IN DEPTH: 30 Seconds To Mars "A Beautiful Lie"

Jared Leto and director Elliott Lester have seemingly figured out how to transform music videos into event for Leto's band 30 Seconds To Mars. Their 2006 clip "From Yesterday" was a big-budget extravaganza shot on-location at The Forbidden City in China. That feat gets one-upped with the band's new video "A Beautiful Lie," shot in the Arctic in order to directly show his fans the effects of global warming. Co-director Elliott Lester shares the adventure in this In Depth...

Elliott Lester, co-director: Jared had the original concept. He wanted to go see the part of the world that's really being affected by global warming. Where you could see those glaciers melt and all that natural beauty literally disappear into the sea. The effects are very noticeable up there, unfortunately.

It took six months to get off the ground since most production companies didn't want to take on the liability and passed on the project. After we got involved, I spent a month there for pre-production and shooting. Flew from L.A. to Baltimore to Greenland and then took a helicopter to these glaciers about 200 kilometers into the Arctic Circle. We had a tiny crew. You could never do something like this in such a remote place with 35mm and Technocrane. That said, we did have a renegade paparazzo that got on a helicopter somehow. We threatened to leave him on the iceberg.

The Inuit man you see in the intro lived in the village near where we shot. He's the real deal —a fisherman hunting whales and seals there his whole life. Most of the Inuit were quite shy, so it was hard to get somebody to come out in traditional garb and be on camera.

Of course we were very careful to carbon offset whatever our production caused and all the money from the track is going to charity. I can't speak for Jared, of course, but I think this was his way of making a contribution to the environmental cause by making sure 30 Seconds To Mars fans knew what was going on. --> watch the video and learn more about the cause at aBeautifulLie.org

30 Seconds To Mars
"A Beautiful Lie" (Virgin)
Angakok Panipaq & Elliott Lester, directors | Yamani Watkins and Edy Enriquez, producers | Karma Kollective, production co | Casper Tuxen, DP | Richard Alacron, editor

SHOT: Ferras - P.R. Brown, director

Video set to world debut on the February 19 episode of American Idol  — presumably when some contestants are being sent back to America from Hollywood. Sneak Peek with behind the scenes footage available via YouTube.

artist: Ferras
song: "Hollywood's Not America"
label: Capitol
director(s): P.R. Brown
production co: Anonymous Content

BOOKED: Tristan Prettyman - Steven Oritt, director

artist: Tristan Prettyman
song: "Madly , Madly"
label: Virgin/Capitol
director(s): Steven Oritt
production co: Terrero Films
rep: Laure Scott

NEW RELEASE: Lenny Kravitz "I'll Be Waiting"

Perhaps having pushed his futuristic glam rock superstar vibe as far as possible, Lenny Kravitz gets back to something very organic and basic in this fist video off It's Time For A Love Revolution. The simple b&w clip finds Lenny handling all the instruments in the studio except for the orchestra, which he merely conducts. --> watch "I'll Be Waiting" via YouTube or Vh1.com (the YouTube one has a short intro)

Lenny Kravitz "I'll Be Waiting" (Virgin/Capitol)
Philip Andelman, director | Magali Selosse-Bishop, producer | Partizan, production co |Max Goldman, DP | Ken Mowe, editor

BOOKED: Dear Jayne - Sequoia, director

artist: Dear Jayne   
song: "Rain"
label: Music Line/Capitol
director(s): Sequoia
production co: Hidden Experience/The Filming Co.

SHOT: Dem Francize Boyz - Juwan Lee, director

artist: Dem Franchize Boyz
song: "Talkin' Out Da Side Of Ya Neck"
label: So So Def/Virgin/Capitol
director(s): Juwan Lee
production co: Triggerhappy/Uncle

SHOT: The Last Goodnight - Jay Martin, director

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

NEW RELEASE: Dave Gahan "Kingdom"

Over the course of a quarter century — largely as the frontman for the almost-legendary Depeche Mode — Dave Gahan has taken part in enough classic clips to be rightfully called a music video master alongside his usual partner-in-crime, director/photographer Anton Corbijn. For his latest solo single "Kindgom," director Jaron Albertin steps up to the synth-rock plate and delivers a modern, hypnagogic clip which is more than just pretty lights blinking on and off. Albertin's use of lights — in the garage, in the house, amongst the trees — signals a threshold being torn apart between what's real and what's yet to be. "Is there a kingdom beyond it all?" Gahan asks. Is there a reality that has yet to show itself? In this clip, that could be the case. (review by Kevin Holy) --> watch "Kingdom"

Dave Gahan "Kingdom" (Virgin/Capitol)
Jaron Albertin, director | Patrick Duguid, producer (UK) | Luke Joerger, producer (US) | Rokkit (UK)/SnapFilms (US), production co's | Kaspar Tuxen Andersen, DP | Paul Hardcastle @ Trim Editing UK, editor

BOOKED: Lenny Kravitz - Marc Webb, director

Lenny Kravitz returns with this video in support of his forthcoming album It's Time For A Love Revolution, due out February 5. "I'll Be Waiting" is set to shoot in NYC.

artist: Lenny Kravitz
song: "I'll Be Waiting"
label: Virgin/Capitol
director(s): Marc Webb
production co: DNA

NEW RELEASE: Interpol "No I In Threesome"

Seated beside a dying fire in the cold ruins of an old mansion, Interpol singer Paul Banks listens to the hollow notes played on an unmanned piano. While it may seem like the start of a nifty new horror flick, director Patrick Daughters instead treats us to a visionary and quite literal traipse through the looking glass in the band’s newest effort, “No I in Threesome”. There is no escape from this crumbling edifice, only introspection, as we are guided from the past through the present to an ultimately apocalyptic future in a long tracking shot. Like the song’s theme of a dying relationship, the mansion keeps us moving in an endless cycle where freedom might not be the ultimate desire. (review by Ced Esters) --> watch "No I In Threesome" plus a "making of" special

Interpol "No I In Threesome" (Capitol)
Patrick Daughters, director | Matthew Fone, producer | The Directors Bureau, production co | Denzil Armour Brown, DP | Joe Guest @ Final Cut London, editor | Oily Williams, art director

SHOT: Kylie Minogue - Dawn Shadforth, director

artist: Kylie Minogue
song: "2 Hearts" 
label: Capitol
director(s): Dawn Shadforth
production co: Little Minx @ Black Dog Films

BOOKED: J. Holiday - Jonathan Mannion, director

Shooting in Paris...

artist: J. Holiday
song: "Suffocate"
label: Capitol
director(s): Jonathan Mannion
production co: DNA
rep: Inga Veronique @ Sugar Management

BOOKED: Red Jumpsuit Apparatus - Shane Drake, director

artist: Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
song: "Your Guardian Angel" 
label: Virgin 
director(s): Shane Drake
production co: Red Van Pictures
rep: Labuda Management

note: Shane Drake is signed with Merge @ Crossroads

SHOT: Mae - Panoptic, directors

artist: Mae
song: "Sometimes I Can't Make It Alone"
label: Capitol
director(s): Panoptic
production co: Continuum Content
rep: Laure Scott Representation

NEW RELEASE: Interpol "The Heinrich Maneuver"

If there's anything one can say about the one-take, super slow-motion video, it's that it's hard to forget. The technique has only been done in music videos a few times before — by the likes of  Spike Jonze for Wax, Daniel Askill for Placebo and Peter Fowler for Pixies— and the impact is so solid each time it becomes hard to ever detach the song from its video. It's not surprising, since you're essentially watching a single image unfold for three minute. So here comes the latest entry: Interpol's "The Heinrich Maneuver," as directed by E. Elias Merhige. It's a slow, reverse zoom-out of a weirdly typical Hollywood scene of a pretty girl sadly distracted by a cell phone conversation and her own fabulousness. While three on-lookers react as they should to the video's looming conclusion, it's not enough to save this Hollywood victim as Merhige rather brutally brings his point home after 3 1/2 minutes. (review by Kevin Holy) --> watch "The Heinrich Maneuver" below...

