-Feat.-Travis-Scott-'Parking-Lot'-by-Jeremi-Durand

Rogue has announced the launch of REBEL., a platform within the London-based production company’s network to elevate and develop breakthrough directors.Headed up by Rogue's Head of Talent&nbsp;Charlie Roberson as a distinct destination for creative agencies, brands, labels and music&nbsp;artists,&nbsp;REBEL. launches with a roster of four young directors who have already made a considerable&nbsp;impact with their work:&nbsp;Yasmin Afifi,&nbsp;Jeremi Durand, DONPROD and Danny Seth.Afifi won a BAFTA this year for her bittersweet short film&nbsp;Jellyfish &amp; Lobster, the first ever for a&nbsp;NFTS graduation film, and she has&nbsp;a reel of other compelling and award winning shorts and&nbsp;is in development on her first feature. Durand, a filmmaker and photographer born in France and living between Paris and London, has directed acclaimed videos&nbsp;for&nbsp; Chinese Man, Grands Corps Malade and others, his work shortlisted for this year's 1.4 Awards.&nbsp;His work for SYNC launches on May 23rd with an exciting campaign of music videos for DJ Mustard coming soon.DONPROD are Jack and Tom, a director duo who&nbsp;moved from the Isle of Wight to London two years ago. Since then they have directed music videos for top artists including&nbsp;Unknown T, Aitch, A1, Mist, Digga D, Fredo, Tunde, Nines, Krept &amp; Konan. They have elevated their craft as they become go-to hitmakers and have directed branded projects for brands including TRAPSTAR.Danny Seth is a&nbsp;rapper, creative director and director. Having spent time in America making music and working with big US acts, he is back in the UK making audio visual spectacles - including the video for 21 Savage's Redrum, which was shortlisted at the 2024 1.4 Awards.The initiative to create REBEL. as a distinct destination for creative agencies, brands, labels and music&nbsp;artists,&nbsp;comes at a significant moment in the history of Rogue, who set up shop in 1998, and have been championing the next generation of filmmakers since its inception."We’ve celebrated 25 years of being Rogue this year and REBEL. is the perfect way to&nbsp;kickstart the next 25 years," says Charlie Roberson.&nbsp;"The industry is constantly evolving and, in 2024, directors, creative directors, photographers and musicians engage with film in a new way. They are at the forefront of&nbsp;content with access to fanbases and consumers through social media. This is shaking up the status quo&nbsp;and we are proud to launch with four directors who are absolutely representative of this new wave. They&nbsp;are REBEL. They are Rogue.”Rogue Partner &amp; MD, Kate Taylor adds: “It’s always been our passion and ambition to nurture and&nbsp;showcase emerging talent at Rogue - and now that the landscape for celebrating young directing talent&nbsp;has changed beyond recognition, what better way to cut through the noise, than a dedicated platform and&nbsp;brand to support these exciting young Rogues."REBEL. has been a long time coming. I’m delighted that&nbsp;it’s here and look forward to seeing thrilling new work coming from those brave enough to break the&nbsp;rules."• Watch the REBEL. directors' showreels <a href="https://www.roguefilms.co.uk/rebel" target="_blank">here</a>

