PROFILE: Jessy Terrero, director

Jessy Terrero's credits as a director run the gamut from the 2004 comedy Soul Plane to some deadly serious videos for 50 Cent.

Recent clips include:

• Ludacris f/ Mary J. Blige "Runaway Love"
• 50 Cent f/ Akon "I Still Will"
• Santana f. Chad Kroeger "Into The Night"

name: Jessy Terrero
company: Terrero Films
job/title: owner/director

first video: My first video was for a Toronto based rap group called Ghetto Concept. I was writing treatments at the time for other directors, so they knew I was behind many of video concepts they had admired. They asked me to write a treatment for this video they were trying to do for $10,000.  I originally was not up to direct it, but since I wrote the concept they felt I was the one who should bring it to life.  Six months after the video's completion it was nominated for best rap video that year in Canada. --> watch "Precious Metals"

strangest video: The strangest video happened to be one I shot for Kay Slay.  The Mayor’s office denied us filming permits in Kay Slay’s projects, so we moved the shoot to a project in Yonkers.  During a set up which involved cameos ranging from G-Unit to Foxy Brown to Raekwon, a fight suddenly broke out between rival crews from Yonkers.  For once, it had nothing to do with us, but it just happened to be on our set.  The police were present, but when the shots rang out they were nowhere to be found. Once the smoke cleared, the police started to resurface.  At one point there were six grips trying to hide behind a bench made for two people. --> watch "Too Much For Me"

what's next: Nurturing the growth and development of Terrero Films. Partnering with my long time rep Jalina Stewart and producers Josh Goldstein and John Nguyen, we have developed a strong roster of fresh talent across the board. It allows me to not only direct a wide range of videos, but it also gives me the opportunity to mentor all the young directors we have signed. Starting with Ulysses Terrero, Rich Newey and Steven Oritt, we plan on taking our company to the forefront of music video and commercial production. I believe with the music industry constantly influx and the need for more innovative approaches to marketing, now is the perfect time for a new company to emerge.

BOOKED: Enrique Iglesias/Lil' Wayne - Bille Woodruff, director

In support of Step Up 2 The Streets...

artist: Enrique Iglesias f/ Lil' Wayne
song: "Push"
label: Jive/ZLG
director(s): Bille Woodruff
production co: Siblings, Inc.
rep: Yell Productions

SHOT: The Feeling - Paul Minor, director

artist: The Feeling
song: "I Thought It Was Over"
label: Island Def Jam (UK)
director(s): Paul Minor
production co: Streetgang Films

SHOT: Mike Jones - Juwan Lee, director

Director Juwan Lee, Mike Jones and video producer Justin Si Diener on the set of "Drop It."

artist: Mike Jones f/ Hurricane Chris
song: "Drop it"
label: Asylum/Warner Bros.
director(s): Juwan Lee
production co: Uncle

NEWS: Grammy Music Video Nominations

Grammy nominations were released this morning, with the following music video nods...

Best Short Form Music Video
For an individual track or single promotional clip. Award to the Artist and to the Video Director/Producer.

• Johnny Cash "God's Gonna Cut You Down" (American/Lost Highway)
    -  Tony Kaye, director; Rachel Curl, producer
• Feist "1234" (Cherrytree/Interscope)
    -  Patrick Daughters, director; Geoff McLean, producer
• Gnarls Barkley "Gone Daddy Gone" (Downtown/Atlantic)
    -  Chris Milk, director; Barbara Benson, producer
• Justice "D.A.N.C.E." (Downtown/Vice/Ed Banger/Because)
    -  Jonas & Francois & So-Me,  directors/producers
• Mute Math "Typical" (Warner Bros./Reprise/Maverick/Sire)
    -  Israel Anthem, director; Brandon Arolfo, producer

Best Long Form Music Video
For video album packages consisting of more than one song or track. Award to the Artist and to the Video Director/Producer of at least 51% of the total playing time.

• Dierks Bentley "Live & Loud At The Fillmore" (Capitol Nashville)
  -  Russell Thomas, director; James Whetherly, producer
• R. Kelly "Trapped In The Closet Chapters 13-22" (Jive/Zomba)
  -  R. Kelly, Victor Mignatti & Jim Swaffield, directors; Ann Carli, producer
• Madonna "The Confessions Tour" (Warner Bros.)
  -  Jonas Akerlund, director; Sara Martin & David May, producers
• Kenny Wayne Shepherd & Various Artists "10 Days Out - Blues From The Backroads" (Reprise)
  -  Noble Jones, director; Kenny Wayne Shepherd, producer
• Various Artists "Liberacion - The Songs Of The New Cuban Underground" (Petrol/EMI)
  -  Reuben Fields, director; Dean Bates, producer

A full-list can be found at Grammy.com...

