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Ace Bowerman and Bebe Rexha continue their creative collaboration with new music promo Chase It.In the video, Bebe and her crew take us into their world of mischief and high octane drifting. Hopping between glossy performance shots, energetic choreography and thrilling action cutaways, it's a pop video ramped up to 100. It's clear just how much fun Bebe and the creative team had here, and the track is a real earworm too...
Rob Ulitski - 4 months ago
Jordan Rossi orchestrates a widescreen action epic for The Script's comeback track, with lead singer Danny O'Donague performing on the back of a speeding truck - which could in fact be two trucks heading towards each other.Shot outside Sitges in Spain, the video for Both Ways is a turbo-charged blend of band performance, spectacular drone work and impressive stunts - with the band's fearless frontman tethered to the flatbed rear of a huge vehicle speeding through the desert.As Rossi explains, this big statement for the returning Irish pop-rock outfit was inspired by a golden age of action movies and succeeds in making that old school flavour feel fresh and fun once more, and radiating infectious energy. "As soon as I heard the track, I knew I wanted to do something wide and epic with it," Rossi explains. "It gave me a summer anthem vibe and I wanted to visually take it into a space that was energetic and propulsive."I've always been a big fan of directors like Tony Scott and Michael Bay with their insane yet grounded storytelling where compressed images become larger-than-life."I've spent the last five years working on car commercials in various forms and this was the perfect project to bring my knowledge and experience to life without having any commercial constraints."Danny, Glen and the whole band were so spectacular to work with. Danny especially who was chained to the truck for a good four hours at a time and didn't complain once. It really took a whole village to make this one happen."
Rob Ulitski - 7 months ago
Kris R puts a different twist on a certain genre of British gangster movie for YOURS - the new soul/dance collective of Maverick Sabre, Jake Hall, Sonny Hall and producer New Machine.Set in Mallorca - where the Hall brothers grew up - the video for Our Love (80's) begins at the poolside of a Briitsh gang boss's luxury home. When he is discovered face-down in the pool by the pool boy, who makes off with a bag of cash, it triggers an action-packed chase sequence (with YOURS as the chasing gang members) - and surprising plot twists.It's a high-energy visual that treads a line between homage and irreverence, and that works well with the upbeat disco-soul vibe of the track. "The brief was pretty broad: shoot in Mallorca, with British gangster films as references," explains Kris, "I was immediately drawn to the friendship between Gal and the pool boy in Sexy Beast and it just kind of grew from there."Jake and Sonny, from the group, grew up in Mallorca and were able to provide a ton of hookups. So, with a mighty crew of 5(!) we headed out to make a film."It was one of those shoots that depend on a collective determination to get it done, against time and financial restraints. YOURS dove in head-first and I think the quality of their performances reflect that - it’s been fun to see that side of Maverick Sabre especially."
Rob Ulitski - 8 months ago
Fashion photographic/directing entity TORSO moves squarely into the vanguard of music video with an edgy promo for the first release from Charli XCX's new album - in an 'access all areas' extravaganza set at Charles De Gaulle Airport.Having established a reputation on stunning fashion films for Mugler's fashion collections, creative directed by Casey Cadwallader, and others, TORSO's music video debut came for Kali Uchis. Now comes a really big one, for Von dutch, from the superstar singer-songwriter's upcoming album Brat.Arguably in other hands the concept behind the video could be considered rather tacky, with shades of Smack My Bitch Up - Charlie in a sexy fight with a POV stalker/assailant all over the airport, shedding layers of clothing in the process. But there's no doubt who is boss here. TORSO place Charli in a space that works really well for her: fast-moving action, treading a line between glamour and outrage, humour and danger.A big statement of intent for the new album campaign.
