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(May 29, 2007) HYPE WILLIAMS-DIRECTED KANYE WEST VIDEO PREMIERES
ON KANYEWEST.COM
The Hype Williams-directed video for
Kanye West's new single, Can't Tell Me Nothing,
premiered last Friday (May 25) on his official website
(KanyeWest.com).
As posted on
MTV.com earlier this month, Kanye mentions that he had gone out
with Hype Williams for 9 days to shoot two videos (one of which is
Can't Tell Me Nothing).
It was also announced last Wednesday (on
Pitchfork) that Kanye West's upcoming collaboration with Daft
Punk, a track entitled Stronger, will also have a video
to be directed by Hype Williams. The Daft Punk 'robots' are to
make a cameo in the video.
It is unclear whether the second Hype Williams video shot is the
Stronger video.
click here to view Can't Tell Me Nothing in streaming Flash, on
KanyeWest.com
click here to read article about Hype Williams shooting two videos for
Kanye West, on MTV.com
click here to read article about the Stronger video on
Pitchforkmedia.com
(December 31, 2006 - February 22, 2007) JOHN LEGEND VIDEO
PREMIERES
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HYPE WINS AT BET HIP-HOP AWARDS
SPEED RACER UPDATE
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2006 YEAR-END REVIEW
The Hype WIlliams-directed John Legend
video, Heaven, made its premiere back in late-October
2006. As reported before, the video was shot on location in
London. The video features a lot of interior shots in old
churches and other rustic countryside locations.
View the video on YouTube.
Hype Williams won the Element Award:
Director of the Year at the BET Hip-Hop Awards back in
November.
And an update on the Speed Racer
project: Hype is now officially off the project, as the
Wachowski Brothers (Larry & Andy Wachowski, the pair behind the Matrix
trilogy) have officially signed on to write and direct the movie, as
reported back in Novemeber.
click here to read article at zap2it.com
Here's a recap of Hype Williams' work in
2006. Hype directed about 12 videos in 2006. He continued
his signature method of putting secondary footage on the top & bottom
'bars', sandwiching the widescreen-shot video in the middle.
This technique was used in a subtle manner in videos like Ne-Yo's
So Sick (helicopter shots of snow-covered mountains) and
Pharrell Williams' Angel (a variety of picture frame
mouldings 'framing' the video); as well as in an all-out visual
assault like in the LL Cool J/ Jennifer Lopez video Control
Myself (in which images of Jennifer Lopez & various models are
split and projected around shots of LL rapping). Hype also
forayed into the world of rock music, directing a dramatic clip for
Hoobastank's If I Were You. And at the other end of
the spectrum, a totally fun and colorful video for Lil Jon's
Snap Yo Fingers. My personal favorites this year include
LL Cool J/Jennifer Lopez Control Myself, Lil' Jon
Snap Yo Fingers, and the beautifully-photographed videos for
Ne-Yo So Sick and Mary J. Blige Enough Cryin'.
My least favorite video was Janet/Nelly Call On Me
(great visuals, horrible concept).
2006 was also a great year for Hype's
career, as he received the prestigious MTV VMA Vanguard Award (ie:
their lifetime achievement award) for his contributions to music
videos. His compilation DVD was also simultaniously re-released.
And also, his official website (hypewilliams.com)
finally went live. In terms of other projects, Hype was
officially detached from the movies Captivity (now directed by
Roland Joffe) and Speed Racer (recently announced to be
directed by the Warchowski Bros.). No word about the Thrilla
or Superfly projects, but I'm assuming that he's off those
projects as well. However, it was announced in June 2006 that
Hype would begin production on the sequel to his 1998 film Belly,
tentatively titled Beast.
(October 23, 2006) HYPE SHOOTS JOHN LEGEND VIDEO (?)
It seems that Hype Williams has shot the
upcoming John Legend video, Heaven, in London.
Check out this pic from The Adventures of Don C. blog.
(thanks to Marc H. for the info)
(October 20, 2006) HYPE GETS BET HIP-HOP AWARDS NOM
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KANYE DVD
Last week,
BET announced
its nominees for the inaugural BET Hip-Hop Awards. The
awards feature a category called the Element Award: Director of the
Year. Hype Williams is nominated in this category along with
Benny Boom, Dr. Teeth, Little X, and Sanaa Hamri. Hype is
nominated for his body of work (from the past year) including:
- Control Myself - LL Cool J feat.
Jennifer Lopez
- Diamonds On My Neck - Smitty
- Drive Slow - Kanye West feat. Paul Wall, T.I. & Gangsta L.