NEW RELEASE: Hot Chip "Ready For The Floor"

Those who prefer the campy version of Batman will probably be disappointed by the forthcoming The Dark Knight, which continues the gritty vibe of Batman Begins. Before you go back to your treasured Batman TV series or, even worse, the 1997 Batman & Robin flick, which temporarily killed the franchise, check out this new video from Hot Chip and director Nima Nourizadeh. Singer Alexis Tayor stars as a combination of Batman villains The Joker and Two-Face — kind of like Prince in the classic and super campy "Batdance" video— with his bandmates and a troupe of partially silhouetted dancers in a series of goofy little set-ups that exist in that sweet spot between clever, meaningless and fun. --> watch "Ready For The Floor"

Hot Chip "Ready For The Floor" (DFA/Astralwerks)
Nima Nourizadeh, director | Jon Adams, producer | Partizan, production co | Tat Radcliffe, DP | Ben Sherwin @ Final Cut, editor | Gregg Shoulder, art director

NEW RELEASE: Blue October "Calling You"

The blind man who can see is one of the oldest literary archetypes in the book, so it was only a matter of time before he wandered into a music video. Director Jeff Richter imagines his Tiresias as a tattoo-covered  former gangbanger named Enrique, who's now interested in raising his daughter and, of course, using his disability to help others. Kind of like Daredevil, but without the fancy costume, acrobatic adventures. Meanwhile, back at the video's performance space, Blue October play this modern rock love song in a room strewn with light bulbs and baby photos. --> watch "Calling You"

Blue October "Calling You" (Universal Motown)
Jeff Richter, director/editor | Clark Moffatt, producer | Earthquake Productions, production co | Yell Productions, rep | Jessica Young, DP |

BOOKED: John Butler Trio - Dori Oskowitz, director

artist: John Butler Trio
song: "Used To Get High"
label: Lava/Atlantic
director(s): Dori Oskowitz
production co: Highway 114
rep: Laure Scott Management

SHOT: Rooney - Brian Lazzaro, director

artist: Rooney
song: "I Should've Been After You" &  "Are You Afraid" 
label: Cherrytree/Geffen
director(s): Brian Lazzaro
production co: Brandon Schantz Productions
art director: Mike Hersey

NEW RELEASE: Bjork "Declare Independence"

Bjork gets all Betsy Ross and shit on us by weaving a flag in this latest video collaboration with director Michel Gondry. Although the concept is fairly simple, the means of production is pretty darn complex. An enormous futuristic loom is propelled by music and energy, starting from a bassist who plays what looks like a giant hammock and on through Bjork's megaphone, a crowd of loyal puppet soldiers and eventually a painting station. It's all kind of lo-fi and punk rock and vaguely political. But mostly it's weird. --> watch "Declare Independence" via an AOL Spinner premiere plus a Making Of

Bjork "Declare Independece" (One Little Indian)
Michel Gondry, director | Raffi Adlan, producer | Partizan, production co | Ellen Kuras, DP 

BOOKED: Ashlee Simpson - Alan Ferguson, director

artist: Ashlee Simpson
song: "Outta My Head (Ay Ya Ya)"
label: Geffen
director(s): Alan Ferguson
production co: Anonymous Content

NEW RELEASE: Sharon Jones/The Dap-Kings "100 Days..."

Detroit had Motown. Memphis had Stax. Brooklyn has Daptone Records, a label dedicated to making funk and soul music the old-fashioned way. The Queen of the Dapworld scene is Sharon Jones, a former Sing Sing corrections officer who's now rightfully known as a powerhouse singer. She fronts the Dap-Kings, which is essentially the labels' version of The Funk Brothers — a house band that defines the label's overall sound and performs most of the tracks. This video emulates the past as much as the song does, thanks to reportedly being filmed on a pair of cheap, vintage TV cameras snagged on Ebay. The easy comparison to make here is to the retro-stylings of Amy Winehouse, especially since The Dap-Kings were hired to play on her breakthrough record Back In Black and serve as her backing band for live performances. But there's no modernism here — aka the influence of Winehouse producer Mark Ronson — and Ms. Jones isn't gonna star in the gossip rags anytime soon. This is pure, unadulterated soul, funk and r&b. That said, if you're jonesing for the next Amy Winehouse fix —  which will surely be longer than she will be waiting for her own — might I suggest grooving with Sharon Jones and this video for the title track off 100 Days, 100 Nights. --> watch "100 Days, 100 Nights"

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
"100 Days, 100 Nights" (Daptone)
Adam Elias Buncher, director/editor | bunchluv.com, production co | Chris J. Lytwyn, DP

SHOT: The Last Goodnight - Jay Martin, director

artist: The Last Goodnight
song: "Stay Beautiful"
label: Virgin/Capitol
director(s): Jay Martin
production co: DNA

