SHOT: Ghostface Killah - Juwan Lee, director

artist: Ghostface Killah f/ Kid Capri
song: "We Celebrate"
label: Island Def Jam 
director(s): Juwan Lee
production co: Triggerhappy/Uncle

SHOT: Dem Francize Boyz - Juwan Lee, director

artist: Dem Franchize Boyz
song: "Talkin' Out Da Side Of Ya Neck"
label: So So Def/Virgin/Capitol
director(s): Juwan Lee
production co: Triggerhappy/Uncle

SHOT: Mike Jones - Juwan Lee, director

Director Juwan Lee, Mike Jones and video producer Justin Si Diener on the set of "Drop It."

artist: Mike Jones f/ Hurricane Chris
song: "Drop it"
label: Asylum/Warner Bros.
director(s): Juwan Lee
production co: Uncle

BOOKED: Keyshia Cole - Benny Boom, director

artist: Keyshia Cole
song: "I Remember"
label: Geffen
director(s): Benny Boom
production co: Uncle

SHOT: The Dream - Erik White, director

Shot in Vegas...

artist: The Dream
song: "She Needs My Love"
label: Island Def Jam
director(s): Erik White
production co: Uncle

PHOTO: Director Juwan Lee and Slim Thug

Uncle director Juwan Lee and Slim Thug on the set of "Theme Song" in Slim's hometown of Houston. Video will support the rapper's forthcoming Geffen album, Boss Of All Bosses.

artist: Slim Thug
song: "Theme Song"
label: Geffen
director(s): Juwan Lee
production co: Uncle/Trigger Happy

SHOT: Slim Thug - Juwan Lee, director

artist: Slim Thug
song: "Theme Song"
label: Geffen
director(s): Juwan Lee
production co: Uncle/Trigger Happy

BOOKED: Chris Brown - Erik White, director

artist: Chris Brown
song: "With You" 
label: Jive/ZLG
director(s): Erik White
production co: Uncle

SHOT: Keyshia Cole - Erik White, director

Shot in Miami...

artist: Keyshia Cole
song: "Should Have Let You Go" 
label: Geffen
director(s): Erik White
production co: Uncle

BOOKED: Chris Brown - Erik White, director

Shooting in Miami...

artist:  Chris Brown feat. T-Pain
song: "Kiss Kiss"
label: Jive/ZLG
director(s): Erik White
production co: Uncle

SHOT: Baby feat. Lil Wayne - Benny Boom, director

Shot in New Orleans...

artist: Baby aka Birdman feat. Lil Wayne
song: "Pop Bottles"
label: Cash Money/Universal Motown 
director(s): Benny Boom
production co: Uncle

BOOKED: Ray Lavender - Benny Boom, director

Shooting this week in Los Angeles... Ray Lavender aka Ray-L is signed to Akon's Geffen imprint...

artist: Ray Lavender
song: "My Girl Gotta Girlfriend"
label: Kon Live/Geffen
director(s): Benny Boom
production co: Uncle

SHOT: Keyshia Cole - Benny Boom, director

Shot in NYC...

artist: Keyshia Cole f/ Missy Elliott & Lil Kim
song: "Let It Go"   
label: Geffen
director(s): Benny Boom
production co: Uncle

SHOT: Hot Dollar - Juwan Lee, director

artist: Hot Dollar
song: "Streetz On Lock"
label: Island Def Jam
director(s): Juwan Lee
production co: Uncle

BOOKED: Diddy - Erik White, director

artist: Diddy
song: "Through The Pain" and "Diddy Rock"
label: Bad Boy/Atlantic
director(s): Erik White
production co: All In Media
rep: Simran Brown/Uncle

BOOKED: Chris Brown - Erik White, director

artist: Chris Brown
song: "Wall To Wall"
label: Jive/ZLG
director(s): Erik White
production co: Uncle

SHOT: 50 Cent - Benny Boom, director

The 50 Cent music video onslaught in preparation of Curtis continues...

artist: 50 Cent
song: "Straight To The Bank"
label: G Unit/Interscope
director(s): Benny Boom
production co: Uncle

SHOT: T-Pain f/ Akon - Erik White, director

Shooting today, Monday May 7, in Atlanta...

artist: T-Pain feat. Akon
song: "Bartender"
label: Jive/ZLG
director(s): Erik White
production co: Uncle

PHOTO: 50 Cent and Benny Boom

Despite the song title, it was mostly business on the set of 50 Cent's video for "Amusement Park." Here's the rapper with director Benny Boom sort of posing for a photo during a quick break in the action. Lest you think it was all business at the shoot, fear not: There was actually a cotton candy machine and — of course — plenty of eye candy. 