Interpol "The Heinrich Maneuver" (Capitol)
E. Elias Merhige, director | Independent Media, production co | Mauro Fiore, DP | Mark Langley/The White House, editor

note: Independent Media is a production company (mainly commercials) that specializes in working with feature film directors, including Alfonso Cuaron, Doug Liman, Anthony Minghella and Sydney Pollack.

BOOKED: The Almost - Shane Drake, director

Director Shane Drake will be on a 10 day road trip across rural America for this video with The Almost...

artist: The Almost
song: "Southern Weather"
label: Tooth & Nail/Virgin/Capitol
director(s): Shane Drake
production co: Red Van Pictures

production note: Shane Drake is signed with Merge @ Crossroads; video is being run through his own Red Van Pictures

SHOT: The Last Goodnight - Marc Klasfeld, director

artist: The Last Goodnight
song: "Pictures Of You"
label: Capitol
director(s): Marc Klasfeld
production co: Rockhard Films
rep: Robin Frank Management
DP: Shawn Kim

SHOT: J. Holiday - Jonathan Mannion, director

artist: J. Holiday
song: "Bed"
label: Capitol
director(s): Jonathan Mannion
production co: DNA
rep: Inga Veronique/Sugar Management

BOOKED: The Starting Line - Jay Martin, director

artist: The Starting Line
song: "Island"
label: Virgin/Capitol
director(s): Jay Martin
production co: DNA

NEW RELEASE: LCD Soundsystem "All My Friends"

The best job in the music video world may be as an editor on a one-take clip. All that Final Cut, New York editor Carlos Arias had to do on this LCD Soundsystem video was helping pick a take to use and selecting when to fade in and out. Simple. Everything else, however, is pretty darn tricky. "All My Friends" starts with a focus on singer James Murphy as he intones the melodic vocals to the camera. Only twists are his odd make-up — a look that strikes me as mix of Peter Gabriel's "Shock The Monkey" video and David Bowie's Aladdin Sane guise — and some lens flares. The camera keeps pulling back to reveal the complete band — which is multiplied by strategically placed mirrors — and sudden rain and spark showers that bring Murphy close to Flashdance territory. --> watch "All My Friends" in Quicktime, Real or Windows Media plus a "Making Of" feature in Real or Windows Media

LCD Soundsystem "All My Friends" (DFA/Capitol)
Tom Kuntz, director | Kate Sutherland, producer | MJZ, production co | Joaquin Baca-Asay, DP | Carlos Arias / Final Cut, NY, editor

NEW RELEASES: Joss Stone "Tell Me What We're Gonna..."

Some videos just remind me of other videos, and this latest from the lovely Joss Stone and director Sanaa Hamri is a good example. "Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now" is a fresh and uplifting summer vid that features the singer walking down the boulevard making googly eyes at the camera — kind of like Jill Scott in "A Long Walk." These scenes are intercut with shots of Stone singing atop a bed of flowers, an image strongly reminiscent of Gwen Stefani's candy scenes in "Luxurious." Follow that with Joss walking to the park for an outdoor concert with Common and I'm struck with Lisa Loeb in "Someone You Should Know." All of this is for a good cause: All of Stone's proceeds from the video's sales at iTunes will support Product Red and its Global Fund. (review by Kevin Holy) --> watch "Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now"

Joss Stone feat. Common
"Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now" (Virgin/Capitol)
Sanaa Hamri, director/editor | Gina Leonard, producer | Anonymous Content, production co | Labuda Management, rep |Jim Fealey, DP 

BOOKED: Yellowcard - Lisa Mann, director

artist: Yellowcard
song: "Light Up The Sky"
label: Capitol
director(s): Lisa Mann
production co: The Revolver Film Co.
rep: Labuda Management

SHOT: Dierks Bentley - Charles Mehling, director

Shot in Texas, South Carolina and Arkansas...

artist: Dierks Bentley
song: "Free And Easy Down The Road I Go"
label: Capitol Nashville
director(s): Charles Mehling
production co: Streetgang Films
rep: Heidi Gregory Management

BOOKED: Relient K - Barnaby Roper, director

artist: Relient K
song: "The Best Thing"
label: Capitol
director(s): Barnaby Roper
production co: Collaboration Factory/Flynn Productions
rep: Laure Scott

NEW RELEASE: Holly Dolly "Dolly's Song"

When George W. Bush used his 2006 State Of The Union Address to warn us about manimals, he may have been talking about Holly Dolly. This donkey-headed babe has racked up over 2 million views on YouTube and has already become a big hit in Europe by basically following the exact same blueprint as Crazy Frog: Cartoonish, 3-D animation of anthropomorphic animals singing gibberish to a dance beat. Since meaningless syllables = no translation required and simplistic dance tunes = great ringtones, Holly Dolly will probably do just fine with its Capitol release in the U.S. and continue to snowball into a worldwide sensation. So, giddy up. --> watch "Dolly's Song (Levi's Polka)" at YouTube

BOOKED: Mims - Dale "Rage" Resteghini, director

artist: Mims
song: "Like This"   
label: Capitol Records Group
director(s): Dale "Rage" Resteghini
production co: Raging Nation Films
rep: Yell Productions

BOOKED: Saosin - Popcore, directors

Swedish directing team Popcore have been awarded their first US video since signing with Refused TV....

artist: Saosin
song: "You're Not Alone"
label: Capitol
director(s): Popcore
production co: Refused TV (US) / Popcorefilms (Sweden)

NEWS: Placebo Seeks Stars Via Motionbox.com

In bad news for casting couches, video sharing site Motionbox.com has teamed with Placebo and the Capitol Records Group  to collect footage for the band's next video. Fans are being called upon to film and then submit single-camera shots of themselves singing Placebo's new single, "Running Up That Hill," in its entirety.  Selected bits of the submitted footage will then be edited into a montage that will serve as the video for the tune.

Aspiring video stars can visit motionbox.com/placebo for full details — including links to download the instrumental version of the track and a copy of the lyrics. The "contest" ends April 6 and is limited to 1,000 entries.

NEW RELEASE: LCD Soundsystem "North American Scum"

This LCD Soundsystem video mashes up  2001: A Space Odyssey with one of the greatest sci-fi flicks of all time: The US moon landing. Or, maybe it's just an ode to those classic MTV moonman spots, with a DFA flag subbing in for the MTV logo. Either way, it's a pretty fun and smart clip that does the impossible: Not only does it make clear that the epic boredom within a space craft is not too dissimilar from what a rock star faces via countless promotional appearances, but it also features a raygun battle. --> watch "North American Scum" 

LCD Soundsystem "North American Scum" (DFA/Capitol)
Ben Dickinson, director | Cody Ryder, producer | Greencard Pictures, production co | Matthew Santo, DP | Graham Reznick, editor

NEW RELEASE: The Decemberists "O Valencia!"