Rogue launches REBEL. for breakthrough talent

The return of Jack Sibley's music project&nbsp;North Downs after a four-year hiatus is heralded with the psych-drenched electronica of&nbsp;Here Come Butterflies and an absorbing&nbsp;visual interpretation directed by Jake Mavity, featuring Farah Ashraf as a girl undergoing a remarkable transformation.In the video, the girl's commonplace life on a canalside walk is interrupted by visions, and then a room of TVs with distorted images of Sibley performing, and another version of herself, trapped in the TV, wearing a green party dress. When 'real' Farah connects&nbsp;with the girl in the TV it triggers a change, where she becomes that other version of herself, within an enclosed mirror-lined space - until she is ready to emerge from the cocoon.[imgtoken data:1]Sibley's brief for Mavity was to represent a butterfly's transformation within its chrysalis - in the song he draws a parallel between humanity's incessant drive for technological advancement&nbsp;with the instinct of a caterpillar building its cocoon - and Mavity's response was to take a strictly&nbsp;in-camera, analogue approach, mostly eschewing digital VFX in favour of&nbsp;practical effects.Most crucially he built a real, mirror-lined 'cocoon' space, in an LED studio, in which he had enclosed Ashraf. Previously shot footage was played onto the LED studio floor, reflecting up on to the mirrors in the cocoon surrounding Ashraf.[imgtoken data:2]“Jack approached me with not just the banger that is Here Come Butterflies but also an intriguing creative vision too. There seemed to be a commonality with the transformation we underwent everyday via our online, digital lives."So the question was how best to explore what happened inside a butterfly’s cocoon during metamorphosis? How could we peel back the skin and expose the flesh beneath.“We built a 3 metre high, mirrored cocoon and then projected imagery we’d shot from an LED floor, creating a kaleidoscopic effect. We also played footage of North Downs performing through various analogue filters, adding effects and pulses organically and instinctively as the track played."It was a wild-pitch acid house mindset and meant there was a degree of uncontrolled rawness that complimented the ethos of the track perfectly.”&nbsp;

Jake Mavity

Psychedelic

Rock

North Downs 'Here Come Butterflies' by Jake Mavity

North Downs - Here Come Butterflies (Official Music Video)

