NEW RELEASE: Mary J. Blige "Just Fine"

Mary J. Blige is back. Did she leave? Well, not for very long, but the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul title is still squarely in her court. For "Just Fine," the first single from her new album Growing Pains, Chris Applebaum directs and in turn delivers one of the flashier videos of his career — Mary's too, arguably —  by letting her do what she does best: Be herself. A lot of "Just Fine" is exactly what we have come to expect from a Mary video: simple yet professional setups that let her beauty shine. But Applebaum takes Mary to the next level by adding a groovy set of backlights, some electro-charged angelic wisps, and more than a few kick-ass wardrobe changes. (review by Kevin Holy) --> watch "Just Fine"

Mary J. Blige "Just Fine" (Geffen)
Chris Applebaum, director | John Hardin, producer | Reactor Films, production co | Mike Sarkissian/Three Foot Giant, rep  | Jonathan Sela, DP | Nabil Mehchi, editor

SHOT: White Stripes - Chris Mills & The Malloys, directors

A post-production heavy video —  there was not really a shoot, per se — is in the works for this upcoming video off Icky Thump.

artist: The White Stripes
song: "Effect And Cause"
label: Third Man/Warner Bros.
director(s): Chris Mills and The Malloys
production co: Three Foot Giant

SHOT: Mary J. Blige - Chris Applebaum, director

artist: Mary J. Blige
song: "Just Fine"
label: Geffen
director(s): Chris Applebaum
production co: Reactor Films
rep: Three Foot Giant

PROFILE: Chris Applebaum, Reactor Films/Three Foot Giant

Although Chris Applebaum has always been on the short list of really solid directors, I kind of consider him underrated. Lately he's most associated with pop videos — impeccably created pop videos for tween idols like Vanessa Hudgens, Aly & AJ and Hilary Duff, to name a few — but his resume is way broader than that. As an early twentysomething director signed to the late, great Satellite Films — the former home of Spike Jonze, Mark Romanek, Kevin Kerslake, etc. — Applebaum cut his teeth on alternative videos for the likes of Possum Dixon, Eve's Plumb, Green Apple Quick Step, Ween, Superdrag and too many others to name. And, while these are probably pretty unknown names to you unless you were really paying attention in the Years When Punk Rock Broke, they were all once considered "next big things." Anyway. Jumping ahead, we get to a couple of groundbreaking, totally genius and undeniably successful videos:

1. Semisonic "Closing Time" - A masterful, perfectly executed split-screen video.
2. Fountains Of Wayne "Stacy's Mom" - One of the few videos in the past five years to actually make an impact on the general public. Even more improbably, it almost allowed video MILF Rachel Hunter to stage a comeback.

The point of all this background info is mainly to show that Chris Applebaum has paid his dues and if he's propelled into the upper echelon of video directors on the heels of winning the 2007 MTV Best Video VMA for his dazzling Rihanna "Umbrella" video, it's pretty well deserved.

name: Chris Applebaum
company: Reactor Films/Three Foot Giant
job: director

first video: It was for Material Issue. They were an alternative rock band from Chicago. This was in 1992. At the time, they were managed by Jeff Kwatinetz who now runs The Firm. Maybe he owns The Firm? The budget was $11,000 and my apartment in NYC was the hair and make-up trailer for the shoot. I got the video by cold-calling Annette Mitchell at Mercury Records. She wanted to do the video for $10,000 but we got another grand out of her for fold up chairs & lunch on set. [watch Material Issue "Everything"]

strangest video: The first video I shot for Britney Spears was prepped in the hospital. I had a sudden stomach ailment and was in Cedars Sinai for four days. The doctors told me I’d be OK for the shoot, so I had the art department, my location scout, my producer and executive producer Mike Sarkissian all camped out in the room, prepping the video with me. I was fairly jacked from a sweet morphine drip. Add the bonus of being in the hospital and it’s the perfect recipe for a director to get whatever they want. Usually costs and logistics become the biggest issues to haggle over. In this case, no one wanted to fight me. I’d recommend it to any director...even if you don’t have a particular ailment, but have spectacular health insurance. Fake it. Pop into one of the "suites" at Cedars three, maybe four days before the shoot, and just start demanding cranes, helicopter shots, and gigantic lighting packages. [watch Britney Spears "Overprotected"]