What is it about the Pacific Northwest that breeds murderous tendencies, even among indie rockers? First you have Long Winters frontman John Roderick as a reclusive killer in "Fire Island, AK" and now you have Decemberists leader Colin Meloy as a ruthless renegade ready to flee town with his girlfriend, who happens to be the Boss' (think mafia, not Springsteen) daughter. His plan for a clean getaway is foiled by various factions hired by the aforementioned Boss to prevent their escape by any means necessary. Most of the styling is lovingly swiped from the work of director Wes Anderson — as was the case in director Aaron Stewart-Ahn's clip for the band's "16 Military Wives" — along with a little dash of Kill Bill for good measure. As for those who were curious about the results of the Decembersists' green screen challenge? It got them on The Colbert Report and a shitload of press. Wasn't that the point? --> watch "O Valencia!" (MTV.com)

The Decemberists "O Valencia!" (Capitol)
Aaron Stewart-Ahn, director | Sarah McMurray, producer | Food Chain Films/Otaku-House, production cos | Joe Meade, DP | Rob Ryang, editor

BOOKED: Keith Urban - Charles Mehling, director

Country star Keith Urban — who nearly became media roadkill thanks to his marriage to celebrity Nicole Kidman and subsequent stint in rehab — will be shooting a video on-location in Cape Town, South Africa,

artist: Keith Urban
song: "I Told You So"
label: Capitol Nashville
director(s): Charles Mehling
production co: Streetgang Films

SHOT: Dierks Bentley - Charles Mehling, director

Director Charles Mehling (back row, fifth from left, red shirt, cowboy hat — you'll find him), country star Dierks Bentley (back row, centerish — this is kind of like Where's Waldo, huh?) on-location at a prison in Cuernavaca, Mexico with the "Long Trip Alone" video crew and some of the guards.

artist: Dierks Bentley
song: "Long Trip Alone"
label: Capitol Nashville
director(s): Charles Mehling
production co: Streetgang Films

NEW RELEASE: Saosin "Voices"

Kids stare down the camera as they try to find a mental escape from their unpleasant, yet all too common circumstances in this new video for Saosin. The portraitures are mixed in with dramatically lit footage of the band playing this hit tune. --> watch "Voices"

Saosin "Voices" (Capitol)
Christopher Sims, director/editor | Mark Allan Staubach, producer | HSI, production co | Jessica Young, DP

NEW RELEASE: The Beatles "Tomorrow/Within"

Although The Beatles predated the birth of music videos by many many year, they're still responsible for some of the most memorable combinations of music and sound, be it the early madcap films Help and Hard Day's Night, the Yellow SubmarineLove cartoon or even the classic final, rooftop performance. The new Cirque De Soleil/Beatles Las Vegas extravaganza  doesn't betray that legacy. While the remixed mash-ups created  by "fifth" Beatle George Martin and his son Giles Martin don't quite hold up as anything more than a puzzle to be solved by discerning fans, or an album-length mix perfectly suited for more casual listeners. That said, the fidelity and sonics of it blow away any of the currently available proper versions of their albums, and the experience of hearing it in the theater at The Mirage is as close as you're gonna get to hearing the masters in the recording studio. This video for the "Within You Without You/Tomorrow Never Knows" melange smartly avoids just providing clips from the Cirque De Soleil production, which is a pretty thrilling live experience that would certainly lose lots of its grandeur when scaled down to TV or the Internet. Unfortunately, all we get in exchange is what amounts to a kaleidoscope screen saver that incorporates imagery of the band. Its not necessarily  bad, but it's not too exciting, nor anywhere as adventurous and creative as the show itself. --> watch "Within You Without You/Tomorrow Never Knows"  at YouTube or Beatles.com

The Beatles
"Within You Without You/Tomorrow Never Knows" (Capitol)
Simon Hilton, director | Astrid Edwards, producer
Maguffin, production co

BOOKED: Relient K - Marc Webb, director

artist: Relient K
song: "Must Have Done Something Right" 
label: Capitol
director(s): Marc Webb
production co: DNA

PHOTO: Saosin and Director Christopher Sims

Director Christopher Sims (third from left, in the hat) with Capitol rock band Saosin on the set of a new video for the hit, "Voices." The video was shot on legendary Stage 28 at Universal Studios.

Sims is signed with Timecode Entertainment. This video is being co-produced with HSI.

BOOKED: The Decemberists - Aaron Stewart-Ahn, director

Sorry all you green screeners, another version of "O Valencia!" has been commissioned with director Aaron Stewart-Ahn, who also did the band's video for "16 Military Wives."

artist: The Decemberists
song: "O Valencia!"
label: Capitol
director(s): Aaron Stewart-Ahn
production co: Food Chain Films

BOOKED: Saosin - Christopher Sims, director

Christopher Sims is directing a new version of Saosin's "Voices" to replace the live clip that is currently airing.

artist: Saosin
song: "Voices"
label: Capitol
director(s): Christopher Sims
production co: Timecode Entertainment/HSI

BOOKED: Dierks Bentley - Charles Mehling, director

Shooting in Mexico...

artist: Dierks Bentley
song: "Long Trip Alone"
label: Capitol Nashville
director(s): Charles Mehling
production co: Streetgang Films

NEWS: mtvU Decemberists Contest

Those who lost out on the Colbert Green Screen Challenge can now heed the call of The Decemberists via this mtvU Re-Animate The Decemberists contest. Contestants can download the "unfinished green screen reference master" from the aborted clip for "O Valencia!" and do what you will with it. Submissions and completed entry forms must be submitted to Capitol Records by December 15. The winning clip will be debuted on mtvU and mtvU.com. The winner will also get a new iMac Intel Core 2 Duo.

Complete information and materials are at the mtvU's Re-Animate The Decemberists page.

SHOT: J Holiday - Juwan Lee, director

Shot in J Holiday's hometown, Washington, D.C.

artist: J Holiday
song: "Be With Me"   
label: Capitol 
director(s): Juwan Lee
production co: F.M. Rocks

IN DEPTH: Sean Lennon "Friendly Fire"

Considering that anything Sean Lennon creates is immediately compared with the work of his father John Lennon —  aka one of the greatest songwriters and most famous figures of all time — it's not surprising that eight years have passed since his debut album, Into The Sun. His new release, Friendly Fire, finds him in a distinctly different head space than what permeated Into The Sun. Gone is the light-hearted genre-hopping, replaced with a more melancholic sound that mixes strains of his father's distinctive timbre with the West Coast singer-songwriter vibe most associated with producer/musician Jon Brion — who performs on the album. Maybe it's a reaction to the critical attention he's always been subject to; Maybe it's all due to the tragic, romantic triangle he found himself in while working on the songs.

Accompanying the new album is a DVD that ties together videos for each song on the album. Utilizing a variety of styles — the main reference points seem to be all foreign films, especially those directed by Federico Fellini — Lennon stars alongside a cast of well-known starlets, including Lindsay Lohan, Jordana Brewster, Devon Aoki, Asia Argento and his real life ex-girlfriend Bijou Phillips. Quintessence Films director Michele Civetta took some time out from working on his movie Coin Locker Babies to discuss the video accompaniments to Friendly Fire.

Video Static: Let's start at the start... How did the project come together?

Michele Civetta: I've been working on a film called Coin Locker Babies, based on the novel by Japanese writer Ryu Murakami for a number of years. Sean is a big fan of the novel and got involved with the project a few years back. This fall I decided to shoot a camera test for the film with my DP Steve Gainer and it ended up becoming the "Parachute" video. We had such a blast shooting it on an ultra shoestring budget that Sean came back and suggested we shoot a video for every track on the record. We initially planned to create ten autonomous videos, but we're both fans of overindulgent '70s rock odysseys like Tommy, The Wall, and Head, so it evolved into more of a conceptual accompaniment for the record.