A young woman attends a séance, where events take an even stranger turn than expected, in this riveting cinematic spectacle, co-directed by&nbsp;Emile Rafael and Joe Connor for the pair's own synth-based music project, Supermodel.Set in a grand hotel, with a cast of characters gathered in their finery to engage in the séance, the narrative element of the video for the pulsating Push moves into a dreamlike world, where the participants are engulfed in sensory overload - visally expressed in charged blur of colour and choreography.It's an intense&nbsp;and mesmerizing experience, with superb cinematography (by Michal Babinec), editing (by Liv Ay at Trim) and VFX work (at Agile Studio). It means that Emile Rafael and Joe Connor's first collaboration as directors is easily as successful as their musical partnership.&nbsp;&nbsp;We spoke to the pair to discover more about how they started making music together, and how they made the video.[imgtoken data:1]<blockquote>For me it’s a story about grief.</blockquote>&nbsp; PROMONEWS: How and when did you start making music together? And when did it get serious and you wanted to release it as Supermodel? JOE CONNOR: I’d been trying to write another sad folk album (after my first one in 2017), but I was really uninspired. I just wasn't that sad anymore. I started messing around with synths and drums to find a new sound. Emile, I think, was doing a similar exercise, just exploring music that chimed with a kind of post-Brexit decay we both felt. We started passing tracks back and forth and out of that, we got one of our first releases, Have You Forgot. It was a miracle process and we decided to keep going with it.&nbsp;EMILE RAFAEL: Yes, it was Covid and we all were at home and not being able to shoot and we were depressed along with everyone else (I actually secretly enjoyed the lack of any FOMO).&nbsp;This is when I got a few dusty synths out and started working on some sketches. I was a big fan of Joe’s music already. I spent a whole job in Toronto once listening to it on repeat. We had a few chats and then I sent him one of the music ideas and the lyrics that came back were just so right. Then a friend of ours, Steve Spiro liked it and decided to release it on his small label. And suddenly we thought to ourselves: wow, is this thing real? Can it become serious?&nbsp;Then we were at a film party and Joe said “What about SUPERMODEL as a name?” and I said 'yes' right away. Two hours later at the same party I was telling people how I’m in a band called Supermodel.&nbsp;But we still have no memory of how we actually met.&nbsp;JC: I think Sing J Lee introduced us….but then, I can't really remember.[imgtoken data:2]&nbsp;Now you’ve made a video for Push, as a directing collaboration. What was the process? Did you come up with the idea together - and did that happen after the song was completed?JC: Emile actually came up with the concept. I thought he was mad. Turns out he is mad. He had the idea of setting the track to a seance, and we just developed the video from there.We both worked on the styling, casting, and storyboarding together - and then the shoot day was unique. I have a different approach to Emile, I like to plan like crazy and then have the space to improvise. Emile, quite rightly, likes to plan and then follow the plan. I can’t blame him. I blame myself.&nbsp;ER: Yes, the song was done, and we knew this was the big one. Co-directing I think was a big interesting event for both of us. I mean Joe is the insane one. It’s like dealing with pure creative chaos to my very intense focus.&nbsp;In music we both occupy a bit of our own space that sometimes intersects. In directing we realized we are very similar in our taste, but we get there in a very different way. I think we learned a lot from each other while seriously putting each other on edge a few times. I think you can definitely feel that in the video and it needed that intensity.It’s a very abstract and dreamlike narrative. How would you explain the story? How does it relate to the song?ER: I had an idea for a bit about a séance after seeing some very old pictures of people with ectoplasm and glowing things. It was all very early manipulation of photography that must have been incredibly hard to pull off. Or was it?&nbsp;&nbsp;[imgtoken data:3]<blockquote>Creating visuals for our own music...&nbsp;makes total sense. We’re building the whole world.</blockquote>But once we started developing a story I think we injected a lot of things for both of us. For me it’s a story about grief. The main character comes to the séance&nbsp;to try to reconnect with her lover that died in an accident that they’ve been in together. And so is everyone else, trying to connect to people that are gone. And then in this ritual she gains a sense of power over her grief, or at least let’s go in some way letting go. The hugging is all of them giving each other comfort.&nbsp;How does it relate to the song? What’s the song about Joe, again?JC: The song is about being stuck. Grief is a pretty apt vehicle to explore stasis. Stuck in a rut, stuck in stasis, stuck in-between places. I think we've all experienced that post-2020.&nbsp;It looks amazing - a big expensive production. So how did you pull it off? Where (and when) did you shoot it? JC : We’ve both been in the industry long enough that all our friends happen to be exceptionally talented. The technical crew on this film is a list of close collaborators, friends and family who all gave their time to help us realize this vision. We were really proud of what we managed to achieve with the resources we have.Which I must also say, shout out to Agile, Arts &amp; Sciences and Rogue (our respective representatives) who got behind the project and helped us realize it, and in the case of Agile Studio and Agile Post, really gave a lot of time and love to finish the project off.&nbsp;ER: It was mostly me telling Joe “watch me make this happen” and then not taking no for an answer from everyone.&nbsp;JC: You took a lot of ‘no’s’ but…I applaud you.[imgtoken data:4]You’re both solo directors, so what was it like to co-direct this? Did you divide responsibility, so Joe in charge of one aspect and Emile another, or just went all-in collab on everything?JC: We did a bit of both. Obviously, our working practices are different, but the reason we collaborate on music is they kind of complement each other. We can both direct, produce, post-produce, write&nbsp;and compose. So for each project, we divide and conquer some elements and collaborate on others. So in the instance of Push, Emile really led the producing, and budgeting. While I&nbsp;swaggered around drinking coffee and dancing with the cast.&nbsp;Co-directing isn't something I've ever thought about. But in the case of creating visuals for our own music with Supermodel, it makes total sense. We’re building the whole world.&nbsp; ER: I agree, I put this whole thing together and it was very nice for Joe to grace us with his presence on the day. In all seriousness it was nice that at least he wasn’t on his phone the whole time.&nbsp;JC: Let's be honest, I make this whole thing look and sound great.&nbsp;&nbsp;ER: You do. The biggest reason I’ve plunged into this with you.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Agile Films

Supermodel 'Push' by Joe Connor and Emile Rafael

SUPERMODEL - PUSH (Official Video)

