IN DEPTH: Snoop Dogg "Sensual Seduction"

Music video director Melina knew this was not a typical Snoop Dogg song from the moment she heard it – and knew she had to get something different on screen. "Right from the beginning, Snoop was down for anything," says Melina, "and I knew it was going to be a lot of fun."

The visual touchstones were clips for Shalimar and Prince, but with a twist of humor. Melina notes, "The song is not too serious, so the video had to match. When we got to the set and Snoop was really going for it, it was amazing. He had all the dance moves and he really delivered a great performance. Snoop actually wanted to go further with a crazy Jheri Curl."

The dancers were shown clips of old Vanity 6 videos as references, and some mistakes and mis-steps were included in the finished video. The clip was shot on 16mm as well as a "vintage" video camera from the early '80s, that distorted some colors, but helped distill the look. As Melina worked with DP Omer Ganai, they purposefully zoomed and moved the camera at unexpected times – trying to mess each other up and catch the "seat of your pants" feel of early videos.

After the shoot was done there was even more fun to be had: The finished, on-lined clip was put through a regular VCR. "All along," Melina says, "I wanted to run the footage through a VCR, but it turns out that nobody had one. We went to a shady pawn shop in Santa Monica and bought a used VCR and ran the video through that three separate times to get just the right degraded, old school look." Melina also gave a shout-out to the guys at Baked Goods who created the classic video effects and the look of a VHS tape starting and stopping that bookends the video.

"That job was so much fun,' says Melina, "I wish I could do more videos like that."

--> watch "Sensual Seduction" via YouTube
(come on, it was shot on video and on-lined through a VCR 3x. YouTube compression just adds to the charm!)

Snoop Dogg "Sensual Seduction" (Geffen)
Melina, director | Steven Johnson, producer | Factory Features, production co | Omer Ganai, DP | Jarrett Fijal, editor | Baked Goods, vfx (note: Melina remains signed with Black Dog Films)

NEW RELEASE: The White Stripes "Conquest"

There's nothing like the rallying cry of the Spanish matador and his quest for glory and adventure. The White Stripes — who are no less than modern-day troubadours themselves — play the roles of matador and sword servant, but instead of highlighting the romance as Madonna did in"Take A Bow," they go for an off-beat humor that befits them well. The video ends gloriously indeed, but the actual bullfight owes more to the slapstick of Charlie Chaplin or Bugs Bunny than it does to the machismo of Russell Crowe. (review by Kevin Holy) --> watch "Conquest" via MTV.com or YouTube

The White Stripes "Conquest" (Third Man/Warner Bros.)
Diane Martel, director | Oualid Mouaness, producer | HSI, production co | Wyatt Troll, DP | Chad Spikin, editor

BOOKED: Baby D - Dale "Rage" Resteghini, director

artist: Baby D feat. UNK
song: "I'm Bout Money"
label: Big Oomp/Koch
director(s): Dale "Rage" Reseghini
production co: Raging Nation Films
rep: Yell Productions

SHOT: Britney Spears - Wayne Isham, director

I actually think Wayne Isham and Britney Spears could star together in a good buddy cop  movie... Something like Freebie And The Bean, maybe?

artist: Britney Spears
song: "Piece Of Me"
label: Jive/ZLG
director(s): Wayne Isham
production co: Merge @ Crossroads

NEW RELEASE: Dolly Parton "Better Get To Livin"

While I'm always wary about taking life advice from a carny, I might make an exception for the legendary Dolly Parton. The country singer stars as a traveling carnival performer whose main trick seems to be captivating an audience with the sort of aphorisms one would expect from the Dolly Lama (it's her pun, not mine). And, while the video doesn't star any geeks or freaks, it does include Amy Sedaris and a spider monkey. If only Lobster Boy was still alive today... Just think of the career he might have had in music videos. --> watch "Better Get To Livin"via YouTube or CMT.com

Dolly Parton "Better Get To Livin" (Dolly)
Steven Lippman aka Flip, director/editor | Jeremy L Kotin & David Bartolomi, producer | Flip Productions, production co | David Teague, DP | Jeremy L Kotin, co-editor

BOOKED: Taylor Dane - Tony Duran, director

Photographer Tony Duran is directing a new video for Taylor Dane, she of the "Tell It To My Heart" fame...

artist: Taylor Dane
song: "Beautiful"
label: Intention Music
director(s): Tony Duran
production co: Kleiner, Inc.

