(December 31, 2004 - January 17, 2005)
2004 YEAR REVIEW
Another year has past, and Hype Williams slowly got back into
directing videos. He directed about 6 new videos this year, most
of which featured the signature night shots he was known for back in
his early days of directing (mid-1990's) ( with videos for Teedra
Moses, New Edition, Ashanti & The Game). My two favorites this
year are his videos for Ashanti's Only U and The
Game's How We Do. My least favorite was his video for
Ja Rule feat. R. Kelly & Ashanti, Wonderful. While
not directing videos, Hype was heavily involved in developing and
consulting with video game development, including working on a trailer
for The Sims spin off, The Urbs. It was also announced in
September that Hype is attached to direct a remake of the
Blaxploitation film, Superfly. Still no word on the other
movies he was mentioned to be attached to back in 2003, including the
3D horror movie Thrilla, the thriller Captivity, and the
live-action remake of the Japanese anime Speed Racer.
(December 22, 2004) THE GAME VIDEO PREMIERES
The new Hype Williams-directed video for rapper The Game's
track How We Do (featuring 50 Cent) premiered in early
December on BET Access Granted. The video, like Hype's
last 3-4 videos (Ashanti, Teedra Moses, New Edition), was shot
entirely in a nighttime setting. The video was shot in Los
Angeles, and features The Game and 50 Cent driving (separately) to a
club. The club shots were shot on location at The Miyan
nightclub. The video can be viewed at
Launch.
(thanks to Anthony E. & Julian for the info)
(November 25, 2004) HYPE WILLIAMS ARTICLE IN FADER MAGAZINE
There is a one page article on Hype Williams in the current issue of
Fader Magazine (#26, December 2004 p.116) with Snoop Dogg on
the cover. The article discusses Hype's hiatus from video
directing, the conflicts he encountered while shooting Belly,
and his current projects (videogames; Superfly remake).
(November 18, 2004) ASHANTI VIDEO PREMIERES
The Hype Williams-directed video for Ashanti's Only U
premiered on BET
Access Granted on November 3.
(thanks to Kevin L. for the info)
(November 4, 2004) HYPE TO DIRECT UPCOMING GAME VIDEO
VH-1.com reports
that Hype Williams is set to shoot the video for rappers Game & 50
Cent's upcoming video How We Do.
click here to read article
(October 15, 2004) THE URBZ TRAILER ONLINE AT OFFICIAL WEBSITE
The official The Urbz website has
posted the Hype Williams-directed trailer for the upcoming videogame.
As mentioned before, the trailer takes existing footage from the
videogame itself, and uses a brand new Black Eyed Peas track as the
soundtrack.
click here to visit
the official The Urbz website
(October 5, 2004) HYPE TO DIRECT SUPERFLY REMAKE
MTV.com reported
last week that Hype Williams has been signed on by mega-movie-producer
Joel Silver to direct a remake of the 1972 Blaxploitation film
Superfly. According to the article, he hopes to sign on a
big-name actor to fill the lead role, and begin shooting the movie (in
his hometown of New York City) by the end of the year.
click here to read article at MTV.com
(thanks to JB, KP, & LS for the info)
(October 5, 2004) VIDEO FOR THE URBZ & OTHER EA VIDEOGAMES
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UPCOMING ASHANTI VIDEO
The
MTV.com article also
mentions that Hype is busy working on a 60-second music video for an
upcoming videogame, The Urbz: Sims in the City.
IGN.com recently
conducted an interview with Hype on this project. The 60-second
video is set to the music (written specifically for this project) of
Black Eyed Peas, and using visuals from the videogame. In the
interview, he also discusses his love of video games, and his
involvement with other EA (Electronic Arts) videogames NBA Street 3
(in which he serves as a conceptual designer and producer) and
Fight Night 2 (in which he is involved with more camera oriented
stuff).
click here to read article at IGN.com
The
MTV.com article also
states that Hype Williams is set to shoot a new video for Ashanti
(Only U) in Vancouver in the next few weeks.
click here to read article at MTV.com
(September 29, 2004) NEW RUPEE & JA RULE VIDEOS PREMIERE
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NEW NOTORIOUS B.I.G. DVD
The new video for Rupee's Tempted To Touch (which Hype
Williams shot in Barbados in late-July) premiered a few weeks ago.
