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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SHOT: Willie Nelson - Dean Karr, director

If you looked like Willie Nelson and live in NYC, you may have missed your calling.

artist: Willie Nelson
song: "Gravedigger"
label: Lost Highway
director(s): Dean Karr
production co: Wild Indigo @ Karma Kollective
rep: Heidi Gregory Management

"Gravedigger" is a Dave Matthews cover and will support Willie's forthcoming album...

SHOT: Emerson Hart - Elliott Lester, director

Maybe you remember Emerson Hart as the frontman of Tonic? Tonic, you ask? Yes, Tonic, the mid-90s purveyors of such pop/rock hits "If You Could Only See" and "Open Up Your Eyes." Yes? No? Anyone?

artist: Emerson Hart
song: "If You're Gonna Leave"
label: Manhattan/Blue Note
director(s): Elliott Lester
production co: Karma Kollective
rep: Laure Scott Representation

BOOKED: Samantha Jade - Kevin DeFreitas, director

Shooting in Malibu...

artist: Samantha Jade
song: "Turn Around"
label: Jive/ZLG
director(s): Kevin DeFreitas
production co: Karma Kollective
rep: Visual Artists

BOOKED: Suzanne Vega - Thomas Horne, director

Suzanne Vega is back after a six year recording gap with her first album for Blue Note.

artist: Suzanne Vega
song: "Frank And Ava"
label: Blue Note
director(s): Thomas Horne
production co: Karma Kollective
rep: RW Media

BOOKED: Velvet Revolver - Dean Karr, director

artist: Velvet Revolver
song: "She Builds Quick Machines"
label: RCA
director(s): Dean Karr
production co: Karma Kollective
DP: Christopher Probst

SHOT: Lumidee f/ Tony Sunshine - Dayo & The Green Room, directors

Yes, it's a cover of the Patrick Swayze song from Dirty Dancing. And, just in case you've forgotten it, here's the original video for "She's Like The Wind."

artist: Lumidee feat. Tony Sunshine
song: "She's Like The Wind"
label: TVT
director(s): Dayo & The Green Room   
production co: Karma Kollective

BOOKED: Vanessa Hudgens - Darren Grant, director

artist: Vanessa Hudgens
song: "Say OK"
label: Hollywood
director(s): Darren Grant
production co: Karma Kollective
rep: Visual Artists

NEW RELEASE: Daughtry "It's Not Over"

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

SHOT: Daughtry - Dean Karr, director

Director Dean Karr and American Idol alumnus Chris Daughtry on location at a downtown NYC courthouse for the debut Daughtry clip, "It's Not Over." Narrative elements were shot in L.A.

artist: Daughtry
song: "It's Not Over"
label: RCA
director(s): Dean Karr
production co: Karma
rep: Heidi Gregory Management

SHOT: Billy Talent - Dean Karr, director

The boys of Billy Talent stumble upon a strange party of freaks (of the professional, don't try this at home variety) in "Falling Leaves." Look for cameos by Enigma, Bobby Pinz and many other unusual talents.

artist: Billy Talent
song: "Falling Leaves"
label: Atlantic
director(s): Dean Karr
production co: Karma

NEWS: Updates on The Mine, Dean Karr, Catherine Finkenstaedt

Director Dean Karr's production company The Mine — founded in 2000 — has effectively closed, according to numerous source. Karr is responsible for many hit videos, including the groundbreaking clips  Marilyn Manson "Sweet Dreams" and Dave Matthews Band "Crash Into Me", in addition to more recent work for Seether, Damian Marley and Nickel Creek.

Karr and his longtime producing partner Arthur Gorson are now running his jobs through KARMA, which is headed up by their another ex-Miner, Yamani Watkins.

Catherine Finkenstaedt, the former executive producer at The Mine, has landed at commercial house Go Film where she is in the process of assembling an alternative media department which will focus on internet content, short films and music videos.

SHOT: Damian Marley - Ras Kassa, director

artist: Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley
song: "Move"
label: Tuff Gong/Ghetto Youths/Universal
director(s): Ras Kassa
production co: Karma

SHOT: Damian Marley - Ras Kassa, director

Shot in Kingston, Jamaica...

artist: Damian Marley feat. Stephen Marley
song: "All Night"
label: Tuff Gong/Ghetto Youths/Universal
director(s): Ras Kassa
production cos: Karma / Guru Films

SHOT: Sean Paul - Jessy Terrero & Ras Kassa, directors

On-location in Kingston, Jamaica: Atlantic's Susan Silverman, Karma's Yamani Watkins, Sean Paul, and co-directors Ras Kassa and Jessy Terrero.

artist: Sean Paul
song: "Never Gonna Be The Same"
label: VP/Atlantic
director(s): Jessy Terrero & Ras Kassa
production co: Terrero Films/Lotus Filmworks and Karma
rep: Robin Frank Management (for Jessy Terrero)

SHOT: Hunterz - Rich Newey, director

artist: Hunterz
song: "Do That Dance (Screw The Light Bulb)"
label: Wizard
director(s): Rich Newey
production co: Karma

BOOKED: Flipsyde - Rich Newey, director

artist: Flipsyde
song: "Spun"
label: Cherrytree/Interscope
director(s): Rich Newey
production co: Karma

SHOT: J Davey - Ethan Lader, director

Newcomer J Davey keeps busy while her man is away by having sex with a futuristic mannequin in a variety of locations.

artist: J Davey
song: "Mr. Mister"
label: Loud Minority
director(s): Ethan Lader
production co: Karma

SHOT: Kray Twinz feat. Twista - Rich Newey, director

This Indian UK grime act and their special guests get down at L.A. nightclub Prey for this video.

artist: Kray Twinz feat. Twista, Lethal B & Gappy
song: "What We Do"
label: Krazygroove
director(s): Rich Newey
production co: Karma

SHOT: Little Brother - Joey The Greek, director

artist: Little Brother feat. Joe Scudda
song: "Lovin' it"
label: Atlantic
director(s): Joey The Greek
production co: Karma

SHOT: Willie Nelson - Ras Kassa, director

Willie Nelson and special guest Toots Hibbert give the Johnny Cash song "I'm A Worried Man" a reggae makeover. The video was shot on location in Jamaica to support Nelson's reggae album Countryman.

artist: Willie Nelson feat. Toots Hibbert
song: "I'm a Worried Man"
label: Lost Highway
director(s): Ras Kassa
production co: Karma

SHOT - Damian Marley - Ras Kassa, director

Damian takes the viewer on a tour of some of the deepest and gritties parts of Trenchtown, Jamaica in this video...

artist: Damian Marley (aka Jr. Gong)
song: "Jam Rock"
label: Tuff Gong/Ghetto Youths/Universal
director(s): Ras Kassa
production co: Karma

SHOT: Drowning Pool - Glen Bennett

artist: Drowning Pool
song: "Killin' Me"
label: Wind-Up
director(s): Glen Bennett, director
production co: Karma

NEW RELEASE: Instruction "I'm Dead" Geffen

Instruction "I'm Dead" Geffen
Rich Newey , director
Karma, production company
Matthias Koengiswi, DP
Meg Decker, editor
Brass Knuckles, editorial company
description: Band performs this anthemic rocker while the singer's girlfriend loads up her car and drives away.