SHOT: Fergie f/ John Legend - Marc Webb, director

artist: Fergie feat. John Legend
song: "Finally"
label: A&M/Interscope
director(s): Marc Webb
production co: DNA

March 10, 2008 in DNA, Interscope | Permalink

BOOKED: Karmina - Anastasia & Ian, directors

artist: Karmina
song: "The Kiss"
label: CBS
director(s): Anastasia & Ian
production co: DNA

March 6, 2008 in CBS, DNA | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: Ashanti "The Way That I Love You"

Ashanti_wayAshanti_way2 The video for this "you've done me wrong" ballad opens with a breathy 911 call and a shot of a bloody knife. Ashanti  clearly has motive in the muder of her philandering man — and she seems very comfortable handling a blade in the kitchen — but whether or not she did the deed depends on how closely you watch this smooth, yet sharp edged and suspenseful clip from director Kevin Bray. If you find yourself intrigued by the video concept, you should either 1) See a therapist, 2) Get out of your relationship, or 3) check out the Oxygen series Snapped — about women who get driven to kill — that Ashanti told MTV News was the video's inspiration. --> watch "The Way That I Love You" via Yahoo

Ashanti "The Way That I Love You"
(The Inc./Universal Motown)

Kevin Bray, director | Hagai Shaham, producer | DNA, production co | Christopher Probst , DP | Clark Eddy, editor

March 4, 2008 in DNA, Motown, New Releases, Universal | Permalink

BOOKED: From First To Last - Christopher Sims, director

artist: From First To Last
song: "On and On And On"
label: Suretone/Interscope
director(s): Christopher Sims
production co: DNA

February 28, 2008 in DNA, Interscope | Permalink

SHOT: Will.I.Am. - Toben Seymour, director

Featuring Cheryl Cole of Girls Aloud...

artist: Will.I.Am
song: "Hertbreaker"
label: Interscope
director(s): Toben Seymour
production co: DNA

February 22, 2008 in DNA, Interscope | Permalink

BOOKED: Ashanti - Kevin Bray, director

artist: Ashanti
song: "The Way That I Love You"
label: The Inc./Universal Motown
director(s): Kevin Bray
production co: DNA

February 6, 2008 in DNA, Motown, Universal | Permalink

SHOT: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Rocky Schenck, director

artist: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
song: "Please Read The Letter"
label: Rounder
director(s): Rocky Schenck
production co: DNA

February 5, 2008 in DNA, Rounder | Permalink

SHOT: Moby - Toben Seymour, director

Moby, Grandmaster Caz, Lady Bunny, director Toben Seymour and a human-size squid. Sounds like a party, eh? Visit SubterraneanBlog for a photo and more details...

artist: Moby
song: "I Love To Move In Here"
label: Mute
director(s): Toben Seymour
production co: DNA

January 30, 2008 in DNA, Mute | Permalink

SHOT: Hawk Nelson - Christopher Sims, director

Hawk NelsonDirector Christopher Sims (center) and Hawk Nelson in greensville for the "Friend Like That" video shoot.

artist: Hawk Nelson
song: "Friend Like That"
label: Tooth & Nail
director(s): Christopher Sims
production co: DNA
DP: Jessica Young

January 29, 2008 in DNA, Tooth & Nail | Permalink

NEWS: DNA Signs Lil X

Director Lil X has signed with DNA for all music video and commercial work. He will be repped by Inga Veronique of Sugar Management, in addition to DNA's in-house team of executive producer Missy Galanida and rep Isaac Rice.

X's latest and/or greatest includes...

January 16, 2008 in DNA, News | Permalink

BOOKED: Hawk Nelson - Christopher Sims, director

artist: Hawk Nelson
song: "Friend Like That"
label: Tooth & Nail
director(s): Christopher Sims
production co: DNA

January 14, 2008 in DNA, Tooth & Nail | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: The Cheetah Girls "Fuego"

Cheetah Girl Cheetah GirlCheetah Girl It might hurt to admit it, but the music industry is driven by teenyboppers. Be it the Mickey Mouse Club, Debbie Gibson and Tiffany (aka the First Wave Of American Pop Music), the NWOAPM crew of Britney, 'Nsync, and Backstreet Boys, bubblegum music aimed at kids spending their allowances is proven lucrative game. The current craze centers around the stable of stars at Walt Disney's Hollywood Records, which has figured out the formula of leveraging TV show and movie opportunities into pop stars. We're talking The Jonas Brothers, Hilary Duff, Hannah Miley Montana Cyrus, Jesse McCartney and the whole High School Musical jackpot. Right in the thick of all that is The Cheetah Girls, a pop trio with a successful series of Disney Channel movies to drive music sales. Although the next CG movie is reportedly set to be a Bollywood adventure, "Fuego" is a slight bilingual tribute to Tropicalia and the Isla Bonita of your choice. The video itself mixes some typical pop teen performance set-ups with backgrounds that have a Washington Heights and West Side Story vibe. Although the girls don't quite hit all their choreography marks — which might be part of the charm, actually — the clip is as on target as it needs to be to help grab some allowance money from the kiddies. --> watch "Fuego" via YouTube plus a Behind The Scenes short

Cheetah Girls  "Fuego" (Hollywood)
Marcus Raboy, director | Hagai Shaham, producer | DNA, production co | Welles Hackett, DP | Mario Mares , editor | Skulley Effects, vfx 

January 10, 2008 in DNA, Hollywood, New Releases | Permalink

SHOT: Maroon 5 - Marc Webb, director

Shooting this week in Los Angeles...

artist: Maroon 5
song: "Goodnight, Goodnight"
label: Octone/A&M/Interscope
director(s): Marc Webb
production co: DNA

January 9, 2008 in DNA, Interscope | Permalink

SHOT: Idina Menzel - Liz Friedlander, director

Broadway star Idina Menzel returns to the pop music world with this first clip off her album I Stand, set to hit stores on January 29...

artist: Idina Menzel
song: "Brave"
label: Warner Bros.
director(s): Liz Friedlander
production co: DNA

January 9, 2008 in DNA, Warner Bros. | Permalink

PROFILE: Christopher Sims, director

Profile_sims director: Christopher Sims
title/job: director
company: DNA

first video: It was for my friends' band Eighteen Visions. We wanted to do a play off of the female love story in David Lynch's Mullholland Drive. It pretty much just ended up being a chaotic music video of two girls making out with each other. It was kind of awkward for the girls because, of course, all the guys in Eighteen Visions wanted to be present while they were making out.

I shot it on HD, which I hate, but at the time it was a fairly new and cheap way to make something look half credible. The video cost $6,750. I picked up all the gear myself. I remember pulling up to J.L. Fisher with a friends borrowed pickup truck to get a Model 10 dolly and track and some PA started asking me what job I was working on and who's directing it. I told him that I was going to direct it and he looked at me like I was crazy.

I still actually really love the edit of that video.

--> watch Eighteen Visions "You Broke Like Glass"

strangest video: It's weird because my stranger videos usually involve the supernatural. I'm not one to believe in that or think about it too much, but there is no other explanation really.

Saosin I shot the Saosin "Voices" video on Universal's infamous Stage 28, which was used for the old Phantom Of The Opera. We were informed by Universal that they had numerous accounts of odd things happening there. I was eager to get a location and wanted to lock something down, so I didn't think twice about the so called "haunting." On the day of the shoot we set up a series of lights behind our main stage. I wanted the lighting director at the board to manually hit all these cues to certain beats in the song and I was getting furious because the lights were flashing at the wrong rhythm and even at moments that I didn't want any lights. I remember running over to him after a few takes and asking what's wrong and he told me that the lights were going off by themselves. I then remembered Universal's note about Stage 28. A lot of the unwanted light cues actually made the cut so when you watch that video you can see the hand of the supernatural.

--> watch Saosin "Voices"

Another supernatural encounter happened on the set of Eighteen Vision's "Tonightless" video. I don't know why I didn't think it was going to be a big deal to shoot in a cemetery and then a mausoleum back to back, but I didn't. We shot the concept part of the video with this couple in a Pasadena cemetery during daylight hours while the crew worked all day setting up lights in the mausoleum for the performance. We barely finished in the cemetery before the sun went down and we made our way to the mausoleum. The power there kept getting tripped and sending us into darkness. Our gaffer and grip department kept making trips to our 1200 amp tow plant generator to figure out what was tripping things up. I guess our generator finally went completely down so we had another one trucked in. Within 10 minutes of getting our second truck, it went down as well. So now we're on our third 1200 amp tow plant generator, which is insane, and I'm losing my mind because we haven't even shot one frame of the performance. We ended up getting a portion of the lights to work so we just had to shoot it to the best of our electrical ability. It was a long night, to say the least. I remember arriving on set at 4:30am and getting back in my car to go home the following day at 4:15am in the morning. I guess it was the price we had to pay for waking the dead with our lights and sounds.

--> watch Eighteen Visions "Tonightless"

what's next: I'm finishing some "Studio Sessions" special project for the Jimmy Eat World guys at the moment. I shot a few Audi spec ads over the summer that I would love to finish, but we are having trouble finding talented sound designers and voice over characters to work for free. I'll finish them soon though I'm sure and have them up on my site simsdirector.com. I have another Hawk Nelson video scheduled for the third week of January and there's a number of other jobs I've written on...  just waiting for the word.

January 4, 2008 in DNA, Profile | Permalink

BOOKED: Louix XIV - Toben Seymour, director

Video for the lead track from the upcoming Louis XIV album, Slick Dogs And Ponies...

artist: Louis XIV
song: "Guilt By Association"
label: Atlantic
director(s): Toben Seymour
production co: DNA

December 19, 2007 in Atlantic, DNA | Permalink

SHOT: The Last Goodnight - Jay Martin, director

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

December 5, 2007 in Capitol, DNA | Permalink

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

December 5, 2007 in DNA, Warner Bros. | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: MxPx "Shut It Down"

Mxpx_shut While MxPx never lived up to early indications that they would be the Christian rock band to seamlessly slide unnoticed into the great secular airwaves — an honor that I guess wound up going to Creed, with Switchfoot and Relient K earning honorable mention — the band has evolved from teenage punk-poppers into thirtsomething music industry survivors who have found themselves back at the record label, Tooth & Nail, which originally signed the group. "Shut It Down" doesn't deviate from the musical formula of non-nonsense West Coast punk much at all, thereby making it perfectly sensible that the video is similarly solid, yet not showy. MxPx rock out in the foreground of the L.A. skyline and bust apart TVs and computers to match the song's message that virtual friends and communities ain't quite the same as the real deal. --> watch "Shut It Down"

MxPX "Shut It Down" (Tooth & Nail)
Christopher Sims, director | Ashley Krick, producer | The Valencia Co/DNA, production co | Jessica Young, DP

November 19, 2007 in DNA, New Releases, Tooth & Nail, Valencia Company | Permalink

BOOKED: Ruben Studdard/Deitrick Haddon/Mary Mary - Lenny Bass, director

Off the new Gotta Have Gospel! 5 compilation CD...

artist: Ruben Studdard, Deitrick Haddon and Mary Mary
song: "Love Him Like I Do"
label: Zomba Gospel
director(s): Lenny Bass
production co: DNA

November 8, 2007 in DNA, Zomba | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: Regina Spektor "Better"

ReginaAnd The Spektors With her delicate voice, blue eyes, and talent at the ivories, Regina Spektor is clearly Tori Amos' heir apparent. Director Marc WebbBetter" (YouTube) seems to capitalize on this barely-hidden truth with a playful, tongue-in-cheek video for "Better" that finds Regina looking especially similar to Tori. It's so spot on, it's uncanny, especially when a flock of mini Tori Spektors rush over the hill and cause a ruckus as Regina sings longingly into the camera. If you're frightened by a mass of femininity, it's best to skip this video. But, if you're into worshiping a woman's spirit, there couldn't be a better video. Tori would undoubtedly approve. (review by Kevin Holy) --> watch "Better"

Regina Spektor "Better" (Sire/Warner Bros.)
Marc Webb, director | Michael Angelos, producer | DNA, production co | Simon Thirlaway, DP | Logan Hefflefinger, editor |

November 6, 2007 in DNA, New Releases, Warner Bros. | Permalink

PHOTO: Robert Plant, T. Bone Burnett, Alison Krauss

While you count the days to the upcoming Led Zeppelin reunion gig you won't be attending — it's way sold out and, besides,  it was just rescheduled — do yourself a favor and check out singer Robert Plant's new album Rising Sand, which finds him collaborating with folk star Alison Krauss and producer T. Bone Burnett. There's not a "Black Dog" among the bunch, but it's a near perfect collection of atmospheric, yet rough-hewn roots music.