VS: I didn't notice a lot of the typical elements or influences from music videos in these clips. They’re definitely not edited or shot like traditional music videos.

MC: Film references were stronger as that is really where my heart is. I like videos a lot, but I've always been more compelled by the more narrative driven ones of yesteryear. If anything, there is a tinge of influence from Hipgnosis, Storm Thorgersons' design team that's responsible for a ton of the Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and Edgar Broughton Band artwork.

VS: Even beyond the focus on narrative though, I noticed the way the shots linger and the lack of quick edits. Those things are pretty antithetical to the usual music video structure.

MC: It's easy to make images compelling when you chop them up in a Cuisinart. There is something to be said for long takes. Also the music is very melodic and orchestral so it didn't call for quick rhythmic edits.

VS: The transition between the pieces is usually that TV with the fireplace within... Seemed kind of mysterious.

MC: The TV in the house was a final interstitial element we shot while editing the finished film... The fire image is a play on the record's title. The other idea is that the fire in the TV is primal and it represents mankind and civilization, but when projected through the cathode ray tube it takes on an alien presence. Kind of like the monolith in 2001: A Space Odyssey. It's an object used in the videos to transcend time and act as a virtual rabbit hole of sorts.

VS: So, there's not really a narrative tying these together, is there?

MC: The project would have been approached differently if it was a true concept record. Many of the songs have been written over the years and then a few of the final tracks, including "Friendly Fire," were written around the time we filmed “Parachute” and while Sean was finishing the record. One of our best friends Max LeRoy died in a motorcycle accident and Sean wrote the title track "Friendly Fire," about him. The song references the betrayal and affair that occurred between Max and [Sean Lennon’s girlfriend at the time] Bijou Phillips. There is a real sadness in the song, since it was Sean's way of processing his feelings; It was almost a first attempt towards reconciliation with our friend and then a week later he was gone.

VS: And the video for that song is definitely the DVD’s centerpiece in terms of the narrative.

MC: We wanted it to anchor the sensibilities, since everything else is so quixotic and bizarre. It seemed like an obvious choice to make that film be the reality from which all the others are stemming.  That Sean and Bijou re-enacted their breakup and betrayal seemed like it was taking a real bite out of the postmodern construct of the concept; I thought it was uniquely brave of them both.

VS: Absolutely. It's one thing to reference a break-up for artistic purposes. It's another thing to cast yourself and your ex for the re-enactment. You also have an acting roll in the fictional version with Lindsay Lohan, right? [see photo at right with Lohan, Lennon and Civetta]

MC: Yeah, that was more of a gag. We had a scheduling change and one of our actors couldn't show. Since it was supposed to be a French New Wave ultra arty homage of the breakup story, it was a perfect subject for parody. We decided I should act and Sean should direct the scene. It just felt appropriately irreverent and a bit of cosmic retribution for the torture that Sean was being put through on a daily basis (learning how to swordfight, rollerskate, etc.)

VS: It was also interesting how Sean is constantly cast as the underdog in these videos and that he doesn't always emerge as the hero.

MC: Yeah, I think that was wholly intentional. Sean is a strange amalgamation. He is very brave and heroic, but I think that many of the videos played on subconscious undercurrents. What was terrific about the project was that we had so many opportunities to put Sean's personality on display and this character is very similar to who he really is in life with his friends; a total goof.

VS: I can totally imagine the scene where a schmuck in a movie theatre line says, "Hey Julian, I love your work" to him being directly taken from real life.

MC: Happens all the time when we're together. I've also heard people come up and unknowingly say, “Hey man, you look like John Lennon!” But, as Sean says, it's the ones who come up and want to talk about his Mom that you have to really watch out for.

VS: The ones that invite him to primal therapy sessions?

MC: Exactly

VS: That self-awareness and self-deprecating humor is definitely evident throughout all the videos. Like, when Sean calls it "a series of shorts that quite simply fall short" while in line for the movie.

MC: That is a typical play on words for Sean. He is always twisting speech in funny, anachronistic ways. I don't think he took the project overly serious as a grand statement. It was really an attempt to create a bunch of different little statements and experiments. Also, we couldn't help but reference the semi-pretentious nature of making ten films about oneself.

--> Watch the Friendly Fire trailer. There is also a video for "Dead Meat" which compiles clips from the full piece.

Sean Lennon Friendly Fire (Capitol)
Michele Civetta, director | Manu Gargi & Griffin Marcus, producers | Quintessence Films, production co | Bryan Newman, DP | Steve Gainer, DP for "Parachute" | Josh Ferrazano/Thought Crime & Jenny Golden/Nuncle Group, editors

NEW RELEASE: Lily Allen "Smile"

What makes Lily Allen smile? Revenge, of course. After sitting around and eating her sadness, Lily hatches a plan in which she not only gets back at her ex, but also gets him back in her life. Without ruining any twists, I can tell you that the scheme involves hiring some local hooligans to to mug him and trash his flat, while she doses him with a laxative. -- watch "Smile" in Quicktime, Real or Windows Media

Lily Allen "Smile" (Capitol)
Sophie Muller, director/editor | Rob Small, producer | Factory Films UK @ Oil Factory, production co | Ben Moulden, DP

NEW RELEASE: Lily Allen "LDN"

Lily Allen
"LDN" (Capitol in the US / Parlophone in the UK)
Nima Nourizadeh, director | Grace Bodie, producer | Partizan, production co | Ben Moulden, DP | Dan Sherwen, editor | Description: After striking out on her quest for music that sounds exactly like her own at the legendary Rough Trade — I mean, Tough Grade — record shop, Lily Allen receives an unexpected phone call that sets her off on a jaunt around London. Despite the song's chipper melody and Allen's sunny aura, her perspective is best summed up by the lyric " When you look with your eyes everything seems nice, but if you look twice you can see it's all lies." In other words, nothing is at it seems. The simply quarreling couple is actually a pimp and his crack whore; The young Good Samaritan is actually mugging a woman, not helping her. Even the knight in shining armor calling up to a young lady's window is actually being tossed out on his ass. And, it becomes pretty clear as the video progresses that her dark perspective is indeed the reality. -- watch "LDN"at YouTube

SHOT: The Decemberists - Cat Solen, director

Pictured with The Decemberists on the green screen set: Director Cat Solen (third from left), producer Clint Cowan (far right), rep Justine Smith of Stompbox Media (bottom row, center) and DP Tarin Anderson (bottom row, right).

artist: The Decemberists
song: "O Valencia!"
label: Capitol
director(s): Cat Solen
production co: Partizan
rep: Stompbox Media

BOOKED: Chingy - Erik White, director

artist: Chingy feat. Jermaine Dupri
song: "Dem Jeans"
label: Capitol
director(s): Erik White
production co: F.M. Rocks
rep: Milk & Honey

NEW RELEASE: OK Go "Here It Goes Again"

OK Go
"Here It Goes Again" (Capitol)
Description: If this rock 'n' roll thing doesn't work out for the guys of OK Go, they could enjoy potentially lucrative careers as dancers, or marketing executives, or insane fitness instructors, or mimes. OK, the mime work probably doesn't pay well. But, this homemade viral video for "Here It Goes Again" is ridiculously impressive, surpassing the routine from their similarly silly dance  video for "A Million Ways." This time they incorporate several treadmills and many dangerous, elaborate moves that make you wonder how many hours went into perfecting it. As an added bonus, the video coincides with a contest which challenges you (yes, you) to create your own dance for their last single, "A Million Ways." And if you're a real completist, you can read this article on the new video from the L.A. Times, or listen to an NPR story that features singer/guitarist Damian Kulash and his sister/choreographer Trish Sie on the old video. -- watch "Here It Goes Again" (YouTube link)