SHOT: 50 Cent - Benny Boom, director

In support 50 Cent's kind of self-titled album Curtis, reportedly due out in late June...

artist: 50 Cent
song: "Amusement Park"
label: G Unit/Interscope
director(s): Benny Boom
production co: Uncle

BOOKED: T.I. - Erik White, director

artist: T.I.
song: "Things Keep Poppin"
label: Grand Hustle/Atlantic
director(s): Erik White
production co: Uncle

BOOKED: Fabolous - Erik White, director

artist: Fabolous feat. Ne-Yo
song: "Make Me Better"
label: Island Def Jam
director(s): Erik White
production co: Uncle

BOOKED: Flyleaf - Paul Fedor, director

artist: Flyleaf
song: "All Around Me"
label: Octone/A&M/Interscope
director(s): Paul Fedor
production co: Uncle

SHOT: Ali & Gipp - Juwan Lee, director

artist: Ali & Gipp
song: "Almost Made Ya"   
label: Universal Motown
director(s): Juwan Lee
production co's: Uncle

SHOT: Rooney - Benny Boom, director

artist: Rooney
song: "When Did Your Heart Go Missing"
label: Cherry Tree/Geffen
director(s): Benny Boom
production co's: Uncle / Factory Features

PROFILE: Rich Newey, Uncle

Name: Rich Newey
Company: Uncle
Job/Title: Director

First Video: The first video I directed for a major label was "Po' Folks" by Nappy Roots featuring Anthony Hamilton. It was quite an adventure down there in Kentucky, even to the point of getting lost in the backwoods while scouting. I distinctly remember having to do a conference call with the label out there in the middle of nowhere. Good times. We finally settled on a small town with a population just over 200 and shot it like a documentary, including some interviews with sync sound. Everyone was very welcoming and Nappy really did their thing. We used 12 different film stocks and four cameras, including a handcranked Bolex. We baked film, crossprocessed, used old color-shifted stocks... I really wanted to create this naturally organic look and feel. That was something that wasn't really being done at the time and I remember after it came out I saw a lot more docu-style videos. So I guess we made our mark.

Strangest Video: Hands down: Bone Thugs-N-Harmony featuring Phil Collins "Home." Picture it. We're in Geneva, Switzerland. We've got Bone Thugs. We've got Phil Collins. Need I say more? The funny thing is, it wasn't even supposed to be my job. I was there for second unit, but things didn't go as planned and someone needed to step up, so I grabbed the opportunity. At first it was like, "Who the hell is this Rich Newey kid?", but everyone warmed up once we got the first shot off. Bone's manager Steve Lobel and the group definitely had my back.  It was an amazing experience shooting over there.

What's Next: I just wrapped up "I Tried" for Bone Thugs featuring Akon and a feature film of the same name. This is Bone's big comeback and the good relationship I have with the group definitely came into play, along with [Interscope video commissioner and one of the film's producers] Randy Sosin's strong support, We shot the video out in Cleveland and the film back here in Los Angeles. The story of the film is basically a "what if?" What if Bone Thugs never met Eazy-E? What would their lives have turned out like? It's a gritty tale with a lot of cool elements and the guys are total naturals. Great actors! It was shot by Joe Labisi, is currently being edited by Ken Mowe and should come out sometime in May.

