The 2013 MTV Video Music Awards are broadcasting live tonight @ 9pm on MTV, with a nonstop flow of behind-the-scenes and various second-screen content already flowing @ mtv.com/ontv/vma/...
I'll be at the show tonight, so check in with me on Twitter.com/videostatic for updates and hopefully lots of photos of me with various Jersey Shore castmembers. And if you're there as well, hit me up.
Here are my predicted winners, with the full nominations...
Video of the Year
- Justin Timberlake, “Mirrors” (Floria Sigismondi, dir.)
- Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, feat. Wanz, “Thrift Shop” (Jon Augustavo; Ryan Lewis; Ben Haggerty, dir.)
- Bruno Mars, “Locked Out of Heaven” (Cameron Duddy and Bruno Mars, dir.)
- Robin Thicke, feat. T.I. and Pharrell, “Blurred Lines” (Diane Martel, dir.)
- Taylor Swift, “I Knew You Were Trouble” (Anthony Mandler, dir.)
PREDICTED WINNER: Robin Thicke "Blurred Lines" — The video and song of the moment, and probably the year. DESERVING UNDERDOG: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis "Thrift Shop" which exemplifies how a creative low-budget video can change lives.
Best Hip-Hop Video
- Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, feat. Ray Dalton, “Can’t Hold Us” (Ryan Lewis, Jason Koenig, Jon Augustavo, dir.)
- Drake, “Started From the Bottom” (Director X and Drake, dir.)
- Kendrick Lamar, “Swimming Pools” (Jerome D, dir.)
- A$AP Rocky, feat. Drake, 2 Chainz & Kendrick Lamar, “F**kin Problems” (Sam Lecca, dir.)
- J. Cole, feat. Miguel, “Power Trip” (Nabil Elderkin and Mike Piscitelli, dir.)
PREDICTED WINNER: Drake "Started From The Bottom" — and now we're here. DESERVING UNDERDOG: There aren't any underdogs here really, but the J Cole video would be a ballsy pick for the winner.
Best Male Video
- Justin Timberlake, “Mirrors” (Floria Sigismondi, dir.)
- Robin Thicke, feat. T.I. and Pharrell, “Blurred Lines” (Diane Martel, dir.)
- Bruno Mars, “Locked Out of Heaven” (Cameron Duddy and Bruno Mars, dir.)
- Ed Sheeran, “Lego House” (Emil Nava, dir.)
- Kendrick Lamar, “Swimming Pools” (Jerome D, dir.)
PREDICTED WINNER: Justin Timberlake "Mirrors" — I know it doesn't make sense that Thicke would be Best of the Year and no Best Male video, but logic is overrated. DESERVING UNDERDOG: I'd say Ed Sheeran, but only if they had nominated the genius Lego version of the video.
Best Female Video
- Rihanna, feat. Mikky Ekko, “Stay” (Sophie Muller, dir.)
- Taylor Swift, “I Knew You Were Trouble” (Anthony Mandler, dir.)
- Miley Cyrus, “We Can’t Stop” (Diane Martel, dir.)
- P!nk, feat. Nate Ruess, “Just Give Me a Reason” (Diane Martel, dir.)
- Demi Lovato, “Heart Attack” (Chris Applebaum, dir.)
PREDICTED WINNER: Miley Cyrus "We Can't Stop," which is basically the sister clip to director Diane Martel's "Blurred Lines" video.
Best Pop Video
- Bruno Mars, “Locked Out of Heaven” (Cameron Duddy and Bruno Mars, dir.)
- Justin Timberlake, “Mirrors” (Floria Sigismondi, dir.)
- fun., “Carry On” (Anthony Mandler, dir.)
- Miley Cyrus, “We Can’t Stop” (Diane Martel, dir.)
- Selena Gomez, “Come and Get It” (Anthony Mandler, dir.)
PREDICTED WINNER: Miley Cyrus "We Can't Stop"
Artist to Watch Presented by Taco Bell®
- Twenty One Pilots, “Holding on to You” (Jordan Bahat, dir.)
- Zedd, feat. Foxes, “Clarity” (Jodeb, dir.)
- Austin Mahone, “What About Love” (Colin Tilley, dir.)
- The Weeknd, “Wicked Games” (Abel Tesfaye, dir.)
- Iggy Azalea, “Work” (Jonas & François, dir.)
PREDICTED WINNER: This is fan voted, so go with Austin Mahone which skews the youngest.
Best Collaboration
- Justin Timberlake, feat. Jay-Z, ”Suit & Tie” (David FIncher, dir.)
- Pitbull, feat. Christina Aguilera, “Feel This Moment” (David Rousseau, dir.)
- Calvin Harris, feat. Ellie Goulding, “I Need Your Love” (Emil Nava, dir.)
- Robin Thicke, feat. T.I. and Pharrell, “Blurred Lines” (Diane Martel, dir.)
- P!nk, feat. Nate Ruess, “Just Give Me a Reason” (Diane Martel, dir.)
PREDICTED WINNER: Robin Thicke with T.I. and Pharrell for “Blurred Lines” DESERVING UNDERDOG: Justin Timberlake and Jay-Z, neither of whom has been called an underdog in years and probably never will again.
