IN DEPTH: Jack's Mannequin "The Resolution"

Much like Stephenie Meyer maps out a the difficulties of teenage love —and especially the logistics of a relationship between a mortal and a vampire — in her popular young adult novel series Twilight, this first music video to spring from her mind is also a meditation on a love that cannot easily be requited (or consummated). Meyer collaborates with director Noble Jones on a fable that has Jack's Mannequin frontman Andrew McMahon falling deeper in love with an unobtainable mermaid.

Noble Jones, co-director: "The idea for Jack’s Mannequin 'The Resolution' came from Stephanie Meyer, who mentioned her love of the band in one of her blogs. The band reached out to her and asked if she would be interested in directing the video. She wasn’t really a director but she had a great idea for a video, so she teamed up with me to make it happen.

When I first heard the idea it was bigger than what the budget allowed, so I had to make a few adjustments to make it work. The most difficult thing was making it seem as though the ocean was chasing Andrew, the lead singer of the band and the main character in the video. Also, to make the narrative work right, Andrew had to travel into the desert. Also difficult due to this being a single day shoot that must have some elements shot at the beach. I decided to break the script down into sections and design three or four effects shots that would communicate the spectacle of the ocean chasing Andrew as well as a special effect shot of Andrew driving through the desert. That way we could stay near the beach for the most part.

On set things move quickly and sometime she had to run over to me to discuss a nuance or two, but for the most part we really saw the same video in our heads. I loved the idea from the beginning so it was really an enjoyable process.

I have directed a few videos based on some one else’s idea before, and I’ve been making commercials for years. The key is to bring your unique perspective to the process and find the places where the writer might have missed some fun opportunities, which could help enhance the idea.  Sometimes those things can only be captured once you are all on set and in the midst of it."

--> watch "The Resolution" plus a four-part making-of (part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4)

Jack's Mannequin "The Resolution" (Sire/Warner Bros.)
Noble Jones & Stephenie Meyers, directors | Joanna Shaw, producer | The Revolver Film Co., production co | Labuda Management, rep | Noble Jones, DP | Richard Alarcon, editor | Beau Leon, telecine/colorist

SHOT: Christina Aguilera - Peter Berg, director

Pop star Christina Aguilera is set to return with a video by feature film director Peter Berg (Friday Night Lights, Hancock, The Kingdom)...

artist: Christina Aguilera
song: "Keeps Gettin' Better"
label: RCA
director(s): Peter Berg
production co: Pony Show @ Form TV

NEWS: Call + Response "Rockumentary" Opening

Not a benefit concert and not a conventional documentary —and certainly not a telethon — Call + Response is something different. It's an expose about the human trafficking and modern day slavery entwined with performances and other contributions by Moby, Natasha Bedingfield, Cold War Kids, Matisyahu, Imogen Heap, Talib Kweli, Five For Fighting, Switchfoot, Rocco Deluca, Glen Phillips, Benmont Tench and members of Nickel Creek .

Directed by Brandon Dickerson of Kaboom Productions/Boom Music Video, and spearheaded by musician Justin Dillon, Call + Response opens October 10 in select theaters nationwide

DIVERSION: Taking On Take On Me

What if a video treatment became the song lyrics? The results may be something like this literalist take on the A-Ha classic "Take On Me."

Hat tip to SubterraneanBlog and Andrew Sullivan...

BOOKED: Daniel Powter - Diane Martel, director

artist: Daniel Powter
song: "Best Of Me"
label: Warner Bros. 
director(s): Diane Martel
production co: HSI
rep: Sugar Management
producer (US): Cynthia Smith | producer (UK): Charlotte Woodbury

SHOT: Eric Bachmann - Rod Blackhurst, director

artist: Eric Bachmann
song: "Man O' War"
label: Saddle Creek
director(s): Rod Blackhurst
production co: An Old Farm Road

ps: Eric Bachmann = Crooked Fingers frontman

SHOT: Crooked Fingers - Rod Blackhurst, director

artist: Crooked Fingers
song: "Let's Not Pretend (To Be New Men)"
label: Constant Artists
director(s): Rod Blackhurst
production co: An Old Farm Road

ps: Crooked Fingers = Eric Bachmann's band

SHOT: T.I. f/ Rihanna - Anthony Mandler, director

artist: T.I. f/ Rihanna
song: "Live Your Life "
label: Atlantic
director(s): Athony Mandler 
production co: Les Enfants Terribles

SHOT: Rhoff - TAJ, director

artist: Rhoff
song: "La Grande Classe"
label: EMI France
director(s): TAJ
production co: Les Enfants Terribles

WATCH IT: TV On The Radio "Golden Age"

TV On The Radio are: Virtuous monks? Greek Gods bequeathed with golden instruments to serenade the world?  Or maybe Minotaurs, equipped with bull-heads and He-Man bodies? Or, maybe something even weirder. Whatever they are, it's undeniably spiritual and beautiful when this multi-vocalist group blend their voices together a la Voltron into a towering totem of melody. It surely is a gift, even if it's only used in this video to turn a troupe of cops into some extras from Cop Rock. --> watch "Golden Age"

TV On The Radio "Golden Age" (Interscope)
Petro, director | Tatiana Rudzinski, producer | Draw Pictures, production co | Laure Scott, rep | Steve Gainer, DP