NEW RELEASE: St. Vincent "Jesus Saves, I Spend"

Ah, merit badges. What better way for a budding Scout to show his worth than to have ten or twenty of them sewn on his sash? Sure, it's a little bit dorky, but what else should kids do with their free time (besides multi-tasking, apparently)? Directors Andy Bruntel and AV Clubber Bucky Fukumoto make Scouting cool again in this whimsical clip for St. Vincent aka Annie Clark. Theyre's a few new badges that sound like totally awesome additions to the BSA lineup, especially the one for Book Eating. (review by Kevin Holy) --> watch "Jesus Saves, I Spend"

St. Vincent "Jesus Saves, I Spend" (Beggars)
Andy Bruntel & Bucky Fukumoto, director | Daniella Southgate, producer | AV Club /The Directors Bureau, production co | Marc Ritzema, DP | John Paul Horstmann, editor |  Megan Fenton, production designer

SHOT: Rocko - Rich Newey, director

Shot in Atlanta...

artist: Rocko
song: "Umma Do Me"
label: Island Urban/IDJMG
director(s): Rich Newey
production co: Terrero Films
rep: Laure Scott Representation

BOOKED: Wild Sweet Orange - Don Tyler, director

artist: Wild Sweet Orange
song: "Wrestle With God"
label: Canvasback
director(s): Don Tyler
production co: Red 40 Productions

NEW RELEASE: Dusty Rhodes/River Band "Dear Honey"

Dusty Rhodes — no relation, I don't think, with the wrestler — and The River Band deliver a '60s-laced folk rock tune as they work some magical mines in this video from the new directing duo Jurassic Technology. The oxymoronical nature of that name should clue you in to the mix of old and new tricks — which you can get a taste of in this brief Making Of — that were used to create a silly underworld vibe that lands somewhere between Fraggle Rock and Land Of The Lost. --> watch "Dear Honey"

Dusty Rhodes & The River Band  "Dear Honey" (Side One Dummy)
Jurassic Technology, directors | Bob Zarzal, producer | Martin Dicicco, DP | Mike Madrid, editor

SHOT: Soulja Boy - Dale "Rage" Resteghini, director

artist: Soulja Boy   
song: "Yahhh!"
label: Interscope
director(s): Dale "Rage" Resteghini
production co: Raging Nation Films
rep: Yell Productions

SHOT: Fat Joe f/ J. Holiday - Gil Green, director

artist: Fat Joe f/ J. Holiday
song: "I Won't Tell"
label: Imperial
director(s): Gil Green
production co: 305 Films
rep: Labuda Management

NEW RELEASE: DJ Khaled "I'm So Hood" (remix)

This is a remix. How can you tell? Because DJ Khaled shouts it at you for the first forty seconds of the clip. While Khaled does not add much vocally, he does bring an epic beat that rattles Altima windows all over America AND the ability to attract a super-star studded list of guest rappers. Khaled, his cast of thousands and the nearly six-minute run time rep hoods from all over the country, so it makes sense that they went for a CG-green screen version of the various artist-specific streets, ending up with a moody vibe that feels just a bit like Duke Nukem’s hood. (review by Doug Stern) --> watch "I'm So Hood"

DJ Khaled f/ Young Jeezy, Ludacris, Busta Rhymes, Big Boi, Lil Wayne, Fat Joe, Birdman & Rick Ross "I'm So Hood (remix)" (Koch)
Dayo & Rush, directors | Taj Lewis, producer | 305 Films, production co | Labuda Management, rep | Christopher Vitt, DP | Adam Rush, editor

PHOTO: J. Valentine "She Worth The Trouble"

Director Rock Jacobs (far left) on the set of "She Worth The Trouble" with lead actress Azure De Johnson, singer J. Valentine and 1st AD Jamar Hawkins.