Best Video With a Social Message
- Kelly Clarkson, “People Like Us” (Chris Marrs Piliero, dir.)
- Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, “Same Love” (Ryan Lewis, Jon Augustavo, dir.)
- Snoop Lion, “No Guns Allowed” (Jessy Terrero, dir.)
- Miguel, “Candles in the Sun” (Sarah McColgan, dir.)
- Beyoncé, “I Was Here” (Kenzo Digital and Sophie Muller, dir.)
PREDICTED WINNER: Macklemore and Ryan Lewis for "Same Love"
Best Rock Video
- Imagine Dragons, “Radioactive” (Syndrome, dir.)
- Fall Out Boy, “My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up)” (DONALD/ZAEH, Dir.)
- Mumford & Sons, “I Will Wait” (Fred & Nick, dir.)
- 30 Seconds to Mars, “Up In The Air” (Bartholomew Cubbins, dir.)
- Vampire Weekend, “Diane Young” (Primo Kahn, dir.)
PREDICTED WINNER: Fall Out Boy since everybody loves a comeback. DESERVING UNDERDOG: Imagine Dragons, which is this year's crossover rock band.
Best Art Direction
- Capital Cities, “Safe and Sound” (Teri Whittaker, art director)
- 30 Seconds to Mars, “Up in the Air” (Floyd Albee, art director)
- Janelle Monáe, feat. Erykah Badu, “Q.U.E.E.N” (Veronica Logsdon, , art director)
- Lana Del Rey, “National Anthem” (Lou Asaro, art director)
- Alt-J, “Tessellate” (Charlie Lambros, art director)
PREDICTED WINNER: Capital Cities "Safe And Sound"
Best Choreography
- Chris Brown, “Fine China” (Richmond Talauega, Anthony Talauega and Anwar "Flii" Burton, choreographer)
- Ciara, “Body Party” (Jamaica Craft, choreographer)
- Jennifer Lopez, feat. Pitbull, “Live It Up” ( J.R. Taylor and Beau Smart, choreographer)
- will.i.am, feat. Justin Bieber, “#thatPOWER” (Fatima Robinson, choreographer)
- Bruno Mars, “Treasure” (Bruno Mars, choreographer)
PREDICTED WINNER: Chris Brown. DESERVING UNDERDOG: Bruno Mars, for repping the old school.
Best Cinematography
- 30 Seconds to Mars, “Up in the Air” (David Devlin, DP)
- Lana Del Rey, “Ride” (Malik Sayeed, DP)
- Yeah Yeah Yeahs, “Sacrilege” (Alexis Zabe, DP)
- Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, feat. Ray Dalton, “Can’t Hold Us” (Jason Koenig, Ryan Lewis and Mago Lin, DP)
- A-Trak & Tommy Trash, “Tuna Melt” (TS Pfeffer and Robert McHugh, DP)
PREDICTED WINNER: Lana Del Rey DESERVING UNDERDOG: I've been thinking about the "Tuna Melt," since it's usually the big glossy beautiful stuff that gets nominated. But, "Tuna Melt" is an exercise in getting creative to capture a Domino rally, clearly prioritizing speed and space-limitations over making things pretty...
Best Direction
- Justin Timberlake, feat. Jay-Z, “Suit & Tie” (David Fincher, dir.)
- Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, feat. Ray Dalton, “Can’t Hold Us” (Ryan Lewis, Jason Koenig, Jon Augustavo, dir.)
- Yeah Yeah Yeahs, “Sacrilege” (Megaforce, dir.)
- fun., “Carry On” (Anthony Mandler, dir.)
- Drake, “Started From the Bottom” (Director X and Drake, dir.)
PREDICTED WINNER: David Fincher for "Suit And Tie," for basically hitting every mark for a big pro music video. DESERVING UNDERDOG: Megaforice for going backwards for "Sacrilege"
Best Editing
- P!nk, feat. Nate Ruess, “Just Give Me a Reason” (Jacquelyn London, editor)
- Calvin Harris, feat. Florence Welch, “Sweet Nothing” (Ross Hallard, editor)
- Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, feat. Ray Dalton, “Can’t Hold Us” (Ryan Lewis and Jason Koenig, editor)
- Justin Timberlake, “Mirrors” (Jarret Fijal, editor)
- Miley Cyrus, “We Can’t Stop” (Paul Martinez and Nick Rondeau, editors)
PREDICTED WINNER: Pink "Just Give Me A Reason"
Best Visual Effects
- Flying Lotus, “Tiny Tortures” (Dustin Bowser, fx)
- Skrillex, feat. The Door, “Breakin’ A Sweat” (Bonnie Brae, Bemo and Jeff Dotson, fx)
- The Weeknd, “Wicked Games” (Drop and Abel, fx)
- Duck Sauce, “It’s You” (Royal Post / Paris, fx)
- Capital Cities, “Safe and Sound” (Grady Hall, Jonathan Wu and Derek Johnson, fx)
PREDICTED WINNER: Capital Cities, since this video is kind of like that movie at the Oscars which sweeps every technical award.