The <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/3n1n2G7KP3TmQl3oDjd7Bm?si=ffd1d66e80504889&amp;nd=1" target="_blank">latest episode of The Promonews Podcast</a> has just been released, with&nbsp;David and Rob of Promonews in conversation with one of the UK's leading music video directors - Joe Connor.In a&nbsp;career now spanning more than a decade, Connor&nbsp;has directed videos for an eclectic range of artists, and consistently challenged himself to break new ground - even when working with big names, like Coldplay, The Rolling Stones, and in his latest video for Ellie Goulding.In a wide-ranging conversation he talks about his path to directing, from growing up in Warrington, going to drama school in London - after an accidental interview - and forming his own theatre company; and learning to love film through a job as a cinema projectionist.&nbsp;Then his breakthrough with first promos&nbsp;for the likes of Band of Skulls and Feeder, to his groundbreaking videos for The Maccabees, filming in Myanmar for Elbow, to his poignant video for Coldplay that almost failed to see the light of day.On the Promonews Podcast - produced in association with&nbsp;<a href="https://looptalent.co.uk/" target="_blank">Loop Talent</a> - Joe Connor also explains&nbsp;how he explores the boundaries of technology with his Like A Saviour video for Ellie Goulding, by creating a desert in the virtual production studio. Very Mandalorian.<iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="352" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/3n1n2G7KP3TmQl3oDjd7Bm?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius:12px" width="100%"></iframe>This is the latest episode of&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/7xlA6GsQtJfhtUsxNYiFYz" target="_blank">The Promonews Podcast: Talking Music Videos</a>. The past year has seen the Podcast interview a range of creatives who are active making music videos right now,&nbsp;including Charlie Sarsfield, Noel Paul and Ali Kurr.&nbsp;Recent interviewees include Aoife McArdle discussing her path from music video director to director and producer on Apple TV+ show&nbsp;Severance; and pioneering music video&nbsp;director Andy Morahan talking about working&nbsp;with Guns 'n Roses, on the 30th anniversary of his legendary video for November Rain.Other Promonews Podcast interviewees in the past year or so include KC Locke, Sam Brown,&nbsp;Rick Joaquim, Milo Blake,&nbsp;Sophia Ray &amp; Mayling Wong, Fred Rowson, Nathan James Tettey,&nbsp;Kasper Haggstrom, Olivia Rose and Sam Davey.• Listen to&nbsp;The Promonews Podcast&nbsp;with Joe Connor on&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/3n1n2G7KP3TmQl3oDjd7Bm?si=ffd1d66e80504889&amp;nd=1" target="_blank">Spotify</a>, and other platforms.

The Promonews Podcast: new episode with Joe Connor out now!

Following her music videos for All The Good Times and title track Big Time,&nbsp;Kimberly Stuckwisch's short film to accompany Angel Olsen's new album tells the whole story - and features a dynamic performance from the singer-songwriter.The storyline for the short film - also called Big Time -&nbsp;was inspired by a dream Olsen had about time travel shortly after her mother's death. The videos for All The Good Times and Big Time are accommodated within its structure, with their contrasting styles brought together&nbsp;into a coherent whole.[imgtoken data:1]As Olsen's attempt at escape a failing relationship via a road trip hits the buffers, she descends to the dreamworld of a bar where time travel is possible, and time itself is fluid. The linking device is a lightbox she carries around with her. It&nbsp;then becomes the focal point in the third part of the film, for the song Through The Fire.The piece is punctuated throughout by phone conversations and recordings - including a real answerphone message from Olsen's late mother. It's a device through which the director and artist articulate the weight of&nbsp;life's most important relationships. And not for the first time, Angel Olsen carries these emotional issues with a compelling screen performance. She is not only an excellent&nbsp;singer-songwriter - and these three songs are powerful -&nbsp;but also a proper actor.&nbsp;[imgtoken data:2]"When I approached Kimberly Stuckwisch about making these videos, I thought it would be cool to include the storyline of one of the dreams I’d had, and really use it as a way to tell the story of the songs," Olsen explains.&nbsp;"Kimberly&nbsp;added dialogue and events to create a story arc around my dream, to give it a thicker plot, using the music videos within and creating a larger film."The themes of love, loss and processing one's past are aspects that really appealed to Stuckwisch in the preparation and making of the film.[imgtoken data:3]&nbsp;"It's a story that targets deep-rooted complexities," says&nbsp;Stuckwisch.&nbsp;"Such as how our unconscious deals with repressed sexual identity, the hardships of letting go of our past selves in order to step into self-actualization, and the guilt we hold when dealing with loss."For one reason or another, we all have parts of ourselves that we struggle to forgive as well as a part of ourselves we are afraid of exploring or that we think society won’t like—so we push those parts down into our unconscious psyches, into the shadows. This is the story of drowning in those fears before releasing your light."