The video supports J. Valentine's J Records release Conversation Piece. Video was produced through Rock Jacobs' own Rush Films, with representation by Lannette Phillips Management.

MTV Adds for the Weeks of 12/03, 11/26/07

MTV Adds for the Week of 12/03/07: 
Chris Brown "With You" (Jive/ZLG)

MTV2 Adds for the Week of 12/03/07: 
Snoop Dogg "Sensual Seduction" (Geffen)
The White Stripes "Conquest" (Third Man/Warner Bros.)

MTVU Adds for the Week of 12/03/07:
Kid Sister "Pro Nails" (Fool's Gold)
Luckyiam "The Best I Can" (Legendary)
New Atlantic "Cold-Hearted Town" (Eyeball)

MTV Jams Adds for the Week of 12/03/07: 
Chingy f/ Amerie "Fly Like Me" (DTP/Def Jam)
Chris Brown "With You" (Jive/ZLG)
Chris Brown "This Christmas" (Jive/ZLG)
Dolla f/ T-Pain "Who The **** Is That" (Konvict Muzik/Jive/ZLG)

MTV Adds for the Week of 11/26/07: 
Alicia Keys "Like You'll Never See Me Again" (J)
Jay-Z "Roc Boys (And The Winner Is)..." (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam)
Sean Kingston " Take You There" (Beluga Heights/Epic/Koch)
Soulja Boy f/ I-15 "Soulja Girl" (Collipark/Interscope)

MTV2 Adds for the Week of 11/26/07: 
Jay-Z "Roc Boys (And The Winner Is)..." (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam)
Pitbull "Go Girl" (TVT)
Styles P f/ Swizz Beatz "Blow Ya Mind" (Koch/D-Block)

MTVU Adds for the Week of 11/26/07: 
Aceyalone "Easy" (Project Blowed)
Dem Hoodstarz "Uggh(remix)" (Lawless)
Jay-Z "Roc Boys (And The Winner Is)..." (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam)
New Young Pony Club "Get Lucky" (Modular)
Paolo Nutini "Jenny Don't Be Hasty" (Atlantic)
Shout Out Louds "Impossible" (Merge)
The Spill Canvas "All Over You" (Warner Bros.)
Tabi Bonney "Syce It/Escalator" (Organized Rhyme)
We The Kings "Skyway Avenue" (S-Curve)
The White Stripes "Conquest" (Third Man/Warner Bros.)

MTV Jams Adds for the Week of 11/26/07: 
Birdman f/ Lil Wayne, Young Jeezy, Rick Ross "Hundred Million Dollars" (Cashmoney/Universal Motown)
The Dream "Falsetto" (Island Def Jam)
J. Holiday "Suffocate" (Capitol)
Jay-Z "Roc Boys (And The Winner Is)..." (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam)
Snoop Dogg "Sensual Seduction" (Geffen)
Tabi Bonney "Syce It/Escalator" (Organized Rhyme)

VH1 Adds for the Weeks of 12/03, 11/26/07

Vh1 Adds for the Week of 12/03/07:
A Fine Frenzy "Almost Lover" (Virgin/Capitol) new version
Foo Fighters "Long Road To Ruin " (RCA)
Paul McCartney "Ever Present Past" (Hear/Concord)
Maroon 5 "Won't Go Home Without You" (Octone/A&M/Interscope)
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss "Gone, Gone, Gone" (Rounder)