Crisis
- Freeze - LL Cool J feat. Lyfe Jennings
- Gold Digger - Kanye West feat. Jamie Foxx
- My Hood - Young Jeezy
- Snap Yo Fingers - Lil Jon feat. E-40 & Sean Paul of YoungBloodZ
No Hype Williams-directed videos were
nominated in the Hip-Hop Video of the Year category. The
awards are set to air on BET on November 15.
click here for press release, including a full list of nominees
A new Kanye West concert DVD,
Late Orchestration, was released in late-July. Along with
the concert footage (shot in 2005 at Abbey Road Studios), the DVD
features most of Kanye's music videos from his most recent album, Late
Registration, including the Hype Williams-directed videos for
Diamonds From Sierra Leone and Gold Digger.
click here to buy from Amazon.com
***(September 1, 2006)
HYPEWILLIAMS.COM |
DVD RE-RELASE |
JAY Z VIDEO |
MTV VMA WIN
The day that Hype Williams received the
Video Vanguard award at the MTV VMA's, his official
HypeWilliams.com
website went live. This is the first time he's published an
official website/page (other than director pages featured on HSI
Productions & RSA Films back when he was signed on with those
companies). The new site features full video clips for 47 of the
200+ videos he's directed;; a biography section
with full listing of his video-work; and portfolio section featuring a
selection of photography that he's done (many of which have been
published in magazines like GQ and Interview).
(left)
hypewilliams.com main page; (right) repackaged Hype
Williams: The Videos, Volume 1 DVD
($12.04 @ palmpictures.com)
In other news,
Palm Pictures
is planning on re-releasing the Hype Williams: The Videos; Volume 1 DVD (repackaged
with new cover) on
September 12, to tie in with Hype receiving the Vanguard Award.
The Palm Pictures Store
(click here) has the DVD on sale for 33% off the regular price (@
$12.04); and the first 75 copies sold will be autographed by Hype
himself.
Billboard.com also reports that Hype is set to direct the upcoming
Jay Z
comeback video.
click here to read article about Jay Z video on
Billboard.com.
click here to read another article on hypewilliams.com & DVD
re-release on Billboard.biz
Oh, and the Hype Williams-directed video
for Beyonce's Check On It won for R&B Video of the
Year.
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***(September 1, 2006)
HYPE WILLIAMS RECEIVES MTV VANGUARD AWARD***
As reported earlier this week, Hype
Williams received the MTV Video Music Award Vanguard Award at
last night's awards telecast. Kanye West took to the stage to
introduce him, followed by a short video montage which ran through clips of
his more well known videos. Busta Rhymes and Missy Elliott took
to the stage to perform Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See
and The Rain, dressed up in their costumes from their
respective Hype Williams-directed videos (Busta with his posse of
tribesmen from the 1997 video Put Your Hands... video;
Missy Elliott driving around the stage in a mini Jeep, dressed in
the black Michelin Man-inspired suit from her 1997 video The
Rain. And finally Hype Williams took the stage to
receive his award, thanking all the artists he's worked with, his
production crew, and dedicating his award to his longtime
collaborator (a casting director that he'd been working with for
years) who passed away recently. Overall, a great tribute to
a great director who changed the look of videos (and MTV!) over
the past decade. Ironic that Hype & MTV share the same
birthday ;o) (just a little bit of interesting trivia for ya).
(thanks to AE for additional info) |
***(August 30, 2006)
HYPE WILLIAMS TO RECEIVE MTV VANGUARD AWARD?***
Word has it that Hype Williams is to
receive this year's MTV Vanguard Award (ie: "lifetime
achievement award") at Thursday's
MTV Video Music Awards.
If this is true, Hype will be the eighth music video director to
receive the award (Mark Romanek received the award back in 1997; other
director receipients include Julien Temple, Russell Mulcahy, and Wayne
Isham).
The award was absent from the awards show for the past 2 years, with
Duran Duran last receiving it in 2003. The MTV Video Music
Awards air this Thursday (August 31) at 8pm on MTV. As reported
earlier, Hype Williams videos go into the awards with a total of 4
nominations.
(August 1, 2006) HYPE WILLIAMS VIDEOS SCORE 4 MTV VIDEO AWARDS
NOMINATIONS
Hype Williams' videos have scored a total
of 4 nominations for the upcoming MTV Video Music Awards.
