spit, October 12, 2007 2:29:35 AM CEST
Jay-Z - Blue Magic (dir. Hype Williams)

         
YE$.
         
Jay-z is back! Though the video is not as great as the other Jay-Z/Hype collaborations (eg. Can't knock the hustle),its still better than recent Hype videos (eg. Ja Rule's Body video).
         
video is pretty hot.... Hype has definitely done some quality work in the last 6 months that is better than anything from the last 6 years.

Song is mehhhh.... I thought the whole album was gonna be "Ain't No Love"-style soul-sample cuts.
         
I have been liking what Hype has been up to recently after a long dry spell - but this one seems like another trip to the recycle bin.
How is "Blue Magic" not an East Coast recitation of Game's
"This is How We Do" from a few years back?
There are def some great shots in there, but I liked the b/w teaser version a lot more.
This onsmash link looks to be the edit that aired on BET - I wonder how long they let them keep those "close-ups of crack cooking" shots in there?
         
EUROS!
         
vs - are you noting the currency in the Jigga video or issuing a shout out to our disco-besotted brethren?
         
everythinG! and actually 30f, my name is now v$. thx
         
Does anyone think that Hype lower his price for videos, cause his next video is for Lupe Fiasco (who i still consider pretty indie)?
         
Hype did Kenna's new video, probably on the cheap..
         
That kenna Video is quite cool, although some effects seem quite cheap. The song is great too. I guess hype realized that shooting on film is not the only option...
         
GORILLA: Hype was one of the first big mv directors to actually start shooting HD back in the day.
         
hype has his style. I am not sure if I still want to see that "guy in the city with neon lights" approach.
         
Hype is very innovative regarding all kinds of shooting techniques - HD and so on. He is known for using really small crews and shooting more days than other, larger crews could afford.

And I don't think Hype has lowered his prices - he sort of takes the money and the label gets very little info on how the budget is being spent. It's like a black box, put money in the slot and a video comes out with way less control for the label that on most jobs with other directors.

Hype also does not hold to the typical music video fee-structure of the industry. Hype usually "produces" his own jobs, runs them through his own company and so own. Hype sort of spends what he spends to make any given clip - and keeps whatever is left over.
         
30f: There's been much discussion of hype and his budgets on this site. With declining budgets it only makes sense that a director would be protective of his/her fiscal intake.
         
sure thing, lusk. Didn't think I had stated otherwise.
         
Totally. Just defending his approach. I really dont know how some mv directors bust their asses for months at a time only to get panhandled by the label and a paycheck that is less than the on set PA. Crazy to me. I'd rather be the PA.
         
avi/mkv