David Knight - 9 months ago
Soul man Gary Clark Jr and band hit the road in their souped-up Ford Mustang in Martine Syms supercharged video for Maktub. Syms has created a metaphorical action movie, riffing on great existential road movies of the 1970s, with Clark and company putting the pedal to the metal, as if in a high-octane car chase with invisible pursuers.Clark's performs the intense, politically-charged Maktub from behind the wheel, and as in the award-winning video for METTE's Mama's Eyes, vintage newsreel footage is intercut with the action to great effect, together with other symbolic vignettes occuring beside the road during the chase.
Promonews - 10 months ago
Mads Neset directs an enigmatic dystopian concept for Alan Walker's reworking of a classic dance anthem. Opening with a dark, mysterious vibe, clever visual effects transport the viewer into an expansive, fictional realm. the video transitions to a lighter tone as the three artists infiltrate an evil corporation's tower, connect to its propaganda speakers, and jam out, sharing their tune with the people. Filmed in Norway, the video showcases artists Dash Berlin and Vikkstar, and pays homage to the 90's with a CD-centric concept and nostalgic hook. It marks a debut for Vikkstar, who is primarily known for his YouTube content with the Sidemen group. In the video, both Vikkstar and Dash Berlin enter Alan's universe, donning the iconic Walker facemask.Action-packed with a distinctive, cinematic aesthetic, Neset nails the sense of a contemporary version of a classic.
Rob Ulitski - 2nd Oct 2023
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KC Locke directs a frenetic promo for Mist x M1llionz, boasting dynamic studio performance set-ups and a high-octane car chase. While the video blends Locke's love for energetic camerawork with vehicle-based action shots, Jamil Shaukat's sharp edit brings everything together with artistic flair, keeping the perfect pace throughout. "Really enjoyed collaborating with Mist again and first time collaboration with M1llionz," Locke says. "I know Mist is a big petrolhead and the idea of a fast action car chase mixed with precision handheld performance always gets me excited."Always a good energy shoot when Mist is involved, and Mist & M1llionz were a pleasure to work with."
Rob Ulitski - 17th July 2023
In his latest collab with Meekz - their eighth in the past two years - KC Locke directs a top-dollar, action-packed promo for the Manchester rapper. In the video for Say Less, we see Meekz and his crew cruise around a remote location in Land Rovers, captured via frenetic drone shots and thrilling camera moves on the ground. "I wanted to come with a high adrenaline offering for the Meekz debut Mixtape release," explains Locke. "The song had the feeling of momentum that one of our previous videos had - Can't Stop Won't Stop - so I wanted to bring that high action NDA to life again and demonstrate a Tom Cruise-type action sequence."Building upon his trademark style of high-paced action and captivating performance, Locke boasts plenty of experience in this world now, and it shows on-screen. "I feel like I have a lot of experience now with fast action and I feel very comfortable pushing these type of action sequence creatives and they are always so much fun to make."On the morning of this shoot, our DOP feel seriously ill and couldn't come to set, we had no time to bring in another DOP at such a remote location, so I had to step to both DoP and direct the video which involved ultra arm tracking vehicles, FPV drones and a lot of hand held operation. It's in these situations that you got to just crack on and make it happen - luckily we have a strong team who backed me and we went full steam!"Through our continued Manchester collaboration myself and Meekz have done 8 videos together so far over the past two years and always push the boundaries on each and every one! Meekz really does his own stunts and could fit easily into an action movie!"
Rob Ulitski - 30th Nov 2022
Directing duo Tearjerker - Hope Elliott Kemp and Ronan Corrigan - reunite with indie rock band The Academic for a cinematic tribute to the heist film genre. Set inside a bookies, the promo for new single Pushing Up Daisies stars the band as dejected gamblers, completely oblivious to a robbery going on around them.The second in a planned trilogy of videos for album Sitting Pretty, the video was shot at an abandoned electricity board in Bethnal Green, with an ambitious and very well-executed set build from scratch by production designer Ben Clark. In a big step up in scale for the directors, the video features thrilling action scenes, brilliant stunt work and a rather creepy set of costumes, and perfectly blends the offbeat conceptual elements of their previous collaborations with the group.“One of our favourite challenges is figuring out how we can fit the artists into the worlds we create," say TEARJERKER. "Bookies are grim places where dreams go to die, so we loved the idea of juxtaposing the high octane heist with the soul-destroyed punters whose lives revolve around the bet.“A lot of artists are nervous about doing anything other than a traditional performance video, but The Academic have never said ‘no’ to our weirdest ideas. At this point we’ve shot the band stuck inside washing machines, vending machines, a freezer, an abandoned water park and possibly the hardest challenge yet, on Zoom."For Sitting Pretty we wanted to push everything further and create a full cinematic world around the album."