The nominations were announced yesterday (July 31) and include 2
nominations for Kanye West's Gold Digger video (Best
Male Video & Best Hip-Hop Video), as well as nominations
for Beyonce's Check On It and Jamie Foxx's
Unpredictable for Best R&B Video. While it
seems like the video for Gold Digger has been out for
quite some time now, the video was actually released in September 2005
(which made it ineligible for the 2005 awards last August). In
my own personal opinion, I think that Gold Digger was
robbed of a nomination for Best Video of the Year, as it was WAAAAAY
more popular than most of the videos nominated for that top award this
year :o( But hey, the people over at MTV seem to know what
they're doing, right? (sarcasm) These are Hype
Williams' first nominations at the MTV Video Music awards since 2002,
when his video for Aaliyah's Rock The Boat was nominated in the
R&B category. The awards will be handed out during a live
broadcast from Radio City Music Hall in New York City on August 31.
click here to view
nominees @ MTV Video Music Awards website (Flash site)
click here to view list of nominations at Stereogum (simple text)
(July 25, 2006) JANET/NELLY VIDEO PREVIEW & PREMIERE
The Hype Williams-directed video for the
new Janet/Nelly video Call On Me will premiere
tomorrow (Wednesday, July 26 @ 8pm) on
BET's Access Granted.
Behind-the-Scenes images from the video shoot (featuring Janet, Nelly,
and Hype Williams) are featured in this week's issue of US Weekly
(July 31; p.36). BET 106 & Park also showed a preview clip
from the video recently. I don't know how to describe it, but
they're definitely worth checking out. The video looks pretty
surreal, with elaborate backgrounds (some shot on green screen?) and
Janet has elaborate hair (a mohawk!), makeup, and costumes.
Can't wait to see the final product tomorrow night!
click here to view US Weekly scans
click here to view BET 106 & Park preview clip on YouTube
(thanks to JB and Cihan for the links!)
(July 20, 2006) HYPE WILLIAMS' VIDEOS TO BE FEATURED AT
SCANNERS: NY VIDEO FEST
The work of Hype Williams will be featured
and analyzed during a special presentation as part of the annual
Scanners: New York Video Festival at the Lincoln Center in New
York City. Every year NY Press film critic Armand White shows a
bunch of videos under a certain theme, and discusses it. In past
years the works of Mark Romanek and Marcus Nispel have been featured.
This year's presentation features the work of Hype Williams:
BELIEVE THE HYPE: AN AUTEUR STUDY OF HYPE WILLIAMS THE BEST WHO EVER
DID IT. The presentation takes place on Wednesday, July 26
@ 8:30pm.
***UPDATE*** HYPE WILLIAMS IS NOT SCHEDULED TO BE IN ATTENDANCE
click here for more info at the official Scanners website
(thanks to jblaze for the info)
(June 16, 2006) HYPE WILLIAMS TO SHOOT UPCOMING JANET/NELLY
VIDEO
Janet Jackson has just posted on her
official
website that she's off to Los Angeles to shoot the video to her
upcoming single, Call On Me (featuring Nelly) with Hype
Williams. The single makes its premiere this coming Monday (June
19).
(thanks to ettil for the info)
(June 14, 2006) HYPE WILLIAMS WORKING ON SEQUEL TO BELLY: BEAST
In an interview with
AllHipHop.com, rapper DMX has revealed that he, Nas, and Hype
Williams are working on a sequel to Belly, tentatively titled
Beast. The 1998 movie was Hype Williams' film directorial
debut (and his only movie to date), as well as DMX's first forray into
feature film acting. The movie featured hiphop artists in the
lead roles (DMX, Nas, T-Boz, Taral Hicks, Method Man). While
regarded as a box-office and critical disappointment, Belly had gained
cult-status in the hiphop world.
click here to read the entire article at AllHipHop.com
(June 5, 2006) NEW KANYE REMIX VIDEO & PHARRELL/KANYE VIDEO
PREMIERE
Hype Williams shot a new video for Kanye West's Drive Slow
(remix), featuring GLC, Paul Wall, & T.I. The video
features the rappers each doing their verses while driving through the
Las Vegas Strip at night. The video premiered late last month on
MTV's Direct Effect.
click here to view the video at YouTube
(thanks to Adrian P. for the info)
Hype also shot the new video for the
Pharrell Williams/Kanye West collaboration Number 1,
which premiered last Wednesday (May 31) on BET Access Granted.
click here to view the video at YouTube
(May 17, 2006) NEW KANYE/PHARRELL VIDEO
Hype Williams shot a new video for the upcoming Kanye West/Pharrell
Williams collaboration track, #1, last week in Miami.
click here to read article
(thanks to TBD for the info)
(May 5, 2006) NEW VIDEOS FOR LIL' JON (FT. E40 & SEAN PAUL) AND
LL COOL J (FT. LYFE JENNINGS) PREMIERE
Two new Hype Williams-directed videos have recently premiered.