Vh1 Soul Adds for the Week of 12/03/07:
Cheri Dennis f/ Yung Joc & Gorilla Zoe "Portrait Of Love" (Bad Boy/Atlantic)
Chingy f/ Amerie "Fly Like Me" (DTP/Def Jam)
Lyfe Jennings "Cops Up" (Columbia)
Tabi Bonney "Syce It/Escalator" (Organized Rhyme)
Wyclef f/ Akon & Lil Wayne "Sweetest Girl" (Columbia)

Vh1 Adds for the Week of 11/26/07:
Blue October "Calling You (Version 2)" (Universal Motown)
Buckcherry "Sorry" (Eleven Seven/Atlantic)
Lifehouse "Whatever It Takes" (Geffen)

Vh1 Soul Adds for the Week of 11/26/07:
Ayo "Down On My Knees" (Universal/Polydor)
Chris Brown "This Christmas" (Jive/ZLG)
Guru f/ Slum Village "Cuz I'm Jazzy" (7 Grand) 

BET Adds for the Weeks of 12/03, 11/26/07

BET Adds for the Week of 12/3/07:
Chris Brown "With You" (Jive/ZLG)
Johntae Davis "Red Monkey Jeans" (JSD)

Rap City Adds for the Week of 12/3/07:
Rick Ross f/ R. Kelly "Speedin" (Def Jam)
Scarface "Girl You Know" (Asylum)

BET Adds for the Week of 11/26/07:
Kirk Franklin "Declaration (This Is It)" (Fo Yo Soul/ZLG)
Beyonce "Flaws And All" (Columbia)
Ludacris f/ Bun B & Rick Ross "Down In The Dirty" (DTP/Def Jam)
Sean Kingston " Take You There" (Beluga Heights/Epic/Koch)

Rap City Adds for the Week of 11/26/07:
50 Cent f/ Akon "I Still Will" (G Unit/Interscope)
Wyclef f/ Akon & Lil Wayne "Sweetest Girl" (Columbia)
Birdman f/ Lil Wayne "100 Million Dollars" (Cashmoney/Universal Motown)

Fuse Adds for the Weeks of 12/3, 11/26/07

Oven Fresh Adds for the Week of 12/03/07:
50 Cent f/ Akon "I Still Will" (G Unit/Interscope)
Bad Religion "New Dark Ages" (Epitaph)
Chevelle "I Get It" (Epic)
Chris Brown "With You" (Jive/ZLG)
The Killers "Shadowplay" (Island)
Operator "Nothing to Lose" (Atlantic)
Tegan & Sara "The Con" (Vapor/Sire/Warner Bros.)

Adds for the Week of 11/26/07:
Alicia Keys "Like You'll Never See Me Again" (J)
Chevelle "I Get It" (Epic)
Chris Brown f/ T-Pain "Kiss Kiss" (Jive/ZLG)
The White Stripes "Conquest" (Third Man/Warner Bros.)

Oven Fresh Adds for the Week of 11/26/07:
Alicia Keys "Like You'll Never See Me Again" (J)
The Benefits "Physical" (Universal Republic)
Jay-Z "Roc Boys (And The Winner Is)..." (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam)
Kanye West "Can't Tell Me Nothing" (Roc-A-Fella/Island Def Jam)
Say Anything "Baby Girl, I'm A Blur" (J)
Thursday "Ladies & Gentlemen: My Brother, The Failure" (Victory)
The White Stripes "Conquest" (Third Man/Warner Bros.)

IMF Adds for the Weeks of 12/03, 11/26/07

Adds for the Week of 12/03/07:  
50 Cent f/ Akon "I Still Will" (G Unit/Interscope)
Lifehouse "Whatever It Takes" (Geffen)

Specialty Adds for the Week of 12/03/07:
Lil' Keke "I'm A G" (TF/Swishahouse)
McFly "The Heart Never Lies" from England