BOOKED: Hedley - Kevin De Freitas, director

artist: Hedley
song: "Gunnin' "
label: Universal Canada (band signed to Capitol in US)
director(s): Kevin De Freitas
production co: Blink Pictures

NEW RELEASE: The Panic Channel "Why Cry"

The Panic Channel
"Why Cry" (Capitol)
Robert Hales, director | Shelli Jury, producer | HSI, production co | Ken Mowe, editor | Description: "Why Cry" when you can just get revenge? That's the situation in this debut video from The Panic Channel — which is essentially the latter-day Jane's Addiction, but with newcomer Steve Isaacs replacing Perry Farrell with a more polished, traditional voice and persona. The video starts with a woman viewing an amateur porno flick starring her boyfriend and a dumb slut. After exorcising some of the anger and sadness by creating a huge multimedia mural — which actually took six full days for the art department to construct — she decides to put the footage to good use by uploading it to a website for the whole world to see. -- watch "Why Cry"

NEW RELEASE: The Vines "Anysound"

The Vines
"Anysound" (Capitol)
Olivier Gondry, director | Carly Hirsch, producer | Partizan, production co | Description: The Vines skip this performance video in favor of letting some Team America style puppets play their roles. -- watch "Anysound"

NEW RELEASE: Corrine Bailey Rae "Put Your Records On"

Corrine Bailey Rae
"Put Your Records On" (Good Groove/Capitol)
Sam Brown, director | Jacob Madsen, producer | Flynn Productions, production co | Description: Although Corrine Bailey Rae is being embraced big time by such outlets as VH1 Soul and BET J, the singer has a potential appeal far beyond the neo-soul marketplace. This acoustic vibe of the song and especially Rae's scratchy, soulful voice has more in common with Feist and other singers associated with alternative or  trip-hop acts. The video is a simple, summery affair: Rae leads a pack of women on a bike ride before veering off into a field to enjoy a little bit of freedom and release. -- watch "Put Your Records On" in Quicktime, Real or Windows Media

BOOKED: Chingy - Erik White, director

Rap star Chingy preps his new album Hood Star with a video featuring appearances by JD, Tyrese and Letoya.

artist: Chingy
song: "Pulling Me Back"
label: Capitol
director(s): Erik White
production co: F.M. Rocks
rep: Milk & Honey

NEW RELEASE: LeToya "Torn"

LeToya
"Torn" (Capitol)
Chris Robinson, director | Meredith Welsch, producer | HSI , production co | Robin Frank Management, rep | Don Davis, DP | Description: Original Destiny's Child member LeToya Luckett returns with this fashionable video which finds her "Torn" between sticking with her man, or kicking him to the curb for being a broke cheater. All you relationship experts can watch the video at to BET.com and vote for your preferred ending.

NEW RELEASE: Cherish "Do It To It"

Cherish
"Do It To It" (Sho'Nuff/Capitol)
Benny Bo0m, director | Gina Leonard, producer | F.M. Rocks production co | Description:  If you're a parent in a music video, do not warn the kids to not throw a party. It's pointless. As soon as their parents are out the door, sister r&b quartet Cherish are inviting their friends over for some fun. Guests include guest rapper Sean Paul of YoungBloodz, Sho'Nuff label head Jazze Pha and Ying Yang Twins rapper D-Roc. The video also features s special Snap dance, which you can learn through a behind the scenes feature  (available in QuickTime, Real or Windows Media). -- watch "Do It To It" in QuickTime, Real or Windows Media

NEW RELEASE: The Vines "Don't Listen To The Radio"

The Vines
"Don't Listen To The Radio" (Capitol)
Mathematics, directors | Mathematics, production co | Description: The Vines return after a brief hiatus with a typically catchy and competent altenative rock nugget about trashing your radios, phones and TVs in favor of some good, old-fashioned human contact. Naturally, the video matches the sentiment of the song: Basic performance vid elements like massive light banks, smoke machines and a grainy b&w stock are treated with just enough touches — namely, some unusually artful camera moves, CG vines that grow across the screen, and dramatic lighting — to keep things interesting. -- watch "Don't Listen To The Radio" in QuickTime, Real and Windows Media

BOOKED: LeToya - Chris Robinson, director

Former Destiny's Child member LeToya Luckett will be making her solo video debut with "Torn." The shoot is scheduled for early April in L.A., with Chris Robinson directing.

artist: LeToya
song: "Torn"
label: Capitol
director(s): Chris Robinson
production co: HSI
rep: Robin Frank Management

BOOKED: The Vines - Olivier Gondry, director

Olivier Gondry will be creating a video for the lead track off the new Vines album, Vision Valley. "Anysound" will primarily consist of a stop-motion animated performance by miniature replicas of the band members.

artist: The Vines
song: "Anysound"
label: Capitol
director(s): Olivier Gondry
production co: Partizan

SHOT: Yellowcard - Marc Webb, director

artist: Yellowcard
song: "Rough Landing, Holly"
label: Capitol
director(s): Marc Webb
production co: DNA

NEW RELEASE: Dilated Peoples "Back Again"

Dilated Peoples "Back Again" Capitol
Jason Goldwach, director
Decon, production co
Description: Hip-hop collective Dilated Peoples add another creative video to their library with "Back Again." Director Jason Goldwach plays off the song title with a circular motif: The main performance set-up is on a rooftop where the group's rappers, Evidence and Rakaa, take strolls around the roof's perimeter and back to the original spot. Each revolution is differentiated by different props and gags, such as a giant check, a group of soldiers, fish tanks, a confession booth and even a small rainstorm. Also enlivening the clip are a few guest stars — most notably B-Real of Cypress Hill — and an outro segment that teases another track from the group's upcoming album 20/20.

NEW RELEASE: Coldplay "Talk"

Coldplay "Talk" Capitol
Anton Corbijn, director
Laura Kanerick, producer
Anton Corbijn LTD, production co
Description: If you think Coldplay are an absolutely humorless bunch, the video for "Talk" may change your mind. Take the opening band shot, for example. There they are, wearing dorky 3D glasses as they sit in a pretend spaceship. Their craft then touches down on a strange planet where Chris Martin and co. scout out the new terrain like a bunch of boys on their first camping trip. Their explorations bear fruit when they stumble upon a giant, clunky robot that they bring to life. It's all a little bit ridiculous (purposely so, of course), but it does capture the innocent, heartfelt and searching nature of the lyrics. Oh, and if you still think Coldplay are a bunch of blowhards, you can at least take delight in the closing scenes when their flying saucer gets eaten by the robot. "Talk" has been added to the Colplayer at Coldplay.com (requires free registration).

NEW RELEASE: The Dandy Warhols "All the Money..."

The Dandy Warhols "All the Money Or The Simple Life Honey" Capitol
Tomorrow's Brightest Minds, directors
Oil Factory, production co
Description: Imagine that The Dandy Warhols aren't the bohemians they make themselves out to be and are really nothing more, or less, than average working stiffs. "All The Money of The Simple Life Honey" is based on that premise, but takes things even further by supposing that the act of rocking is something that can be done like a job in an office. The video starts with singer/guitarist Courtney Taylor dealing with the wife and kids as he rushes like mad to get out of house, into his mini van and to the office. Once at the workplace,  he gets down to business by leading The Dandys in performance from their separate cubicles. Thankfully, the power of rock is still in evidence even at an office, as evidenced by a secretary who cuts loose and dances along to the music. Watch "All The Money..." at The Dandy Warhols' video page.