The video can be seen at
Launch.com.
\Hype Williams has directed a new video for
Wonderful (by Ja Rule featuring R. Kelly & Ashanti).
The video, which premiered on
MTV Making The Video, was shot on location in Chicago and
Mexico. The scenes shot in Mexico are reminiscent of Hype's
previous video for Shelby Lynne's Killin' Kind.
(thanks to Julien R. for the info)
A re-mastered and re-packaged
re-release of the The Notorious B.I.G. album Ready To Die
(with black packaging) came out a few weeks ago to coincide with the
album's 10 year anniversary. The CD comes with a bonus DVD with
Biggie's videos from that album, including the Hype Williams-directed
classics Warning, Big Poppa, One
More Chance.
(August 11, 2004) HYPE SHOT VIDEO FOR REGGAE ARTIST RUPEE
Hype Williams was in Barbados in late-July for a 3-day video shoot for
reggae artist Rupee's upcoming video Tempted To Touch.
click here to read article about the videoshoot at Barbados Daily
Nation
(August 5, 2004) NEW EDITION VIDEO PREMIERES
New Edition appeared on
BET 106 & Park
this past Monday (August 2) to premiere their new Hype
Williams-directed video Hot 2night. As reported
earlier, the video was shot at the end of June in Mexico.
(June 28, 2004) HYPE SHOOTING NEW EDITION VIDEO
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WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN... JAY Z AND KANYE WEST
VIDEOS
Word has it that Hype Williams is
currently in Mexico, shooting a video for New Edition's
upcoming track Hot Tonight.
(thanks to JB for the info!)
An article/interview with Kanye West
posted on MTV.com
reveals that Hype Williams was initially considered for directing two
videos: one by Kanye West and one for Jay Z. The article, which
describes the concepts behind Kanye West's three separate videos for
his current single Jesus Walks, had originally wanted
Hype Williams to direct the clip but decided not to when he heard that
Jay Z was considering Hype for directing his video for 99 Problems.
The released version for the video Jesus Walks was co-directed by
Kanye West with Coodie and Chike of Channel Zero (the first two
unreleased versions were directed by Michael Haussman and Chris Milk);
99 Problems ended up being directed by Mark Romanek.
(June 21, 2004) TEEDRA MOSES VIDEO
The Hype Williams-directed video
for Teedra Moses, Be Your Girl, premiered on
BET in mid-May.
The video can be viewed in Quicktime and other video formats at
teedramoses.com.
Behind-the-scenes photos from the video shoot can also be viewed at
her official website, including one with Hype Williams. Be
Your Girl is the first music video directed by Hype Williams in
almost 9 months. His last video was the Fall 2003 video for
Ashanti's Rain On Me.
(thanks to Cihan for the info)
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(March
11, 2004)
BAD BOY 2 CD + DVD
Earlier this week, Bad Boy
Records released a greatest hits package entitled Bad Boy's
10th Anniversary... The Hits. The 2 disc set includes a
14-track CD with many of the record company's hits from the late
90's, as well as a DVD video compilation with 11 music videos,
including 4 Hype Williams-directed classics such as Big
Poppa (Notorious B.I.G.), I'll Be Missing You
(Puff Daddy feat. Faith Evans & 112), Mo' Money Mo'
Problems (Notorious B.I.G. feat. Puff Daddy & Mase), and
Feel So Good (Mase). |
(March 5, 2004)
MORE INFO ON TEEDRA MOSES VIDEO |
NAS DVD COMPILATION
MTV.com reported in
early January that Hype
Williams was to shoot a new video for up & coming R&B singer Teedra
Moses. Her official website
teedramoses.com
reports that the video for Be Your Girl (not You'll Never Find
A Better Woman, as previously reported). The site states that
the video will be shot March 25-27 in New York City, buy it was actually
shot last week (February 25-27).