Adds for the Week of 11/26/07:   
Beyonce "Flaws And All" (Columbia)
Boys Like Girls "Hero/Heroine" (Red Ink/Columbia)
Gallows f/ Lethal Bizzle " Staring At The Rude Bois" from England
Jay-Z "Roc Boys (And The Winner Is)..." (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam)
Say Anything "Baby Girl, I'm A Blur" (J)
Sean Kingston " Take You There" (Beluga Heights/Epic/Koch)
Sixx: A.M. " Life Is Beautiful" (10th St. Ent)
Sound The Alarm "Suffocating" (Geffen)

Specialty Adds for the Week of 11/26/07:
Eason Chan "Hong Mei Gui" from Japan   
Mihalis Hatzigiannis "Heria Psila" from Greece
Los Mono "Promesas" from Chile
Nana "Movin' On" from Japan
Nas "Surviving The Times" (Columbia)
Los Rabanes "Michelle (Te Jodiste)" from Panama
Red "Let Go" (Essential/Sony BMG)
Sportfreunde Stiller "(Tu Nur Das) Was Dein Herz Dir Sagt" from Germany
Thousand Foot Krutch "Falls Apart" (Tooth & Nail)
Thursday "Ladies & Gentlemen: My Brother, The Failure" (Victory)
Underoath "A Moment Suspended In Time" (Solid State/Tooth & Nail)
Whitley "I Remember" from Australia
Zazie "Je Suis Un Homme" from France

Music Choice Adds for the Week of 12/03, 11/26/07

Adds for the Week of 12/03/07:
Buju Banton "Driver A" (Gargamel)
Common "I Want You" (Geffen)
Heart "Magic Man (Live)" (Shout! Factory)
The Hives "Tick Tick Boom" (Interscope)
Jimmy Eat World "Big Casino" (Interscope)
Jordin Sparks "Tattoo" (Jive)
Prima J "Rockstar" (Geffen)
Puddle Of Mudd "Psycho" (Flawless/Geffen)

Adds for the Week of 11/26/07:
A Life Once Lost "Firewater Joyride" (Ferret)
Antwaun Stanley "I Can Do Anything" (Bajada/Word)
Ashley Tisdale "Suddenly" (Warner Bros.)
Avalon Superstar "So Alive" (Groove Factory)
Behemoth "Prometherion" (Century Media)
Boys Like Girls "Hero/Heroine (Version 2)" (Red Ink/Columbia)
Evergreen Terrace "Chaney Can't Quite Riff Like..." (Metal Blade)
Faith Hill "Let's Make Love" (Warner Bros.)
Foo Fighters "Long Road To Ruin" (RCA)
Goldfrapp "Ride A White Horse" (Mute)
I Wayne "Book Of Life/In I Arms" (VP)
Lady Saw "Me & My Crew" (VP)
Led Zeppelin "Kashmir (Live)" (Atlantic)
Mary J. Blige "Just Fine" (Geffen)
Mick Jagger "Charmed Life" (Atlantic)
Natasha Bedingfield f/ Sean Kingston "Love Like This"(Epic)
Omillio Sparks "DJ Turn It Up" (Koch/Colossal)
Playaz Circle "Duffle Bag Boy" (DTP/IDJMG)
Project Pat "Don't Call Me No Mo (Remix)" (Koch)
Underworld "Crocodile" (ATO)
Vikter Duplaix "Make A Baby" (BBE)
X-Press 2 f/ Kurt Wagner "Give It" (Tommy Boy)

CMT Adds for the Weeks of 11/26, 11/19/07

CMT Adds for Week of 11/26/07:
Carters Chord "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" (Show Dog Nashville)
Dolly Parton "Better Get To Livin'" (Dolly)
Joss Stone & Leann Rimes "Good Friend And A Glass Of Wine" (Virgin/Curb)
Kellie Pickler "I Wonder" (19/BNA)
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss "Gone, Gone, Gone" (Rounder)

