The Music Video Focus

From chats with top directors on making primo promos to industry looks at how race/gender/politics are portrayed, we throw music videos into focus.

Craft

How to clone an icon

11 years after directing a fledgling Adele in the Rolling In The Deep video, Sam Brown and the now global megastar collaborate again for Oh My God. We sat down with Brown to chat technical artistry, complex choreography and how to duplicate divas.

Insight

Music videos with a message

From Black Lives Matter to Brexit England, debating issues of the day via sound and vision can lead to potent pieces of work. David Knight explores how artists, their labels and video directors are approaching mixing politics with promos.

Talent

The Way I See It: Phil Lee

Now creative director at BAFTA and Emmy-nominated creative community, Untold Studios, Phil was previously video commissioner at XL Recordings, where he spent 21 years helping to create award-winning visuals for stars including Adele, Radiohead, M.I.A and FKA Twigs. Here he shares his thoughts on litter, long service and living in the moment.

Talent

Nathan James Tettey's road to success

Nathan James Tettey is steeped in music videos; David Knight talks to the talented Tettey about his journey from teenage shoots with a promo-directing cousin and various jobs in production companies and record labels, to directing videos for some of the UK's biggest acts, including Dave and Ghetts, and now a multi-faceted role at Untold Studios.

Insight

The short-sightedness of the female gaze

Freshteh Piltan, Park Village director of promos and commercials and former MTV producer, explores the reality of a 'feminist' music video in a cultural landscape haunted by the male gaze.

Insight

Extended Play

The long-form visual album has a rich history, from the Beatles through to Beyoncé and beyond, into specially curated performance films for lockdown and bespoke live visuals – and a future that looks set to outlast the album itself, writes Tim Cumming

Insight

Crossing over: Why promo directors bring something special to commercial content

"But can you tell a story in 30 seconds?" That was the usual response to successful promo directors looking to break into commercials, but not anymore. Ammolite Inc. Managing Director Kirsten Arongino explains why, and gives tips on how to make the leap from one to the other.

Inspiration

Playlist: Life Garland

We spoke to Life Garland, director and editor at Nice Shoes, about working on Michael Jackson music videos, dreams of working with Donald Glover, and his secret love of chess...

Inspiration

Peer Review: Sam Davey

OB Management's senior music video agent (and UK MVA's Best Agent in 2021) Sam Davey reflects on his 15 years in the business, reveals that stock footage can be a creative spark and explains how relationships form the core of all successful projects.

Inspiration

Playlist: Tanu Muino

We caught up with UnderWonder Content director Tanu Muino, and chat about her personal computer love, the future tech used in music videos and her unfortunate dislike of interviews!

The Future Focus

What will tomorrow bring? Is creativity, or humanity, at risk from Artificial Intelligence? How will increasing eco-awareness impact consumerism? In a topsy-turvy world seeing fast-moving culture shifts, shots devotes two months to garnering insights from the soothsayers of ad-land on the shape of things to come.

The Short Films & Documentary Focus

shots looks at the synergies between condensed cinematic storytelling and advertising. We also delve into factual content and how brands – and charities – are increasingly leveraging the power of reality to connect with audiences.

The New Talent Focus

Who are the rookie directors/producers/creatives who’ve been waiting in the wings to level-up ad-land? Where do you find them, how can we nurture them, and what fresh ideas will they bring?

The Animation Focus

With toons on-trend during lockdown, now that live-action is back what is the state of the animation nation today? This focus draws on opinions and profiles of animation directors, producers and studios and looks at new trends and technologies in the medium.

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