Rob Ulitski - 9th Nov 2022
Bjorn Franklin and Johnny Marchetta direct a stirring promo for Henry Jamison's Make It Out, featuring Maisie Peters. In the midst of a volatile riot, two opposing sides find a moment of calm, which allows them to connect on a human level. As ever with the directing duo's work, this is beautifully shot, while the concept is universally relatable and thought-provoking - especially in a society as strained as the one we live in right now."Why can’t we just hug it out instead of fighting? We loved the idea of taking a high octane hostile environment and slowing it right down finding a beautiful moment where it’s not meant to be," explain the directors. "Maybe they might just make it out, maybe not but there is certainly hope in there somewhere."
Rob Ulitski - 16th Aug 2022
Global disaster looms in Dan Searle's action-packed promo for Architects.In the video for Tear Gas - once again directed by the band's co-founder and drummer - the group play panicked scientists manning planet earth's main control centre, as disaster threatens life as we know it. Intercutting between a playful narrative - where 80s wigs and satire take centre stage - and a slick performance in an enigmatic industrial setting, it's a new look for Architects, and they wear it very well indeed.
Rob Ulitski - 20th July 2022
Filip Nilsson is back with a characteristically off-the-wall, high-octane adventure for Kavinsky's latest release. Putting a playful twist on the idea of cameos, a large crowd of fearless stunt-people - all dressed as the artist - are seen running amok in an abandoned horse-racing arena. Clashing in a mesmerising display of ultraviolent choreography, we see each character grapple in a fight to the death - with some breathtaking stunts along the way. Oh, and there are lasers aplenty, giving a sci-fi twist to the action-packed concept. Brilliantly brutal and epic, the use of FPV drones and frenetic camerawork adds an extra layer of madness to the project. And that's saying something.
Rob Ulitski - 31st Mar 2022
How do you possibly following up winning two MTV VMAs and two UKMVAs all in one year? By directing an insane video for two of the biggest artists in the world - that's what Tanu Muino has done.It's also an insanely violent one. Muino's video for the Post Malone and The Weeknd team-up for One Right Now pays homage to 1990s Asian Cinema and the shootout genre as a whole. From first to last, this super-slick offering is an all-guns-blazing, super-bloody, stylised trip through a dangerous criminal underworld - with possibly a record-high bodycount for a video. Even one involving The Weeknd.The gritty narrative has The Weeknd singlehandedly taking on gangster boss Malone's army of henchmen - while Malone works his way through an army of Weeknd lookalikes with the scariest gun ever. The artists both boast a remarkable presence in their respective roles - testimony to Muino's skilful direction to combine the elements of John Woo-style action, with their personalities and performance. Fans of these heavyweight superstars will not be disappointed - maybe even from the ones in favour of gun control.
Rob Ulitski - 19th Nov 2021
Headie One plays a bank robber with imaginative attitude to his accumulated wealth, in DAPS's visually arresting video for Pound Signs.DAPS gets pulses racing from the start with a heist, where Headie gets heavy on the approaching cops. Then he heads to the laundrette and is literally rolling in £50 notes, before a high stakes card game reaches an electrifiying climax.Employing a clever use of camera movement and a fluidity across the visuals, DoP Sam Meyer's cinematography elevates the ambitious concept, and a suitably gritty grade helps tie everything together.
David Knight - 2nd July 2021
