IN DEPTH: Usher "Love In This Club"

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"

More Videos

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

NEW RELEASE: P.O.D. "Addicted"

Some addictions are more fun than others. The dude who enjoys bathing in a pile of fish? Not so much, even if it's safer than some other options. Director Michael Maxxis uses portraitures to show the full range of Addiction, veering from salacious and absurd to mundane  and commonplace. The performance by the reformed P.O.D. is treated with an in-camera blurry interlaced effect, as if the performance is taking place in the midst of someone's obsessive rage. --> watch "Addicted"

P.O.D. "Addiction" (Columbia)
Michael Maxxis, director | Jonathan Becker and Joshua Greenberg , producers| Bucks Boys, production co | RW Media, rep | Christopher Walters, DP | Keith Hamm, editor

BOOKED: Foxboro Hot Tubs - Graydon Sheppard, director

If it sounds like Green Day and looks like Green Day, then it's probably Green Day...

artist: Foxboro Hot Tubs
song: "The Pedestrian"
label: Jingle Town
director(s): Graydon Sheppard
production co: The Revolver Film Co
rep: Labuda Management

PS: No word on a new Network album

SHOT: Switchfoot - Brandon Dickerson, director

In support of the Walt Disney Records soundtrack for the next Narnia film, Prince Caspian...

artist: Switchfoot
song: "This Is Home"
label: lowercase people/Walt Disney Records
director(s): Brandon Dickerson
production co: Boom

SHOT: Since October -Endeavor Media, director

A burnt down house, built upon a green screen set...

artist: Since October
song: "Disaster"
label: Tooth & Nail
director(s): Endeavor Media
production co: Endeavor Media Group

NEWS: PluggedIn.com Launches

Another day, another place to watch music videos online... And, yet another sign that the resurgence of music video is more than just my own private pipe dream.

PluggedIn.com launched in Beta today with a stated library of 10,000 high quality — and in some cases, HD quality — music videos from Universal Music Group, EMI, Sony BMG, and a selection of independent record labels.

The full res videos require the installation of some sort of Java plug-in thingy provided by Move Networks. The site also offers various interactive and community building elements.

As with any big launch, it comes with many big names and lots of big money: According to articles in the Washington Post and the NY Times, Will Smith's company Overbrook is providing $2 million in venture capital while technology provider Move Networks announced funding of $46 million just yesterday. Other players on the PluggedIn team include former Amazon and Zillow executive Jeff Somers as CEO, Xdrive founder Brett O'Brien and Vanguard/Sugar Hill Records CEO Kevin Welk.

And yet Video Static soldiers on with no investors. Sigh.

BOOKED: Birdman - Dale "Rage" Resteghini, director

artist: Birdman f/ Lil Wayne
song: "I Run This/Believe Dat"
label: Cash Money/Universal
director(s): Dale "Rage" Resteghini
production co: Raging Nation Films
rep: Yell Productions

NEW RELEASE: People In Planes "Pretty Buildings"

It may be a Pretty Building perhaps, but it's populated by lonely souls who are on the verge of being overwhelmed by their memories and obsessions. Anthemic UK rock act People In Planes provide a fitting soundtrack — they're not in the video — for directing team Walter Robot to unleash a barrage of visuals that make it clear that none of the building's residents have anything close to resembling clarity. We have:

• the young artist looking to her words and drawings for some way out of her depression
• the man seeking to construct a fantasy city out of Styrofoam and sticks on his dining room table (played by artist Bill Barminski, who is also 1/2 of Walter Robot)
• an alienated couple who sit for dinner in silence with a blaring TV between them

A small catharsis comes as the song crescendos, but there's no escape for any of these folks. Their brains are filled with a seemingly unstoppable maelstrom of mixtapes, scissors, TVs and all the other tools they had been relying on for comfort and distraction. --> watch "Pretty Buildings" via Purevolume (Flash) or Quicktime

People In Planes "Pretty Buildings" (Wind-Up)
Walter Robot, director | Michael J. Katz, producer | Merge @ Crossroads, production co | Suny Behar, DP | Sherry Robot, editor

BOOKED: Robert Plant/Alison Krauss - Rocky Schenck, director

Third video by director Rocky Schenck for the Plant/Krauss pairing...

artist: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
song: "Rich Woman"
label: Rounder
director(s): Rocky Schenck
production co: DNA

BOOKED: Menudo - Marcus Raboy, director

Not a reunion, but a new generation of teenage Latinos formed under the banner of Menudo in league with the MTV/MTV Tres series Making Menudo...

artist: Menudo
song: "Lost
label: Epic 
director(s): Marcus Raboy
production co: DNA

BOOKED: Tye Tribbett - Lenny Bass, director

artist: Tye Tribbett & G.A.
song: "Good In The Hood"
label: Columbia
director(s): Lenny Bass
production co: DNA

NEWS: CMT Award Winners

And the lesson from the 2008 CMT Music Awards is that when fans get to vote, Kellie Pickler gets to win.

