WATCH IT: No Doubt "Push And Shove" (Sophie Muller, dir.)

No Doubt takes us back to the pattern-positive world of 'Hey Baby' (though checkerboard instead of houndstooth) by way of the spotlit black and white of 'Hella Good'. Sophie Muller follows the band on a high-energy but relatively low-stakes nocturnal tour of NYC with drinks and horsing around down by the river. Gwen and the crew are charismatic and engaging but I still kind of wish they had discovered the 'crackcident' party in Bushwick.  --> watch "Push And Shove"

No Doubt f/ Busy Signal & Major Lazer
"Push And Shove" (Interscope)
Sophie Muller, director | Grant Jue, producer | Oil Factory, production co | Kathy Angstadt, commissioner

 Doug Stern writes music video treatments when he isn't busy looking for his crack spirit guide.

WATCH IT: Andy Grammer "Miss Me" (Justin Baldoni, dir.)

Sad? Heartbroken? Grab a glowstick and make your way to a Andy Grammer rooftop performance that's attracting all the lonely people*.  --> watch "Miss Me"

*There's an old story that in wake of "Big Me," fans started chucking Mentos at Foo Fighters when they played the song live, as a tribute to the video. So, a concept revolving around Glow Sticks makes for some potentially cool tour visual (and they're less likely to take your eye out when they bombard the stage)

Andy Grammer
"Miss Me" (S-Curve)
Justin Baldoni, director | Jessi Williams, producer | Oil Factory, production co | Ben Singer, commissioner

IN PRODUCTION: Andy Grammer - Justin Baldoni, dir.

• artist: Andy Grammer
• song: "Miss Me"
• label: S-Curve
• director(s): Justin Baldoni
• production co: Oil Factory/ AFG Productions
• producer: Jessi Williams

WATCH IT: No Doubt "Settle Down" (Sophie Muller, dir.)

Some bands have individual buses; No Doubt roll much bigger than that. They each have their own customized semi, serving as both party trucks and as a means to get to a huge performance space where they provide the soundtrack for a funkybollyreggae dance extravaganza. --> watch "Settle Down"

No Doubt "Settle Down" (Interscope)
Sophie Muller, director | Grant Jue, producer | Oil Factory Inc, production co | Rodrigo Prieto, DP | Laura Fox, production designer | Jay Wakefield, exec. producer | Kathy Angstadt, commissioner 

NEWS: Doomsday Repping Oil Factory Roster

Doomsday Ent is now representing the Oil Factory directors for music videos... The roseter includes:

• Sophie Muller
• Alexandliane
• Jamie Thraves
• W.I.Z

 

WATCH IT: Broken Bells "The High Road"

Brian Burton, aka Danger Mouse, and James Mercer, aka The Shin — collectively aka Broken Bells — wander along a strange road filled with all sorts of bad omens. There's a wreck on the highway, a projection screen displaying a fire, a kid playing with a remote control car, a burlesque stage and a lone white horse. It's all quite ominous, leading me to think that "The High Road" is a reference to the afterlife, or they're all just high. --> watch "The High Road"

Broken Bells "The High Road" (Columbia)
Sophie Muller, director/editor | Grant Jue, producer | Oil Factory, production co | Steve Chivers, DP | Dilly Gent, commissioner

WATCH IT: Har Mar Superstar "Tall Boy"

Funky white boy Har Mar Superstar may not fit the usual definition of superstar, but he shows some serious clout by pulling in a damn fine cast of guest stars in this his slick video directed by Tomorrows Brightest Minds. Actresses Eva Mendes and Alia Shawkat (aka Maeby from Arrested Development), along with Tim And Eric co-star Eric Wareheim, appear in an intergalactic Tron-meets-2001-meets-Barbarella stylistic romp, where HMSuperstar shows he can fill out a spacesuit better than any astronaut out there (except Jane Fonda, maybe). --> watch "Tall Boy"

Har Mar Superstar "Tall Boy"
Tomorrow's Brightest Minds, directors/producers/vfx | Oil Factory, production co | Beatriz Lopez @ BeeHive Management | Simon Thirlaway , DP | Russell Lichter, editor | Christopher Kreiling, stylist | Matt Fuller @ Mind Over Eye, telecine/colorist

WATCH IT: Ting Tings "That's Not My Name"

The Ting Tings may be out in the middle of nowhere, on a pitch black night, but they're not alone for long. A troupe of glow-in-the-dark celebrants burst on the scene to match the band's energy. The marching band members, cheerleaders, double dutchers, and even the fools holding up signs with the wrong names, match the band's energy for a few festive minutes. --> watch "That's Not My Name"

The Ting Tings "That's Not My Name" (Columbia)
Alex and Liane, director | Grant Jue, producer | Oil Factory, production co | David Lanzenberg, DP | Chris Giammalvo, production designer | Nicholas Carmen @ Radiant, colorist/telecine

SHOT: Miranda Lee Richards - Piper Ferguson, director

artist: Miranda Lee Richards
song: "Early November"
label: Nettwerk
director(s): Piper Ferguson
production co: Lodger/Oil Factory
producer(s): Andrew Molina
DP: Michael Rizzi | editor: Dean Gonzalez @ Final Cut

WATCH IT: Cold War Kids "Something Is Not Right"

Cold War Kids return with an off the cuff rave-up and a fittingly loose video to match. There's some sort of fixation on the eyes as the CWK fellas perform and generally goof around in what looks to be an old school for the insane. --> watch "Something Is Not Right With Me"

Cold War Kids
"Something Is Not Right" (Downtown)
Sophie Muller, director/editor | Grant Jue, producer | Oil Factory, production co | Simon Thirlaway, DP

SHOT: Secondhand Serenade - Ryan Rickett, director

artist: Secondhand Serenade
song: "Your Call"
label: Glassnote
director(s): Ryan Rickett
production co: Oil Factory

SHOT: Jolie Holland - Stoney Sharp, director

artist: Jolie Holland
song: "Mexico City"
label: Anti
director(s): Stoney Sharp
production co: Oil Factory

WATCH IT: Kings Of Leon "Sex On Fire"

Although I'd like to joke that Kings Of Leon frontman Caleb Followil is burning up with a case of the clap in this hot, sweaty clip for "Sex On Fire," it seems he's merely possessed by good old fashioned lust. Director Sophie Muller keys in on the Followil clan's Pentecostal background: Although the Kings have long since ditched their rural roots for a much more cosmopolitan and stylish look that suits their increasingly grander rock 'n' roll sound and lifestyle, they still seem to consider that natural libidinous rush as a kind of demon that takes over and makes you do bad, bad things. And no, the video doesn't depict cock. It's a hen. As in chicken. A female chicken. And apparently it gets fried. And eaten. (And as my friend Doug just joked, "They probably choked that chicken to death") --> watch "Sex On Fire"

Kings Of Leon "Sex On Fire" (RCA)
Sophie Muller, director | Grant Jue, producer | Oil Factory, production co | Jonathan Sella, DP | Sophie Muller, editor/telecine

SHOT: Cold War Kids - Sophie Muller, director

artist: Cold War Kids
song: "Something Is Not Right With Me"
label: Downtown
director(s): Sophie Muller
production co: Oil Factory