Hype's video for Lil' Jon feat. E40 & Sean Paul (of Youngbloodz),
for the track Snap Yo Fingers premiered earlier this week on
MTV's Direct Effect. Again, Hype places footage in the top &
bottom bars. The video is reminiscent of the cheap rap videos of
the 80's and early 90's, which overuse the green-screen technique and
different effects created using the video editing technology of that
era. The video is a throwback to those videos, but Hype gives it
a modern take.. You can view an exclusive MySpace.com
behind-the-scenes video preview
here and
here; and view the video on
YouTube here or over at
LilJonOnline.com.
(thanks to TBD, Kenton, Marc H for the info)
Hype also directed a new video for
LL Cool J feat. Lyfe Jennings, for the track Freeze,
which premiered on BET 106 & Park mid-last week.
(thanks to TBD for the info)
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(April 21, 2006) HYPE WILLIAMS ARTICLE IN ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
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NEW HOOBASTANK & MARY J. BLIGE VIDS
Once again, an article has been written about Hype Williams and
his recent trend of splitting the screen (in his videos) to 3
portions (using b-footage on the top & bottom bars, which
usually remain black when the video is shot in 'widescreen'). The
current issue of Entertainment Weekly (April 21, 2006 p.74
"Splitting Images"; with American Idol on the cover)
describes this 3-segment screen format, and reviews
a selection of four of these videos (giving each a letter-grade): Check On It (Beyonce feat. Bun B &
Slim Thug), Unpredictable (Jamie Foxx feat. Ludacris),
My Hood (Young Jeezy), and Control Myself (LL Cool J
feat. Jennifer Lopez). The article also features a blurb from
Hype himself, about his thoughts on each of the selected videos. |
The Hype Williams-shot video for
Hoobastank's If I Were You premiered late last week. Since
I'm in a bit of a rush to post this update, I'll just copy/paste
Anthony's email summary of the video here ;o) :
The video seems to have a strong
message. It's shot in black and white. Think it's shot in front of a
green screen due to the other slightly explosion shots added behind
singer. Is a widescreen format. No more B roll footage in the black
bars but his other signature is used. The milk box format which he
uses beautifully. At end the explosion seeps into the white bars. A
straight performance video with an okay song. It's their last single.
But Hype takes strong subject matter. Dealing with close-ups that
don't answer all questions but rather hint along with song. Close-up
of forms for California: San Francisco marriage form, Chain of custody
forms. Birth certificate. Shots of a man shaving and cleaning his
face. Woman putting make-up on. And putting clothes on her nice body.
Shot of guy smoking cigar. A kid's picture of a small family. HYPE
moment: catch for the top of drawing, there is the word HYPE written
above the single mother or father pic. A lot of symbolic keys moments;
even a verse from the Bible about God before you see the woman. Just
glad HYPE going for story based, as he did with the Kelis clip. A
single mother or a woman that gave up her child. A boyfriend or
husband that cleans himself of the child. The regret. Their marriage,
moving on without child. It's powerful.
view the full video for If I Were You in streaming video
at VH1.com
(thanks to AE for the summary)
The Hype-shot video for Mary J. Blige,
Enough Cryin' has also recently premiered.
"Very beautiful. Concept is Mary during
a photo-shoot. Performing with light blaring everywhere and a few
shots of her near piano having picture taken. Another shot of her in a
false forest set with great background colors. When she starts her rap
the milk box bars have b footage of her as well as her in widescreen.
One more casual version singing while another in a urban look with
curls sings and raps together. More of her in front of some
interesting lighting set ups used behind camera's but placed near or
behind her in the shots. Then more with a jacket the waves like a long
batman cape. At beginning they use this with a red dress near end its
black. She's in real time but the waving clothes are very slowed
down."
(thanks to AE for the summary)
(April 10, 2006) HYPE WILLIAMS ARTICLE ON MTV.COM
MTV.com has recently
posted an article about Hype Williams and why he's abandoning his
signature feature of putting b-footage on the letterbox negative
spaces.
click here to read "Hype Williams Video Director For Beyonce,
Ne-Yo Changing Up His Style" (04.07.2006 2:46 PM EDT )
(April 4, 2006) HYPE SHOOTS NEW MARY J. BLIGE VIDEO
According to MTV.com,
Hype Williams shot a new video Enough Cryin' for Mary
J. Blige feat. 50 Cent. The video was shot in Long Beach,
California, and features a storyline reminiscent to an
(March 2, 2006) HOOBASTANK VIDEO
According to MTV.com,
Hype Williams shot a video for Hoobastank's upcoming single
If I Were You.
click here to read article
(February 21, 2006) LL/J-LO VIDEO PREMIERES
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YOUNG JEEZY VIDEO
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TONI BRAXTON VIDEO?