what's next:  Besides a few commercials and some feature film projects, I am really interested in just getting back to basics. I love music and I’ve always thought I’d shoot music videos for the rest of my career. The state of music is pretty bad right now… the worst I’ve ever seen. I’m really just looking for a great track I can sink my teeth into and shoot a wildly creative video for it, no matter what the budget. I’m the kid who bugged my parents to get MTV when it launched in the '80s and watched the same Cars and Asia videos over and over again. When I saw Duran Duran’s "Rio" video I decided that’s exactly what I wanted to do with my life. So, if anyone reading this has a hot new band with awesome haircuts and willing to wear pastel colored satin jackets and fly to Martinique to shoot a video, send them my way.

Visit ChrisApplebaum.com for full credits and details...

NEW RELEASE: Rihanna f/ Jay-Z "Umbrella"

Albums are a tricky lot for aspiring pop stars. Ever since Madonna and Michael Jackson revolutionized the industry, teeny boppers have been forced to consider each new release as a campaign in personal evolution. But, for every Justin Timberlake, there are a dozen Vitamin C's. Good Girl Gone Bad, Rihanna's third album, will likely top the charts and, based on this first video, signifies a new phase in her career. Director Chris Applebaum has her vamping it up in vintage Hollywood clothing, then baring it all in a silverskinned "Fever"-ish sequence that will keep the boys happy. It's a solid video that pitches Rihanna somewhere between Christina Aguilera and Grace Jones, by way of Diana Ross. (review by Kevin Holy) --> watch "Umbrella"

Rihanna feat. Jay-Z  "Umbrella" (Island Def Jam)
Chris Applebaum, director | John Hardin, producer | Reactor Films, production co | Mike Sarkissian/Three Foot Giant, rep | Pierre Rouger, DP | Nabil Menchi, editor | Bert Yukich/Kroma, visual effects

SHOT: Modest Mouse - Chris Mills, director

artist: Modest Mouse
song: "Missed The Boat"
label: Epic
director(s): Chris Mills
production co: Number 4 Films / Three Foot Giant

BOOKED: Rush - Chris Mills, director

artist: Rush
song: "Far Cry"   
label: Atlantic
director(s): Chris Mills
production co: Video/Number 4 Films
rep: Mike Sarkissian @ Three Foot Giant

BOOKED: Rihanna f/ Jay-Z - Chris Applebaum, director

artist: Rihanna feat. Jay-Z
song: "Umbrella"
label: Island Def Jam 
director(s): Chris Applebaum
production co: Reactor Films
rep: Mike Sarkissian @ Three Foot Giant

BOOKED: The Fray - Chris Mills, director

artist: The Fray
song: "Look After You"
label: Epic
director(s): Chris Mills
production co: Curious Pictures
rep: Mike Sarkissian/Three Foot Giant

news: As you can see, Chris Mills is now being repesented by Mike Sarkissian of Three Foot Giant.

NEW RELEASE: Scissor Sisters "Land Of 1000 Words"

This Scissor Sisters video  is essentially an homage to the work of the late Maurice Binder, a famous title designer responsible for the classic and trippy opening montages for Barbarella, Charade and nearly every James Bond flick. The Sisters appear mostly within silhouettes of naked babes, while faux credits list nearly everyone involved in the creation of the clip. --> watch "Land Of A Thousand Words"

Scissor Sisters "Land Of A Thousand Words" (Universal)
National TV, directors/editors/production co | Mike Sarkissian @ Three Foot Giant, rep | Omer Ganai, DP