A tour in supposedly in the works, but the video for "Gone Gone Gone" was shot last week with DNA director Rocky Schenck and DP Tom Marvel. Here's a sneak peak photo of  Plant, Burnett and Krauss in action on the video set.

Plantkrauss_goneperf

November 2, 2007 in DNA, Rounder | Permalink

SHOT: The Cheetah Girls - Marcus Raboy, director

artist: The Cheetah Girls
song: "Fuego"
label: Hollywood
director(s): Marcus Raboy
production co: DNA

October 30, 2007 in DNA, Hollywood | Permalink

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

October 24, 2007 in Capitol, DNA, Virgin | Permalink

SHOT: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Rocky, Schenck, director

Shot in Nashville to support Raising Sand, an album length collaboration between rock legend Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin fame and folk/bluegrass star Alison Krauss.

artist: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
song: "Gone Gone Gone"
label: Rounder
director(s): Rocky Schenck
production co: DNA

October 24, 2007 in DNA, Rounder | Permalink

SHOT: Colbie Caillat - Kevin Bray, director

Shot in San Francisco...

artist
: Colbie Caillat
song: "Little Things"   
label: Universal Republic
director(s): Kevin Bray 
production co: DNA

October 24, 2007 in DNA, Universal | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: Herman Dune "1-2-3-Apple-Tree"

Herman Dune With puppets, how can you go wrong? Okay, bad question. Nevertheless, director Toben Seymour's third video for Herman Dune stars felt versions of the band members running down the streets of Los Angeles from a somewhat insane crowd of kids and their adult counterparts. It's kinda weird and fun, but in some people's hearts the Summer of Love never ends. Unless, of course, you don't like hippies. (review by Kevin Holy) --> watch "1-2-3-Apple-Tree"

Herman Dune "1-2-3-Apple-Tree" (EMI)
Toben Seymour, director | Justin Benoliel, producer | Commondeer, production co | Ross Riege, DP | Ryan Bartley, editor | Ghost Town Media, effects

note: Director Toben Seymour is now signed with DNA.

October 10, 2007 in Commondeer, DNA, EMI, New Releases | Permalink

SHOT: Jimmy Eat World - Christopher Sims, director

Jimmy Eat Sims Director Christopher Sims (center) and Jimmy Eat World on the set of the band's new video, "Big Casino." The shoot took place in the valley of the big casinos aka Las Vegas. (click pic to enlarge)

artist: Jimmy Eat World
song: "Big Casino"
label: Interscope 
director(s): Christopher Sims
production co: DNA

September 27, 2007 in DNA, Interscope | Permalink

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

September 27, 2007 in Capitol, DNA, Sugar Management | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: Evanescence "Good Enough"

meltdown Am I insane, but does Evanescence sometimes seem like Celine Dion but with a bit more distortion and styling courtesy of the depressed goth section of Hot Topic? And less French, of course. Yes? No? OK, maybe, I'm insane. This very pretty video from the directing team of Marc Webb and Rich Lee is a visual display of singer Amy Lee's cathartic meltdown. Her image fades and blurs as she looks in a mirror; A champagne flute and a record bubble and melt under the influence of a hotness that makes the entire room burst into flames. No need to stop, drop and roll, however, since water quickly comes pouring down — an exaggerated manifestation of the singer's sadness and tears, perhaps? — and douses the flames and even encourages flowers to spout from the wreckage. If all that is a bit high-falutin' for ya, you can also view the video from the eyes of Beavis: It has fire and then a soaking wet female singer; hence, it is cool. --> watch "Good Enough"

Evanescence "Good Enough" (Wind-Up)
Marc Webb and Rich Lee, director | Hagai Shaham, producer | DNA, production co | Christopher Probst, DP | Gary Knight, editor

September 17, 2007 in DNA, New Releases, Wind-Up | Permalink

NEWS: DNA Signs Director Toben Seymour

Willowz Production company DNA has announced the signing of director Toben Seymour to its roster. The director's video directing credits include:

PS: Seymour's best know clip is probably the above-mentioned Willowz "Jubilee" video, which predated the similar "light animated "ad directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris for Sprint. That said, it's an old, albeit very cool trick. Lovers of the genre can also go back to 2006 and check out the Japanese short  Pikapika: The Lightning Doodle Project. Or, better yet, make your own.

September 13, 2007 in DNA, News | Permalink

SHOT: Graham Colton - Nigel Dick, director

artist: Graham Colton
song: "Best Days"
label: Universal Republic
director(s): Nigel Dick
production co: DNA

September 13, 2007 in DNA, Universal | Permalink

PHOTO: Regina Spektor and Director Marc Webb

Regina Spektor and Marc Webb Looks like Regina Spektor has been dipping into the My Chemical Romance wardrobe — or is it Pretty Ricky's? — as she and Marc Webb powwow while on-location for her new "Better" video.

September 13, 2007 in DNA, Warner Bros. | Permalink

SHOT: Regina Spektor - Marc Webb, director

artist: Regina Spektor
song: "Better"
label: Sire/Warner Bros.
director(s): Marc Webb
production co: DNA

September 11, 2007 in DNA, Warner Bros. | Permalink

SHOT: Fergie - Marc Webb & Rich Lee, directors

artist: Fergie
song: "Clumsy"
label: A&M/Interscope
director(s): Marc Webb and Rich Lee
production co: DNA

September 11, 2007 in DNA, Interscope | Permalink

SHOT: Nicole Scherzinger - Francis Lawrence, director

Director Francis Lawrence returns to the video scene — his first in over a year — for Nicole Scherzinger of Pussycat Dolls. The three-day shoot for "Baby Love" took place on Catalina Island, off the coast of California. The video is slated to be the second release off Scherzinger's solo album, Her Name Is Nicole.

artist: Nicole Scherzinger feat. Will I. Am
song: "Baby Love"
label: Interscope
director(s): Francis Lawrence
production co: DNA

If you're wondering what Francis Lawrence was doing in his time away: His second feature film I Am Legend is due to open in December and stars Will Smith.

August 29, 2007 in DNA, Interscope | Permalink

NEWS: DNA Signs Director Christopher Sims

DNA has announced the signing of director Christopher Sims. His music video credits include:

August 29, 2007 in DNA, News | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: Cold War Kids "Hospital Beds"

then now Two boys are seen growing up in this Cold War Kids video, sharing every experience and forming bonds that should have lasted a lifetime. They got in trouble together, went hunting together. They even had the same tattoo — 1948, presumably the year depicted in the scene — inscribed on their wrists. Unfortunately, they also shared the same interest in a certain girl, thus leading to a falling out that culminates years later in a bloody boxing match that may or may not be metaphorical. As with the ambiguous lyrics of the song — singer Nathan Willetts seems to thrive on placing non sequitur references to "Italian opera" and "fish and chips" in the midst of a vague narative about being in a hospital ward — director Jay Martin maintains a lot of mystery in the clip, purposefully leaving out gaps and placing unexplained clues that could have possibly enabled you to piece the full story together. And speaking of non sequiturs, the boxing motif and the Cold War reference in the band name reminded me of the Frankie Goes To Hollywood "Two Tribes" video. --> watch "Hospital Beds"

Cold War Kids "Hospital Beds" (Downtown)
Jay Martin, director | Michelle Faucheux, producer | DNA, production co | Simon Thirlaway, DP | Jennifer Dean, editor

August 29, 2007 in DNA, Downtown, New Releases | Permalink

SHOT: Motion City Soundtrack - Jay Martin, director

artist: Motion City Soundtrack
song: "This Is For Real"   
label: Epitaph
director(s): Jay Martin
production co: DNA

August 16, 2007 in DNA, Epitaph | Permalink

SHOT: Scary Kids Scaring Kids - Jay Martin, director

artist: Scary Kids Scaring Kids
song: "Faces"
label: Immortal/Epic
director(s): Jay Martin
production co: DNA

August 16, 2007 in DNA, Immortal, RCA | Permalink

SHOT: Kid Rock - Jay Martin, director

Kid Rock gears up for the October 9 release of his new album, Rock N Roll Jesus. Video shooting today (Friday) in Los Angeles...

artist: Kid Rock
song: "So Hot"
label: Atlantic
director(s): Jay Martin
production co: DNA

August 10, 2007 in Atlantic, DNA | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: Pharoahe Monch "Body Baby"

Pharoah MonchPharoah Monch Perhaps inspired by the success of Outkast's Andre 3000 — who proved that it was possible to defy musical boundaries and embrace a goofy eccentricity while still being hip-hop — Pharaoahe Monch has finally let his full personality get the fuck up in "Body Baby." This wild ride through retro soul and r&b is matched with a video that incorporates everything from comic book transitions, the yellow Volkswagen van from Little Miss Sunshine, some soda shop sockhopping and even an Elvis impersonation by Mr. Monch. It might all be a touch too out there to achieve a "Hey Ya" level of success, but it's hard to imagine that this longtime underground sensation won't be recognizing for delivering one of the most creative and whimsical hip-hop videos and singles of the year. --> watch "Body Baby" below...

Pharoahe Monch "Body Baby" (SRC/Universal Motown)
Lenny Bass, director | Brian Quinlan, producer | DNA, production co | Kira Kelly, DP | Scott Meyer, editor

August 3, 2007 in DNA, Motown, New Releases, Universal | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: Valeria "Girl I Told Ya"

ValeriaValeria Pussycat Dolls, Fergie and oh so many other pop tartlets may toy with sexuality, but they don't come close to matching the sheer brazenness of the wonderfully named newcomer Valeria — which I like to think is a mash-up of "venereal" and "malaria." The sexy Latina — who you may recognize from her cohosting duties on Ed McMahon's Next Big Star and a role in Ashton Kutcher's Just Married — spends the bulk of this swank europoppy song cooing suggestive dirty thoughts about what lesbionic fun she plans to have once her gal pal sneaks into the palace. That's right, I wrote "palace." The video is set at a posh Budapest estate where Valeria plays a randy royal who sneaks in singer/friend Aria. The two have a glorious time as they luxuriate in milk baths, play video games, giggle and take each other for rides. Actually, the action in the video is surprisingly PG, although the lyrics could have been taken from a Barely Legal porn script. For example, the song opens with a mock telephone call in which Valeria purrs, "Daddy?  She just came to say goodnight," and progresses to lay out a set of instructions on how Aria can infiltrate Valeria's vagina, I mean, palace. And you know what? It's so outlandish that it works. In fact, I dare say it's brilliant. Chalk it up as a guilty pleasure if you must, but it's practically guaranteed that just one listen will have this concoction of whirring Casiotone beats and exotic vocals permanently ingrained in your noggin. --> watch "Girl I Told Ya" below...