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PHARRELL VID LINK
The LL Cool J & Jennifer Lopez video Control Myself
premiered last week.
MTV.com reports that
Hype Williams recently shot a new video for Young Jeezy's
upcoming track Bang (featuring Lil' Scrappy & T.I.)
click here to read blurb on MTV.com
It has been rumoured that either Hype
Williams or Benny Boom is scheduled to shoot the upcoming Toni
Braxton video Take This Ring...
Haven't seen the new Pharrell
video Angel yet?
Check it out here.
(January 29, 2006) NEW YOUNG JEEZY VIDEO
Hype Williams shot the new video My Hood for rapper Young
Jeezy. It premiered recently on BET's 106 & Park.
(thanks to Adrian P and Brandon N for the info)
(January 27, 2006) HYPE'S NEW VIDEO FOR NE-YO
Hype Williams has shot a new video for R&B singer Ne-Yo, for
his track So Sick. The video, which premiered on
MTV Total Request Live this past Monday (January 23), features
really nice aerial shots of snow-covered mountains and shots of Ne-Yo
singing in a ski-lodge, and on the snowy slopes. Once again,
Hype has filled the top and bottom bars with images; this time with
aerial (helicopter) shots of the mountains. Really nice video.
click here to view video at Ne-Yo's website
(thanks to AP for the info)
(January 23, 2006) RE-EDITED JAMIE FOXX VIDEO
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UPCOMING LL/J-LO VIDEO
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HYPE'S FILM PROJECTS: CAPTIVITY
It appears that the Jamie Foxx video Unpredictable
(feat. Ludacris) (originally directed by Hype Williams) has been
re-cut, and some new shots have been added. The new version
features newly shot cameos by actresses Eva Longoria and
Lisa Raye and some new shots of Ludacris. Other additions
include: new outdoor shots near a swimming pool in a nice house on a
hill; and a shot of him playing golf. Not sure if Hype was
responsible for this re-shot/re-cut, or if it was done after he
presented his final version, as the title cards "HYPE WILLIAMS, JAMIE
FOXX, PRESENT UNPREDICTABLE" have been removed. This new version
has already been airing (in place of the original) on MTV James and
VH1 Soul.
(thanks to Anthony E. for the info)
Hype Williams shot the new LL Cool J
video Control Myself (featuring Jennifer Lopez) in early
January.
click here to read article at MTV.com
(thanks to Cihan & UU for the info)
Thanks to Anthony E. for the following
info/heads-up on one of the many film projects that Hype Williams had
been attached to in the past few years. It seems that Hype had
been taken off the project Captivity sometime last year,
as IMDB.com lists
that Roland Joffe had shot the film mid-2005 (starring Elisha
Cuthbert), and its already in post-production, with a release date
sometime this year.
(read info
on Captivity on IMDB.com) Still no word on the other movies
that Hype had been attached to: Superfly, Speed Racer, Mothership, and
Thrilla...
(December 31, 2005 - January 11, 2006) 2005 YEAR-END REVIEW
It's that time of the year again: the annual review of Hype Williams's
work in the past 12 months. In 2005, Hype Williams continued his
'comeback' to directing videos, doing about 10-11 music videos (but
still not at the quantity of videos-per-annum as he did at the height
of his career, back in 96-98). Starting with his video for
Queen Latifah's Simply Beautiful (at the beginning of 2005)
Hype began to play around with the empty 'bars' at the top & bottom of
the screen; these were the empty 'voids' created on the 4:3 screen
when the video itself was shot in wide screen. He would place
secondary footage in these bars, running simultaneously with the
actual video, creating a very unique effect. He continued this
feature with much of his videos through 2005 (with the exception of
the two Kanye West videos and the One Chance video).
My personal favorites this year are Gold Digger (Kanye West
feat. Jamie Foxx), Check On It (Beyonce), and Simply
Beautiful (Queen Latifah); my least favorites were
That's My Word (One Chance) and Diamonds From Sierra
Leone (Kanye West). Haven't heard anything about
possible projects for 2006, but there's always those film projects
that have been discussed for the past few years (Thrilla,
Captivity, Speed Racer).
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