Kimberly Stuckwisch

Indie

Angel Olsen 'Big Time' (short film) by Kimberly Stuckwisch

Angel Olsen - Big Time Film

We spoke to Joe Connor about how he came to work with Japanese superstar Hikaru Utada, how they bonded over their&nbsp;shared love of the works of Carl Jung - and why he flooded the music video shoot for Bad Mode.Joe Connor has worked with numerous big artists - The Rolling Stones, Rag 'N Bone Man, Biffy Clyro, Mumford &amp; Sons, to name a few. But it still came as something as a surprise that Connor's latest video is for a Japanese pop legend.Hikaru Utada certainly has that status, the American-Japanese singer-songwriter being a huge star in Japan since the Nineties. But she indeed turned to Connor to help launch her latest album Bad Mode with the video for the album's title track. The result is a sumptuous performance video&nbsp;with a surprising twist.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In one of several performance set-ups, a&nbsp;reflective Hikaru contemplates a new love affair while she sits&nbsp;waiting&nbsp;in a taxi rank&nbsp;- which is then flooded, and transformed into a pool, seemingly when the fishtank in the office overflows.[vidtoken data:0]With cinematography by Alex Jamin, and production design by Luke Moran-Morris, the look of the video is as glamourous&nbsp;as befits an artist of this stature. But Moran-Morris's production design&nbsp;is also ingenious: he built the main set on stilts above an underwater tank, then lowered the set into the water tank at a studio in Basildon during the shoot.So we spoke to Joe Connor about the project, and how he ended up in Essex with a Japanese pop queen...&nbsp;How did the project start? Were you surprised to be asked to write a treatment for a top Japanese artist?This particular&nbsp;project came about in a very strange and unusual way. I was contacted almost out of the blue by a representative for Hikaru who wanted to know more about my process, how I work with an artist. We struck up a really good relationship and before you know it, half of Tokyo was flying out to an underwater tank in Basildon.[imgtoken data:1]Even though I hadn't worked with Hikaru before I knew she had worked with Rina [Yang, the DoP] and I'd actually randomly recommended a friend of mine to Rina, to be a lighting designer of Hikaru's tour a few years ago. So&nbsp;there were some strange connections. It must be fate.&nbsp;<blockquote>I wrote the idea thinking the room was purgatory - an inner space where the main character is stuck.&nbsp;</blockquote>How did you come up with your idea? And how does it relate to the song, Bad Mode? What sort of references did you include in your treatment?This is the first time I've written&nbsp;an idea for a track without knowing the meaning of the lyrics. I'm a lyric-focused director, not in the sense of replicating the exact meaning, but in looking behind them and finding the emotional state of the artist writing them. It was almost impossible to do that process on this, as the translation into English doesn't quite work. There are Japanese slang terms that are only really understood by those that know.[imgtoken data:2]That being said, I got a very deep feeling of someone caught in limbo, held in a space unable to move or progress forward. That feeling formed the basis of the idea; waiting for a taxi that never comes, and waiting so long the room floods. I wrote the idea thinking the room was purgatory - an inner space where the main character is stuck.When I pitched it to Hikaru I thought she'd laugh me out the room.&nbsp;But it turns out we both have the same Jung books on our respective bedside table. Once you know someone is a fan of Jung you can move ideas into a dream space without fear that it'll be too 'out there'.Hikaru is an amazingly perceptive person and we resonated really well. My interpretation of the track captured how she felt when she was writing it, and once we had that understanding it all just fell into place.&nbsp;[imgtoken data:3] Was there much communication with the artist ahead of the shoot? Did they have requests or requirements about how they wanted to video to look and how they wanted to be filmed?I had a lot of chats with Hikaru but they were more focussed around how the video needed to feel, rather then specifics regarding looks or filming style. I knew I wanted to push this video and be a bit looser with the operation then I'm used too.I love focussed and composed photography but it felt like this one was crying out for Dutch framing, handheld camerawork, and a bit more looseness. It was unusual territory for me&nbsp;but my DoP Alex Jamin, brought so much to the party that it kept me from wanting to nail everything down. It was a very free and alive project in that sense.[imgtoken data:4]<blockquote>Luke Moran Morris... really brought some A-grade execution to this project.</blockquote>Where (and when) did you shoot the video? Flooding a set is always going to be a tricky business - how did you achieve it?I knew I wanted to build the set on a water tank. I've shot at Basildon for The Maccabees and more recently with Biffy Clyro, so I know the limitations of that facility. Writing ideas for specfifc&nbsp;locations is always helpful - it allows me to know what I can achieve and still surprise people with a bit of a creative twist.I must say that working out the set, how to build it on stilts, how to light it, how to lower it was all down to the genius of Luke Moran Morris and his team. He really brought some A-grade execution to this project.&nbsp;&nbsp;[imgtoken data:5]We then shot the&nbsp;dry section&nbsp;of the video before lunch, then lowered the set over lunch and while we were shooting the other set-ups (they were partly in there to give me that buffer while the set was sunk, allowing me to keep shooting without losing time) and then once the set was submerged we shot the second half of the video.The main challenge was containing the potential for chaos. A project like this can easily spiral as water starts to flood the set. So my main consideration was keeping the focus, keeping it fun and getting what we needed in the time we had.&nbsp;• Joe Connor is based at <a href="https://www.roguefilms.co.uk/" target="_blank">Rogue Films</a>, and represented by Alexa Haywood at <a href="https://www.freeagent.uk.com/" target="_blank">Free Agent UK</a> for music videos.&nbsp;More work <a href="https://www.roguefilms.co.uk/directors-roster/joe-connor" target="_blank">here</a>.

