PROFILE: Philip Andelman, Partizan

With the 16th annual MVPA Awards coming up on Wednesday, May 16 in Los Angeles, Video Static will be running profiles on various nominees. First up is Director of the Year nominee Philip Andelman, who is being recognized for his videos:

• Fort Minor "Where'd You Go"
• John Mayer "Waiting For The World To Change"
• Silversun Pickups "Well Thought Out Twinkles"

name: Philip Andelman
company: Partizan
job/title: director

First video: The first video I directed was for a rock band called Palo Alto, who were on Island/American Recordings. Rick Rubin was producing the band and the commissioner at the label took me to go see them. I just begged and begged and begged to do a video for them until she finally acquiesced. It was literally a dream come true, but it was also only the second or third treatment I’d ever written and really had no idea what I was doing. The budget was $30k, which back then seemed like nothing, but now seems par for the course. I called in every favor I could and our producer Valerie Romer pulled off a miracle. I remember how professional I felt because there was a motor home and catering truck.

Strangest Video: Dan the Automator and I decided to do an instructional video on how to prepare a meal for a girl you've just slept with. It was for the last Handsome Boy Modeling School album. We both love cooking and food, so really it was just an excuse to buy some white truffles and good champagne. Prince Paul came over and we shot for a couple of hours before devouring the food.  There was a really dirty bodega downstairs from the house and I found this stuff called "Big Up Orange Drink" which we decided to make mimosas with for the last shot. It came in a dinky little squeeze bottle and I remember the two of them sipping this frightful neon-orange concoction and Paul broke character for a second and exclaimed, as if in total bewilderment, "This ain't bad!"

What's Next: I'm off to Paducah, TX in three days to shoot a video installation of super-slow motion rodeo riders and strippers with a friend of mine. Should be a pretty interesting few days. I just got a schedule of the 65th Annual Old Settlers and Cattle King Rodeo which we will attend, and I am very excited to see that from 1 – 3pm there will be a Jubileee. I've never attended a Jubilee and it sounds rather exciting. 

IN DEPTH: The Willowz "Evil Son"

Life for most rock n' roll bands is not much more than a series of dull moments. And like in The Shining, that boredom and isolation can easily lead to insanity. So, instead of just sitting around, The Willowz start sorting M&Ms, trashing rooms, building sugarcube castles, clapping on, clapping off, burning matches, lifting latches, etc, etc. Director Ace Norton explains the inspiration and how this video is really a quest to find the majesty in the mundane.

Ace Norton, director: "The video is about making the little, normally insignificant moments in life seem really epic and important. It's also about what we do when we lose our mind. When I lose my mind I do stupid stuff, so this video is about doing a whole lot of stupid stuff.  But when juxtaposed against the tone of the song, the images take on an entirely new meaning; Its turns into this weird psychedelic, mystical adventure.

It was largely inspired by my own boredom. At times, I'll catch myself doing really silly things like rubbing my eyes until I see light spots or vegging out on a couch with an airplane pillow around my neck. I thought if i captured that, it could make cool video.

The budget was $3,000, which sounds tiny, but it gave us the freedom to shoot things our own way with good friends. We filmed most of it in my producer's garage and in a slew of houses that belonged to close friends and family."

--> watch "Evil Son"

The Willowz "Evil Son" (Dim Mak)
Ace Norton, director | Charles Spano, producer | Partizan, production co | Ross Reige, DP | David Michalson/Ingenuity Engine, editor

BOOKED: Vawn f/ Jazze Pha - Dale "Rage" Restehini, director

artist: Vawn feat. Jazze Pha
song: "Hollyhood"
label: SmoakWood 
director(s): Dale "Rage" Resteghini 
production co: Raging Nation Films

SHOT: Cupid -Edwin Decena, director

artist: Cupid
song: "Cupid Shuffle"
label: Atlantic
director(s): Edwin Decena
production co: Pure Productions

SHOT: Shop Boyz - Marc Klasfeld, director

The term "Party Like A Rock Star" probably conjures up many images in your mind. May they all be replaced by this photo of director Marc Klasfeld and a poor woman on the set of this video for Atlanta rap group Shop Boyz.

artist: Shop Boyz
song: "Party Like A Rock Star"
label: OnDeck/Universal Republic
director(s): Marc Klasfeld
production co: Rockhard Films
rep: Robin Frank Management

NEW RELEASE: Dinosaur Jr. "Been There All The Time"

Everything about this makes me feel old. First off, it was directed by actor Matt Dillon, who could serve as a perfect age litmus test for anybody: If you think of him as The Flamingo Kid, congratulations, you are old. Then we've got cameos by Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore and his baby daughter Coco, who is now a teenager. And, of course, all three original members of Dinosaur Jr. are showing their age — especially band leader J. Mascis, who has gone way gray. But, what really seals the deal for me is remembering the first time I heard "Freak Scene" and realizing that guitar rock was no longer just for douche bags in spandex. As the title "Been There All The Time" indicates, this song stands up to nearly anything in the Dino Jr. catalogue, perfectly blending fuzzed out chords, shredding guitar solos and a triumphant, yet typically lethargic chorus. --> watch "Been There All The Time" (via MTV's new Subterranean Blog)

Dinosaur Jr. "Been There All The Time" (Fat Possum)
Matt Dillon, director

BOOKED: Kenna - Jonnie Ross, director

artist: Kenna
song: "Out Of Control"   
label: Star Trak/Interscope   
director(s): Jonnie Ross 
production co: Smuggler 
rep: Labuda Management

SHOT: Paramore - Shane Drake, director

 artist: Paramore
song: "Misery Business"
label: Fueled By Ramen/Atlantic
director(s): Shane Drake
production co: Red Van Pictures
rep: Labuda Management

SHOT: Scissor Sisters - Robert Hales, director

Director Robert Hales (third from left) with the Scissor Sisters on the London set of "Kiss You Off."

artist: Scissor Sisters
song: "Kiss You Off"
label: Universal Motown 
director(s): Robert Hales
production co: HSI

photo by Kevin Tachman

NEWS: Paranoid Signs Olivier Gondry

Director Olivier Gondry — younger brother of Michel Gondry — has signed with production company Paranoid. Olivier's video credits include:

• The Vines "Anysound"
• Hot Hot Heat "Goodnight"

Olivier Gondry and the rest of the Paranoid roster are repped by Verenne Ferrari of Duty Free, who also reps the following:

MJZ: Spike Jonze, Tom Kuntz, Frederik Bond, Marcus Nispel, Phil Joanou
Partizan: Philip Andelman
Thomas & Thomas: Kevin Thomas

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