Valeria feat. Aria "Girl I Told Ya" (Interscope)
Marc Webb, director | Hagai Shaham, producer | DNA , production co | Welles Hackett, DP | Ken Mowe, editor

July 16, 2007 in DNA, Interscope, New Releases | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: Sean Kingston "Beautiful Girls"

Sean Kingston Sean KingstonWhat if there was such a thing as a guaranteed hit record? A mathematical formula that dictated what concoction of beats, melodies and tones would stand the best chance of achieving mass appeal. Without contracting a company — Platinum Blue, for example — that provides exactly that kind of "Music Xray," to verify my gut feeling, I think you'd be hard-pressed to come up with a better blueprint than Sean Kingston's "Beautiful Girl." The song is based on the Ben E. King hit "Stand By Me,"  one of the most recognizable melodies and musical vamps of all time. The production is kind of hip-hop, kind of pop and kind of savvy  in that it that can be a hit at nearly any mainstream format except country and rock (unless it gets covered or remixed). The singer is Sean Kingston, a 17 year old crooner from Jamaican, and the subject is "Beautiful Girls," a subject as universal as it gets. Add it up and it's obvious: Resistance is futile. It's a hit. Your mom will love it, the kids will love it and you will fall in line. It will be inescapable at all summer and will probably live on in the children beauty pageant circle for years to come. Anyway, as for the video, it perfectly capitalizes on the nostalgia inherent in any track that faithfully pays homage to a song from 1961. Kingston performs at a diner where he and his fellow teens alternate between being from the malt shop past and the hip-hop present. --> watch "Beautiful Girls" in the Musicbox Flash player, Quicktime or Windows Media

Sean Kingston "Beautiful Girls" (Beluga Heights/Epic/Koch)
Marcus Raboy, director | DNA, production co | Ketil Dietrichson, DP | Jarrett Fijal, editor

July 9, 2007 in DNA, Epic, Koch, New Releases | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: Yung Joc "Coffee Shop"

littlebig Rap has changed a lot in recent years, with kiddie rhymes and sing-song hooks replacing the menace of street thugs. Now we have Yung Joc — who has always come across as harder than hard – doing the joke rap thing. The video works perfectly with the track, including comedic appearances by Joc as a bevy of characters that includes Dorf On Rap, Eddie Murphy in The Klumps and possibly even the Prince sketch from Chappelle’s Show.  Director Lenny Bass strikes the right tone with kids helping the rapper(s) sell rims and lattes – disguising the fact that song is really about pushing something just a bit more, um, addictive. (review by Doug Stern) --> watch "Coffee Shop"

Yung Joc feat. Gorilla Zoe
"Coffee Shop" (Bad Boy South)

Lenny Bass, director | Helen Urriola, producer | DNA, production co | Christopher Probst, DP | Zuk, editor

June 27, 2007 in Bad Boy, DNA, New Releases | Permalink

SHOT: Cold War Kids - Jay Martin, director

artist: Cold War Kids
song: "Hospital Beds"
label: Downtown/Atlantic 
director(s): Jay Martin
production co: DNA

June 20, 2007 in Atlantic, DNA, Downtown | Permalink

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

June 20, 2007 in Capitol, DNA, Sugar Management | Permalink

SHOT: Sean Kingston - Marcus Raboy, director

Pointing the way up Director Marcus Raboy and Sean Kingston on the set of "Beautiful Girls."

artist
: Sean Kingston
song: "Beautiful Girls"
label: Beluga Heights/Epic/Koch
director(s): Marcus Raboy
production co: DNA

June 11, 2007 in DNA, Epic, Koch | Permalink

BOOKED: Katharine McPhee - Marcus Raboy, director

artist: Katharine McPhee
song: "Love Story"
label: 19/RCA
director(s): Marcus Raboy
production co: DNA

June 11, 2007 in DNA, RCA | Permalink

BOOKED: Evanescence - Marc Webb & Rich Lee, directors

Shooting in Budapest, Hungary...

artist
: Evanescence
song: "Good Enough"   
label: Wind-Up
director(s): Marc Webb & Rich Lee
production co: DNA

June 8, 2007 in DNA, Wind-Up | Permalink

BOOKED: The Starting Line - Jay Martin, director

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

June 8, 2007 in Capitol, DNA, Virgin | Permalink

SHOT: Yung Joc - Lenny Bass, director

Shot in Atlanta...

artist: Yung Joc feat. Gorilla Zoe
song: "Coffee Shop"
label: Bad Boy
director(s): Lenny Bass
production co: DNA

May 24, 2007 in Bad Boy, DNA | Permalink

SHOT: Valeria - Marc Webb, director

Shot in Budapest, Hungary...

artist
: Valeria
song: "Girl, I Told Ya" 
label: Interscope
director(s): Marc Webb
production co: DNA

May 24, 2007 in DNA, Interscope | Permalink

SHOT: Colbie Caillat - Liz Friedlander, director

artist: Colbie Caillat
song: "Bubbly"   
label: Universal  Republic
director(s): Liz Friedlander 
production co: DNA

May 24, 2007 in DNA, Universal | Permalink

NEWS: DNA Signs Adria Petty

Production company DNA has announced the signing of director Adria Petty, whose credits include:

She will continue to be represented by Robin Frank Management, in conjunction with DNA.

May 17, 2007 in DNA, News, RFM | Permalink

SHOT: Queens Of The Stone Age - Brett Simon, director

artist: Queens Of The Stone Age
song: "Sick Sick Sick" 
label: Interscope
director(s): Brett Simon 
production co: DNA

May 3, 2007 in DNA, Interscope | Permalink

SHOT: Skinny Puppy - Jay Martin, director

Video shot in Wisconsin for industrial music vets Skinny Puppy...

artist: Skinny Puppy
song: "Haze"
label: Synthetic Symphony/SPV
director(s): Jay Martin
production co: DNA

May 3, 2007 in DNA, SPV | Permalink

PHOTO: My Chemical Romance "Teenagers"

Have director Marc Webb and My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way wandered into the wrong locker room, or are they just on the set of the band's new video, "Teenagers?"
The Locker Room

April 13, 2007 in DNA, Warner Bros. | Permalink

SHOT: Mat Kearny - Adria Petty, director

artist: Mat Kearny
song: "Undeniable"
label: Aware/Columbia
director(s): Adria Petty
production co: DNA
rep: Robin Frank Management

April 2, 2007 in Columbia, DNA, RFM | Permalink

SHOT: My Chemical Romance - Marc Webb, director

artist: My Chemical Romance
song: "Teenagers"   
label: Reprise/Warner Bros.
director(s): Marc Webb   
production co: DNA

March 22, 2007 in DNA, Warner Bros. | Permalink

SHOT: Kelly Rowland - Mike Ruiz, director

Photographer Mike Ruiz directed a video for Destiny's Child member Kelly Rowland on-location at a Hollywood Hills house. This will be the first release off Rowland's album Ms. Kelly, due out June 26.

artist: Kelly Rowland feat. Eve
song: "Like This"
label: Music World/Columbia
director(s): Mike Ruiz
production co: DNA

March 19, 2007 in Columbia, DNA | Permalink

SHOT: Corbin Bleu - Lenny Bass, director

Director Lenny Bass oversaw a shoot in Las Vegas for Corbin Bleu, who appeared in the hit Disney Channel flicks High School Musical and Jump In.

artist: Corbin Bleu
song: "Deal With It"
label: Hollywood
director(s): Lenny Bass
production co: DNA

March 19, 2007 in DNA, Hollywood | Permalink

BOOKED: The Cribs - Diane Martel, director

artist: The Cribs
song: "Men's Needs"
label: Warner Bros./Wichita UK
director(s): Diane Martel
production co: DNA
commissioner: Jill Kaplan/Skyway Productions

February 28, 2007 in DNA, Skyway, Warner Bros., Wichita | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: Diddy "Last Night"

Diddy Poor Diddy. He may have the house in The Hills and all the trappings of fame and fortune, but he doesn't have the the woman he really loves. When not fixating on a gigantic photograph of her in his den — probably a mistake keeping that up — he's either attempting to reconcile or exorcising his emotional demons on stage with guest singer Keyshia Cole. When neither works, he does what you'd expect he'd do in any situation where he doesn't get what he wants: He breaks shit. --> watch "Last Night"

Diddy feat. Keyshia Cole "Last Night" (Bad Boy)
Marc Webb, director | Hagai Shaham, producer | DNA, production co | Jeff Cutter, DP | Harvey White, editor

February 26, 2007 in Bad Boy, DNA, New Releases | Permalink

SHOT: Hinder - Nigel Dick, director

artist: Hinder
song: "Better Than Me" 
label: Universal Republic
director(s): Nigel Dick   
production co: DNA

February 15, 2007 in DNA, Universal | Permalink

SHOT: Ciara - Diane Martel, director

artist: Ciara
song: "Like A Boy" 
label: LaFace/ZLG
director(s): Diane Martel   
production co: DNA

February 15, 2007 in DNA, Zomba | Permalink

SHOT: My Chemical Romance - Marc Webb, director

Gerard Way and Marc Webb My Chemical Romance singer Gerard Way and director Marc Webb on the set of the band's new video, "I Don't Love You." Webb directed all the videos off MCR's last album, Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge.

artist: My Chemical Romance
song: "I Don't Love You"   
label: Reprise/Warner Bros 
director(s): Marc Webb   
production co: DNA

February 12, 2007 in DNA, Warner Bros. | Permalink

SHOT: Katharine McPhee - Liz Friedlander, director

First video from the American Idol runner-up...

artist: Katharine McPhee
song: "Over It" 
label: RCA   
director(s): Liz Friedlander
production co: DNA

February 1, 2007 in DNA, RCA | Permalink

SHOT: Natasha f/ Clipse - Lenny Bass, director

Shot in Brooklyn...

artist: Natasha feat. Clipse
song: "So Sick"
label: Jive/ZLG
director(s): Lenny Bass
production co: DNA

February 1, 2007 in DNA, Zomba | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: Lil Scrappy "Oh Yeah"

Lil Scrappy Although many rap videos are bereft of the clever twists and effects that appeal to the video cognoscenti, they do excel at making an artist look darn cool and/or dangerous. That's the case in this video for Lil' Scrappy featuring Sean "no relation" Paul of YoungBloodz and E-40. A very loose conceptual anchor shows promo copies of the CD being duplicated, but the real point here is to show Scrappy shining bright  (literally, thanks to his blinging ring) and holding his own when in the sketchiest parts of Atlanta. --> watch "Oh Yeah" in Quicktime or Windows Media

Lil Scrappy feat. Sean Paul & E-40
"Oh Yeah" (BME/Reprise)

Marcus Raboy, director | John Thorpe, producer | DNA, production co | Niels Alpert, DP | T David Binns, editor

January 29, 2007 in DNA, New Releases, Warner Bros. | Permalink

SHOT: The Killers - Diane Martel, director

Shot on-location with band in Tokyo...

artist: The Killers
song: "Read My Mind"
label: Island Def Jam
director(s): Diane Martel
production co: DNA

January 12, 2007 in DNA, Island Def Jam | Permalink

BOOKED: Diddy - Marc Webb, director

artist: Diddy feat. Keyshia Cole
song: "Last Night"
label: Bad Boy
director(s): Marc Webb
production co: DNA

January 12, 2007 in Bad Boy, DNA | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: Daughtry "It's Not Over"

Daughtry Editor Brian Kushner of Purple Cow Post splices together performance footage directed by Dean Karr and a narrative by director Jay Martin in this video for American Idol rocker Chris Daughtry. Fans familiar with his background will undoubtedly find connections with the video's tale of a man getting a second chance to right his life through hard work and a committed relationship. --> watch "It's Not Over" (AOL video link)

Daughtry "It's Not Over" (RCA)
Dean Karr & Jay Martin, directors| Arthur Gorson, producer (performance) | Muriel Samuel, producer (narrative) | Karma, production co (performance) | DNA, production co (narrative) | Heidi Gregory, rep for Dean Karr | Vance Burberry, DP (performance) | Jaron Presant, DP  (narrative) | Brian Kushner, editor

January 11, 2007 in DNA, Karma, New Releases, RCA | Permalink

BOOKED: Relient K - Marc Webb, director

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

December 15, 2006 in Capitol, DNA | Permalink

SHOT: Lil Scrappy - Marcus Raboy, director

Shot in Atlanta...

