Playlist: Bison

Originating from a music background Bison, aka Dave Bullivant, has helmed promos for the likes of London Grammer and Bonobo [below]. We caught up with the director to find out about his inspiration, and what's on his Playlist.

What’s the best promo you’ve seen recently and why?

That is a tough one. I love DOM&NIC’s Chemical Brothers vid [Wide Open, below]. It was a lovely idea exquisitely executed. Also Ringan Ledwidg’s Massive Attack one [Voodoo in My Blood, bottom] was pretty special.

What’s the first promo you remember being impressed by?

Probably Foo Fighters - Everlong. It was just insane and I think the first-time I really paid attention to the fact that people were out there crafting these little films. So many ideas crammed in and was genuinely funny. Also, I think I had that massive hand dream at some point.

And what’s your all-time favourite music video?

Radiohead - Street Spirit. It’s pretty much perfect for me. Beautifully shot, innovative technique that doesn’t become centre stage but instead seems to encapsulate the song.

What other directors/artists do you look to for inspirational?

My inspiration comes from a pretty broad and disparate bunch. I’m a big Kubrik fan (as are most people), but also Terrence Malik, Alfonso Cuarón, Coen Brothers, Wes Anderson. I’ve started concentrating a lot more on photography recently too so I would say Michael Wesely, Nicholas Cope, Niall O’Brien.

What are you listening to at the moment?

I have become a little bit obsessed by Serpent With Feet recently. Amazing voice. And Aldous Harding is amazing.

What’s your favourite bit of tech, whether for professional or personal use?

Probably my beastly old medium format camera. It’s a Bronica SQ-A [pictured, below]. It’s older than me, weighs a ton but I love how it forces me to slow down when I take portraits with it. Other than that I spend most of my time on my phone so probably that.

What artist(s) would you most like to work with and why?

This is easy. Bjork. She is the most incredible artist around that has always come out with incredible visual and aural output. Properly inspiring.

How do you feel the promo industry has changed since you started in it?

I feel it’s just become much harder to make any kind of living doing it. Obviously, budgets have shrunk, but the amount of new young directors has exploded, and the older, more established directors have also started to come back to promos. So you are pitching against so many people for a £20k budget. Then you invariably have to put some of your tiny fee into hiring that lens or camera body. So you can’t earn a living directing music videos alone. So most people supplement it with something else.

But through it all the quality hasn’t dropped which is great. But I do wish our craft was taken more seriously by the labels, especially as most people listen to their music on YouTube these days.

Music videos have had a resurgence of late; where do you see the industry being in five years’ time?

I really hope the standard remains as high whilst moving to allow the people who make them earn a vaguely decent amount to live. But I think I am an optimist.

Tell us one thing about yourself that most people won’t know…

I’m the co-owner of a brewery with some friends. I don’t do any of the brewing these days, but am more of an art director I suppose.