The American idol alum walked home with three awards, while Taylor Swift won the honors for Video of the Year and Female Video of the Year. Director Michael Solomon of Picture Vision Pictures was named Best Director for the Toby Keith videos "High Maintenance Woman" and "Love Me If You Can," plus Trace Adkins "I Got My Game On."

The full list of winners from last night's country music video awards show are as follows...

• VIDEO OF THE YEAR:
  Taylor Swift "Our Song"
• VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR:
  Michael Salomon
• USA WEEKEND BREAKTHROUGH VIDEO OF THE YEAR:
  Kellie Pickler "I Wonder"
• MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR:
  Trace Adkins "I Got My Game On"
• FEMALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR:
  Taylor Swift "Our Song"
• GROUP VIDEO OF THE YEAR:
  Rascal Flatts "Take Me There"
• DUO VIDEO OF THE YEAR:
  Sugarland "Stay"
• COLLABORATIVE VIDEO OF THE YEAR:
  Bon Jovi f/ LeAnn Rimes "Nothin' Better to Do"
• WIDE OPEN COUNTRY VIDEO OF THE YEAR:
  Alison Krauss and Robert Plant "Gone, Gone, Gone (Done Moved On)"
• COMEDY VIDEO OF THE YEAR:
  Brad Paisley "Online"
• TEARJERKER VIDEO OF THE YEAR:
  Kellie Pickler "I Wonder"
• SUPPORTING CHARACTER OF THE YEAR:
  Rodney Carrington "I Got My Game On"
• PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR:
  Kellie Pickler "I Wonder" (from 41st Annual CMA Awards)

The CMT.com 2008 winners page has full category descriptions and links to watch all the winning videos, plus text of the winner speeches. You can catch replays of the program tonight at 9:00 p.m. or as follows (all times are ET/PT):

• Thursday, April 17 at 3:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m
• Saturday April 19 at 9:00 p.m
• Sunday, April 20 at 4:30 p.m.

BOOKED: Tokyo Police Club - Sean Wainsteim, director

artist: Tokyo Police Club
song: "Graves"
label: Mean Beard/Saddle Creek
director(s): Sean Wainsteim
production co: NextElement Ent./Wainsteim Films

NEW RELEASE: Born Ruffians "I Need A Life"

Maybe chickens are coming home to roost after all. First we had director Evan Bernard's KFC revenge fantasy clip for Moby "Disco Lies," and now there's this sly little indie rock tale of a meal gone totally wrong. Born Ruffians finish a fine day of rehearsing at a rustic farmhouse and begin to prepare their supper. While the fellas chop their veggies oh so cavalierly, the animals on the farm begin to congregate around the kitchen as if offering themselves up for slaughter. Unfortunately — or fortunately, if you're Ingrid Newkirk — the animals have totally different plans and decide to enjoy some dinner of their own. Bon Appetit. --> watch "I Need A Life" in Quicktime or via MTV2 SubterraneanBlog Premiere

Born Ruffians  "I Need A Life" (Warp)
Sean Wainsteim, director | Katharine Wilson, producer | Wainsteim Films, production co | Lee Towndrow, DP | Matthew Hannam, editor

BOOKED: Katy Perry - Kinga Burza, director

A suitable follow-up, for sure, to "Ur So Gay." And it's not even a cover of the Jill Sobule hit of the same name...

artist: Katy Perry
song: "I Kissed A Girl"
label: Capitol
director(s): Kinga Burza
production co: Partizan

BOOKED: Anthony David - Ramon and Pedro, directors

artist: Anthony David f/ India Arie
song: "Words"
label: Souldbird/Universal Republic
director(s): Ramon and Pedro
production co: Partizan

BOOKED: Low Vs Diamond - Marc Klasfeld, director

artist: Low Vs Diamond
song: "Heart Attack"
label: Epic
director(s): Marc Klasfeld
production co: Rockhard Films
rep: Robin Frank Management

BOOKED: Michelle Williams - Phil Griffin, director

artist: Michelle Williams
song: "We Break The Dawn"
label: Music World/Columbia
director(s): Phil Griffin
production co: Rockhard Films
rep: Robin Frank Management

MTV Adds for the Week of 4/14/08

2 Pistols f/ T-Pain "She Got It" (Universal Republic)
Death Cab For Cutie "I Will Possess Your Heart" (Atlantic)
Estelle f/ Kanye West "American Boy" (Homeschool/Atlantic)
Kanye West f/ Chris Martin "Homecoming" (Roc-A-Fella/Island Def Jam)
Nelly f/ Fergie "Party People" (Derrty/Universal)
Sean Kingston "There's Nothin" (Beluga Heights/Epic/Koch)
Wyclef Jean f/ Paul Simon "Fast Car" (Columbia)

