Director Dugan O'Neal on Matt & Kim "Let's Go"

Dugan O'Neal, director: "Who doesn't love awkward family photos? It is a cultural pastime that has had long lasting power. It's something that almost everybody can relate to and understand. For the last several years, I have had a folder of awkward family photos on my computer that I continuously add to. I always knew somewhere in the midst of all that awkwardness was a really fun video.

To be perfectly honest, I have pretty much been accidentally preparing my entire life to make this video. I would even go so far as to say it was my destiny. I've just been waiting for the right band. I'm glad I waited because Matt & Kim definitely were the perfect band; they had great ideas and totally got it from the beginning. They were lots of fun to work with and down to go the distance with each character they played.

 The inception of this idea actually began in my youth. My parents own a photography business and I grew up assisting my dad on portrait sessions, weddings, commercial shoots and, of course, family photos. Because my parents had a photography business, it was imperative that we send out our own family photo every year to help generate business. Yes, they were awkward.

The O'Neals in their Blue Period

 

The O'Neals

Later, I was browsing through the awkward family photo website and thinking to myself, 'Who is the photographer taking all these weird pictures? What kind of direction is he/she giving to these families?' That is when I integrated the photographer character into the treatment. I thought it would be such a funny character in the video, a guy who thinks he is a hot shot cutting-edge photographer, but is really just taking the most weird and uncomfortable photos ever.  After Matt (of Matt and Kim) read the treatment and realized the potential weirdness of it, he called me. In the treatment I suggested a Will Arnett type actor or even a celebrity cameo toplay the photographer, but after seeing the short film I did with my family, Dinner, he insisted that I play the photographer. I act a lot  in my own short films, but this is definitely the first time I have appeared in one of the music videos I've directed. I would never write myself into a music video but maybe I will from now on. Just kidding. Kind of.

Then I wanted to push the idea even further where this photographer has a spiritual and psychedelic experience while taking photos. His world begins to alter and he reaches a new level of spiritual awkwardness. The photographer has a revelation as he sees that underneath the seemingly boring sweater, is an epic tiger shirt.  Plus, I felt like it would it was anobvious yet unexpected direction to go in for the breakdown of the song.

One recurring theme that is found a lot in family photos is a pregnant woman. In general, I think pregnant women are beautiful, but thesephotos make me feel really uncomfortable. I can’t put my finger on it, but its just…awkward. Another theme that you see is whole families with their shirts off.  So, of course, I asked Matt and Kim and the family if they were cool with taking their shirts off, and they were. Things got really awkward (for real) when the kid starting breastfeeding. I guess that’s how it happens; it’s like magic, the kind of magic that makes you feel really uncomfortable but also good inside. This was definitely one of the more fun/weirdest shoots yet that I have been a part of. Thanks for reading and hope you enjoy watching the video."

Matt & Kim "Let's Go" (FADER)
Dugan O'Neal, director/editor | Sydney Buchan, producer | Doomsday Ent, production co | Tim Ives, DP | BEMO, vfx | Danielle Hinde, exec. producer

WATCH IT: Hammock "Cold Front" (David Altobelli, dir.)

It's ghost story of sorts in director David Altobelli's latest video for instrumental post-rock duo Hammock, as a woman realizes that you can't be in love with a memory forever. --> watch "Cold Front"

Hammock "Cold Front" 
David Altobelli, director | Sarah Park, Ryan Kohler, Ross Girard, producer | Burbank Gamma Ray, production co | Larkin Seiple, DP | Ethan Feldbau, production designer | Sue Yeon Ahn, exec. producer 

WATCH IT: Matt & Kim "Let's Go" (Dugan O'Neal, dir.)

Imagine your most awkward family photo shoots. Now what this, and be thankful they were never this harrowing. Hopefully. --> watch "Let's Go"

Matt & Kim "Let's Go" (FADER)
Dugan O'Neal, director/editor | Sydney Buchanan, producer | Doomsday Ent, production co | Tim Ives, DP | BEMO, vfx | Danielle Hinde, exec. producer

IN PRODUCTION: Titus Andronicus - Isaac Ravishankara, dir.

• artist: Titus Andronicus
• song: "In A Big City"
• label: XL
• director(s): Isaac Ravishankara
• production co: Doomsday Entertainment
• commissioner: Jill Kaplan

IN PRODUCTION: Kid Rock - Travis Kopach, dir.

• artist: Kid Rock
• song: "Let's Ride"
• label: Atlantic
• director(s): Travis Kopach
• production co: Dignity and Shame
• rep: Doomsday Ent.
• commissioner: David Saslow

WATCH IT: David Guetta f/ Sia "She Wolf" (Hiro Murai, dir.)