Joe Connor on Hikaru Utada's Bad Mode: 'I had a feeling of someone caught in limbo.'

Hikaru-Utada-'Bad-Mode'-by-Joe-Connor

Hikaru Utada 'Bad Mode' by Joe Connor

It's eleven years since Sam Brown's first video for Adele. Finally, we have his second, and it was worth the wait.It was Brown's iconic video for <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYEDA3JcQqw" target="_blank">Rolling In The Deep</a> that kickstarted Adele's ascent to superstardom, of course. Now for Oh My God he has supercharged the elements that made that video a slow-burning masterpiece.[imgtoken data:1]Once again, a performance by Adele - now mature, so much more self-confident - is framed within a series of vignettes that represent the elements of the song. But this time these individual parts of the vision are brought together, all appearing&nbsp;within&nbsp;a single extraordinary camera movement.With the beautifully choreographed flow of characters and objects, the repetition of individuals on screen - primarily&nbsp;Adele herself - Brown has employed motion control camerawork at a level of sophistication and complexity that has been rarely achieved.But if this video is driven by it's concept, it never loses sight of the primary purpose - display the star quality of Adele. This is a stunning, virtuoso combination of&nbsp;artist performance with filmmaking skill and invention.

Sam Brown

Untold Studios

Adele 'Oh My God' by Sam Brown

Adele - Oh My God (Official Video)

Joe Connor shares his powerful video for Celeste's Hear My Voice, the soundtrack of upcoming Netflix release The Trial of the Chicago 7.&nbsp;The video interweaves&nbsp;poignant moments from Aaron Sorkin's&nbsp;film - which centres upon countercultural protests in Chicago in 1968, and seven defendants accused of conspiracy by the federal government - and a handful of stunning performance vignettes.&nbsp;Celeste has tremendous&nbsp;presence on-screen, bringing a warmth and vulnerability to her performance as she traverses an empty courthouse. The use of lingering shots and crossfades allows viewers to reflect on the themes present in the concept, and strikes a perfect balance between snapshots of the film and shots of the artist.&nbsp;

