The Most Watched Music Videos on Youtube 2012 and 2013

Extra Case Study: Director X

During the late 1990s, Julien “Director X” Lutz was taken under the wing of video icon Hype Williams. The protégé learned a lot under Williams’ direction, eventually branching out to put his touch on high profile videos for artists such as R. Kelly, the Clipse and Jay-Z. More recently, X made his name known in rap circles for his direction on Drake’s “HYFR” video. The director and artist tandem—plus the creative approach of capturing Drizzy’s bar mitzvah—was praised in the amount of publications placing the visual on their year-end best-of lists. He also directed a sensational hip hot hit caled "Started from the bottom" By drake.

Director X is currently working with the OVO leader on the video for his new single, “Started From the Bottom.” Before he adds one more to his resume, we spoke with X to discuss the videos that shape his career. For his nearly 10-year run in the game, X has helped create some iconic visuals from DMX’s “What’s My Name? to Kanye West’s “The New Workout Plan.” He talked about how Ghostface Killah’s “Cherchez La Ghost” originally had a different treatment, the experience of working with a young Mr. West, and how Nicki Minaj’s “Your Love” tested your limits.

Extra case study: HYPE WILLIAMS

Williams first displayed his work by tagging local billboards, storefronts, and playgrounds using HYPE as his graffiti tag. "That's probably what stimulated my interests in color," he says. Williams was born in Queens, New York and is of African and Honduran descent. He later attended Adelphi University.[4] Williams' big break came when he began working with Classic Concepts Video Productions. Lionel "Vid Kid" Martin & VJ Ralph McDaniels created Williams' first opportunity with the "Film makers With Attitude" moniker (FWA), which was Williams' first video company.

Awards Williams has received for his video work include the Billboard Music Video Award for Best Director of the Year (1996), the Jackson Limo Award for Best Rap Video of the Year (1996) for Busta Rhymes' "Woo Hah!! Got You All in Check", the NAACP Image Award (1997), the 8th annual Music Video Production Association Award for Black Music Achievement (1997), MTV Video Music Award in the Best Rap Video (1998) category for Will Smith's "Gettin' Jiggy wit It", MTV Video Music Award for Best Group Video(1999) for TLC's "No Scrubs", and the BET Award for Best Director (2006) for Kanye West's "Gold Digger". In 2006, Williams was honored by MTV with its Video Vanguard Award, presented in honor of his achievements as a filmmaker.

In 2010, Williams was the writer for the Kanye West short film Runaway. He later directed the music video for West's single "All of the Lights", which premiered on February 19, 2011. As of 2012, Kanye West holds the artist record for working the most times with Williams, the two have collaborated in nineteen music videos beginning in 2005 with the music video for "Diamonds from Sierra Leone". Busta Rhymes is second behind West, collaborating with Williams in sixteen music videos, beginning with debut solo music video "Everything Remains Raw" / "Woo-Hah!! Got You All in Check".

A signature style used by Williams throughout the vast majority of his videos (shot mostly with cinematographer John Perez) was the Fisheye lens which distorted the camera view around the central focus. This was used by the tandem Williams/Perez in "Gimme Some More" by Busta Rhymes and "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" by Missy Elliott; however, it was dropped by 2003, when he experienced his lowest level of production activity since the beginning of his career as a music video director.

Another "signature style" involves placing shots in regular widescreen ratio, while a second shot is split and placed in the upper and lower bars. Videos that use this style include "Diamonds on My Neck" by Smitty, "I Ain't Heard of That" by Slim Thug, "So Sick" by Ne-Yo, "My Hood" by Young Jeezy, "Gomenasai" by t.A.T.u., "Check on It" by Beyoncé, "Freeze" by LL Cool J, "Snap Yo Fingers" by Lil Jon and many others. In addition to this, he frequently utilizes aerial and tracking shots which often move backwards or forwards, some techniques which can often be seen in "Rock the Boat" by Aaliyah, "She's a Bitch" by Missy Elliott, "Not Myself Tonight" by Christina Aguilera and "Only U" by Ashanti. It is a method often used by Hype which allows his videos to be dynamic, multi-dimensional and atmospheric as opposed to having static camera angles. Further style traits include the use of slow motion action, deep focus, and smooth cutting. With cinematic qualities, and street like fantasy, his visuals captured an entire period of excess, innovation, and humor in music videos.

Extra case study: ANTHONY MANDLER

As a video director, Anthony has shown his ability to make full realized and powerful moving short films underscoring music videos of today's top artists. Anthony has written and directed, among others, the videos: Nelly Furtado, Man-eater; The Killers, When you were Young; Ne Yo, Sexy Love; Beyonce, Irreplaceable; Eminem, When I'm Gone; 50Cent, Hustlers Ambition; Rihanna, Unfaithful; Enrique Iglesias, Somebody's Me; Fergie,Big Girl's Don't Cry and the new Duran Duran video. In addition, Anthony is part of the producing/directing partners for the new Snoop Dog reality show, said to be the biggest budget reality show in history.

Anthony is today's hottest video director in strong demand and receiving high critical praise for his unique style of story telling demonstrating his extensive and highly talented famous photography background. He has received numerous film project offers from studios waiting on the right project to direct.

Case study 3 – Alex Southam

Alex Southam

Case Study 2: Emil Nava

Emil Nava's career started as a runner for film production companies. After  This opened the door for him to work for Blink Productions. He graduated to assistant director where he managed video shoots and then signed to the biggest video production company: Academy. He then worked for Between the Eyes and now freelances for OB management and works for Pulse. 

Emil Nava now makes adverts, for example, he created the L'Oreal advert. Adverts usually have a higher budget, however they allow less creative freedom. When he first started working for independent labels shooting videos his budgets were £5000-£10,000. 

Emil created a music video for Kid British - Our house. His budget was £20,000 and they used the local residents in Manchester as the cast. With one day to film the entire video and 2-3 days to edit the video, this is a prime example of the tight timescales that can be involved in low budget videos. One of his most expensive budgets was creating a music video for Jessie J. 

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