NEW RELEASE: Yellowcard "Lights And Sounds"

Yellowcard "Lights And Sounds" Capitol
Marc Webb, director
Gina Leonard, producer
DNA, production co
Description: Yellowcard return sto the small screen with this performance clip, shot inside a sort of cube stage that features different types of lighting on each interior wall.

NEW RELEASE: Morningwood "Nth Degree"

Morningwood "Nth Degree" Capitol
Adam Neustadter & Peter McCoubrey, directors
Emily Wiedermann, producer
Wormseye Films, production co
@radical.media, production co
Luke McCoubrey, DP
Peter McCoubrey, editor
Description: There aren't many rock bands that can be easily summed up in one word, and of those, Moringwood is the only one that lays claim to the word "fun." This second video off the NYC band's self-titled debut album is a romp through a used record bin. Each album pulled from the crate  comes to life  with Morningwood appearing in whatever guise appropriate to the album's band or genre. Singer Chantal Claret and her bandmates don full-on metal gear to evoke a typical metal album cover (think Manowar, if you must), disco duds for a nod to the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack record, plus homages to albums from The Ramones, Kraftwerk, Master P and much, much more.
    Although this isn't the first album cover music video homage  — The Shins recreated several indie rock album covers in "New Slang" and director Phil Harder created similar works for Cornershop's "Brimful Of Asha" and Liz Phair's "Why Can't I" — visual effects studio Guava and directors Peter McCoubrey and Adam Neustadter of Wormseye Films deliver something that's both unique from those earlier videos and fun enough to stand up to the enthusiastic bombast of Morningwood. You can watch "Nth Degree" at morningwoodrocks.com.

SHOT: Yellowcard - Marc Webb, director

artist: Yellowcard
song: "Lights And Sounds"
label: Capitol
director(s): Marc Webb
production co: DNA

NEW RELEASE: Liz Phair "Everything To Me"

Liz Phair "Everything To Me" Capitol
Phil Harder, director
Rick Fuller, producer
Harder-Fuller Films, production co
Labuda Management, rep
Tom Marvel, DP
Jagged Edge, MPLS., post
Description: Indie rock geeks should be used to not getting it both ways (or any ways, for that matter) by now. Yes, this song finds Liz Phair veering even more distant from the style that made her debut album Exile In Guysville an instant classic. But, some of your dreams may be answered with this video, thanks to a mid performance rainstorm that allows for a long-awaited  "wet her down" moment . Liz and her band perform in a massive warehouse/hangar. First it starts to rain inside the cavernous space, which is a typical form of music video precipitation. But, then it  actually starts to snow inside, which is a rarer thing indeed.

NEW RELEASE: Relient K "Who I Am Hates Who I've Been"

Relient K "Who I Am Hates Who I've Been" Gotee/Capitol
Jon Watts, director
Dave Robertson, producer
Smuggler, production co
Labuda Management, rep
Matthew Santo, DP
Duncan Skiles, editor
Description: A young woman discovers she has the power to make time stand still, speed forward or even run backwards all based on her movements. When she stops walking, everything around her freezes until she makes another move. If she goes forward a couple steps, then everything moves a few clicks as well. A couple steps backwards, however, causes everything to go in reverse. This leads to a couple of weird, and potentially dangerous circumstances as she makes her way through a town. Relient K, meanwhile, are unaffected as they perform on a rooftop.

SHOT: The Dandy Warhols - Tomorrow's Brightest Minds, directors

Tommorow's Brightest Minds imagine "what if" The Dandy Warhols still had day jobs. This videos showcases the Dandys as typical working stiff suburbanites with the exception that they get to rock out while at the office.

artist: The Dandy Warhols
song: "All The Money Or The Simple Life Honey"
label: Capitol
director(s): Tomorrow's Brightest Minds
production co: Oil Factory

NEW RELEASE: The Magic Numbers "Forever Lost" - Trunk, director

The Magic Numbers "Forever Lost" Capitol
Trunk, director
Jo Phipps, producer
Trunk Animation, production co
Description: Artist Pete Fowler's caricatures of garage pop/rock band The Magic Numbers come to giddy life in this video. Cartoon alter-egos of the band members wake up and start posting band flyers all around their town. Just when it seems like they're about to be replaced by flyers of newer bands, The Magic Numbers come upon a TV that is playing their live-action performance of this tune. They quickly purchase the TV and use it as a very effective tool to draw in new fans.

BOOKED: Lisa Marie Presley - Patrick Hoelck, director

The video for "Idiot" will feature Lisa Marie Presley on a determined mission to confront the person who inspired such tart lyrics as "You're an idiot and I hate your guts." Who is it? You'll have to watch video's surprise ending to find that out.

artist: Lisa Marie Presley
song: "Idiot"
label: Capitol
director(s): Patrick Hoelck
production co: Merge @ Crossroads
rep: LaBuda Management

NEW RELEASE: Mack 10 feat. Nate Dogg "Like This"

Mack 10 feat. Nate Dogg "Like This" Capitol
Benny Boom, director
Roger Urbina, producer
F.M. Rocks, production co
T. David, editor
Description: The jumping off point for this video is Mack 10's instruction book on how to live according to "The G-Code." As a group of kids flip through chapters on Respect, The Homies and The Hood Rats, the video cuts to vignettes that illustrate the lessons.

NEW RELEASE: Paul McCartney "Fine Line"

Paul McCartney "Fine Line" Capitol
Simon Hilton, director/editor
James Chads, producer
Maguffin, production co
Description: Although Sir Paul McCartney counts down the intro to this song as if he was getting his bandmates in perfect time, don't be fooled. He's just talking to himself. McCartney played almost all the instruments on his new album Chaos And Creation In The Backyard and he does the same here. We see the legend in a recording studio where he lays down every instrument that's on the track, including piano, guitar, bass and even drums.

BOOKED: Morningwood - Wormseye, directors

Shooting this week in NYC...

artist: Morningwood
song: "Nth Degree"
label: Capitol
director(s): Wormseye
production co: @radical.media

NEW RELEASE: The Redwalls "Thank You"

The Redwalls "Thank You" Capitol
Scott Lyons, director
Oil Factory, production co
Description: It's tempting to say this Redwalls track sounds like The Beatles circa Let It Be, but with  David Bowie on vocals. Obviously that's the kind of comparison that no band could possibly live up to, but Chicago quartet The Redwalls do have a kind of soulful, dixie-tinged rock vibe that sounds instantly vintage. Not surprisingly, the "Thank You" video has a retro feel to it as well. The band members wear thrift shop threads as they perform on a stage that seems pulled from a late 60's variety show. Photos from a night out at a club are interspersed until the last third of the video, when the band's fans walk onto the performance space to cheer them on.

SHOT: Ebony Eyez - Benny Boom & Juwan Lee, directors

This video for St. Louis rapper Ebony Eyez was shot on-location in Atlanta, which is the hometown of the video's special guests from r&b quartet 112.

artist: Ebony Eyez feat. Slim & Q of 112
song: "Take Me Back"
label: Capitol
director(s): Benny Boom & Juwan Lee
production co: F.M. Rocks
rep: Milk & Honey

NEW RELEASE: Supergrass "St. Petersburg"

Supergrass "St. Petersburg" Capitol
Borkur Sigthorsson, directors
Factory Films UK, production co
Description: This video gets a lot of mileage out of smooth camera movements that let the viewer see close this Supergrass performance from a wide variety of angles.