BOOKED: The Honorary Title - Toben Seymour, director

artist: The Honorary Title
song: "Stuck At Sea"
label: Reprise/Warner Bros.
director(s): Toben Seymour
production co: DNA

MTV Adds for the Weeks of 12/10/07

MTV Adds:
The Dream "Falsetto" (Island Def Jam)
Jordin Sparks "Tattoo" (Jive)
Snoop Dogg "Sensual Seduction" (Geffen)

MTV2 Adds:
Birdman "100 Million Dollars" (Cash Money/Universal Motown)

MTVU Adds:
Eastern Conference Champions "The Box" (Suretone/Geffen)
Fionn Regan "Be Good or Be Gone" (Lost Highway)
Guru f/ Slum Village "Cuz I'm Jazzy" (7 Grand)
Ingrid Michaelson "The Way I Am" (Cabin 24/Hollywood)
Iron And Wine "Boy With A Coin" (Sub Pop)
J. Holiday "Suffocate" (Capitol)
James Blunt "Same Mistake" (Custard/Atlantic)
LCD Soundsystem "Someone Great" (DFA/Capitol)
Powerspace "Right On, Right Now" (Fueled By Ramen)

MTV Jams Adds:
Rick Ross f/ R. Kelly "Speedin" (Def Jam)
Scarface "Girl You Know" (Asylum)
Shawty Lo "Dey Know" (Asylum)

VH1 Adds for the Weeks of 12/10/07

Vh1 Adds:
Jay-Z "I Know" (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam) from Storytellers
John Mayer "Say" (Warner Bros.)
Snoop Dogg "Sensual Seduction" (Geffen)

Vh1 Soul Adds:
Chrisette Michele "Be Ok" (Island Def Jam)
Jay-Z "I Know (VH1 Storytellers)" (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam)
Snoop Dogg "Sensual Seduction" (Geffen)
Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings "100 Days, 100 Nights" (Daptone)
Notch "Que Te Pica" (Machete)

BET Adds for the Weeks of 12/10/07

BET Adds:
Cheri Dennis "Portrait Of Love" (Bad Boy/Atlantic)
Chingy f/ Amerie "Fly Like Me" (DTP/Def Jam)
Tyra B. "Givin' Me A Rush" (Reprise/Warner )

Rap City Adds:
Freeway f/ Rick Ross "Lights Get Low" (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam)
Hurricane Chris f/ Boxie "Playas Rock" (Polo Grounds/J)
Shawty Lo "Dey Know" (Asylum)
Webbie "Independent" (Asylum)

Fuse Adds for the Weeks of 12/10/07

Adds:
50 Cent f/ Akon "I Still Will" (G Unit/Interscope)
Jay-Z "Roc Boys (And The Winner Is)..." (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam)
Maroon 5 "Won't Go Home Without You" (Octone/A&M/Interscope)
The Killers "Shadowplay" (Island Def Jam)

Oven Fresh Adds:
Drowning Pool "Enemy" (Eleven Seven)
Feist "1234" (Interscope)
Godsmack "Good Times Bad Times" (Universal Republic)
Gwen Stefani "Early Winter" (Interscope)
Maroon 5 "Won't Go Home Without You" (Octone/A&M/Interscope)
Nelly Furtado "In God's Hands" (Geffen)
Snoop Dogg "Sensual Seduction" (Geffen)

IMF Adds for the Week of 12/10/07

Adds   
Aiden "Moment" (Victory)
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club "Berlin" (RCA)
Chris Brown "This Christmas" (Jive/ZLG)
Chris Brown "With You" (Jive/ZLG)
Dúné "Dry Lips" from Denmark
Girls Aloud "Sexy! No No No" from England
Jordin Sparks "Tattoo" (Jive/ZLG)
The Killers "Shadowplay" (Island Def Jam)
Maroon 5 "Won't Go Home Without You" (Octone/A&M/Interscope)
M.I.A. "Jimmy" from Sri Lanka
Pinboys "Tonight (We Beat The Beats)" from Denmark
Tokio Hotel "An Deiner Seite (Ich Bin Da) (Live)" from Germany
Verdena "Angie" from Italy

Specialty Adds:
Antonio Orozco "Hoy Todo Va Al Revés" from Spain
Bad Religion "New Dark Ages" (Epitaph)
Black Tide "Shockwave" (Interscope)
Blasted Mechanism "Battle Of Tribes" from Portugal
Chingy f/ Amerie "Fly Like Me" (DTP/Def Jam)
Emery "The Party Song" (Tooth & Nail)
Ghostwood "Red Version" from Australia
Killerpilze "Ich Brauche Nichts" from Germany
Mexicolas "Shame" from England
Stereophonics "It Means Nothing" from Wales
Yi Feng Zhuo, D  Hui Li "Wo Shi No. 1" from Taiwan
Zascha Moktan "Ouch!" from Germany