artist: Lil Scrappy feat. Sean Paul of Youngbloodz
song: "Oh Yeah"
label: BME/Reprise/Warner Bros.
director(s): Marcus Raboy
production co: DNA

December 15, 2006 in DNA, Warner Bros. | Permalink

BOOKED: Good Charlotte - Marc Webb, director

artist: Good Charlotte
song: "The River"
label: Epic 
director(s): Marc Webb
production co: DNA

December 6, 2006 in DNA, Epic | Permalink

BOOKED: Alison Krauss - Rocky Schenck, director

artist: Alison Krauss + Union Station
song: "Missing You"
label: Rounder
director(s): Rocky Schenck
production co: DNA

December 6, 2006 in DNA, Rounder | Permalink

SHOT: Dashboard Confessional - Jay Martin, director

artist: Dashboard Confessional
song: "Stolen"
label: Vagrant/Interscope   
director(s): Jay Martin
production co: DNA

November 7, 2006 in DNA, Interscope, Vagrant | Permalink

SHOT: Jibbs f/ Chamillionaire - Jonathan Mannion, director

artist: Jibbs feat. Chamillionaire
song: "King Kong"
label: Geffen
director(s): Jonathan Mannion
production co: DNA

November 7, 2006 in DNA, Geffen | Permalink

BOOKED: Danity Kane - Marcus Raboy, director

artist: Danity Kane
song: "Ride For You"
label: Bad Boy
director(s): Marcus Raboy
production co: DNA

November 2, 2006 in Bad Boy, DNA | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: RBD "Tu Amor"

Rbd

Co-ed Mexican pop act RBD spend a complete day and night by the ocean. They huddle together through the cool morning until the sun peaks out and they can brave the surf and take part in other beach activities. Come sunset, they sit around the campfire and sing this bilingual ballad penned by Diane Warren. -- watch "Tu Amor" in Windows Media

RBD "Tu Amor" (Virgin)
Diane Martel, director | Gina Leonard, producer | DNA, production co | Shawn Kim, DP | Jen Dean, editor

November 1, 2006 in DNA, New Releases, Virgin | Permalink

SHOT: Ciara - Diane Martel, director

artist: Ciara
song: "Promise"
label: LaFace/ZLG 
director(s): Diane Martel
production co: DNA

October 16, 2006 in DNA, Zomba | Permalink

SHOT: Stefy - Nigel Dick, director

artist: Stefy
song: "Hey School Boy"
label: Wind-Up
director(s): Nigel Dick
production co: DNA

October 16, 2006 in DNA, Wind-Up | Permalink

SHOT: The Pussycat Dolls - Marc Webb, director

artist: The Pussycat Dolls feat. Timbaland 
song: "Wait A Minute"
label: A&M/Interscope
director(s): Marc Webb
production co: DNA

October 13, 2006 in DNA, Interscope | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: AFI "Love Like Winter"

AFI AFI's Davey Havoc learns the hard way that you have to be very careful when stalking a mysterious woman through a wintry wonderland. Namely, you never know when a bank of snow is concealing a thin layer of ice. For more on this new video from the prolific director Marc Webb, check out MTV2's AFI Makes A Video ("making of" co-directed by Marc Steinberger and John Logsdon of Never Give Up Productions). -- watch "Love Like Winter" in Quicktime, Real or Windows Media

AFI "Love Like Winter" (Interscope)
Marc Webb, director | Michael Angelos, producer | DNA, production co | Jonathan Sela, DP | Mario Mares, editor

October 5, 2006 in DNA, Interscope, New Releases | Permalink

SHOT: +44 - Liz Friedlander, director

The first video has been shot for +44, a new band boasting former Blink-182 members Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker.

artist
: +44
song: "When Your Heart Stops Beating" 
label: Interscope
director(s): Liz Friedlander
production co: DNA

September 25, 2006 in DNA, Interscope | Permalink

SHOT: Senses Fail - Jay Martin, director

artist: Senses Fail
song: "Calling All Cars"
label: Vagrant
director(s): Jay Martin
production co: DNA

September 25, 2006 in DNA, Vagrant | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: Jack's Mannequin - Brett Simon, director

Jacks Mannequin Jack's Mannequinn
"Dark Blue" (Maverick/Warner Bros.)

Brett Simon, director | Jonathan Lia, producer | DNA, production co | Jonathan Sela, DP | David Baum, editor | Description: Singer/keyboardist Andrew MacMahon and his band Jack's Mannequin perform in the midst of a '50s era multi-day, high stakes dance competition. -- watch "Dark Blue" at this Jack's Mannequin player

September 21, 2006 in DNA, New Releases, Warner Bros. | Permalink

SHOT: RBD - Diane Martel, director

Mexican pop group RBD recently shot a video for this track off their upcoming English language debut album.

artist: RBD
song: "Tu Amor"
label: Virgin
director(s): Diane Martel
production co: DNA

September 15, 2006 in DNA, Virgin | Permalink

SHOT: Rod Stewart - Nigel Dick, director

Having made his way through the standards, Rod Stewart now turns his attention back to rock music with Still The Same... Great Rock Classics Of Our Time. This video for the Creedence Clearwater Revival hit "Have You Ever Seen The Rain" was shot at a mock live concert staged in London.

artist: Rod Stewart  
song: "Have You Ever Seen The Rain"
label: J Records 
director(s): Nigel Dick
production co: DNA

August 30, 2006 in DNA, J | Permalink

SHOT: Ruben Studdard - Lenny Bass, director

2004 American Idol winner Ruben Studdard returns with "Change Me." The video was shot in NYC and will feature America's Next Top Model contestant Bre.

artist
: Ruben Studdard
song: "Change Me" 
label: J Records
director(s): Lenny Bass
production co: DNA

August 28, 2006 in DNA, J | Permalink

SHOT: Robert Randolph - Lenny Bass, director

artist: Robert Randolph And The Family Band
song: "Thrill Of It"
label: Warner Bros.
director(s): Lenny Bass
production co: DNA

August 28, 2006 in DNA, Warner Bros. | Permalink

BOOKED: Elisabeth Withers - Lenny Bass, director

Broadway star Elizabeth Withers of The Color Purple will debut as a Blue Note recording artist with this video scheduled to shoot in NYC...

artist: Elisabeth Withers
song: "Be With You"
label: Blue Note
director(s): Lenny Bass
production co: DNA

August 28, 2006 in Blue Note, DNA | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: Regina Spektor "Fidelity"

Regina Spektor Regina Spektor
"Fidelity" (Sire/Warner Bros.)

Marc Webb, director | Michael Angelos, producer | DNA, production co | Matthew Santo, DP | Lenny Mesina, editor | Description: Regina Spektor's surroundings are virtually colorless — the video isn't black & white, but the set is decorated in only blacks and whites — and her awfully proper relationship with an invisible man seems doomed in this video for "Fidelity." Things change for the brighter and better, however, when Spektor decides to let her heart literally break. A heart-shaped pendant that she wears on a necklace comes crashing to the ground, exposing the colorful sand that was hidden inside it and exposing the real man that was previously unseen. All in all a clever clip that manages to give Spektor a major label caliber sheen, while still preserving her quirks and personality (kind of like the song itself). -- watch "Fidelity" in Quicktime or Windows Media

August 11, 2006 in DNA, New Releases, Warner Bros. | Permalink

SHOT: Plain White T's - Jay Martin, director

artist: Plain White T's
song: "Hate"
label: Hollywood
director(s): Jay Martin
production co: DNA

August 9, 2006 in DNA, Hollywood | Permalink

SHOT: Trinity Stone - Nzingha Stewart, director

artist: Trinity Stone
song: "Move A Little Closer"
label: Brightside/SonyBMG UK
director(s): Nzingha Stewart
production co: DNA

August 9, 2006 in DNA, UK Labels | Permalink

PHOTO: Lenny Bass on set of "Chicken Noodle Soup"

DNA director Lenny Bass with Young B and DJ Webstar on the Harlem, NY set for  the "Chicken Noodle Soup" video.
Lenny Bass and Chicken Noodle Soup
Photo courtesy John Ricard.

August 9, 2006 in DNA, Universal | Permalink

SHOT: Pitbull f/ Lil Jon & Ying Yang Twins - Marcus Raboy, director

artist: Pitbull feat. Lil Jon  & Ying Yang Twins
song: "Bojangles"
label: TVT
director(s): Marcus Raboy
production co: DNA

August 4, 2006 in DNA, TVT | Permalink

SHOT: DJ Webstar & Young B - Lenny Bass, director

Los Angeles may have clown dancing and krumping, but New York City has its own dance with a silly name: The Chicken Noodle Soup. This video was shot in Harlem, which is the epicenter of this dance movement.

artist: DJ Webstar & Young B
song: "Chicken Noodle Soup"
label: Scrilla Hill/Universal
director(s): Lenny Bass
production co: DNA

August 4, 2006 in DNA, Universal | Permalink

SHOT: Jack's Mannequin - Brett Simon, director

artist: Jack's Manequin
song: "Dark Blue" 
label: Maverick/Warner Bros.
director(s): Brett Simon
production co: DNA 

August 3, 2006 in DNA, Warner Bros. | Permalink

SHOT: Lostprophets - Brett Simon, director

Shot in London...

artist: Lostprophets
song: "A Town Called Hypocrisy"
label: Columbia
director(s): Brett Simon
production co: DNA 

August 3, 2006 in Columbia, DNA | Permalink

SHOT: Teddy Geiger - Marc Webb, director

artist: Teddy Geiger
song: "These Walls"
label: Columbia
director(s): Marc Webb
production co: DNA

August 3, 2006 in Columbia, DNA | Permalink

SHOT: Lil Scrappy - Marcus Raboy, director

artist: Lil Scrappy
song: "Gangsta, Gangsta"
label: BME/Reprise/Warner Bros.
director(s): Marcus Raboy
production co: DNA

July 13, 2006 in DNA, Warner Bros. | Permalink

SHOT: Hinder - Nigel Dick, director

artist: Hinder
song: "Lips Of An Angel"
label: Universal
director(s): Nigel Dick
production co: DNA

July 13, 2006 in DNA, Universal | Permalink

BOOKED: John Mayer - Liz Friedlander, director

artist: John Mayer   
song: "Waiting On The World To Change"
label: Columbia
director(s): Liz Friedlander
production co: DNA

July 7, 2006 in Columbia, DNA | Permalink

BOOKED: Sugarcult - Brett Simon, director

artist: Sugarcult
song: "Do It Alone"
label: Fearless/V2
director(s): Brett Simon
production co: DNA

July 7, 2006 in DNA, V2 | Permalink

BOOKED: Evanescence - Marc Webb, director

Shooting over two days in Los Angeles... This will be the first video off the upcoming Evanescence album The Open Door.

artist: Evanescence
song: "Call Me When You're Sober"
label: Wind-Up
director(s): Marc Webb
production co: DNA

July 6, 2006 in DNA, Wind-Up | Permalink

SHOT: Chamillionaire - Rich Lee, director

Director Rich Lee threw a fashion runway show with a twist over the long July 4 weekend for this video follow-up to Chamillionaire's hit "Ridin'."

artist: Chamillionaire
song: "Grown And Sexy"
label: Universal
director(s): Rich Lee
production co: DNA

July 6, 2006 in DNA, Universal | Permalink

PHOTO: Stefy On The Set

Stefy frontwoman Stefy Rae and her bandmates get going for the camera on the set of their new video, "Chelsea," directed by Nigel Dick.
Stefy_pic

July 6, 2006 in DNA, Wind-Up | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: Five For Fighting "The Riddle"

5 For Fighting Five For Fighting
"The Riddle" (Columbia)

Vem, director/editor | Jonathan Lia, producer | DNA, production co | Brandon Cox, DP  | Description: Five For Fighting frontman John Ondrasik's imagination takes flight when he finds a crayon in the sand while waiting for a tow truck to collect his overheated car. H hastily scribbles a piano to perform the ballad and then starts coloring in all sorts of distractions, such as buzzards, rainclouds and jet fighters. -- watch "The Riddle" (AOL Video link)

