The definition of a "Big Big Big Big Big" video may have changed a bit over the years, but the message never got to Usher. The megastar is back with a fittingly massive big-budget video that's merely the prelude to another big clip that's already been shot. Guest stars galore, an exclusive location in the heart of Hollywood, and a top-notch crew. All on a week's notice, of course. The Brothers Strause may seem like an unlikely choice to get the keys to this luxury vehicle, but the Bros have cut their chops over the years through effects work for both music videos and such feature films as 300, X-Men 3 and Fantastic Four 2, not to mention a directing reel of visually complex hard rock videos and their own feature, Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem.
The Brothers Strause, directors: We definitely found ourselves pigeonholed in that dark rock world for a long time, but it was never our intention to do the same dark video time after time. You do one that works and people keep coming back and eventually you get trapped in a niche. We've always wanted to do something like this and it was a perfect fit with Usher. We got the job because he loved the overall look of our work and that we could something different that wouldn't look like a typical rap or r&b video.
It's essentially a club video, but with a loose narrative concept about temptation. Usher is in this club with a seductress and can either give in or resist. He's about to submit to her at the end, but she disappears and that last shot of "Love In This Club" is where the video for "Movin' Mountains" will begin.
We shot at this new Hollywood club Crimson over two nights. There's actually two clubs there — Crimson and Opera — so we closed a different half each night. All the exposed lights were part of the production design. We used these ancient anamorphic lenses that are very reactive to light; They cause lens flares where the light jumps in horizontal patterns. It's actually a defect in the lens in most people's minds and they've spent lots of years and money to fix it. You can use filter sets to achieve a similar effect, but they don't flare as crazy as these old C-Series anamorphic lenses. We wanted that organic and futuristic effect, something a bit more like Blade Runner — which is ironic, since our DP's on father, Jordan Cronenweth, shot that movie. It was risky though, since there's no way to get rid of the flares once you've done them.
--> watch "Love In This Club"
Usher f/ Young Jeezy "Love In This Club" (LaFace/ZLG)
The Brothers Strause, director | Ron Mohrhoff, producer | Hydraulx Films, production co | Lanette Phillips, rep | Jeff Cronenweth, DP | Jarret Fijal, editor