Music Choice Adds for the Week of 12/10/07

Adds:
Amy Winehouse "Back To Black" (Universal Republic)
Benzino f/ The 1st 48 "Back On My Grizzly" (Seventh Floor)
Celine Dion "Taking Chances" (Columbia)
Duran Duran "Falling Down" (Epic)
Hinder "Born To Be Wild" (Universal Republic)
Inez "Stronger (remix)" (Tommy Boy)
Jars Of Clay "Love Came Down At Christmas" (Nettwerk)
Menomena "Evil Bee" (Barsuk)
Nas "Surviving The Times" (Columbia)
Nightwish "Bye Bye Beautiful" (Roadrunner)
Otep "Breed" (Koch)
Red "Let Go" (Essential/Sony BMG)
Shaggy f/ Rik Rok & Tony Gold "Bonafide Girl" (Big Yard)
Sick Puppies "My World" (Virgin)
Six Feet Under "Doomsday" (Metal Blade)
Styles P f/ Swizz Beatz "Blow Ya Mind" (Koch/D-Block)
The Spill Canvas "All Over You" (Warner Bros.)
Three "All That Remains" (Metal Blade)
Unearth "This Glorious Nightmare" (Metal Blade)

CMT Adds for the Weeks of 12/3/07

CMT Adds:
Ashton Shepherd "Takin' Off This Pain" (MCA Nashville)
Kenny Chesney "Shiftwork" (BNA)
Martina Mcbride "For These Times" (RCA Nashville)

CMT Pure Adds:
Kenny Chesney "Shiftwork" (BNA)
Martina Mcbride "For These Times" (RCA Nashville)

Much Music Adds for the Week of 12/3/07

Adds:
Billy Talent "This Suffering"
Dru "Stay With Me (Always)"
Flo Rida f. T-Pain "Low"
The Killers "Shadowplay" 
The White Stripes "Conquest" 

SHOT: Adrienne Frantz - Ryan Travis, director

In the fine tradition of Rick Springfield and Michael Damian, Young & The Restless star Adrienne Frantz will look to capitalize on her soap opera fame in the music biz...

artist: Adrienne Frantz
song: "Getaway"
label: Wrong
director(s): Ryan Travis
production co: Shadow Screen
rep: Yell Productions

SHOT: Erika Rose - Ryan Travis, director

artist: Erika Rose
song: "Rosegarden"
label: Infinity LeMonde
director(s): Ryan Travis
production co: Shadow Screen
rep: Yell Productions

SHOT: King Diamond - Bill Schacht, director

Dear Lord (and/or Satan), I do love King Diamond. The heavy metal legend — renowned for his painted face, inverted crosses and a tendency to unleash album-length horror operas in which he voices every part — is back with the politely titled new album, Give Me Your Soul... Please? This video for the title track depicts Diamond in performance in a 3D environment created by Henrik Skoglund of Framecore Sweden.

artist: King Diamond
song: "Give Me Your Soul"
label: Metal Blade
director(s): Bill Schacht
production co: Aestheticom

NEW RELEASE: Vampire Weekend "Mansard Roof"

Once upon a time, a band called Duran Duran cruised around exotic, tropical waters and looked as dapper and classy as could be, epitomizing the glamor and opulence once associated with the music business. Flash forward to now and bear witness to buzz band Vampire Weekend setting sail on a glorified dinghy along the dilapidated New Jersey shoreline. Have budgets truly fallen so far? Is it a metaphor for the overall state of the music business? Or, is it an ironic nod by a indie band poking fun at the Big Pimpin excesses that were never gonna be their brand of cool anyway? --> watch "Mansard Roof" via YouTube or MTV

Vampire Weekend "Mansard Roof" (XL/Beggars)
Alexis Boling, director | Harmonium Films & Music, production co

1,2,3 with YouTube

YouTube. Perhaps you've heard of it? I think it's gonna be pretty popular. As such, here's a new recurring feature on music videos that may not work alongside the professional clips turned out by the companies routinely featured here, but have deservedly found an audience thanks to YouTube and the ensuing democratization of video distribution ... 

1. The number one influence listed on her YouTube homepage is Ramona Quimby, so it's no surprise to find aspiring singer-songwriter Hailey Wojcik traipsing around the city in an "I'm a big kid now" dinosaur costume and playing a toy keyboard in this homemade video for "Dinosaur Bones." Kind of sounds like a collaboration between The Moldy Peaches and Juliana Hatfield at a neighborhood piano recital. That's a good thing.
   
   
2. About six hours of Guitar Hero practice this weekend has left me susceptible to Ed The Nerd Guitar Man. I could totally play this in Guitar Hero.
   
   
3. Great Britain has a ukulele orchestra and, yes, they have a sense of humor about it. Here's their tribute to Ennio Morricone.