July 5, 2006 in Columbia, DNA, New Releases | Permalink

SHOT: New Found Glory - Brett Simon, director

artist: New Found Glory
song: "It's Not Your Fault"
label:  Geffen
director(s): Brett Simon
production co: DNA

June 29, 2006 in DNA, Geffen | Permalink

BOOKED: Jesse McCartney - Big TV!, directors

artist: Jesse McCartney
song: "Right Where You Want Me"
label: Hollywood
director(s): Big TV!
production co: DNA
commissioner: Mike Sarkissian

June 29, 2006 in DNA, Hollywood | Permalink

SHOT: Regina Spektor - Marc Webb, director

artist: Regina Spektor
song: "Fidelity"
label: Sire/Warner Bros.
director(s): Marc Webb
production co: DNA

June 26, 2006 in DNA, Warner Bros. | Permalink

SHOT: Fergie - Marc Webb, director

Marc Webb was recently in London for a two-day shoot with Black Eyed Peas member Fergie. The video for "London Bridge" will support her upcoming solo effort The Dutchess.

artist: Fergie
song: "London Bridge"
label: A&M/Interscope
director(s): Marc Webb
production co: DNA

June 26, 2006 in DNA, Interscope | Permalink

SHOT: The Subways - Brett Simon, director

Brett Simon directed his first video since signing with DNA. This new version of The Subways track "Oh Yeah" was shot in NYC ...

artist: The Subways
song: "Oh Yeah"
label: Sire/Reprise/Warner Bros.
director(s): Brett Simon
production co: DNA

June 26, 2006 in DNA, Warner Bros. | Permalink

PHOTO: Taking Back Sunday's Adam Lazarro & Jay Martin

Hello, I'm Adam Lazarro Taking Back Sunday frontman Adam Lazarro summons the spirit and the style of Johnny Cash on the set of "Twenty-Twenty Surgery" with DNA director Jay Martin.

June 15, 2006 in DNA, Warner Bros. | Permalink

BOOKED: Taking Back Sunday - Jay Martin, director

artist: Taking Back Sunday
song: "Twenty-Twenty Surgery"
label: Warner Bros.
director(s): Jay Martin
production co: DNA

June 8, 2006 in DNA, Warner Bros. | Permalink

SHOT: Ashlee Simpson - Marc Webb, director

Shot over the course of two days in Los Angeles. The b&w video will have a boxing theme.

artist: Ashlee Simpson 
song: "Invisible"
label: Geffen
director(s): Marc Webb
production co: DNA

June 5, 2006 in DNA, Geffen | Permalink

SHOT: Stacie Orrico - Diane Martel, director

artist: Stacie Orrico 
song: "I'm Not Missing You"
label: Virgin
director(s): Diane Martel
production co: DNA

June 5, 2006 in DNA, Virgin | Permalink

SHOT: Five For Fighting - Vem, director

artist: Five For Fighting
song: "The Riddle (You And I)"
label: Columbia
director(s): Vem
production co: DNA

May 16, 2006 in Columbia, DNA | Permalink

SHOT: Wolfmother - Jay Martin, directors

artist: Wolfmother
song: "Love Train"
label: Modular/Interscope
director(s): Jay Martin
production co: DNA

May 16, 2006 in DNA, Interscope | Permalink

SHOT: Leela James - Lenny Bass, director

artist: Leela James
song: "Good Time"
label: Warner Bros.
director(s): Lenny Bass
production co: DNA

May 10, 2006 in DNA, Warner Bros. | Permalink

SHOT: The Kooks - Diane Martel, director

Shot in Tijuana, Mexico...

artist: The Kooks
song: "She Moves In Her Own Way"
label: Virgin UK
director(s): Diane Martel
production co: DNA

May 10, 2006 in DNA, Virgin | Permalink

SHOT: Mozella - Nzingha Stewart, director

artist: Mozella
song: "Love Is Something"
label: Maverick/Warner Bros.
director(s): Nzingha Stewart
production co: DNA

May 10, 2006 in DNA, Warner Bros. | Permalink

SHOT: Alison Ray - Jay Martin, director

artist: Alison Ray
song: "Does The DJ Know?"
label: Chime
director(s): Jay Martin
production co: DNA

May 10, 2006 in Chime, DNA | Permalink

SHOT: Eamon - Lenny Bass, director

artist: Eamon
song: "(How Could You) Bring Him Home"
label: Jive/ZLG
director(s): Lenny Bass
production co: DNA

May 5, 2006 in DNA, Zomba | Permalink

SHOT: AFI - Marc Webb, director

Shot over the course of two nights in Los Angeles...

artist: AFI
song: "Miss Murder"
label: Interscope
director(s): Marc Webb
production co: DNA

April 27, 2006 in DNA, Interscope | Permalink

SHOT: Paula Deanda - Diane Martel, director

artist: Paula Deanda feat. Baby Bash
song: "Doing Too Much"
label: J Records
director(s): Diane Martel
production co: DNA

April 27, 2006 in DNA, J | Permalink

SHOT: Superchick - Antti J Jokinen, director

Video shot in L.A. for this inspirational track from Superchick — who are best known for providing the theme song for the most recent Real World/Road Rules MTV challenge.

artist: Superchick
song: "We Live"
label: Columbia
director(s): Antti J Jokinen
production co: DNA

April 27, 2006 in Columbia, DNA | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: Kaci Brown "Instigator"

Kacibrowninst Kaci Brown
"Instigator" (Interscope)

Vem, director | Madeline Scoular, producer | DNA, production co | Brandon Cox, DP | David Michalson, editor | Description: Pop newcomer Kaci Brown and some pals hold up traffic late at night with performance in the middle of the road,  followed by a dance party at a local diner where rappers VA Slim and El Fudge contribute some rhymes. -- watch "Instigator" in Real or Windows Media

April 27, 2006 in DNA, Interscope, New Releases | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: Ray Cash "Bumpin' My Music"

Cash Ray Cash feat. Scarface
"Bumpin' My Music" (Ghet-O-Vision/Sony Urban/Columbia)

Jonathan Mannion, director | Michael Angelos, producer | DNA, production co | Description: Ray Cash evolves from a hip hop fan into a bona fide star in this clever and well-structured video shot on location in his hometown of Cleveland. After cruising around in a Delta 88 and absorbing some of his favorite discs, Cash unleashes his own tunes and quickly becomes a star. Despite the bling, big bucks and the backing of guest rapper Scarface, Cash keeps paying tribute to his predecessors. As such, "Bumpin' My Music" is filled with lots of visual and lyrical references to such forebears as Jay-Z, Ice-T, Public Enemy and  N.W.A. -- watch "Bumpin' My Music" in QuickTime, Real or Windows Media

April 18, 2006 in Columbia, DNA, New Releases | Permalink

SHOT: Stefy - Nigel Dick, director

artist: Stefy
song: "Chelsea"
label: Wind-Up
director(s): Nigel Dick
production co: DNA

April 7, 2006 in DNA, Wind-Up | Permalink

NEWS: Brett Simon Signs With DNA

Director Brett Simon has joined the roster at DNA. His directing credits include videos for The Killers, Hoobastank, The Walkmen and Unwritten Law.

April 6, 2006 in DNA, News | Permalink

SHOT: The Pussycat Dolls - Francis Lawrence, director

artist: The Pussycat Dolls feat. Snoop Dogg 
song: "Buttons"
label: A&M/Interscope
director(s): Francis Lawrence
production co: DNA

March 20, 2006 in DNA, Interscope | Permalink

SHOT: Olivia feat. 50 Cent - Marcus Raboy, director

artist: Olivia feat. 50 Cent
song: "Best Friend"
label: G Unit/Interscope
director(s): Marcus Raboy
production co: DNA

March 16, 2006 in DNA, Interscope | Permalink

SHOT: Lillix - Diane Martel, director

artist: Lillix
song: "Sweet Temptation (Hollow)"
label: Maverick/Warner Bros.
director(s): Diane Martel
production co: DNA

March 16, 2006 in DNA, Warner Bros. | Permalink

SHOT: Yung Joc - Lenny Bass, director

Shot in Yung Joc's hometown of Atlanta...

artist: Yung Joc
song: "It's Goin Down"
label: Bad Boy
director(s): Lenny Bass
production co: DNA

March 7, 2006 in Bad Boy, DNA | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: Matisyahu "Youth"

Matisyahu Matisyahu
"Youth" (Or/Epic)

Marc Webb, director | Hagai Shaham, producer | DNA, production co | Lenny Mesina @ Sunset Edit, editor | Description: Matisyahu straps on his tefillin and floors yet another audience in the video for "Youth." Besides absolutely captivating a crowd at a dingy punk club, Matisyahu also performs this reggae rocker on a NYC rooftop and in front of a mural that gets filled in with the song lyrics. Other elements include even a pickup street basketball game and portraiture shots of youths from all walks of life.  -- watch "Youth"

March 6, 2006 in DNA, Epic, New Releases | Permalink

SHOT: DMX - Jonathan Mannion, director

DMX makes his post-Def Jam debut  with this video shot in Houston during the recent NBA All-Star Weekend...

artist: DMX
song: "We In Here"
label: Sony Urban/Columbia
director(s): Jonathan Mannion
production co: DNA

March 2, 2006 in Columbia, DNA | Permalink

SHOT: Big City Rock - Rich Lee, director

Director Rich Lee checks in with his first video since signing with DNA...

artist: Big City Rock
song: "All Of The Above"
label: Atlantic
director(s): Rich Lee
production co: DNA

March 2, 2006 in Atlantic, DNA | Permalink

SHOT: Daniel Powter - Marc Webb, director

artist: Daniel Powter
song
: "Lie To Me"
label: Warner Bros.
director(s): Marc Webb
production co: DNA

March 2, 2006 in DNA, Warner Bros. | Permalink

SHOT: Yellowcard - Marc Webb, director

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

February 15, 2006 in Capitol, DNA | Permalink

SHOT: Sheryl Crow & Sting - Nigel Dick, director

artist: Sheryl Crow and Sting
song: "Always On Your Side"
label: Interscope
director(s): Nigel Dick
production co: DNA

February 13, 2006 in DNA, Interscope | Permalink

SHOT: Atreyu - Jay Martin, director

artist: Atreyu
song: "Ex's And Oh's"
label: Victory
director(s): Jay Martin
production co: DNA

February 13, 2006 in DNA, Victory | Permalink

SHOT: Ice Cube - Marcus Raboy, director

Ice Cube's upcoming video "Race Card" will support the FX reality/documentary series Black.White. he is executive producing with RJ Cutler. The series will seek to illuminate the differences that black and white families face everyday by applying race-changing make-up to a black family and a white family and then documenting their day-to-day lives.

artist: Ice Cube
song: "Race Card"
director(s): Marcus Raboy
production co: DNA

February 13, 2006 in DNA | Permalink

SHOT: Nine Inch Nails - Francis Lawrence, director

artist: Nine Inch Nails
song: "Every Day Is Exactly The Same"
label: Interscope
director(s): Francis Lawrence
production co: DNA

January 24, 2006 in DNA, Interscope | Permalink

SHOT: Jack's Mannequin - Jay Martin, director

Shot at the same locations in Wilmington, NC used for the WB teen drama One Tree Hill. The video will support the show's forthcoming tie-in CD, Volume II: Friends With Benefit. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

artist: Jack's Mannnequin
song: "The Mixed Tape"
label: Maverick/Warner Bros.
director(s): Jay Martin
production co: DNA

January 19, 2006 in DNA, Warner Bros. | Permalink

SHOT: Bubba Sparxxx - Marcus Raboy, director

Shot on location in Atlanta...

artist: Bubba Sparxxx feat. Ying Yang Twins
song: "Ms. New Booty"
label: Virgin
director(s): Marcus Raboy
production co: DNA

January 19, 2006 in DNA, Virgin | Permalink

SHOT: Jagged Edge - Nzingha Stewart, director

artist: Jagged Edge
song: "Good Luck Charm"
label: Sony Urban/Columbia
director(s): Nzingha Stewart
production co: DNA

January 17, 2006 in Columbia, DNA | Permalink

SHOT: Ray Cash feat. Scarface - Jonathan Mannion, director

artist: Ray Cash feat. Scarface
song: "Bumpin' My Music"
label: Ghet-O-Vision/Sony Urban/Columbia
director(s): Jonathan Mannion
production co: DNA
rep: Milk & Honey

January 17, 2006 in Columbia, DNA, Milk & Honey, New Releases | Permalink

SHOT: Black Eyed Peas - Francis Lawrence, director

Francis Lawrence directed a high energy dance battle with the Black Eyed Peas for their "Pump It" video.

artist: Black Eyed Peas
song: "Pump It"
label: A&M/Interscope
director(s): Francis Lawrence
production co: DNA

January 9, 2006 in DNA, Interscope | Permalink

SHOT: Aly & AJ - Marc Webb, director

Shot this weekend in Hawaii...

artist: Aly & AJ
song: "Rush"
label: Hollywood
director(s): Marc Webb
production co: DNA

January 9, 2006 in DNA, Hollywood | Permalink

NEWS: DNA Signs Kevin Bray and Marcus Raboy

Directors Kevin Bray and Marcus Raboy have joined the roster of production company DNA.

