Video for Django Django’s track “Surface to Air” with Rebecca Taylor (aka Self-Esteem). Directed by Dir Lx.

A striking experimental short by Los Angeles-based movement artist and filmmaker Erin S Murray. “Hydra” follows a young child who is transforms into a fully grown woman after encountering a mysterious collective of faceless figures. Merging dance with narrative storytelling, the film explores themes of identity, herd mentality and indoctrination. As Murray describes:

“This film is a reaction to the ‘with us or against us mentality’ that so often works against both the group and the individual.”

Check out “Hydra” above as well as some lovely behind-the-scenes photos by Victoria Fayad below!

Director + Choreographer: Erin S Murray
Producer: Victoria Fayad
Cinematographer: Jake Ures
Costume Design: Alexandra Izdebski
Sound Design: Matthew Dunaway
Music: Hanetration
Colorist: David Torcivia
1st AC: Patrick Gerahty
PA and Stills Photographer: Jeremy Knies

Starring:
Meredith Adelaide as ‘woman’
Mia Canosa-Carr as ‘child’
Dancers:
Jessica Gadzinski
Gina Gonzalves
Belle Jessen
Stephanie Kim
Sandra Morlett
Blaire Ostendorf
Sarah Prinz
Sasha Rivero

Special Thanks:
Jerad Anderson
Natasha Seubert
Betsy Ures
Chad Sarahina
John Merizalde

Erin S Murray’s Website

Erin S Murray on Instagram

Like the use of a vintage viewfinder in this video for Kuzo’s track “Luna” by director Patrick Flaherty. Also nice to see a different (non-beachy) side of California. See full credits below.

Directed by Patrick Flaherty
Director of Photography: Justyn Moro
First AD: Janica Flaherty
Editor: Nathan Hay
Special Effects: Eric Deuel
Colour: Justyn Moro
First AC: Jamie Owen
Producer: Kuzo
Mixed by Travis Ference
Mastered by Ian Sefchick

This is just one of the many projects submitted to us this past week. Consider participating here if you have a video you’d like us to check out!

Paul Thomas Anderson captures another live performance by Haim, this time performing at The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. Check out “Night So Long” above and click here to see more of Anderson’s work with the trio, if you haven’t already!

Soko revisits her past relationships in this subtle yet surreal video for “Diabolo Menthe” (a cover of Yves Simon’s original track). Directed by Drake Doremus.

Really like the vibe of this short profile by Vancouver-based filmmaker Brock Newman. Newman beautifully balances the strength derived from a rough East-London upbringing with the vulnerability of having one’s home determined by someone else. As Newman shared with us:

“Jake Quentin Lewis-Hurn contacted me about one week before he was going to be kicked out of Canada due to an expiring visa. I was compelled by the thought of someone making a home only to have it ripped away from them years later.”

Watch “Citizen” above and check out some black and white portraits taken during the shoot below!

Written and Directed by Brock Newman
Starring Jake Quentin Lewis-Hurn
DP: Blake Davey
1st AC: Joaquin Cardoner
Producer: Mintie Pardoe
Editor: Joe Carney
Music & Sound: Factor Eight
Colour: Sam Gilling

Brock Newman’s Website

Brock Newman on Instagram

Jake Quentin Lewis-Hurn on Instagram

A delightful short about a 15-year-old hypochondriac by Los Angeles-based writer and director Garrett Tripp. Set in 1976, “Waiting To Die In Bayside, Queens” follows Jordyn Sherman during her last moments on Earth… maybe.

This is just one of the many creative submissions we’ve received in the past week. Click here if you have a project you’d like us to check out!

So much to like in this kaleidoscopic video for Circuits Circuits’ track “Liquid Gold” by director Tony Altamirano and Portland-based studio DAD (aka Peter Dean and Tess Donohoe). When it comes to creative collaborations this project is particularly unique in that the video wasn’t just made for the song; the song was actually written, performed and produced by Dean for the purposes of the video!

“Liquid Gold” explores themes of regret, loss and yearning for the past and takes inspiration from Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s famous poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. Shot in several locations between Oregon and Washington, the video features many practical effects achieved via prisms, kaleidoscopes and lens whacking.

Check out Dean and Donohoe’s ambitious project above and see some behind-the-scenes photos from the shoot below!

Directed by Tony Altamirano
Creative Directors: Studio DAD
Producer: Stephanie Foyer
Actors: Elissa Middlemas, Dique Scott
DP: Jesse Rosten
Editor: Jesse Rosten
Production Design: Studio DAD
Stylist: Bekah Hilleson
Assistant Stylist: Mollye Pooton
ACs: Jin Ryu, Jim Stanek
Colorist: George Costakis for Piñata
PA: Ricardo Nagaoka
Special Thanks: Josh Landry

Music:
Written and produced by Peter Dean
Keyboard, Vocals: Peter Dean, Kelly Simmons
Bass: Mark Savage, Andrew Stern, Johnny Keener
Drums: Dave Shur, Brian Kramer
Engineer: Johnny Keener
Studio: Sidecar
Mix: Dana Grumbiner

DAD’s Website

DAD on Instagram

Trying not to use the word “lovely” to describe Hannah Jacobs’ work like we always do. Check out her latest animation for dodie’s track “Secret For The Mad” above and see more loveliness from Jacobs, previously featured here!

A stunning video for Hiatus Kaiyote frontwoman Nai Palm’s solo track “Homebody.” Shot close to Mount Beauty where Palm grew up and helped along by Melbourne-based studio John Fish, the project sees Palms returning to her roots as a fire-sword performer while venturing into the realm of filmmaking and editing for the first time.

Trippy visuals by London-based artist and director Alexander Brown for James Blake’s track “If The Car Beside You Moves Ahead.”

Director : Alexander Brown
Producer : Adam Nelson
Editor : Avner Shiloah
Colourist : Aubrey Woodiwiss (Carbon)
Exec Producer : Carolyn Pedrossian
Managing Director : Laura Thoel
Production Company : The Sweetshop
Copyright: Polydor 2018
Artist : James Blake
Track: If the Car Beside You Moves Ahead
Comissioner : Semera Khan

Love this video for Kali Uchis’s track with Tyler, The Creator and Bootsy Collins by London-based photographer and filmmaker Nadia Lee Cohen.