BOOKED: Mya - Benny Boom, director

artist: Mya
song: "Lock You Down"
label: Universal Motown
director(s): Benny Boom
production co: Uncle

NEWS: Uncle Signs Rich Newey

Director Rich Newey has joined the music video roster at Uncle. Newey's credits include:

• Bone Thugs N Harmony f/ Akon "I Tried"
• Christina Aguilera f/ Missy Elliott "Car Wash"
• Nappy Roots f/ Anthony Hamilton "Po' Folks"

SHOT: Robin Thicke - Benny Boom, director

artist: Robin Thicke
song: "Can You Believe"
label: Star Trak/Interscope
director(s): Benny Boom
production co: Uncle

PROFILE: Scott Kalvert, Uncle

If you have any interest in the history and, quite possibly, the future of music videos, Scott Kalvert is somebody you should know. Although best known as the director of the Jim Carroll biopic The Basketball Diaries — starring some kid named Leonardo DiCaprio — Kalvert directed some of the most played videos of the '80s and '90s before settling into an executive producer role at F.M. Rocks and now Uncle.

name: Scott Kalvert
company: Uncle
job/title: President/ Executive Producer

First Video:  First real major label video I directed was "Parents Just Don't Understand" for DJ Jazzy Jeff And The Fresh Prince. It was fun watching Will Smith the star being born. Like now, the 30k budget was like fitting a square peg in a round hole, which caused me to really have to be creative. The unique approach got it nominated for four MTV awards and it went on to win the first Best Rap Video award ever. I did lose Best Director to David Fincher for Madonna's "Express Yourself," which probably cost like a million. But hey, you can't win all the time.

Strangest Video: It was for a guy named Webb Wilder. I will never forget it because... It was cursed.

We did a circus freak show at the World's Fair site in Flushing Meadows, Queens. We had little people, strong men, fat ladies, you name it. All under a giant circus tent.

The day starts with me getting dropped off with the crew. A PA got out of a production van on a hill with the engine in drive. We all watched as the van raced by itself out of control down the hill and over a grassy field  — almost running over half the crew. After an eternity it smashed into a giant tree. Totaled.

When the band was finally ready to leave their hotel and come to set, like five hours late, they had a fight and had to travel in different vans. As they were arguing,  a cab hit the back of one of their vans, which caused
the side door to slam shut, which in turn chopped the finger off the lead guitarist. Not good for a guitarist. Not good for a film shoot.

Finally, as we are about to shoot, a giant hurricane hit. The tent filled with water and the whole scene became a bad Fellini movie on acid. Two feet of mud, a drenched crew fighting to not drown, sex crazed midgets hitting on the women: It became total chaos as the tent started collapsing around us. At that point
my mind goes blank. It was like the worst dream ever, only it was real!!!

I will never be involved with a freak show video again.

What's next: Running Uncle and trying to figure out a way to save the music video business.

BOOKED: T-Pain feat. Yung Joc - Benny Boom, director

artist: T-Pain feat. Yung Joc
song: "Buy U A Drank (Shawty Snappin')"
label: Jive/ZLG
director(s): Benny Boom
production co: Uncle

NEWS: Uncle Signs Paul Fedor

Uncle has signed director Paul Fedor. His most recent music video credits include:

• Evanescence "Lithium"
• Augustana "Boston"

SHOT: R. Kelly - Benny Boom, director

Shot in Chicago...

artist: R. Kelly feat. T.I. & T-Pain
song: "I'm A Flirt"
label: Jive/ZLG
director(s): Benny Boom
production co: Uncle

BOOKED: Lloyd - Erik White, director

artist: Lloyd
song: "Get It Shawty"
label: Universal Motown
director(s): Erik White
production co: Uncle

PHOTO: On the Set of Brick & Lace "Never"

Left Side: Director Benny Boom, rep Simran Leigh Brown and executive producer Scott Kalvert of Uncle on the set of the Brick & Lace video "Never." Right Side: Benny Boom watches on a monitor as a Steadicam operator captures a performance by Brick & Lace aka the sibling duo Nyanda and Naila Thorbourne.

BOOKED: Swizz Beatz - Benny Boom, director

artist: Swizz Beatz
song: "It's Me Snitches"   
label: Universal Motown
director(s): Benny Boom
production co: Uncle

BOOKED: Brick & Lace - Benny Boom, director

artist: Brick & Lace
song: "Never"
label: Geffen
director(s): Benny Boom
production co: Uncle

NEWS: Uncle Music Video Div Launches

Santa Monica-based production house Uncle has announced the launch of a music video department with Scott Kalvert as executive producer. Simran Leigh Brown will be repping the roster, which currently consists of Benny Boom, Erik White and Juwan Lee. Rounding out the music video division are in-house producer Roger Urbina and manager/coordinator Gina Corona.