Both Bray and Raboy have directed many music videos over the years, in addition to feature films:

  • Kevin Bray directed the movies All About The Benjamins and Walking Tall, in addition to videos for Whitney Houston, Luther Vandross, Jennifer Lopez, Ben Folds Five, Savage Garden, Brandy and many more artists.
  • Marcus Raboy's credits include music videos for the likes of Shania Twain, Naughty By NatureSantana and Mary J. Blige, and the Ice Cube movie Friday After Next.

January 3, 2006 in DNA, News | Permalink

SHOT: Goldfrapp - Diane Martel, director

Shot in London and produced through Academy Films...

artist: Goldfrapp
song: "Ride A White Horse"
label: Mute
director(s): Diane Martel
production co: DNA / Academy

January 3, 2006 in Academy, DNA, Mute | Permalink

SHOT: Heather Headley - Diane Martel, director

Heather Headley recovers from a bad breakup in this video for the title track from her upcoming CD, In My Mind.

artist: Heather Headley
song: "In My Mind"
label: RCA
director(s): Diane Martel
production co: DNA

January 3, 2006 in DNA, RCA | Permalink

SHOT: Train - Antti J. Jokinen, director

Shot on location in NYC...

artist: Train
song: "Cab"
label: Columbia
director(s): Antti J. Jokinen
production co: DNA

January 3, 2006 in Columbia, DNA | Permalink

SHOT: Ashlee Simpson - Diane Martel, director

"L.O.V.E" was shot on-loation in NYC, documenting a night on the town with Ashlee Simpson and friends.

artist: Ashlee Simpson
song: "L.O.V.E."
label: Geffen
director(s): Diane Martel
production co: DNA

November 29, 2005 in DNA, Geffen | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: The Click Five "Catch A Wave"

Click 5The Click Five "Catch A Wave" Lava/Atlantic
Vem, director
Michael J. Katz, producer
DNA, production co
Description: This throwback to director Richard Lester's madcap Beatles films stars the boys of Click Five trying to avoid the hordes of rabid fans in their hotel so they can make it to their beachfront performance. After running around and hiding throughout the hotel — drawing the brief attention of former Brady Bunch star/reality show roadkill Christopher Knight — the Click Fivers hire some lookalikes to allow them to get away, hitch a plane and then skydive to their gig.

November 28, 2005 in Atlantic, DNA, Lava, New Releases | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: O.A.R. "Love And Memories

OARO.A.R. "Love And Memories" Lava/Atlantic
Vem, director
Marcienne Friesland, producer
DNA, production co
Description: A record caught in a groove causes a couple to keep replaying the moments leading up to a break up. The same actions happen again and again until O.A.R. singer/guitarist Marc Roberge takes a rest from performing to reset the needle and allow the couple to finally part ways.

November 28, 2005 in Atlantic, DNA, Lava, New Releases | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: Yellowcard "Lights And Sounds"

YellowcardYellowcard "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.

November 23, 2005 in Capitol, DNA, New Releases | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: Trey Songz "Gotta Go"

Trey ongzTrey Songz "Gotta Go" Songbook/Atlantic
Vem, director
Valerie Romer, producer
DNA, production co
Description: R&B crooner Trey Songz transports himself back to his girlfriend's Brooklyn neighborhood in "Gotta Go." Most of his performances takes place in front of a black background while the occasional autumn leaf descends from above, lyrics dot the screen and images of his girlfriend and her neighborhood appear in wisps of smoke.

November 21, 2005 in Atlantic, DNA, New Releases | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: The Pussycat Dolls "Stickwitu"

PsctdllsstickThe Pussycat Dolls "Stickwitu" A&M/Interscope
Nigel Dick, director
Nina Dluhy, producer
DNA, production co
Description: The Pussycat Dolls perform this ballad while preparing for a tour. Performance takes place in several locations including a rehearsal stage and on their tour bus.

November 11, 2005 in DNA, Interscope, New Releases | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: Lifehouse "Blind"

LifehouseLifehouse "Blind" Geffen
Nigel Dick, director
Nina Dluhy, producer
DNA, production co
Description: A teenage girl tries to maintain her sanity in a house that is dysfunctional due to her highly irresponsible and domineering father.  She finds strength to leave the situation thanks to the band's performance.

November 10, 2005 in DNA, Geffen, New Releases | Permalink

SHOT: Nickelback - Nigel Dick, director

artist: Nickelback
song: "Far Away"
label: Roadrunner
director(s): Nigel Dick
production co: DNA

November 7, 2005 in DNA, Roadrunner | Permalink

SHOT: The All-American Rejects - Marc Webb, director

artist: The All-American Rejects
song: "Move Along"
label: Interscope
director(s): Marc Webb
production co: DNA

November 7, 2005 in DNA, Interscope | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: Missy Elliott "Teary Eyed"

MissyMissy Elliott "Teary Eyed" Gold Mind/Atlantic
Antti J. Jokinen & Missy Elliott, director
John Thorpe, producer
DNA, production co
Description: At first it seems that Missy Elliott is heartbroken because her boyfriend has been seriously injured in a horrible car accident. It's understandable, especially since she planned to marry him and spend the rest of her life with him. The twist, however, is that Missy is just upset that the car crash didn't kill him. Turns out that her man had been cheating and she decided to sabotage his car by slicing a tire. Since the "accident" didn't quite do the trick, she stops by his hospital bedside to finish the job. That storyline explains why Missy's performance primarily takes place in a jail cell and while wearing a straitjacket. Although not as wild as some of singer's previous videos, this more narrative-driven clip is  a fine match to the more traditional r&b sounds of the track.

October 18, 2005 in Atlantic, DNA, New Releases | Permalink

BOOKED: Matisyahu - Marc Webb, director

Hasidic reggae rapper Matisyahu rings in the (Jewish) New Year with a video slated to shoot on-location in Brooklyn.

artist
: Matisyahu
song: "Youth"
label: Or Music/Epic
director(s): Marc Webb
production co: DNA

October 18, 2005 in DNA, Epic | Permalink

SHOT: Shaggy - Jonathan Mannion, director

artist: Shaggy feat. Natasha Watkins
song: "Ultimatum"
label: Geffen
director(s): Jonathan Mannion
production co: DNA
rep: Milk & Honey

October 18, 2005 in DNA, Geffen, Milk & Honey | Permalink

BOOKED: Pharrell - Diane Martel, director

artist: Pharrell
song: "Angels"
label: Star Trak/Interscope
director(s): Diane Martel
production co: DNA

October 14, 2005 in DNA, Interscope | Permalink

BOOKED: The Click Five - Vem, director

Pop rockers The Click Five try to elude their crazed fans at a hotel so they can make it to a special beach performance in the video for "Catch Your Wave."

artist
: The Click Five
song: "Catch Your Wave"
label: Lava/Atlantic
director(s): Vem
production co: DNA

October 14, 2005 in Atlantic, DNA, Lava | Permalink

SHOT: Yellowcard - Marc Webb, director

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

October 14, 2005 in Capitol, DNA | Permalink

NEWS: Sam Aslanian Exits DNA

Sam Aslanian is exiting DNA as Vice President and Executive Producer after 15+ years with the company. He'll actually be leaving the music video industry entirely to pursue other interests and spend more time with his family.

DNA's Missy Galanida is replacing Sam as Head Of Music Video/Executive Producer. Caleb Dewart, who has produced many DNA videos over the years, is now the company's Executive Producer of Music Video.

On a personal note, I'd like to thank Sam for all his support over the years. Whether approving an ad for an issue I was working on for CVC Report, or subjecting himself to one of my long-winded interviews, Sam was always happy to help and I will always be appreciative. It's nice to see somebody in the video business ride off happily into the sunset. Best of luck, Sam!

October 11, 2005 in DNA, News | Permalink

SHOT: Black Rob - Jonathan Mannion, director

artist: Black Rob
song: "Star In The Hood /Ready"
label: Bad Boy
director(s): Jonathan Mannion
production co: DNA
rep: Milk & Honey

October 5, 2005 in Bad Boy, DNA, Milk & Honey | Permalink

SHOT: Pussycat Dolls - Nigel Dick, director

Nigel Dick shot some behind the scenes footage and a huge performance set-up in Los Angeles with the Pussycat Dolls for their forthcoming video, "Stickwitu."

artist: Pussycat Dolls
song: "Stickwitu"
label: A&M/Interscope
director(s): Nigel Dick
production co: DNA

October 3, 2005 in DNA, Interscope | Permalink

SHOT: O.A.R. - Vem, director

O.A.R. perform at a house where a couple is in the midst of a never-ending breakup.

artist
: O.A.R.
song: "Love And Memories"
label: Lava/Atlantic
director(s): Vem
production co: DNA

October 3, 2005 in Atlantic, DNA, Lava | Permalink

SHOT: Daniel Powter - Marc Webb, director

Director Marc Webb explores the special, lifelong bond that singer/songwriter has with his piano.

artist: Daniel Powter
song: "Free Loop"
label: Warner Bros.
director(s): Marc Webb
production co: DNA

October 3, 2005 in DNA, Warner Bros. | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: My Chemical Romance - Marc Webb, director

My Chemical RomanceMy Chemical Romance "Ghost Of You" Reprise/Warner Bros.
Marc Webb, director
Hagai Shaham, producer
DNA, production co
Max Goldman, DP
Description: Not satisfied with having made two of the more creative and popular videos of the past year, My Chemical Romance and Marc Webb reunite for their most ambitious clip yet. Not only does it expertly recreate the WWII milieu, "Ghost Of You" also successfully performs the trickier task of capturing the emotions of the characters. The gents of My Chemical Romance are seen performing and sharing drinks at a USO dance. The tone is one of anticipation, of knowing that they might not see their loved ones, or each other ever again. The video then cuts to a sequence in which the band and their fellow soldiers storm a beach. It's a gritty recreation inspired by Saving Private Ryan in that it looks incredibly realistic and the outcome isn't what you'd expect.

September 30, 2005 in DNA, New Releases, Warner Bros. | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: Ashlee Simpson "Boyfriend"

AshleeboyfriendAshlee Simpson "Boyfriend" Geffen
Marc Webb, director
Gina Leonard, producer
Description: An entire city clears out when all the teenagers head to a scrap yard to check out Ashlee Simpson and her band.