NEW RELEASE: Coldplay "Fix You"

Coldplay "Fix You" Capitol
Sophie Muller, director
Factory Films UK, production co (Oil Factory in the USA)
Description: There's something eerie about this new Coldplay video. The languorous slow motion footage of singer Chris Martin walking through quiet London streets certainly adds a hypnotic feel, but there's something more to it than that. Maybe it's the chance juxtaposition of Martin's lyrics as he walks by the Kings Cross subway station, the site of the recent bombing attack. Maybe it's the colored light blocks reflected on the nearby buildings, surely delivering a message in the same Baudot code used on the X&Y cover. Martin breaks the spell a bit when he picks up the pace and sprints his way to join his band mates at a stadium gig. By that point, however, the song is in full crescendo and the massive sing-a-long performance sequence serves as a great emotional release.

BOOKED: Relient K - Jon Watts, director

This video will take place in a strange world where the direction in which one person walks affects the movements of everything around him.

artist: Relient K
song: "Who I Am Hates Who I've Been"
label: Capitol
director(s): Jon Watts
production co: Smuggler

NEW RELEASE: OK Go "A Million Ways"

OK Go "A Million Ways" Capitol
OK Go, directors
Description: Torrance Community Dance Group, consider yourselves warned. OK Go practically wrap up the 2006 VMA choreography award with this dance extravaganza. Using the disco funk underpinnings of this new wave rock track as inspiration, the four members of OK Go set a camcorder on a tripod and perform this elaborate dance routine in the backyard. Dorky? Yes. Absolutly brilliant? You betcha.

NEW RELEASE: The Dandy Warhols "Smoke It"

The Dandy Warhols "Smoke It" Capitol
Courtney Taylor-Taylor , director
Description: The Dandy Warhols pump out this garage rocker on a carnivalesque soundstage to an audience of dogs. Some of the pups wear party hats and others are so moved by the song that they get a little randy. Dandy frontman Courtney Taylor-Taylor directed the very casual and light-hearted clip himself.

BOOKED: Jazze Pha & Cee-Lo - Fat Cats, directors

Jazze Pha and Cee-Lo plan to get the party started at several clubs in the Buckhead section of Atlanta for this video.

artist: Jazze Pha & Cee-Lo
song: "Happy Hour"
label: Capitol
director(s): Fat Cats
production co: F.M. Rocks

NEW RELEASE: Idlewild "Love Steals Us From Loneliness"

Idlewild "Love Steals Us From Loneliness" Capitol
Jamie Thraves director
Sally Llewelyn, producer
Oil Factory, production co
Description: Idlewild singer Roddy Woomble is the kind of boyfriend who wishes you a Happy Birthday and then asks if you're lonely yet. The star of the clip is Irish actress Alexandra McGuinness and she seems completely unfazed and unaffected (i.e. happy and free-spirited) by the mopey introspection that engulfs Woomble. All in all it's not quite as gleefully miserable as The Smiths' "Unhappy Birthday," but it's just as good a tune.

NEW RELEASE: Morningwood "Jetsetter"

Morningwood "Jetsetter" Capitol
Wormseye, directors
@radical.media, production co
Description: Morningwood singer Chantal Claret takes a monster riff to the next level through sheer enthusiasm and attitude. Oh, and tits. Did I mention tits? Claret appears in a series of set pieces that each transition smoothly to the next. First she's in her bedroom writing a letter and then she's jetting to join her band in performance. Once on stage she loses control and let's it all hang out, thereby resulting in a nice homage to jailhouse rock.

NEW RELEASE: Faith Evans "Mesmerized"

Faith Evans "Mesmerized" Capitol
Bryan Barber, director
Gina Leonard, producer
F.M. Rocks, production co
Description: Faith Evans channels several classic funk and r&b tunes in this track off The First Lady. The video spotlights performance with a huge band inside an ornate, yet definitely hip space.

BOOKED: Mack 10 - Benny Boom, director

Mack 10 will deliver a lesson in how to live according to "The G-Code" in this upcoming video.

artist: Mack 10
song: "LIke This"
label: Capitol
director(s): Benny Boom
production co: F.M. Rocks

NEW RELEASE: Marjorie Fair "Empty Room"

Marjorie Fair "Empty Room"  Capitol
Michael Palmieri, director/editor
Dave Robertson, producer
A Band Apart, production company
Description: The singer of Marjorie Fair tries to ride a bicycle across the desert while dragging a powerful magnet that keeps attracting all sorts of large items that inevitably slow him down.

NEW RELEASE: Shelby Lynne "Go With It"

Shelby Lynne "Go With It" Capitol
no director credited
Description: A mix of recording studio footage with a restrained live performance by country artist Shelby Lynne and band.

NEW RELEASE: Ebony Eyez "In Ya Face"

Ebony Eyez "In Ya Face"  Capitol
Life Garland, director
Karen McCarthy, producer
INI Creations, production company
Labuda Management, rep
Description: Spend a weekend with sexy rapper Ebony Eyez in this debut video. Ebony first gets attention at an underground club and then turns heads at an afternoon BBQ party and a May Day parade in St. Louis the next day. The song changes and the video moves to a set piece for a tacked-on outro segment.

NEW RELEASE: Czar Nok "Pimp Tight"

Czar Nok "Pimp Tight"  Capitol
J. Jess, director
F. Mosca, producer
Sandstone Films, production company
B. Eras, DP
J. Morena, editor
Description: The duo of Hayczar and Enok get some new threads to enable them to strengthen their pimp hand. Once appropriately attired, they attend a fashion show and then a nightclub where they mix with the hot models. ("J. Jess" is presumably short for director J. Jesses Smith)

NEW RELEASE: Megadeth "Kill The King"

Megadeth "Kill The King"  Capitol/EMI Music Marketing
Description: A fitting video to support a Greatest Hits album. "Kill The King" consists almost entirely of existing live footage and some of the greatest moments from Megadeth's videography, all edited together. The video is included on a bonus DVD that comes with the band's Greatest Hits: Back To The Start package.

SHOT: The Redwalls - Scott Lyon, director

artist: The Redwalls
song: "Thank You"
label: Capitol
director(s): Scott Lyon
production co: Oil Factory

SHOT: Faith Evans - Bryan Barber, director

Faith Evans performs with her band in front of a dazzling light wall in this upcoming video.

artist: Faith Evans
song: "Mesmerized"
label: Capitol
director(s): Bryan Barber
production co: F.M. Rocks

BOOKED: OK Go - Olivier Gondry, director

This multiple camera shoot will showcase an OK Go performance at a very stylized party space.

artist: OK Go
song: "Do What You Want"
label: Capitol
director(s): Olivier Gondry
production co: Partizan

NEW RELEASE: Fischerspooner "Never Win"

Fischerspooner "Never Win"  Capitol
Warren Fischer & Jon Kane, directors
Opticnerve, production company
Jon Kane & Warren Fischer,  editors
Description: The latest videos from this NYC electro/art outfit is a series of strange set pieces. In one, singer Casey Spooner leads a band that changes between children and all grown up players, while in another he gets a bottle smashed on his head. Also added into the mix are several costume changes, face make-up and dancers/athletes who freeze in midair.

NEW RELEASE: Coldplay "Speed Of Sound"

Coldplay "Speed Of Sound"  Anonymous
Mark Romanek, director
Aris McGarry, producer
Anonymous Content, production company
Harris Savides, DP
Adam Pertofsky, editor
Laura Fox, production designer
Description: Coldplay perform "Speed Of Sound" in front of a massive LED rig which displays light patterns that get busier and more colorful as the song crescendos.

