Playlist: Carly Cussen

Freelance promo director Carly Cussen has helmed music videos for a host of global superstars including Little Mix, Olly Murs, Wretch 32, Lady Leshurr, Wilkinson, Laura Mvula and Craig David.

A former shots New Director, Cussen discusses her love of classic MTV (when it showed music videos), experimental productions, her pet hedgehog Piglet and what's on her Playlist...

What’s the best promo you’ve seen recently and why?

It’s not particularly recent but one promo that really sticks in my mind is Naughty Boy ft. Beyoncé & Arrow Benjamin Runnin. When I first watched the video I remember replaying it and calling people over to watch it; I was so impressed. It was a perfect visual metaphor for love and attraction.

It was so impressive visually it also made me want to know how it was achieved on a more technical level. When I found out the science behind shooting it; it only made it more mind-blowing. Charlie Robins is incredible.

I also think Beyoncé’s Formation was a brilliant video. Immaculately stylised scenes… Everything was powerful from the costume, to the set design to the cinematography. Even the grade was perfect.

What’s the first promo you remember being impressed by?

I grew up watching MTV… The likes of Justin Timberlake, Destiny’s Child and Brittany Spears were making really impressive videos to watch at that time. I remember watching the video for Cry Me a River and thinking, “wait… how did they do that?” I was fifteen at the time and it made a huge impression.

However, I think the first videos that actually challenged the way I thought about the craft were the ones that told stories and added a new depth to the music. Eminem’s Stan is a perfect example… It’s a challenge: I think storytelling within music videos can be hit or miss because of the natural time restriction- but in the early 2000s there were a lot of good’uns.

And what’s your all-time favourite music video?

I'm going to go with the Rudimental video for Feel The Love. It’s simple and has no real gags. I love the story, I love the subculture behind it and I love the fact it introduced me to something new that I had no idea existed. The cinematography was beautiful and you can tell there were no insane cranes or gadgets to execute it; which just made it feel so connected and authentic.

What other directors/artists do you look to for inspirational?

Recently I’ve been going back to movies for inspiration. As I said I’m huge on production and experimental set design: I love it when a project gets lost in a hyper-stylised world of its own. Recently I’ve been watching a ton of Baz Luhrmann and other period stuff. Layering in a different historical context opens up new avenues for styling and creative – right now I’m ready to get my teeth into something slightly theatrical.

Going back to those videos from the early 2000’s, part of the drama came from the fact the set designs seemed so exciting and fresh. It goes to show that if you can get the experience right you really can transport a viewer to a mini world that only exists in that one video – it’s a special thing. A brilliant example is David Lachapelle photography [below]: I love it and I think the warped worlds he constructs are fantastic. The colours… the controversy… just yes.

What are you listening to at the moment?

At this precise moment I’m flicking between Ed Sheeran, The Weeknd and Ivan Torrent… Yes, quite a random playlist… (just imagine if all three collaborated - POW).

I love soundtrack, instrumental and acoustic music to escape to… But if I'm in the car it’s got to be Hip Hop or Alternative (whatever that means)… From Kanye to [Lana] Del ray.

What’s your favourite bit of tech, whether for professional or personal use?

Basically, I live on my laptop: write, edit, write, edit… I’ve just got a new rose gold one which makes me feel a tiny bit more girly considering everything else in my world is so guy-ish!

On set I’ve been trying out the AR rig a bit. It definitely feels like it has more range then a steady cam but I’m conscious that I don’t want to over use it and spoil its beauty.

What artist(s) would you most like to work with and why?

I think Gwen Stefani… She is the ultimate artist for me creatively. She isn't scared to be brave and I would just love to bounce ideas off her. She takes chances and finds exciting new directions. I’m a big fan.

How do you feel the promo industry has changed since you started in it?

Lots of people are commenting on budgets diminishing but that hasn’t been my experience; maybe I missed the generation of massive budget videos. But I do think that starting as I did in very low budget grime videos, has meant that moving into pop/commercial has made me feel like I have now a lot of money to execute ideas with.

Technology advances have made a big difference. The advances have allowed us to create things that look incredible a lot more cheaply. Labels are spending less but I think they are also being braver creatively. That means we’re in a period where things are really being pushed on creatively and I think that’s awesome.

Music videos have had a resurgence of late; where do you see the industry being in five years’ time?

So many brands are now using music and music videos for advertising and content. It’s tied in with the way young people want to receive information: nobody’s out there wanting to be sold to so the most effective commercials are the ones that respect the target audience and adapt to the way they want to receive messages.

So I think we’ll see entertainment and brands continue to merge, which could be fantastic for both industries.

Tell us one thing about yourself that most people won’t know…

I have a pet Hedgehog called Piglet.