September 27, 2005 in DNA, Geffen | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: Franz Ferdinand "Do You Want To"

Franz FerdinandFranz Ferdinand "Do You Want To" Epic
Diane Martel, director
Gina Harrell, producer
DNA, production co
Stefan Czapsky, DP
Paul Martinez, editor
Description: Franz Ferdinand channel The Knack on this first single from their much ballyhooed sophomore effort, You Could Have It So Much Better. The video places the band members at a bizarre, yet stuffy art show where they get a chance to act all goofy for the camera and cause a commotion. Their behavior quickly becomes contagious and all the art patrons and hipsters decide to cut loose and join the fun. Franz Ferdinand generally come across as one of the more purposely entertaining rock/pop bands since maybe The Monkees (I guess), while director Diane Martel engineers a rapid succession of cool set-ups and surprising transitions.

September 15, 2005 in DNA, Epic, New Releases | Permalink

BOOKED: Lifehouse - Nigel Dick, director

artist: Lifehouse
song: "Blind"
label: Geffen
director(s): Nigel Dick
production co: DNA

September 9, 2005 in DNA, Geffen | Permalink

SHOT: Hope Partlow - Nigel Dick, director

artist: Hope Partlow
song: "Sick Inside"
label: Virgin
director(s): Nigel Dick
production co: DNA

September 9, 2005 in DNA, Virgin | Permalink

SHOT: Ashlee Simpson - Marc Webb, director

artist: Ashlee Simpson
song: "Boyfriend"
label: Geffen
director(s): Marc Webb
production co: DNA

September 7, 2005 in DNA, Geffen | Permalink

BOOKED: Thrice - Jay Martin, director

Jay Martin is set to direct his first video with production company DNA. Footage from the multiple day shoot for Thrice's "Image Of The Invisible" will be given a heavy FX treatment to create a vibe similar to the dark world from The City Of Lost Children.

artist: Thrice
song: "Image Of The Invisible"
label: Island Def Jam
director(s): Jay Martin
production co: DNA

September 7, 2005 in DNA, Island Def Jam | Permalink

PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE: My Chemical Romance "The Ghost of You"

My Chemical Romance singer Gerard Way looks as happy as an emo rocker can be on the set of his band's new video "The Ghost Of You" with DNA director Marc Webb (left).
Marc Webb & Gerard Way

August 15, 2005 in DNA, Warner Bros. | Permalink

SHOT: Missy Elliott - Antti J. Jokinen, director

This video will find Missy Elliott in a rehabilitation facility to help her get over the heartbreak caused by a past relationship. As is the case with almost all of Missy's videos, you can count on crazy choreography and more than a few surprises.

artist: Missy Elliott
song: "Teary Eyed"
label: Atlantic
director(s): Antti J. Jokinen
production co: DNA

August 15, 2005 in Atlantic, DNA | Permalink

BOOKED: Trey Songz - Vem, director

What at first seems like a plain performance video becomes something else when the camera pulls back to reveal an entire block. "I Gotta Go" is scheduled to shoot in New York City.

artist: Trey Songz
song: "Gotta Go"
label: Atlantic
director(s): Vem
production co: DNA

August 11, 2005 in Atlantic, DNA | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: Incubus "Make A Move"

IncubusIncubus "Make A Move" Epic
Marc Webb, director
Hagai Shaham, producer
DNA, production co
Ingenuity Engine, post production
Description: Incubus deliver an anthemic rocker on a desert stage in this cinematic video accompaniment to the recent big budget stinker Stealth. Although Stealth footage plays on a screen off to the side of the stage, the true inspiration here is Pink Floyd's landmark concert film Live At Pompeii.

August 8, 2005 in DNA, Epic, New Releases | Permalink

SHOT: Ricky Martin feat. Amerie & Fat Joe - Diane Martel, director

artist: Ricky Martin feat. Amerie & Fat Joe
song: "I Don't Care"
label: Columbia
director(s): Diane Martel
production co: DNA

August 8, 2005 in Columbia, DNA | Permalink

SHOT: Barefoot - Marc Webb, director

Barefoot singer Chris Pearson learns about gravity the hard way in this video. A piano slowly hurtles through the air toward Pearson as he performs this tune on the street outside his band's rehearsal loft.

artist: Barefoot
song: "I See Rain"
label: Geffen
director(s): Marc Webb
production co: DNA

August 8, 2005 in DNA, Geffen | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: Omarion "Touch"

OmarionOmarion "Touch" T.U.G./Sony Urban/Epic
Diane Martel, director
Coleen Haynes, producer
DNA, production company
Walter Lindenlaub, DP
B. Autinger, editor
Description: Omarion stalks a pretty young thing in this impressively choreographed video off his hit album, O. The two dance their way through darkened city streets en route to her apartment.

August 4, 2005 in DNA, Epic, New Releases | Permalink

SHOT: Franz Ferdinand - Diane Martel, director

The gents of Franz Ferdinand first perform at and then utterly destroy a snooty little art gallery in the video for this new single.

artist: Franz Ferdinand
song: "Do You Want To"
label: Domino (Epic in the U.S.)
director(s): Diane Martel
production co: DNA

August 1, 2005 in DNA, Epic | Permalink

SHOT: Boyz N Da Hood - Lenny Bass, director

Shot on-location in Atlanta...

artist: Boyz N Da Hood
song: "Felonies"
label: Bad Boy
director(s): Lenny Bass
production co: DNA

August 1, 2005 in Bad Boy, DNA | Permalink

NEWS: Nigel Dick Joins DNA

Music video director Nigel Dick has signed with DNA for both music video and commercial representation. Nigel has one of the most impressive resumes in all of videoland: He co-founded production house Propaganda Films and has directed nearly 300 music videos. Along the way he's directed Guns N' Roses "Sweet Child O' Mine," multiple clips for Britney Spears and videos for Nickelback, Oasis, Nsync and hundreds more.

August 1, 2005 in DNA, News | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: The Click Five "Just The Girl"

Click 5The Click Five "Just The Girl" Lava/Atlantic
Vem, director
Marcienne Friesland, producer
DNA, production co.
Ingenuity Engine, post production
Description: The Click Five land a helicopter on a school's roof to perform this tight power pop track (produced by Fountains Of Wayne member Adam Schlesinger). The school kids quickly become aware of the band above and they run to enjoy the rock show. Brady Bunch/The Surreal Life celebrity Christopher Knight stars as the befuddled teacher and a variety of split screen effects show all the action.

July 29, 2005 in Atlantic, DNA, Lava, New Releases | Permalink

SHOT: FeFe Dobson - Diane Martel, director

This performance video is designed to look like an album cover come to life...

artist: FeFe Dobson
song: "Don't Let it Go To Your Head"
label: Interscope
director(s): Diane Martel
production co: DNA

July 25, 2005 in DNA, Interscope | Permalink

SHOT: Kaci Brown - Nzingha Stewart, director

Director Nzingha Stewart takes the classic Romeo & Juliet story and sets it at a modern high school setting for this debut from Kaci Brown.

artist: Kaci Brown
song: "Unbelievable"
label: Interscope
director(s): Nzingha Stewart
production co: DNA

July 18, 2005 in DNA, Interscope | Permalink

BOOKED: Youngbloodz - Lenny Bass, director

This video will imagine that J-Bo and Sean Paul of the Youngbloodz serve as co-presidents of the U.S.A. from their hometown of Atlanta.

artist: Youngbloodz
song: "Presidential"
label: LaFace/ZLG
director(s): Lenny Bass
production co: DNA

July 7, 2005 in DNA, Zomba | Permalink

SHOT: John Legend - Diane Martel, director

How high? Let's just say that this video will first take you up to the sky and then on to Heaven.

artist: John Legend
song: " So High"
label: GOOD/Sony Urban/Columbia
director(s): Diane Martel
production co: DNA
rep: Milk & Honey

July 7, 2005 in Columbia, DNA, Milk & Honey | Permalink

SHOT: LaToya London - Nzingha Stewart, director

This summertime ode to love was shot on-location in L.A. and features The Roots' rapper Black Thought.

artist
: Latoya London featuring Black Thought
song: "Appreciate"
label: Peak
director(s): Nzingha Stewart
production co: DNA

July 7, 2005 in DNA, Peak | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: Daniel Powter - Marc Webb, director

pretty drawingsDaniel Powter "Bad Day"  Warner Bros.
Marc Webb, director
Michael Schlenker, producer
DNA, production company
Max Goldman, DP
Fernando Villena, editor
Description: Two bored and lonely twenty-somethings lead strangely synchronized lives. After they individually start vandalizing a dopey subway advertisement with comical drawings, they realize that there just might be someone out there who can make them happy. Then, just as foreshadowed in their drawings, they meet and instantly fall in love while waiting for a taxi on a rainy night . Daniel Powter narrates the tale as he performs this pop/rock tune at a piano and around a city.

June 23, 2005 in DNA, New Releases, Warner Bros. | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: Antigone Rising "Don't Look Back"

Antigone RisingAntigone Rising "Don't Look Back"  Lava/Atlantic
Marc Webb, director
Valerie Romer, producer
DNA, production company
Martin Coppen, DP
Fernando Dillena, editor
Description: The ladies of Antigone Rising perform in a rehearsal loft that's filled with band photographs, posters and other memorabilia.

June 21, 2005 in Atlantic, DNA, Lava, New Releases | Permalink

BOOKED: Hilary Duff - Marc Webb, director

Marc Webb has been confirmed to direct the video for "Wake Up," a new track on Hilary Duff's forthcoming hits CD, Most Wanted. The song was co-written with Good Charlotte's Joel and Benji Madden. The video will shoot in Toronto.

artist: Hilary Duff
song: "Wake Up"
label: Hollywood
director(s): Marc Webb
production co: DNA

June 13, 2005 in DNA, Hollywood | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: Ben Moody featuring Anastacia "Everybody Burns"

Ben MoodyBen Moody featuring Anastacia "Everybody Burns"  Wind-Up
Antti J Jokinen, director
John Thorpe, producer
DNA, production company
Michael Bernard, DP
Jeff Selis, editor
Description: This tie-in to the new Fantastic Four movie stars former Evanescence member Ben Moody dueting with special guest Anastacia. Moody performs atop a towering rooftop, while Anastacia walks through the gritty neighborhood. Film footage is interspersed, as are  a variety of sketch effects and word balloons that belie the movie's comic book origins.

June 3, 2005 in DNA, New Releases, Wind-Up | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: Hot Hot Heat "Middle Of Nowhere"

Hot Hot HeatHot Hot Heat "Middle Of  Nowhere" Sire/Reprise
Marc Webb, director
Hagai Shaham, producer
DNA, production company
Max Goldman, DP
Description: Hot Hot Heat frontman Steve Bays takes a quick bathroom break from his band's storefront performance and returns to discover that everyone in the entire city has suddenly disappeared. When he comes upon a Polaroid camera, however, he figures out that the problem is solely with his perception: Everyone is still around, he just can't see them unless the images are processed to film. So Bays gets a camera through which he can see the people and stay connected with reality. This video also makes use of a muted color palette that adds to the overall disassociated vibe. Shot on-location in Montreal.

May 24, 2005 in DNA, New Releases, Warner Bros. | Permalink

BOOKED: The Click Five - Vem, director

Rock band The Click Five perform on the roof of a school in this video directed by Vem.

artist: The Click Five
song: "Just The Girl"
label: Lava
director(s): Vem
production co: DNA

May 24, 2005 in Atlantic, DNA, Lava | Permalink

BOOKED: My Chemical Romance - Marc Webb, director

My Chemical Romance and director Marc Webb collaborate on another huge music video.

artist
: My Chemical Romance
song: "The Ghost of You"
label: Reprise
director(s): Marc Webb
production co: DNA

May 23, 2005 in DNA, Warner Bros. | Permalink

NEWS: Francis Lawrence Named Director of Year at MVPA Awards

Congratulations to Francis Lawrence of DNA on being named Director of the Year at last night's MVPA Awards. Lawrence was singled out for his music videos "Let's Get it Started" for the Black Eyed Peas, "All Nite (Don't Stop)" for Janet Jackson and Gwen Stefani's "What You Waiting For."

