The Mill

Take That "These Days" (Henry Scholfield, dir.)

A tricky video boasting lots of in-camera effects that take you from a bed to outerspace and beyond... all without ever leaving the video set.

Henry Schofield, director: "we want it to feel a bit tongue in cheek, a bit unexpected"... So went the conversation at our first meeting and 10 days later I'm trying to keep a straight face as Mr. Barlow and Mr. Owen stroll onto set with ginger permed wigs, with Howard moments later looking like an uber-tanned auditionee for Towie. 

Besides their every-take-perfect professionalism and their great ideas... I gotta say, the guys are super down to earth and up for not taking it too seriously. Needless to say it was a brilliant experience working with them.

In one shot we're going from studio, to bed, to cheerleaders, to bathroom to kitchen...etc. Some furrowed brows and maybe a moment to two of "will this work" self doubt, but with a dream team of Katie Dolan as EP, Alicia Farren producing,  Mikey Hollywood on production design, Ashley Wallen killer-chroeographer and Ben Todd keeping an all seeing eye on aesthetic, we felt like an A-Team all ready to Macgyver like put it together. 

God Only Knows If This Is The Most Star Studded Video Ever

Take one of the greatest songs ever and invite Pharrell Williams, Emeli Sande, Elton John, Lorde, Chris Martin, Florence Welch, Kylie Minogue, Stevie Wonder, Brian May, Jake Bugg, One Direction, Chrissie Hynde, Jamie Cullum, Dave Grohl, Sam Smith, and many others to join songwriter Brian Wilson in the most epic group since "We Are The World." The fact its coupled to an ambitious and stylish video directed by Francois Rousselet, of Jonas & Francois, that includes every single performer in uniquely appropriate set-ups makes it all the better — and yes, there's a charitable tie-in.

PS: How is Bono not in this??

Pharrell Williams f/ Daft Punk "Gust Of Wind" (Edgar Wright, dir.)

Welcome to Fall Fest, as hosted by Pharrell Williams, Daft Punk and film director Edgar Wright. Despite the intergallactic leanings of all involved, things are kept fairly natural as they pay homage to the breeziest element. That's not to say they entirely stay earthbound: We have a troupe of ribbon dancers who could have blown in from the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon remake and the (forgive the pun, please) very rocking Daft Punk cameo takes flight as well.

David Bowie "Valentine's Day" (Indrani and Markus Klinko, dir.)

David Bowie isn't known for stepping out of character — be it the all-encompassing guises of Ziggy Stardust or The Thin White Duke, or even the roles he played in previous videos for comeback album The Next Day — but "Valentines Day" is when the rock legend really faces us down. And it's intense. Armed with merely a guitar — a headless Steinberger, which hasn't been in style since, well maybe ever — and a stare that might even give old Jack Torrance the willies, Bowie shows how a simple, traditional video like this can be effective when the subject is worthy.