MrMr

Semera Khan

Alternative R&B

Soul

Celeste 'Hear My Voice' by Joe Connor

Celeste-'Hear-My-Voice'-by-Joe-Connor

Channel 4&#39;s work in challenging perceptions of&nbsp;disability, most notably with their coverage of the 2012&nbsp;Paralympics, reaches a new landmark with Born Risky - a new brand campaign dedicated on changing attitudes towards the disabled &ndash; and this trailblazing and spectacular video directed by Saam Farahmand.&nbsp;Step forward Viktoria Modesta, who has been billed as the world&#39;s first bionic pop artist in the brouhaha surrounding&nbsp;Saam&#39;s video for Prototype - previewed in a 40 second commercial in the final ad break of&nbsp;The&nbsp;X Factor Final&nbsp;last Sunday. And although it&#39;s likely&nbsp;the video cost much less to make than the cost of buying that super-premium ad slot&nbsp;(an estimated &pound;200K) Saam has propelled this unknown artist into a high end pop video worthy of Madonna or Lady Gaga.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In&nbsp;a Thirties-style dictatorship, Viktoria becomes the fulcrum of dissent, because of her talent and non-conformism - of which her disability symbolises. Her lower left leg is missing, so she wears a series of intriguing prosthetic limbs (designed by&nbsp;Sophie de Oliveria Barata) and radiates those elements of rebellion and sexuality&nbsp;that marks her out as a potential icon. And that&#39;s before a mesmerizing puppet-dance routine with her cone-shaped limb wielded like a super-stiletto.Arguably there is a paradox here &ndash; the artist&#39;s physical difference is celebrated at least as much as her talent - but there&#39;s&nbsp;no question Saam has now achieved what he has long threatened: made a really outstanding pure pop video.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Saam Farahmand

Viktoria Modesta ‘Prototype’ by Saam Farahmand

Tom Haines&#39;s film for Jon Hopkins&#39; Collider has a hard act to follow, coming after&nbsp;the epic award-winning&nbsp;video for Hopkins&#39; Open Eye Signal.&nbsp;There&#39;s a similar focus on one individual, and photography once again by the redoubtable Steve Annis - who won the best cinematography award at the UKMVAs in October for his work on Open Eye Signal.&nbsp;Unlike that Aoife McArdle-directed video, this is a far more intense, internalised experience. But it&#39;s just as mesmerizing.A girl&#39;s extreme behaviour at a rave leads to her switching into an alternate reality, alone in an&nbsp;vast derelict industrial&nbsp;space. And in her increasingly frenzied state, this switches to being&nbsp;her main reality.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Tom Haines

Final Cut

Electronica, Alternative

Jon Hopkins 'Collider' by Tom Haines

Jon Hopkins 'Collider'

Sam Brown marks his return to promo-making - it&#39;s his first since his iconic video for&nbsp;Adele&#39;s Rolling In The Deep - with this beautifully atmospheric promo&nbsp;for Strong by&nbsp;the critically-acclaimed London Grammar.Shot at the 6th Street Viaduct in Los Angeles, the video combines Sam&#39;s love of pyrotechnics set against an emotional tale about a father and his daughter and the &#39;strange and beautiful ritual that connects them together&#39;.

London Grammar 'Strong' by Sam Brown

London Grammar - 'Strong' - Directed by Sam Brown

Simple, strong, rude idea, ingeniously executed - Saam's promo video for <a href="http://www.2manydjs.com/radio/" target="_blank">Radio Soulwax</a> (Soulwax's 24hour music website-app) is fantastic. 
And, for one reason or another, couldn't help thinking about those <a href="http://kissmyblackads.blogspot.com/2008/11/ohio-players-album-art.html" target="_blank">Ohio Players album covers</a>...

Radio Soulwax 'Machine' by Saam Farahmand

Radio-Soulwax-'Machine'-by-Saam-Farahmand

Ron Scalpello's dramatic and moving film for Mason &amp; Roisin Murphy's Boadicea portrays the tale of a young woman at the end of her tether due to the pressures of modern living. 
"Mason wanted to make a promo that conveyed all the spirit and resolve of a modern day Boadicea," says Ron. "We focussed on a single mother trying to bring up her family in tough times and how the pressures of everyday life can generate aggressive responses. We did not want to hold back and concern ourselves with the do's and don't of what a promo should do but try and make something genuinely affecting and surprising. 
"We cast two brilliant actors. Jennie Jacques (Shank, Desperate Romantics) took the lead role as she has an amazing power to convey deep world weary sadness and strong resolve. Jason Maza (Shifty) plays her wayward boyfriend struggling to cope. It works like a film as we follow our depressed heroine into her dark imagination.
"Shot in one day on the Alexa and Canon 5D in East London, with the new Olympic building over-looking us, we managed to tell a beautiful story with strong central performances. Somewhere between social realism and David Lynch fantasy, we hope the promo strikes a chord and surprises and shock as many people as possible."

Rogue Films

Production Company

2026 (3)

2025 (9)

2024 (4)

2022 (2)

2020 (1)

2014 (1)

2013 (2)

2011 (2)