In this episode we talk with director Sophia Ray and producer Mayling Wong, who work together to create music videos for some of the UK’s favourite pop stars, like Little Mix, Mabel, Ella Eyre and Raye. Sophia and Mayling tell us what draws them to the world of Pop, the key to their strong partnership, and how they ride out the ‘stress express’ when the best laid plans go awry - including on their latest video for Sigrid.

Useful links:

Sophia Ray

https://www.partizan.com/director/sophia-ray/music-content

Music video representation: Claire Stubbs at Mouthpiece

https://www.mouthpiecerep.me/contact

Mayling Wong

https://www.promonews.tv/profiles/mayling-wong/47617

Ella Eyre ft Tu Dolla $ign ‘Ego’

https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2017/09/18/ella-eyre-ft-ty-dolla-ign-ego-sophia-ray/49689

Ella Eyre ‘New Me’

https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2020/01/28/ella-eyre-new-me-sophia-ray/62964

Ella Eyre ft Yxng Bane ‘Dreams’

https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2020/06/19/ella-eyre-ft-yxng-bane-dreams-sophia-ray/65344

Little Mix ‘Holiday’

https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2020/09/01/little-mix-holiday-sophia-ray/66358

Ritual ft Emily Warren ‘Using’

https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2019/07/12/ritual-ft-emily-warren-using-sophia-ray/59758

Raye ‘Call On Me’

https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2021/06/17/raye-call-me-sophia-ray-raye/71480

Mabel x Pokèmon ‘Take It Home’

https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2021/08/03/mabel-x-pok%C3%A8mon-take-it-home-sophia-ray/72201

Sigrid ‘Burning Bridges’

https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2021/09/07/sigrid-burning-bridges-sophia-ray/72699

In this episode we talk to up-and-coming talents in the adjacent fields of cinematography and colour grading: DoP Adam Singodia and colourist Vlad Barin (based at Cheat). We learn about their career paths so far and their collaboration on the video for The Academic’s Kids (Don’t End Up Like Me) by directing duo Tearjerker. How did they fulfil the directors’ brief to create a distinctive look of nostalgic Americana on a shoot that happened in Northern Ireland? They discuss the technical aspects of lighting and grading, and the impact of new technologies on their work.

Useful links:

Adam Singodia

https://www.adamsingodia.co.uk/

Vlad Barin

https://www.cheatit.co/colourists/vlad-barin

The Academic ‘Kids (Don’t End Up Like Me)’

https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2021/06/02/academic-kids-dont-end-me-tearjerker/71219

Visit Promonews for a daily update of music video creativity and industry news.

Produced in association with WPA - Worldwide Production Agency.

Links:

www.promonews.tv

Worldwide Production Agency (episode sponsor)

https://wp-a.co.uk/

In this episode, David and Rob talk music videos with Lucrecia Taormina, a director and photographer who has directed bold and arresting work in videos for Ashnikko, Bree Runway, Steven Wilson, and more. Lucrecia talks about how moving to London from Buenos Aires and discovering her creative freedom through photography and then moving image, about the challenges of being a female director, winning an UKMVA Award for her first Ashnikko video, and pushing things further with her larger-than-life aesthetic.

Lucrecia Taormina

http://friendlondon.tv/directors/lucrecia-taormina#cat-musicvideos

https://www.lucreciataormina.com/

Cuckoolander ‘Mercury’

https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2018/03/20/cuckoolander-mercury-lucrecia-taormina/52221

Ashnikko ‘Hi, It’s Me’

https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2019/08/13/ashnikko-hi-its-me-lucrecia-taormina/60273

Ashnikko ‘Stupid’

https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2019/10/30/ashnikko-ft-yung-baby-tate-stupid-lucrecia-taormina/61599

Steven Wilson ‘Personal Shopper’

https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2021/02/11/steven-wilson-personal-shopper-lucrecia-taormina/69403

Bree Runway ‘ATM’

https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2021/02/03/bree-runway-ft-missy-elliott-atm-lucrecia-taormina/69286

Visit Promonews for a daily update of music video creativity and industry news.

Produced in association with WPA - Worldwide Production Agency.

Links:

www.promonews.tv

https://wp-a.co.uk/

In this episode, David and Rob talk music videos with Salomon Ligthelm, a director who’s created beautifully-shot, emotionally-charged, gripping videos for the likes of Young Fathers, Daughter, Prince, and most recently for UK hip hop artist Little Simz. Salomon talks from his home in New York about his unconventional career path, being ‘a nomad’, developing direct relationships with music artists and making videos as a reaction to his high-end commercial work.