(thanks to JB for the info)
Sony Music is
re-releasing Nas's groundbreaking rap album Illmatic
for its 10 year anniversary on March 30. The re-release will be a
2-CD set, including the original album and a disc of remixes.
Being released on the same day is a DVD video compilation, Video
Anthology Vol. 1, featuring most of Nas's videos. It can be
assumed that the DVD will include earlier videos such as the Hype
Williams-directed videos for If I Ruled The World (feat. Lauryn
Hill), Street Dreams (& the remix), plus the controversial video
for Hate Me Now (feat. Puff Daddy).
(February 28, 2004)
HYPE WILLIAMS PROJECT INCLUDED IN SONY DV
SCREENING
Hype Williams will participate in the 3rd instalment of Sony and
Young & Rubicam's 24p experimental (digital video) screening program.
The 2004 Dreams program, dubbed "Magic", will take place
March 15 at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City. The complete
list of directors participating in the event include:
David Cornell (Headquarters), Stacy Wall
(Epoch Films), Matthias Hoene (Partizan),
Erich Joiner (Tool Of North America), Hype Williams (RSA), Tim
Godsall(Biscuit Filmworks),
Dante Ariola (MJZ), Elma Garcia (MJZ), Erick Ifergan (Believe Media),
Jonathan Darby (Original Film)
read this article at boardsmag.com for more info
(January 10, 2004)
HYPE WILLIAMS TO DIRECT VIDEO FOR NEW R&B ARTIST
MTV.com has
reported that Hype Williams will direct the upcoming video for
You'll Never Find (A Better Woman) by up & coming R&B singer
Teedra Moses in the next 2 weeks. The track features guest
rapper Jadakiss. This will be Hype's first video since he
directed Ashanti's Rain On Me, almost 5 months ago.
click here to read news snippet at mtv.com
(thanks to Kevin L. for the info)
Belly Special Edition
DVD+ CD set to be
released January 20 |
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*** (January 7, 2004)
BELLY SPECIAL EDITION 2-DISC DVD+CD SET
***
The first new Hype Williams news of 2004 is an exciting one.
Artisan
Entertainment/Fox Video is re-releasing Hype Williams's 1998
film directorial debut Belly on DVD in the form of a 2-disc
DVD+CD set on January 20, 2004. The movie was originally
released on DVD in early 1999 with very minimal features included
on the disc: director's commentary, trailer, production notes,
cast/crew information. The special edition DVD will include
director's commentary (not sure if it's the same one from the
original DVD), theatrical trailer, a newly re-mastered widescreen
anamorphic cut of the movie, multiple spoken-word featurettes,
Grand Finale music video feat. DMX, Method Man, Nas, Ja Rule
(dir: Hype Williams), & deleted scene. The second disc is an
audio CD which features 8 selections from the movie's original
soundtrack CD. The Special Edition set carries a suggested
retail price of $22.93 (at Amazon.com), but is also available for
pre-order at Walmart.com for $19.49. The original DVD has
been selling at discount rates at record & video stores all across
North America, but reports are that they have been pulled from the
shelves in anticipation of this DVD re-release.
click
here to visit my slightly outdated Unofficial Belly Movie Website
for more info on the movie
(thanks a lot to Anthony E. for the info!) |
(December 31, 2003 -
January 6, 2004)
2003 YEAR REVIEW
2003 was an extremely quiet year for Hype Williams. After
only directing a handful of videos in 2002, Hype ended up only directing
one video in 2003: Ashanti's Rain On Me. I was
fortunate enough to attend the video shoot in Toronto in August 2003
(photos found by scrolling down). Hype also directed a pair of
commercials for Verizon, one of which features James Earl Jones.
It was also announced in the past year that Hype Williams would be
involved in two upcoming movies. The first one, Captivity
(for Fox Searchlight) is a "a psychological thriller about two strangers
who are kidnapped and manipulated by an unseen sociopath". The
second is entitled Thrilla (for Disney), a 3D zombie movie set in
Jamaica. Word has it that Hype is also continuing development of
his live-action adaption of the Japanese anime Speed Racer.
Much luck to Hype on his film projects in 2004!
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