Lanette Phillips Mgmt

PROFILE: Aggressive, directing/fx team, Refused TV

Don't let the name put you off. The creative duo of Alex Topaller and Dan Shapiro — aka Aggressive  — is mostly just tenacious about pushing themselves and some overclocked hardware in order to create striking videos. And they're nice guys. But, Aggressive is a better name than Affable for a directing team, so you can't blame them for going with something a bit harder.

SHOT: The Bridges - Lex Halaby, director

Director Lex Halaby (third from left) with the extended family act The Bridges at the pre-war (Civil War, that is) house that served as the set for "Pieces."

artist: The Bridgessong: "Pieces"label: Verve/Universal director(s): Lex Halaby production co: The Valencia Co. rep: Lanette Phillips Management

note(s): Lex Halaby is signed with Refused TV. Photo by Johnny Ching

PROFILE: Josh Forbes, director

Director Josh Forbes is the kind of guy who uses an opportunity for self-aggrandizement like this to instead give shout-outs to other directors he respects and lots of the folks who have helped him create a whimsical and sensitive music video world full of lifesize puppets, spellbinding animation, homey production designs and a whole bunch of heart. In short, he's good people and a good director who's just now coming into his own.

Select videos include: