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Judy Craig's Top 10 Music Videos of 2014

Posted by Judy Craig on December 19, 2014 in Lists


Editor's Note: For our end of the year wrap up, we asked a few filmmakers to compile their own top music video lists. This list was compiled by music video producer Judy Craig.

When the lovely folks at IMVDb asked me to draft up a list of my favorite videos from 2014, my initial reaction was that they might as well have asked me to perform a solo dance routine at Queen Elizabeth's next birthday party - I panicked, thinking the only dance I knew was the Macarena. Though I love music videos, and I love the people who make them even more - it's not very often that I have an opportunity to share my opinions on them.

That being said, here is my Macarena list. There were a ton of great videos that came out this year, and I watched a lot of them. These, however, were the ones that stuck with me (listed in no particular order).

Foster The People "Best Friend"

Best Friend (2014)

by Foster The People

Directed by BREWER

Released on May 29, 2014



Director
BREWER
Director of Photography
Pat Scola
Production Company
Prettybird
Producers
Candice Ouaknine,  Executive Producer
Braxton Pope,  Producer
Ross Levine,  Producer
Video Commissioner
Saul Levitz
Director's Rep.
Lark Creative
Record Label
Columbia
Cast
Melissa Stetten Model
Taylor Kraemer Double
Raina Hein
Olivia Frischer Model
Lillie Claire Model
Margarita Kallas Model
Airess Padda Model
Lucy Lawrence Model
Sophie Carby
Mark Grossman
Elena Kharlanova
Kelli Kickham
Kenny Sale
Guilherme Scarabelot
Greg Brown
EJ Brotons
Jameson Lovemoor
Keva Walker
Ayla B
Jessica Bailey
Katarina Pavelek
Max Francisco
Larry Leong
Crissy Joyce
James Rich
Richard Halverson
Dustin Christenson
Alberto Jorrin
Sam Tautua
Joel Cavness
Eric Avery
Diane Witter
Kevin Sullivan
Production Management
Joaquin Poblete,  Production Supervisor
Annelise Dekker,  Production Coordinator
Production
Jesse Fleece,  1st Assistant Director
Mitchell Jones,  2nd Assistant Director
Alex Ayuso,  Truck PA
Production Design
Jason Kisvarday,  Production Designer
Madelyn Kime,  Set Dresser
Kelsi Ephraim,  Set Decorator
Camera Department
Jake Bianco,  1st Assistant Camera
Elver Hernandez,  2nd Assistant Camera
Alex Kornreich,  Camera Operator
Rachel Fox,  DIT (Digital Imaging Technician)
Joe Rodmell,  Techno Crane
Makeup and Hair
Melinda Dean,  Key Hair
Analyn Cruz,  Makeup Assistant
Klark Philips,  Hair Assistant
Huga Villasenor,  Key Makeup Artist
Candice Birns,  Artist Hair Stylist
Costume and Wardrobe
JAK,  Stylist
Art Department
Timothy Wilusz,  Lead Man
Carli Moloney,  Prop Master
Visual Effects
Zak Stoltz,  VFX
BREWER,  VFX
BEMO,  VFX
Animation
Alex Brewer,  Animator
Electrical Department
Matt Kubas,  Gaffer
Jonathan Olivo,  Electric
Lauren Levine,  Electric
Jose Felix,  Best Boy Electric
Grip Department
Eddie Apodaca,  Key Grip
Tony Perija,  Best Boy Grip
Kevin Chiu,  Grip
Randy Garcia,  Grip
Logistics
Nick Schreiber,  Craft Service
Production Support
Paulo Cordeiro,  Production Assistant
Josh Dizon,  Production Assistant
Ben Gonzalez,  Production Assistant
Alex Keller,  Production Assistant
Gilson Basos,  Production Assistant
Other
Mike Tubridy,  Art PA

I could go on and on about this video, but I won't. All I will say is that the Brewers are incredibly talented filmmakers, and this video is brilliant. Such a strong story, and every shot is gorgeous - everyone who worked on this killed it. Also Alex's animations are fantastic.

NO "Another Life" 

It's never a fun thing to have your video buried due to creative differences with the artist. I'm glad this crazy video managed to claw its way out of that black hole. It's super weird and great. I hear this director knows a ton of facts about mammals.

Paul McCartney "Early Days"

Early Days (2014)

by Paul McCartney

Directed by Vincent Haycock

Released on July 7, 2014



Director
Vincent Haycock
Director of Photography
Evan Prosofsky
Production Companies
Park Pictures
Mainline
The Range
Producers
Anna Rau,  Producer
Corbett Jones,  Producer
Video Commissioner
Paul McKee
Production Management
Josiah Bultema,  Production Manager
Geoff Walker,  Production Coordinator
Sam Speiser,  Assistant to Producer
Production
Aaron Paulson,  1st Assistant Director - LA Crew
Johnny Radcliff,  1st Assistant Director - Mississippi Crew
Chris Gonzalez,  2nd Assistant Director - LA Crew
Production Design
Jay Hougaard,  Production Designer
Mandy Cheng,  Production Designer - LA Crew
Jedediah Voltz,  Set Painter - LA Crew
Sound
Durand Trench,  Sound Mixer - LA Crew
Kent Vederico,  Assistant Sound Mixer - LA Crew
Camera Department
David Edsall,  1st Assistant Camera - LA Crew
Mike Valentine,  1st Assistant Camera - Mississippi Crew
Gary Bevans,  2nd Assistant Camera - LA Crew
Alicia Fischmeister,  2nd Assistant Camera - Mississippi Crew
Craig Molsberry,  Best Boy - LA Crew
Douglas Blagg,  Best Boy - LA Crew
Ari Robbins,  Steadicam Operator - LA & Mississippi Crew
Dustin Miller,  Loader - LA Crew
Makeup and Hair
Lauren Cohen,  Hair and Makeup - LA Crew
Joel Harlow,  Hair and Makeup - LA Crew
Costume and Wardrobe
Natasha Newman-Thomas,  Stylist
Tatiana Valentin,  Wardrobe Assistant - LA Crew
Art Department
Chris Miller,  Lead Man - LA Crew
John Bakken,  Prop Master - LA Crew
Casting Department
Carmela Makela,  Cast
Lisa Roth,  Casting - LA @ HMH Casting
Laurel Coyle,  Casting - New Orleans @ The Cast Station
Location
Jonathan Lynch,  Location Manager - LA Crew
Electrical Department
Robert Lowe,  Gaffer - LA Crew
Juan Barroso,  Electric Driver - LA Crew
Grip Department
Bodie Hyman,  Key Grip - LA Crew
Logistics
Adam Berman,  Craft Service - LA Crew
Production Support
Justine Marine,  Playback - LA Crew
Dave Schmalz,  VTR - LA Crew
Ben Westley,  Production Assistant - LA Crew
Garret Ives,  Production Assistant - LA Crew
Raphael Xexeo,  Production Assistant - LA Crew
Bart Taylor,  Production Assistant - LA Crew
Damien Lang,  Production Assistant - LA Crew
Marcus Huerta,  Production Assistant - LA Crew
Carmela Makela,  Assistant to Director
Other
Carmela Makela,  Cast

2014 was the year that we found out that Paul did actually die in the sixties, and has been a hologram ever since. I prefer to remember them in their early days. I had a dream once that Paul McCartney was my biological dad.

Jungle "Time" 

Time (2014)

by Jungle

Directed by Oliver Hadlee Pearch

Released on July 8, 2014


18.6M

Total Views

Director
Oliver Hadlee Pearch
Edit
Paul O'Reilly
Production Company
Colonel Blimp

If I had a video, I'd put these guys in it too.

Naughty Boy "Home" 

Home - Version 1 (2014)

by Naughty Boy feat. Sam Romans

Directed by Ian Pons Jewell

Released on June 18, 2014


11.2M

Total Views

Director
Ian Pons Jewell
Director of Photography
Ivan Abel
Edit
Gaia Borretti
Production Company
Residency
Producers
Gaëtan Rousseau,  Executive Producer
Marieta Blaskova,  Producer

[Spoiler Alert] Remember the end of Homeward Bound, when Shadow falls in the mud pit by the train tracks and you don't know if he's gonna make it home? And Chance and Sassy go home on their own, and when they come over the ridge and see their family, the humans are like, where's Shadow?? And Chance and Sassy know that Shadow is probably still trapped in the mud pit, cold and alone. But still, Chance is thinking come on Shadow, and Sassy's like please Shadow just show up!! But he doesn't show up. And Peter's getting really sad, and says that Shadow is too old, and that he just couldn't make it. And they all start to give up hope and go inside to eat turkey...This video is exactly like the moment after that, when Shadow makes it home.

Garnier "Revenge of the Lol Cat" 

Revenge of The Lol Cat (2014)

by Garnier

Directed by Émile Sacré

Released on March 6, 2014



Director
Émile Sacré

***SEIZURE WARNING***

This video is that feeling you get when you realize it's 4am and you have spent the entire night googling pictures of guinea pigs wearing hats and watching the Akon episode of MTV Cribs.

Disclosure "Grab Her" 

Grab Her (2014)

by Disclosure

Directed by Emile Sornin

Released on January 16, 2014


3.7M

Total Views

Director
Emile Sornin
Director of Photography
Nicolas Loir
Production Company
DIVISION
Producers
Jules de Chateleux,  Producer
Visual Effects
Mathematic,  VFX
Emile Sornin,  VFX

The quintessential strut-and-point.

Sister Cristina "Like A Virgin" 

Like A Virgin (2014)

by Sister Cristina

Directed by Marco Salom

Released on October 20, 2014


7.2M

Total Views

Director
Marco Salom
Director of Photography
Marco Bassano
Edit
Irene Stechel
Production Company
Angelfilm
Producers
Marco Salom,  Executive Producer
Record Label
Universal Music
Production Management
Yuri Tartari,  Production Manager
Francesco Anfodillo,  Production Coordinator
Camera Department
Diego Capelli,  Steadicam Operator
Simone Pulejo,  GoPro Drone Specialist
Makeup and Hair
Tatiana Calonghi,  Makeup

The first time I saw this video I kept rewinding it, thinking that I'd missed the joke part. There's no joke though. What I like about this video is simply that it exists, and that there is a nun out there covering Madonna jams, and making music videos. Go nuns!

Beyonce "7/11" 

7/11 (2014)

by Beyoncé

Directed by Beyoncé

Released on November 21, 2014


612.0M

Total Views

Director
Beyoncé
Editors
Jonathan Wing
Beyoncé
Ed Burke
Choreographers
Beyoncé
Chris Grant

Beyoncé?? More like Goofyoncé! She is flawless.

Flying Lotus feat Kendrick Lamar "Never Catch Me"

Never Catch Me (2014)

by Flying Lotus feat. Kendrick Lamar

Directed by Hiro Murai

Released on October 2, 2014


16.2M

Total Views

4.5K

Total Shares

Director
Hiro Murai
Director of Photography
Larkin Seiple
Edit
Luke Lynch
Production Company
Doomsday Entertainment
Choreographer
Keone and Mariel
Producers
Danielle Hinde,  Executive Producer
Kimberly Stuckwisch,  Executive Producer
Jason Cole,  Producer
Directorial
Zachary Wright,  1st AD
Cast
Will Simmons Brother
Angel Gibbs Sister
London Muhammad Jumprope
NayNay Kirby Jumprope
Aaliyah Austin Jumprope
Koko Crawford Jumprope
Harmonie Reed Jumprope
Production Management
Joe Faulstich,  Production Manager
Max Belin,  Production Coordinator
Production Design
Hannah Hurney,  Production Designer
Editorial
Ricky Gausis,  Colorist
Camera Department
Margaret Parus,  2nd Assistant Camera
Larkin Seiple,  Camera Operator
Ari Robbins,  Steadicam Operator
Matt Sanderson,  1st AC
Makeup and Hair
Michelle Sandoval,  Hair and Makeup
Maria Gomez,  Hair and Makeup
Costume and Wardrobe
Elise Velasco,  Stylist
Art Department
Ariel Vida,  Art Director
Electrical Department
Matt Ardine,  Gaffer
Harold Lacuesta,  Electric
Mike Beckman,  Best Boy Electric
Grip Department
Nick Kristen,  Key Grip
Victor Wang,  Best Boy Grip

I saved this one for last. There's a reason this video is on almost every list you will read this year. I don't want to say much about it, because I think that some things should just stay precious and not be dissected to death. But 2014 was not the best year for peace or justice, and we really needed a video like this. So thank you, Hiro.

***I'd like to give special shout outs to DJ Snake's "Turn Down For What" and Bo Burnham's "Repeat Stuff"....two videos that I loved, but left out because I had the amazing privilege to work on them. Hilarious directors, awesome crews, and the most fun I've ever had on set.

Judy Craig is a producer based in Los Angeles, CA.



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