Director Hiro Murai presents a battle that changes the natural into digital in this David Guetta video, shot on-location in Iceland. The clip starts with a presumably scorned, yet clearly naked woman who conjures the power of wolves to wreak revenge on some cutthroat hunters. The attacks take the form of digitalized seismic disturbances that dangerously radiate across the icy landscape. --> watch "She Wolf"

David Guetta f/ Sia
"She Wolf (Falling To Pieces)" (Capitol)
Hiro Murai, director | Jonathan Wang, producer | Doomsday Ent, production co | Pegasus (Iceland), production co | Larkin Seiple, DP | Mandy Brown, editor | BEMO, vfx | Danielle Hinde, exec. producer | Danny Lockwood, commissioner 

PS: Shakira? You just got served.

WATCH IT: Reptar "Houseboat Babies" (Carlos Lopez Estrada, dir.)

Chances are you don't love your dog as much as the weirdo in this video. Also a good chance your dog isn't an alien. And the random sexy lady with the rabbit who shows up to screw your brains out? That probably doesn't happen either. --> watch "Houseboat Babies"

Reptar "Houseboat Babies"
Carlos Lopez Estrada, director | Zach Wechter, producer | Doomsday Entertainment, production co | Elliott Sellers, DP | Zach Anderson, editor | Danielle Hinde, exec. producer 

IN PRODUCTION: Walk Off The Earth - Ellis Bahl, dir.

• artist: Walk Off The Earth
• song: "Red Hands"
• label: Columbia
• director(s): Ellis Bahl
• production co: Doomsday Ent
• DP: Pat Scola
• producer: Courtney Davies
• exec. producer: Danielle Hinde

IN PRODUCTION: Matt and Kim - Dugan O'Neal, dir.

• artist: Matt and Kim
• song: "Let's Go"
• label: Fader
• director(s): Dugan O'Neal
• production co: Doomsday Ent
• DP: Tim Ives
• producer: Sydney Buchanan
• exec. producer: Danielle Hinde

WATCH IT: 3OH!3 "You're Gonna Love This" BEHIND THE SCENES

And if you thought all those fancy trickshots in the new 3OH!3 video "You're Gonna Love This" were all just editing and fx tricks, here's a behind-the-scenes that shows that not only were they real, but that it took many many many takes for the bros to hit all their marks. --> watch "You're Gonna Love This" Behind The Scenes 

3Oh!3
"You're Gonna Love This" (Atlantic)
Isaac Ravishankara, director | Courtney Davies, producer | Doomsday Ent, production co | Kevin Hayden, DP | Arianna Tomasettig, editor | Danielle Hinde, exec. producer | David Saslow, commissioner

IN PRODUCTION: Pig Destroyer - Phil Mucci, dir.

• artist: Pig Destroyer
• song: "The Diplomat"
• label: Relapse
• director(s): Phil Mucci
• production co: Doomsday Ent.

WATCH IT: High On Fire "Fertile Green" (Phil Mucci, dir.)

Decoding the imagery of this dizzying High On Fire video possibly requires one to be high on something or other, althouugh even I was able to make the connection between "Fertile Green" and the thatch of shrubbery that looms so large here. Otherwise, I'll leave it to director Phil Mucci:

Phil Mucci, director: [High On Fire frotman] Matt Pike was a fan of my Opeth video, so he gave me a lot of creative freedom to work within the broad outlines of their concept album. On top of that, Steve Seabury at eOne was very hands off, so I was really able to go crazy with it.  Which I definitely did!  I tried to tie Matt's concept of the Christ Twin to modern political concerns, namely the rise of a sort of militarized corporate "theocracy",  that is in many ways the antithesis of Christianity. 

If you dare to dig deeper (and hey, why not?), here's a Revolver interview with Pike that lays out Pike's time-traveling vision of  Balteazeen The Christ Twin.

--> watch "Fertile Green"

High On Fire "Fertile Green" (eOne)
Phil Mucci, director/priducer | Doomsday, production co | Danielle Hinde, exec. producer | Steve Seabury, commissioner

WATCH IT: 3OH!3 "You're Gonna Love This" (Isaac Ravishankara, dir.)

The pretty girl at the bar seems like sureshot until the 3Oh!3 dudes start competing for her through a series of ever complex trick shots in and around the Planet Hollywood Vegas hotel. Frisbee, golf, coin-flipping: The guys apparently mastered them all as a behind the scenes (coming soon?) will apparently reveal that everything short of the helicopter dunk (and the "Tom Cruise" cameo)  was done for reals. --> watch "You're Gonna Love This"

3Oh!3
"You're Gonna Love This" (Atlantic)
Isaac Ravishankara, director | Courtney Davies, producer | Doomsday Ent, production co | Kevin Hayden, DP | Arianna Tomasettig, editor | Danielle Hinde, exec. producer | David Saslow, commissioner

IN PRODUCTION: David Guetta f/ Sia - Hiro Murai, dir.

• artist: David Guetta f/ Sia
• song: "She Wolf (Falling To Pieces)"
• label: Capitol
• director(s): Hiro Murai
• production co: Doomsday Ent
• DP: Larkin Seiple
• producer: Jonathan Wang
• exec. producer: Danielle Hinde
• commissioner: Danny Lockwood