MTV2 Adds:
Death Cab For Cutie "I Will Possess Your Heart" (Atlantic)
Kanye West f/ Chris Martin "Homecoming" (Roc-A-Fella/Island Def Jam)
The Kooks "Always Where I Need To Be" (Astralwerks)
Nelly f/ Fergie "Party People" (Derrty/Universal)

MTVU Adds:
Blue Scholars "Loyalty" (Mass Line)
Datarock "Computer Camp Love" (Nettwerk)
De Novo Dahl "Shout" (Roadrunner)
Death Cab For Cutie "I Will Possess Your Heart" (Atlantic)
Dizzie Rascal "Where The G's" (Definitive Jux)
Duo Live "Caught Up" (Redemption)
Jonathan Clay "This One's For Me" (Jonathan Clay)
Kanye West f/ Chris Martin "Homecoming" (Roc-A-Fella/Island Def Jam)
The Kooks "Always Where I Need To Be" (Astralwerks)
Santogold "L.E.S. Artistes" (Downtown/Lizard King)
Say Anything "Shiksa" (J)

MTV Jams Adds:
Kanye West f/ Chris Martin "Homecoming" (Roc-A-Fella/Island Def Jam)
Nelly f/ Fergie "Party People" (Derrty/Universal)
Sean Garrett "Grippin'" (Interscope)
Trina "I Got A Thang For You" (Slip-N-Slide)

VH1 Adds for the Week of 4/14/08

Vh1 Adds:
Cary Brothers "Ride" (Bluhammock)
Death Cab For Cutie "I Will Possess Your Heart" (Atlantic)
Justin Nozuka "After Tonight" (Glassnote)
The Last Goodnight "Stay Beautiful" (Virgin/Capitol)
Mary J. Blige "Stay Down" (Geffen)

Vh1 Soul Adds:
Duo Live "Caught Up" (Redemption)
Kanye West f/ Chris Martin "Homecoming" (Roc-A-Fella/Island Def Jam)
Keyshia Cole "Heaven Sent" (Geffen)
Mary J. Blige "Stay Down" (Geffen)
Pete Rock "Till I Retire/Best Believe" (Nature) 

BET Adds for the Week of 4/14/08

Adds:
2 Pistols f/ T-Pain "She Got It" (Universal Republic)
Nelly f/ Fergie "Party People" (Derrty/Universal)
Wyclef Jean f/ Paul Simon "Fast Car" (Columbia)

Rap City Adds:
2 Pistols f/ T-Pain "She Got It" (Universal Republic)
C-Side f/ Keyshia Cole "Boyfriend/Girlfriend" (Universal Republic)
The Roots "Get Busy" (Island Def Jam)

Fuse Adds for the Week of 4/14/08

Adds:
Death Cab For Cutie "I Will Possess Your Heart" (Atlantic)
Nelly f/ Fergie "Party People" (Derrty/Universal)
Seether "Rise Above This" (Wind-Up)
Usher "Love In This Club" (LaFace)

Music Choice Adds for the Week of 4/14/08

Adds:
Cherish "Killa" (Sho'nuff/Capito)
Chevelle "The Fad" (Epic)
Chingy "Gimme That" (DTP/Def Jam)
Danity Kane "Damage" (Bad Boy)
Day 26 "Got Me Going" (Bad Boy)
Dem Franchize Boyz "Talkin' Out Da Side ..." (So So Def/Virgin/Capitol) 
Girl Authority "Let's Get Together" (Zoe)
Lil’ Wil "My Dougie" (Asylum/Atlantic)
Lupe Fiasco "Hip Hop Saved My Life" (Atlantic)
Lyfe Jennings "Never Never Land" (Columbia)
R.E.M. "Supernatural Superserious" (Warner Brothers.)
Randy Jackson f/ Paula Abdul "Dance Like There's No Tomorrow" (Concord)
Spoon "Don't You Evah" (Merge)
Story Of The Year "Wake Up" (Epitaph)
Trina "Single Again" (Slip-N-Slide)

CMT Adds for the Week of 4/07/08

CMT Adds:
Blake Shelton "Home" (Warner Bros.)
Josh Gracin "We Weren't Crazy" (Lyric Street)
Josh Turner "Another Try " (MCA)
Mica Roberts f/ Toby Keith "Things A Mama Don't Know" (Show Dog)

CMT Pure Adds:
Blake Shelton "Home" (Warner Bros.)
Cross Canadian Ragweed "I Believe You" (Universal South)
Garth Brooks "Midnight Sun" (Pearl)
Josh Turner "Another Try " (MCA)
Kathleen Edwards "The Cheapest Key" (Zoe/Rounder)
The Road Hammers "Girl On The Billboard" (Montage)

MuchMusic Adds for the Week of 4/07/08

Adds:
Paramore "That's What You Get"