NEW RELEASE: Doves "Snowden"

Doves "Snowden" Capitol
Dominic Leung, director
Claire Oxley, producer
Description: Doves perform this atmospheric, very U2-influenced tune at a live gig and in slo-mo footage shot at a barren rehearsal space. Bombs fall from a plane's underbelly and lightning flashes across the sky in time with the song's more explosive elements. Director Dominic Leung is known for his work with the Hammer & Tongs creative team.

NEW RELEASE: Telepopmusik "Into Everything"

Telepopmusik "Into Everything" Capitol
Korner Union, directors
Description: Leaves are out of control in this video for French dance/pop act Telepopmusik. A man goes about in a daze while leaves pile up inside his house and float around in the surrounding woods.

SHOT: Marjorie Fair - Mike Palmieri, director

Shot over the course of two days in Victorville, CA...

artist: Marjorie Fair
song: "Empty Room"
label: Capitol
director(s): Mike Palmieri
production co: A Band Apart

NEW RELEASE: Shout Out Louds "The Comeback"

Shout Out Louds "The Comeback" Capitol
Ted & Tom Malmros, directors
Description: The Shout Out Louds answer questions and then perform for an interlocutor who records the results for of a team of underground techicians. Split-screens show the technicians grooving to the band's sound until something catches fire and they're forced to reveal themselves to a somewhat nonplussed band.

BOOKED: Ebony Eyez - Life Garland, director

Newcomer Ebony Eyez keeps it real in her debut video. She attends a literally underground party and the May Day parade  in St. Louis. Ebony Eyez is a member of J-Kwon's camp.

artist: Ebony Eyez
song: "In Ya Face"
label: Capitol
director(s): Life Garland
production co: Terrero Films
rep: Labuda Management

NEW RELEASE: Marjorie Fair "Waves"

Marjorie Fair "Waves" Capitol
Lex Sidon, director
Katie Molenaar, producer
1171 production company
Description: The bulk of this rock video features new band Marjorie Fair performing among some sun-burnt hills. The film has a grainy, hazy sheen that matches the song's vibe.

SHOT: Coldplay - Mark Romanek, director

Coldplay will debut their new album X&Y with a video for  "Speed Of Sound," directed by Mark Romanek. The video was shot on April 22 and 23 at Sony Studios in Culver City, CA. Early word is that the clip will feature  performance  in front of  a giant bank of high-tech LED bars.

Romanek's celebrated videography includes Jay-Z "99 Problems" and Johnny Cash "Hurt."

artist: Coldplay
song: "Speed Of Sound"
label: Capitol
director(s): Mark Romanek
production co: Anonymous Content

SHOT: The Juan McLean - Associates In Science, directors

Associates In Science cast the members of The Juan McLean as instructors for a retro self defense program in this debut video.

artist:  The Juan McLean
song: "Tito's Way"
label: DFA/Capitol
director: Associates In Science
production co: Partizan

NEW RELEASE: Relient K "Be My Escape"

Relient K "Be My Escape"  Gotee/Capitol
Charles Jensen, director
Rachel Curl, producer
Anonymous Content, production company
Description: The memory of an ex-girlfriend burdens Relient K singer/guitarist Matt Thiessen to the point where the walls of a house start to close in on the band. They do find salvation, however, as the house falls away and the band perform on a lush field.

NEW RELEASE: Kylie Minogue "Giving You Up"

Kylie Minogue "Giving You Up" Capitol
Alex & Martin, directors
Partizan, production company
Description: Think Kylie Minogue is larger than life? If so, then this video is the answer to your dreams. Kylie stars as a giantess who struts her massive (yet sexy) frame all around London.

SHOT: Idlewild - Jamie Thraves, director

artist: Idlewild
song: "I Understand It"
label: Parlophone  (Capitol in the US)
director(s): Jamie Thraves
production co: Oil Factory

NEW RELEASE: Lisa Marie Presley "Dirty Laundry"

Lisa Marie Presley "Dirty Laundry"  Capitol
Patrick Hoelck, director
Billy Parks, producer
Merge @ Crossroads, production company
Labuda Management, director rep
Description: Lisa Marie Presley flips through various lurid TV news channels in this video for her cover of Don Henley's "Dirty Laundry." Performance with her band and on a tower of TVs are also included (as is a cameo by by media victim George Michael).

NEW RELEASE: The F-Ups "All The Young Dudes"

The F-Ups "All The Young Dudes" Capitol
Alastair McKevitt, director
P.J. Sodaski, producer
A Common Thread, production company
Max Wang, DP
Ben Darling, editor
Description: Band performance of this punk rock Mott The Hoople cover at a club.

NEW RELEASE: Faith Evans "Again"

Faith Evans "Again" Capitol
Chris Robinson, director
Dawn Rose, producer
Robot Films/HSI, production company
Jeff Selis, editor
Description: Faith Evans deals with both the annoyances of everyday life and struggles that are more specific to famous people like herself.

NEW RELEASES: Dove "Black And White Town"

Doves "Black And White Town" Capitol
Lynne Ramsay, director
Description: The video omits the band entirely in favor of paortrature shots of bored kids in a town. The action builds as clip moves on, however, culminating in a teenage riot after nightfall.

SHOT: Relient K - Charles Jensen, director

artist: Relient K
song: "Be My Escape"
label: Capitol
director(s): Charles Jensen
production co: Anonymous Content

NEW RELEASE: Shout Out Louds "Very Loud"

Shout Out Louds "Very Loud" Capitol
Ted & Tom Malmros, directors
Description: Singer Adam Olenius uncovers various objects as he traipses through a snowy forest. Eventually he comes upon a guitar and is able to join his bandmates for a whimsical outdoor performance. Co-director Ted Malmros is the Swedish band's bassist.

NEW RELEASES: Red Cafe "All Night Long"

Red Café "All Night Long" Capitol
Mike Taylor, director
Melissa Larsen, producer
HSI, production company
Carlos Duhaime, editor
Description: A group of hard hoppers take on a clean-cut team in a game of basketball. Red Café raps mid-court. Video supports the Coach Carter soundtrack.

BOOKED: Lisa Marie Presley - Patrick Hoelck, director

Lisa Marie Presley deals with the "Dirty Laundry" obsessed media that feasts upon celebrities and their every problem.

artist: Lisa Marie Presley
song: "Dirty Laundry"
label: Capitol
director(s): Patrick Hoelck
production co: Merge @ Crossroads
rep: Labuda Management

SHOT: Skye Sweetnam - Wendy Morgan , director

artist: Skye Sweetnam
song: "Number One"
label: Capitol
director(s): Wendy Morgan
production co: Revolver Film Co

Wendy Morgan and Skye Sweetnam on the set.

Booked: Young Buck, Amerie, Faith Evans, 50 Cent - Robin Frank Management, rep

artist: Young Buck
song: "Look At Me Now/Bonafide Hustler"
label: G Unit/Interscope
director(s): The Saline Project
production co: HSI
rep: Robin Frank Management

artist: Amerie
song: "1 Thing"
label: Columbia
director(s): Chris Robinson
production co: HSI
rep: Robin Frank Management

artist: Faith Evans
song: "Again"
label: Capitol
director(s): Chris Robinson
production co: HSI
rep: Robin Frank Management

artist: 50 Cent
song: "Candy Shop"
label: Shady/Aftermath/Interscope
director(s): Jessy Terrero
production co: Lotus Filmworks
rep: Robin Frank Management