CMT Pure Adds for Week of 11/26/07:
Cadillac Sky "Born Lonesome" (Skaggs Family)
Carters Chord "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" (Show Dog Nashville)
Dolly Parton "Better Get To Livin'" (Dolly)
Jim Brickman f/ Richie McDonald "Coming Home For Christmas" (SLG)
Joss Stone & Leann Rimes "Good Friend And A Glass Of Wine" (Virgin/Curb)
Luke Bryan "We Rode In Trucks" (Capitol Nashville)
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss "Gone, Gone, Gone" (Rounder)

CMT Adds for Week of 11/19/07:
Bon Jovi f/ Leann Rimes "Till We Ain't Strangers Anymore" (Mercury)
Colbie Caillat "Bubbly" (Universal Republic)
Faith Hill "Peace In The Valley" (Warner Bros.)
Toby Keith f/ Jewel "Go Tell It On The Mountain" (Show Dog Nashville)

CMT Pure Adds for Week of 11/19/07:
Ashton Shepherd "Takin' Off This Pain" (MCA)
Colbie Caillat "Bubbly" (Universal Republic)
Faith Hill "Peace In The Valley" (Warner Bros.)
Toby Keith f/ Jewel "Go Tell It On The Mountain" (Show Dog Nashville)

Much Music Adds for the Week of 11/26, 11/19/07

Adds for the Week of 11/26/07:
50 Cent f/ Akon "I Still Will"
Justin Nozuka "After Tonight"
Nelly Furtado "In God's Hands"
Colin Munroe "World Of Pain" 

Adds for the Week of 11/19/07:
Omarion & Bow Wow "Girlfriend"
Classified "Fall From Paradise"
Enrique Iglesias "Tired Of Being Sorry"
Hello Operator "Chasing Satellites"
Kalan Porter "Destination (Where I Belong)"
Natasha Bedingfield f/ Sean Kingston "Love Like This"
Queens Of The Stone Age "Make It Wit Chu"

SHOT: Bruce Springsteen - Mark Pellington, director

Shot on the Jersey Shore, of course...

artist: Bruce Springsteen
song: "Girls In Their Summer Clothes"
label: Columbia
director(s): Mark Pellington
production co: Merge @ Crossroads

SHOT: Nada Surf - Jonathan Krisel, director

There are no coincidences in mystery novels and music videos. Consider the "Whose Authority" video shot last week in NYC for Nada Surf. It stars actor Michal Maronna — aka one of the Petes from the Nickelodeon cult hit The Adventures Of Pete & Pete — as a crazed bike messenger. Pete & Pete was shot at Bayonne High School in NJ. Nada Surf first shot to fame with the hit "Popular," which had a fittingly Popular video lampooning the typical suburban high school and was shot at... wait for it... that's right, Bayonne High School.

The photo? Also not a coincidence. That's Matthew Caws and Ira Kaplan of Nada Surf disguised as stock brokers for one of their cameos in the video.

artist: Nada Surf
song: "Whose Authority"
label: Barsuk
director(s): Jonathan Krisel
production co: Boulevard Industries
rep: Jill Kaplan/Skyway Productions

NEW RELEASE: Maroon 5 "Won't Go Home Without You"

Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine continues his campaign to be the new generation's King Of Pain — i.e., this tune has a whole lot in common with The Police stalking anthem "Every Breath You Take" — with this latest hit about salvaging a love gone wrong. Eventually overcome by memories of his woman, Levine leaves this video's performance space in a quest to reunite with her. It's not an easy journey — he has to deal with all sorts of common folk who go nutso at the sight of our hero — and unlike the classic Hollywood love stories hinted at in the classy b&w flashback scenes, there's not really a happy ending. Sorry, but not all videos can culminate in the coital success that typified the band's previous two videos — "This Love" and "She Will Be Loved" — with director Sophie Muller. --> watch "Won't Go Home Without You"

Maroon 5 "Won't Go Home Without You" (Octone/A&M/Interscope)
Sophie Muller, director | Grant Jue, producer | Oil Factory, production co | Jeff Cutter, DP | Howard Shore , editor