WATCH IT: B.o.B. "Nothin On You" (Ethan Lader, dir.)

Building upon the paper cut-out video he did for Sliimy "Womanizer," director Ethan Lader brings this ode to beautiful girls all over the world to life. It's also a big step forward for B.o.B., who seems ready to shed the alterna-rapper tag and join Will.I.Am as a bonafide pop star with this undeniable crossover hit.

Ethan Lader, director: "We shot the video on a white sound stage. I edited it on Final Cut Pro. Then we printed out over 3,000 frames onto paper. Then every frame was hand torn by a team of 8 people. From there we animated the frames, photographing each frame with a digital camera, and then imported it back into Final Cut Pro. The backgrounds are also paper collages we took digital stills of and keyed in after animation. It was a process and a half!" (swiped from Ethan's Vimeo page)

--> watch "Nothin On You"

B.o.B f/ Bruno Mars
"Nothin' On You" (Rebel Rock/Grand Hustle/Atlantic)
Ethan Lader, director | Chris Cho, producer | Kleiner Inc, production co | George Rausch, animator | Emmanuelle Cuny-Panicker, commissioner

SHOT: Stevie Ann - Nick Spanos, director

• artist: Stevie Ann
• song: "What Goes On"
• label: Berk Avenue Music
• director(s): Nick Spanos
• production co: Kleiner Inc.
• producer: Lauren Bratman
• commissioner: Arno Van Lomm

SHOT: B.o.B. - Ethan Lader, director

• artist: B.o.B. f/ Bruno Mars
• song: "Nothin' on You"
• label: Atlantic
• director(s): Ethan Lader
• production co: Kleiner Inc
• producer: Christopher Cho
• commissioner: Emmanuelle Cuny-Panicker

WATCH IT: Sliimy "Womanizer"

Director Ethan Lader delivers yet another simple, yet striking video gem, this time for Perez Hilton's first artist signing, Sliimy. Over 2,000 stills from a videotaped performance were exported, f'ed with in Photoshop, printed out, cut out, and then placed in the hands of various Los Angelenos for the still photos that make up this video. Sure, there are some precursors to this concept — the Hot Hot Heat "Goodnight" video with its 4,000 different T-shirts depicting stills from a performance comes to mind — but it's got a vibe all its own that makes it work. Also, speaking of precursors, my money remains on Mark Kozelek as the supreme indie-mope interpreter of unlikely songs (his What's Next To The Moon collection of acoustic re-imaginings of the AC/DC insanely great). --> watch "Womanizer"

Sliimy "Womanizer" (Perezicious/Warner Bros.)
Ethan Lader, director  | Kleiner Inc, production co

NEWS: Labuda Repping Director Jake Davis

Labuda Management's Tommy Labuda is now representing director Jake Davis.

Video directing credits include:

• Drake & Trey Songz "Successful"
• Flyleaf "Sorrow"
• Taylor Hicks "What's Right Is Right"
• The Hold Steady "Stay Positive"

Davis remains signed with production company Kleiner, Inc....

WATCH IT: Days Difference "Are You Happy"

Days Difference singer Jeremy Smith gets played like a shadow puppet in this latest clever clip from director Ethan Lader. The best gag in the video is the one in which a huge shadow of Smith's girlfriend's hand reaches in and tosses him around, but there's other bits of shadowplay that underscore the sentiments in this pop reversal of the old Stones boast, "Under My Thumb."  --> watch "Are You Happy"

Days Difference
"Are You Happy" (Universal Motown)
Ethan Lader, director | Josh Fruehling, producer | Kleiner Inc, production co | Brian Garbellini, DP | Mike Ashton, vfx | Noah Gelb, commissioner 

WATCH IT: Drake + Trey Songz "Successful"

This collaboration between hip-hop hopeful turned red-hot star Drake and r&b singer Trey Songz is all about the fine line between confidence and swagger. Director Jake Davis keeps things calm, letting each performer's charisma shine in a series of moody, sexy and simple set-ups that underscore the message that it can be lonely at the top. Neither Drake nor Trey Songz seems much interested in outshining the other. Instead they look down upon the Toronto skyline and drive on by various dreamers and strivers, seemingly content that they've lived up to the Barack Obama quote that ends the video. 

Jake Davis, director: "The song "Successful" conjures up strong emotional ties to cinema for me and my personal journey of what success is. Classic films I love like Taxi Driver and King of New York came to mind immediately. The style, theme, and mood seemed spot on. There was a lot of collaboration on this video. The entire time everyone that was involved was fully aware of its weight and really stepped up especially Drake and Trey. This is our moment and I was extremely happy to be a part of it."

--> watch "Successful"

Drake + Trey Songz "Successful" (Atlantic)
Jake Davis, director/editor | Karen Lin, producer | Kleiner, Inc., production co | Samy Inayeh, DP | Emmanuelle Cuny-Panicker + Chaka Pilgrim, commissioners 

SHOT: Trey Songz f/ Drake - Jake Davis, director

Director Jake Davis giving direction to Trey Songz on the set of "Successful," featuring Drake. More photos at treysongz.com and additional coverage at the director's blog.

• artist: Trey Songz and Drake
• song: "Successful"
• label: Atlantic/Young Money
• director(s): Jake Davis
• production co: Kleiner Inc.
• producer: Karen Lin

SHOT: Sliimy - Ethan Lader, director

Director Ethan Lader (right) captured in a Polaroid with Sliimy on the set of "Womanizer." Sliimy is the first artist signed to Perez Hilton's Warner Bros. imprint, Perezcious.

• artist: Sliimy
• song: "Womanizer"
• label: Perezcious/Warner Bros.
• director(s): Ethan Lader
• production co: Kleiner Inc.
• commissioner: Perez Hilton and Justin Siegel

And yes, it's a cover or the Britney Spears song. And a mellow one at that.

SHOT: Five Finger Death Punch - Matt Silverman, director

• artist: Five Finger Death Punch
• song: "Hard To See"
• label: Prospect Park
• director(s): Matt Silverman
• production co: Kleiner Inc.
• producer: Lauren Bratman
• rep: Deb Klein