Lawrence also won Best Pop Video and Best Direction of a Female Artist for his Gwen Stefan video, "What You Waiting For."

Look for a complete recap of the show once an official announcement is released by the MVPA...

May 13, 2005 in DNA, News | Permalink

BOOKED: Incubus - Marc Webb, director

This epic performance video will support the upcoming Jamie Foxx film Stealth. Incubus perform in an old town that has been largely overrun by sandstorms. Shooting today...

artist
: Incubus
song: "Make A Move"
label: Epic
director(s): Marc Webb
production co: DNA

May 13, 2005 in DNA, Epic | Permalink

SHOT: Charlie Wilson - Lenny Bass, director

Vocalist Charlie Wilson has made a name for himself with a new generation of music fans as a collaborator with Snoop Dogg, but this former Gap Band lead singer is ready to become known as a solo star. This video shows Wilson as a famously wealthy man who is still searching for true love with the perfect woman.

artist: Charlie Wilson
song: "Charlie, Last Name Wilson"
label: Jive/ZLG
director(s): Lenny Bass
production co: DNA

May 10, 2005 in DNA, Zomba | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: Audioslave "Be Yourself"

Chris CornellAudioslave "Be Yourself" Epic/Interscope
Francis Lawrence, director
Caleb Dewart, producer
DNA, production co
Description: A gorgeous performance video as confident, simple and restrained as this song from the supergroup Audioslave. Tricky camerawork captures all the little details, such as guitarist Tom Morello rocking a Wah pedal during the solo, while a constantly shifting focus point and warm lighting effects propel the video until a climax in which large lightboards flicker in time with the beat.

May 9, 2005 in DNA, Epic, Interscope, New Releases | Permalink

SHOT: Fantasia - Lenny Bass, director

This video for 2004 American Idol winner Fantasia finds the singer mustering up the courage to free herself from an abusive relationship.

artist: Fantasia
song: "Free Yourself"
label: J Records
director(s): Lenny Bass
production co: DNA

May 9, 2005 in DNA, J | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: Gavin DeGraw "Chariot"

Gavinchariot1Gavin DeGraw "Chariot" J Records
Zach Braff, director
Coleen Haynes, producer
DNA, production company
Description
: This video tells a light-hearted tale of how Gavin DeGraw got plucked from behind the piano at a bar and taken on whirlwind journey to fame. After getting seduced by a beautiful woman and a big record company, his life is never the same. They take him to fancy parties and arrange glamorous video shoots where he's surrounded by models and the appropriate bling-bling accoutrements. The only place he seems comfortable in at his live performance, but he soon realizes that even that environment is artificial and the product of green screen trickery. At video's end he gets fed up and decides to walk away in search of something more pure and real.

Gavinchariot2"Chariot" was directed by Scrubs star and Garden State auteur Zach Braff - who shows a real flair here for seamless transitions and constructing a video that has a true beginning, middle and end.  Scrubs co-star Donald Faison makes a memorable appearance as a typical hip-hop power player, while model/actress Jamie King stars as the record company temptress.

May 5, 2005 in DNA, J, New Releases | Permalink

SHOT: Ben Moody & Anastacia - Antti J. Jokinen, director

Former Evanescence guitarist/songwriter Ben Moody and special guest vocalist Anastacia appear on the Wind-Up soundtrack to Fantastic 4. The video for "Everything Burns" features performance atop towering skyscrapers in Los Angeles.

Fantastic 4 is the eagerly-awaited big screen debut of the Marvel Comics crime-fighting quartet. The film opens in the U.S. July 8.

artist
: Ben Moody featuring Anastacia
song: "Everything Burns"
label: Wind-Up
director(s):  Antti J. Jokinen
production co: DNA

May 5, 2005 in DNA, Wind-Up | Permalink

SHOT: Antigone Rising - Marc Webb, director

Marc Webb directed this performance video for Antigone Rising this past weekend in New York City

artist: Antigone Rising
song: "Don't Look Back"
label:  Lava 
director(s): Marc Webb
production co: DNA

May 2, 2005 in Atlantic, DNA, Lava | Permalink

SHOT: Vivian Green - Diane Martel, director

Vivian Green's boyfriend is oblivious to the fact that she is moving out of their apartment in this video for "Gotta Go, Gotta Leave."

artist: Vivian Green
song: "Gotta Go, Gotta Leave"
labelColumbia
director(s): Diane Martel
production co: DNA
rep: Milk & Honey

May 2, 2005 in Columbia, DNA, Milk & Honey | Permalink

BOOKED: Daniel Powter - Vem, director

Director Vem show what can happens when people get sucked into the decadent side of life.

artist
: Daniel Powter
song: "Jimmy Gets High"
label: Warner Bros.
director(s): Vem
production co: DNA

April 20, 2005 in DNA, Warner Bros. | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: Skindred "Pressure"

SkindredSkindred "Pressure"  Lava
Vem, director
Marci Friesland, producer
DNA, production company
Description: A woman's clipped-out pictures of Skindred come to life as she tacks them to a board. She then adds backdrops and other people, items and fans to create a crazy performance scene. Soon things expand from the board to her desk and she decides to take a Polaroid and insert herself into the action. Very cool.
Pressure

April 7, 2005 in DNA, Lava, New Releases | Permalink

BOOKED: The Bravery - Diane Martel, director

artist: The Bravery
song: "Fearless"
label: Island Def Jam
director(s): Diane Martel
production co: DNA

April 7, 2005 in DNA, Island Def Jam | Permalink

PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE: Hot Hot Heat

It takes vision, technical acumen and a damn good opening move to direct a video for Sire band Hot Hot Heat. Director Marc Webb proves himself up to the challenge as he plays a game of chess with HHH frontman Steve Bays on the set of the band's next video "Middle Of Nowhere."  Check Video Static's original report on "Middle Of Nowhere" for an idea of what to expect in the video.checkmate baby

April 5, 2005 in DNA, Warner Bros. | Permalink

SHOT: Audioslave - Francis Lawrence, director

artist: Audioslave
song: "Be Yourself"
label: Interscope
director(s): Francis Lawrence
production co: DNA

April 5, 2005 in DNA, Interscope | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: Jennifer Lopez "Hold You Down"

Fat Joe and J-LoJennifer Lopez featuring Fat Joe "Hold You Down"  Epic
Diane Martel, director
Caleb Dewart, producer
DNA, production company
Paul Martinez, editor
Description: J-Lo and Fat Joe perform at various locations in their old stomping grounds, The Bronx.

March 30, 2005 in DNA, Epic, New Releases | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: Nine Inch Nails "The Hand That Feeds"

Trent Reznor, ninNine Inch Nails "The Hand That Feeds" Interscope
Rob Sheridan, director
Michael Angelos, producer
DNA, production company
Description: This claustrophobic performance video gets its style from mechanized camera movements and a sort of interlaced combining effect that makes things appear jagged. The song, of course, absolutely rocks.

March 29, 2005 in DNA, Interscope, New Releases | Permalink

BOOKED: Gavin DeGraw - Zach Braff, director

Scrubs star/Garden State director Zach Braff is set to direct "Chariot," the next video from Gavin DeGraw.

artist
: Gavin DeGraw
song
: "Chariot"
label
: J
director(s)
: Zach Braff
production co
: DNA

March 28, 2005 in DNA, J | Permalink

BOOKED: Hot Hot Heat - Marc Webb, director

Mark Webb delivers an existential tale much in the vein of Quadrophenia and Blow Up in this next video for British Columbia rockers Hot Hot Heat. Scheduled to shoot on-location in Montreal, "Middle Of Nowhere" will show what it's like to be completely detached from everything around you.

artist: Hot Hot Heat
song: "Middle Of Nowhere"
label: Sire/Reprise
director(s): Marc Webb
production co: DNA

March 24, 2005 in DNA, Warner Bros. | Permalink

SHOT: Nine Inch Nails - Robert Sheridan & Trent Reznor, directors

A detail-laden performance video co-directed by NIN leader Trent Reznor.

artist: Nine Inch Nails
song: "The Hand That Feeds"
label: Nothing/Interscope
director(s): Robert Sheridan & Trent Reznor
production co: DNA

March 18, 2005 in DNA, Interscope | Permalink

BOOKED: Omarion - Diane Martel, director

It's a game of cat and mouse when Omarion decides to follow his girl home from a club. Look for this video to be filled almost entirely with choreographed dance.

artist: Omarion
song: "Touch"
label: T.U.G./Sony Urban/Epic
director(s): Diane Martel
production co: DNA
rep: Milk & Honey

March 18, 2005 in DNA, Epic, Milk & Honey | Permalink

SHOT: Trey Songz - Marc Webb, director

Director Marc Webb travelled to r&b; singer Trey Songz' hometown of Petersburg, VA to shoot this video. "Gotta Make It" features labelmate Twista.

artist: Trey Songz
song: "Gotta Make It"
label: Atlantic
director(s): Marc Webb
production co: DNA

March 14, 2005 in Atlantic, DNA | Permalink

SHOT: 112 - Diane Martel, director

The gentlemen of 112 find some female companionship at a sexy house party.

artist: 112
song: "U Already Know"
label: Def Soul/Island Def Jam
director(s):Diane Martel
production co: DNA
rep: Milk & Honey

March 7, 2005 in DNA, Island Def Jam, Milk & Honey | Permalink

SHOT: 2Pac & Elton John - Nzingha Stewart, director

Director Nzingha Stewart delivers an emotional short film as the video for "Ghetto Gospel." Neither Elton John, nor 2Pac (obviously) appear in the video. Instead, this mini-movie shows how a young man struggles to get by in the ghetto.

artist: 2Pac & Elton John
song: "Ghetto Gospel"
label: Amaru/Interscope
director(s): Nzingha Stewart
production co: DNA

March 7, 2005 in DNA, Interscope | Permalink

NEW RELEASE: My Chemical Romance "Helena"

Mcr_helenaMy Chemical Romance "Helena"
Reprise/Warner Bros.

Marc Webb, director
Valerie Romer, producer
DNA, production company
Max Goldman, DP
Fernando Villena, editor
Sunset Edit, editorial company
Description: My Chemical Romance host a funeral that's anything but dour. In fact, the band's impassioned performance and an interpretive dance troupe manage to momentarily raise the dead, yet lovely Helena.

March 4, 2005 in DNA, New Releases, Sunset Edit, Warner Bros. | Permalink

NEWS: DNA Director Signings

Directors Thom Oliphant and Steven Goldmann have signed with DNA. The award-winning directors were previously partners at the now closed Nashville production company The Collective.

Oliphant has directed videos for Martina McBride, Dixie Chicks, Dunan Sheik and many others. Goldmann has over 200 videos to his credit, including such artists as Alan Jackson, Faith Hill and Shania Twain.

March 4, 2005 in DNA, News | Permalink

SHOT: Low Millions - Marc Webb, director

Marc Webb shot "Eleanor" on location in Los Angeles for alternative band Low Millions.

artist: Low Millions
song: "Eleanor"
label: Manhattan/EMI
director(s): Marc Webb
production co: DNA

February 3, 2005 in DNA, EMI, Music Video | Permalink

BOOKED: Skindred - Vem, director

Vem uses a cut and paste collage style to bring Skindred performance to life in "Pressure." The inspiration behind the idea is the cover art to Skindred's CD Babylon.

artist: Skindred
song: "Pressure"
label: Lava
director(s): Vem
production co: DNA


Skindredcd

January 26, 2005 in Atlantic, DNA, Lava, Music Video | Permalink

SHOT: My Chemical Romance - Marc Webb, director

Marc Webb directed a dance extravaganza in "Helena," his second video for breaking band My Chemical Romance. This video "puts the F-U-N back in Funeral."


artist: My Chemical Romance
song: "Helena"
label: Reprise
director(s): Marc Webb
production co: DNA

Helena

January 25, 2005 in DNA, Music Video, Warner Bros. | Permalink