Video Static: Music Video News

WATCH IT: Benny Benassi/Skrillex/Gary Go "Cinema" (Lenny Beckerman, dir.)

You know those executives who sit in the fancy chairs back in the Video Village while the director and team does all the work? Turns out some of them can direct too. Hello's head of film/TV Lenny Berckerman sets the camera on I.Am.Me — the 6th season winners of MTV's America's Best Dance Crew —   letting them shine while this collabo Benny Benassi/Gary Go/Skrillex track goes from smooth to skronk in less than 3:30. --> watch "Cinema (Skrillex remix)"

Benny Benassi f/ Gary Go "Cinema (Skrillex remix)" (Ultra)
Lenny Beckerman, director |Chris Spanos, producer | HELLO!, production co | Kerri Kleiner, executive producer | Taryn Haight, commissioner

IN PRODUCTION: DJ Muggs f/ Belle Humble - Djay Brawner, dir.

• artist: DJ Muggs f/ Belle Humble
• song: "Safe"
• label: Ultra 
• director(s): DJay Brawner
• production co: Anthem Films
• producers: Heather Baker & DJay Brawner
• DP: Bryant Jansen

WATCH IT: Deadmau5 x Gerard Way "Professional Griefers" (Paul Boyd, dir.)

Deadmau5 and My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way head to the Thunder Dome for a massive game of Rock Em Sock Em Robots. And it's way better than Real Steel. --> watch "Professional Griefers

Deadmau5 f/ Gerard Way
"Professional Griefers" (Ultra)
Paul Boyd & Jeff Ranasinghe, director | Mary Ann Tanedo, producer | Weapons Of Mass Entertainment, production co | Method Studios, vfx

IN PRODUCTION: Drop The Lime - Brewer, dir.

• artist: Drop The Lime
• song: "Darkness"
• label: Ultra
• director(s): Brewer
• production co: Saint Elliot & Company
• rep: LARK CREATIVE

WATCH IT: Steve Aoki "Cudi The Kid" (Jam Sutton, dir.)

A strange, yet beautiful vision quest that pulls you in with shrieking nuns, evil clowns, disintegrating flesh,baroque setpieces and fire fire everywhere. I'd like to think it's all just a nightmare of three little kids (Cudi The Kid, Travis The Kid and Kid Aoki) who equally hate Catholic School and the circus, but it could just be a very bad Peyote Trip.  --> watch "Cudi The Kid"

Steve Aoki f/ Kid Cudi & Travis Barker
"Cudi The Kid" (Ultra)
Jam Sutton, director/fx | Sarah Park, producer | Doomsday Ent., production co | David Myrick, DP | Ashley Fenton, art director | Danielle Hinde, exec. producer

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WATCH IT: Yuksek "Off the Wall" (Romain Segaud, dir.)

The man behind the electronics for Yuksek is Pierre-Alexandre Busson, but this clip never gives us a glimpse of the Great Oz (unless those are his hands). Instead we get a playful mix of mirror image gags that keeps upping the ante, even creating a reasonable lip-synching face out of unexpected props. We've seen this reflection gag before in a classic Escape Club clip for 'Wild Wild West' but it also made me think of a certain super celebrity's leg at the recent Oscars. The visual puns are fun and the way director Romain Segaud keeps building the rhythm of the video with such a simple palette of imagery is masterful. --> watch "Off the Wall"

Yuksek "Off The Wall" (Ultra US)
Romain Segaud, director | Nicolas Tiry & Edouard Chassaing, producers | SoLab, production co | Fabien Benzaquen, DP | Fabrice Lombard, editor

IN PRODUCTION: Steve Aoki f/ Kid Cudi - Jam Sutton, dir.

• artist: Steve Aoki f/ Kid Cudi & Travis Barker
• song: "Cudi the Kid"
• label: Ultra
• director(s): Jam Sutton
• production co: Doomsday Ent.

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IN PRODUCTION: Steve Aoki f/ Lovefoxxx - Brewer, dir.