Useful links:

Salomon Ligthelm

https://prettybird.co/eu/talent/creatives/salomon-ligthelm/work/

https://ligthelm.work/

Young Fathers ‘Mr Martyr’

https://ligthelm.work/project/young-fathers-mr.-martyr

Daughter ‘Medicine’

https://ligthelm.work/project/daughter-medicine

Young Fathers ‘Toy’

https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2018/05/02/young-fathers-toy-salomon-ligthelm/52931

Prince ‘Mary Don’t You Weep’

https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2018/09/26/prince-mary-dont-you-weep-salomon-ligthelm/55210

Little Simz ‘Introvert’

https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2021/04/27/little-simz-introvert-salomon-ligthelm/70595

Visit Promonews for a daily update of music video creativity and industry news. 

Produced in association with WPA - Worldwide Production Agency.

Links:

www.promonews.tv

https://wp-a.co.uk/

In this episode, David and Rob talk with RUFFMERCY, the Bristol-based animator/director who has made a unique contribution to music videos in the past decade. His unmistakable animation style has graced hip-hop videos for Run The Jewels, Danny Brown and others - and more recently for grime artist Ghetts and dance legends The Chemical Brothers. 

The director talks about discovering hip-hop in the 80s, working at MTV in the 90s, bringing a new vision to US hip hop videos before making an impact at home in the UK, and retaining creative freedom to keep developing his distinctive style.

Useful links:

RUFFMERCY

https://www.myaccomplice.co.uk/ruffmercy  & https://www.ruffmercy.com/

Blu ft UGod ‘Doinnothin’’ 

https://vimeo.com/31735213

Run The Jewels ‘Run The Jewels’  

https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2014/03/10/run-jewels-run-jewels-ruff-mercy/24668

Preoccupations ‘Disarray’ 

https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2018/03/23/preoccupations-disarray-ruffmercy/52306

Thom Yorke ‘Suspirium’  

https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2018/09/20/thom-yorke-suspirium-ruffmercy/55133

Ghetts ft Jaykae & Moonchild Sannelly ‘Mozambique’ 

https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2020/07/15/ghetts-ft-jaykae-moonchild-sannelly-mozambique-ruffmercy/66568

The Chemical Brothers ‘The Darkness That You Fear’ 

https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2021/04/28/chemical-brothers-darkness-you-fear-ruffmercy/70636

Visit Promonews for a daily update of music video creativity and industry news. Produced in association with WPA - Worldwide Production Agency.

Links:

www.promonews.tv

https://wp-a.co.uk/

In this episode of the Promonews Podcast, David Knight and Rob Ulitski talk about music videos with Louis Bhose, the director based at London-based production company Agile Films, and represented by OB Management. David and Rob chat to Louis about his videos for Loyle Carner, Bombay Bicycle Club, Maisie Peters and others. 

Louis also talks about his career-change from musician to music video director, reveals his rules for directing pop stars in their videos, not being a fan of one-shot videos (and then challenging himself to make one), and which other director helped him write better treatments.

Useful links: Louis Bhose at Agile Films, https://agilefilms.com/directors/music-videos/louis-bhose/

Loyle Carner ‘You Don’t Know’ https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2019/01/18/loyle-carner-ft-rebel-kleff-kiko-bun-you-don%E2%80%99t-know-louis-bhose/56873

Bombay Bicycle Club ‘Everything Else Has Gone Wrong’ https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2019/12/02/bombay-bicycle-club-everything-else-has-gone-wrong-louis-bhose/62189

Maisie Peters ‘John Hughes Movie’ https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2021/03/09/maisie-peters-john-hughes-movie-louis-bhose/69844

Visit Promonews for a daily update of music video creativity and industry news. Produced in association with WPA - Worldwide Production Agency.

Links:

www.promonews.tv

https://wp-a.co.uk/

In the debut episode of the Promonews Podcast, David Knight and Rob Ulitski talk about music videos with Lee Fairweather, director’s rep at London-based production company COMPULSORY.

Lee talks about COMPULSORY’s prolific output of music videos in the past year or so, including Stormzy’s Superheroes, directed by Taz Tron Delix, the Boy Pablo trilogy by directing duo Bedroom, and director Filmawi’s move into live music videos for Burna Boy. They also discover how Lee and COMPULSORY co-founder/EP Chris Toumazou bond over obscure late 20th century pop culture, and his own 'music video education' - growing up watching 90s hip hop videos.

Photo Credit: Harkaran Gill 

Useful links:

COMPULSORY

https://compulsory.film/

Stormzy 'Superheroes' by Taz Tron Delix

https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2020/09/09/stormzy-superheroes-taz-tron-delix/66559

Boy Pablo 'Rest Up', 'Leave Me Alone!', 'Wachito Rico' by Bedroom

https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2020/10/29/boy-pablo-rest-leave-me-alone-wachito-rico-bedroom/67463

Burna Boy ft Chris Martin 'Monsters You Made' (for BET Hip-Hop Awards) by Filmawi

https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2020/11/12/burna-boy-ft-chris-martin-monsters-you-made-bet-hip-hop-awards-filmawi/67767