Amazed by the building-block animation in the White Stripes’ “Fell in Love With a Girl” video? Impressed by the choreography in Kylie Minogue’s “Can’t Get You Out of My Head”? Well, you’re not alone.
Each year the Music Video Production Association hands out awards to those little-seen yet highly integral members of the music video community – namely, everyone but the musicians themselves. This year Kylie’s choreographer and the Stripes’ special effects artists are among the specialists up for awards in 26 categories, ranging from Director of the Year to Best Video Produced Under $25,000.
There are also several best video categories, broken down by genre, where clips by System of a Down, Alicia Keys, Mary J. Blige, Afroman, Weezer and others will duke it out. The MVPA’s 11th annual awards ceremony will be held May 22 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, the site of last month’s Academy Awards.
Among the big-name video directors up for awards this year are Marcos Siega (System of a Down’s “Chop Suey,” Jurassic 5’s “Influence,” the Crystal Method’s “Murder,” Weezer’s “Hash Pipe” and Will.I.Am’s “I Am”), Hype Williams (Busta Rhymes’ “What It Is” featuring Kelis), Joseph Kahn (U2’s “Elevation” and “Stuck in a Moment” and DMX’s “Who We Be”), Spike Jonze (Tenacious D’s “Wonderboy”) and Wayne Isham (‘NSYNC’s “Pop”).
Mark Seliger and David LaChapelle – photographers best known from the pages of Rolling Stone – were nominated for directing Willie Nelson’s “Mendocino County Line” featuring Lee Ann Womack and Elton John’s “This Train Don’t Stop There Anymore,” respectively. Roman Coppola, son of Francis Ford Coppola, was nominated for his work behind the lens on the Strokes’ “Last Night.”
Beyoncé Knowles’ mother, Tina, received a nod for her work as stylist on Destiny’s Child’s “Bootylicious,” while Wade Robson, the unofficial sixth member of ‘NSYNC, was nominated for the dance moves he taught them for “Pop,” which he also co-wrote.
For a complete list of nominees, visit the MVPA Web site.
The MVPA is a nonprofit trade organization whose membership includes most music video production and post-production companies, as well as individuals such as editors, directors, producers, cinematographers, choreographers, makeup artists and others involved in the creation of music videos.