• artist: Steve Aoki f/ Lovefoxxx (of CSS)
• song: "Heartbreaker"
• label: Ultra Records
• director(s): Brewer
• production co: Prettybird
• rep: LARK CREATIVE

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WATCH IT: Wolfgang f/ Will.i.Am "Forver" (NABIL, dir.)

Lest you think NABIL would direct a typical dance video, "Forever" takes a quick turn to the absurd when a dancing couple hooks up in a stairwell and we learn that Will.I.Am is always and forever, his full-grown visage fully formed from sperm to in-utero to toddlerhood and on up through the stages of life. And yes, those sperm and in utero sequences could double as a quite effective abstinence ad. --> watch "Forever"

Wolfgang f/ Will.I.Am
"Forever" (Ultra)
NABIL, director | Kathleen Heffernan , producer | Little Minx @ Black Dog Films , production co | Josh Reis , DP | Eric Greenburg , editor | Bonnie Brae, post | Gustavo @ BKR, 3D post | Brandon Chavez @ New Hat, colorist

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WATCH IT: Wolfgang Gartner "Illmerica" (Ryan McNamara, dir.)

It's the story of America, from the Mayflower to the Civil War to the Industrial Revolution and on and on and on until the present day of us sitting on our asses as everything falls apart. The video for DJ Wolfgang Gartner is a mixed-media tour-de-force, even if it's geared toward those of us who prefer Howard Zinn's People's History to what you learned in Social Studies class. --> watch "Illmerica"

Wolfgang Gartner "Illmerica" (Ultra)
Ryan McNamara, director/lead animator | Mackingwell, production co | Jino Savaglio, assistant animator | Jessica Risling-Sholl, commissioner 

note: Mackingwell is a sponsor of Videostatic.com

BOOKED: Wolfgang Gartner - Ryan McNamara, dir.

• artist: Wolfgang Gartner
• song: "Illmerica"
• label: Ultra
• director(s): Ryan McNamara
• production co: Mackingwell
• rep: Noel Berman
• commissioner: Jessica Risling-Sholl

note: Mackingwell is a sponsor of Videostatic.com

WATCH IT: Kaskade f/ Dragonette "Fire..." (Chic + Artistic, dir.)

Directing team Chic and Artistic deliver something, well, chic and artistic for DJ/producer Kaskade and Dragonette singer Martina Sorbara. Set up as a photo shoot, Kaskade works the camera while Martina poses and vamps — often in reverse — while also displaying a pair of sparkler pumps that I hope become the stripper stiletto of choice.) --> watch "Fire In Your New Shoes"

 Kaskade f/ Dragonette "Fire In Your New Shoes" (Ultra)
Chic & Artistic, directors/post | Ghost Robot, production co | Brooklyn McDaniel, producer | Andreas von Scheele, DP | Shea Daspin, stylist | Mark De Pace & Zach Mortensen, executive producers

WATCH IT: Benny Benassi "Spaceship" (Ray Kay, dir.)

Star international DJ Benny Benassi looks to follow in the footsteps of David Guetta's mainstream success with this colloaboration with Kelis, Black Eyed Peas member Apl.De.Ap and Jean-Baptist. As befits a song called "Spaceship", most of the action takes place exactly where you'd expect — ie: space is the place — although some meditative shots of Benassi and a refrain that encourages you to get high may indicate that it's all taking place in the DJ's space-addled brain. --> watch "Spaceship"

Benny Benassi f/ Kelis, apl.de.ap, & Jean-Baptiste "Spaceship" (Ultra)
Ray Kay, director | Steven Johnson, producer |Rockhard Films, production co | Jacquelyn London @ Bonch, editor | Hoodykov Productions + Skulley FX, vfx

SHOT: Shiny Toy Guns - Andy Huang, director

• artist: Shiny Toy Guns
• song: "Rocketship"
• label: Ultra 
• director(s): Andy Huang
• production co: Moo Studios/Hello
• rep: Hello