Music Video Director Sarah Chatfield
Sarah Chatfield is an English music video director, based in London and Los Angeles. She is represented by UK production company Colonel Blimp. Sarah has been hailed as a ‘new heroine of the directing world’ by iD magazine. Chatfield also works across adverts and fashion films.
Critics have described her films as ‘moving seamlessly between polished glamour and raw cinematic naturalism’, and her videos have led her to multiple award nominations including two wins at the uk MVA’S for Best New Director and Best Pop Video.
Her video for Lily Allen’s single Alfie, earned her best new Director and Best Pop video at the CAD awards. Some of the most famous Music videos Chatfield has directed include Lykke Li (“Breaking It Up”), Lenka (“Heart Skips a Beat”), Kelly Rowland (“Motivation”) and The Saturdays (“What About Us” & “What Are You Waiting For?”).
In 2008, she created a fashion film with fellow Colonel Blimp director Chris Sweeney for Yves Saint Laurent, which replaced their traditional menswear presentation.The team collaborated again with YSL the following year to create seven short film pieces to replace the Spring/Summer catwalk show.The films were displayed on giant screens at the Musée de l’Homme as part of fashion week. She is also currently represented by the LA-based production company Rockhard.
Source ( http://www.sarahchatfield.com/ )
The Saturdays What about us Music Video Review
T
he path to super-stardom has not been the easiest for The Saturdays. When they first arrived on the scene in 2008 things looked promising. Their debut album Chasing Lights sold over 300,000 copies in the UK and they scored a string of Top 10 hits. Since then the singles have performed consistently but their albums haven’t. 2009 album Wordshaker was certified silver whilst 2011 release On Your Radar peaked at 23. Their last single 30 Days reached number 7 and since then the group has been trying to crack the US. Now they’re back in the UK with new single What About Us featuring Sean Paul.
As we write this review The Saturdays are on course to score their first ever UK number one with What About Us. In The US the song made some waves but it hasn’t impacted on the main Billboard chart yet. The song is a Jamaican-inflected pop track that is typical of The Saturdays usual output. Dance rhythms, pop sensibilities and an uptempo chorus are all present. We could do without Sean Paul on the track (isn’t he a bit past his sell-by date now?) but the song is pleasant enough and catchy.
What About Us is a good example of why we get frustrated with The Saturdays. It’s a decent enough track but it doesn’t push pop boundaries or take the group anywhere new. We were really excited when Chasing Lights came out but they haven’t matched that album yet. We’d love to see the group take some risks and do something different. Until then they will continue to leave me feeling a bit ‘meh’.
Lilly Allen Alfie Music Video Review
The video starts off with an opening title parodying Looney Tunes and shows Allen in the kitchen preparing a cup of tea, while Alfie, impersonated by a puppet, smokes in his miniature bedroom, watching television. The singer enters the room and takes away his bong, as he unsuccessfully tries to get it back. Next, Allen irons his tuxedo and marks a job announcement called “The Puppet Show” in the newspaper, as the lyric “You need to get a job because the bills need to get paid” is sung. Meanwhile, Alfie is in his bed, staring at a magazine in which there are undressed dolls, titled “Roxy & Babs get it on!” and proceeds to masturbate. Allen walks in on him with the newspaper and suit as he does so, but immediately exits out of embarrassment. With the start of the bridge, puppet birds sing outside the home, while Alfie sneaks out of his room and tries to get beer out of the refrigerator, but is ultimately caught by Allen. She then takes off his “stupid fitted cap”, as he scrawls a picture of her, which is also the cover of “Littlest Things”. The final scene happens at night, in the kitchen, where Allen is lying on the floor, watching her brother dance. After the last lyrics, “Please don’t despair, my dear, mon frere” is sung, he punches her and the video ends.
I think the video suited the genre very well. The music video was aimed at audiences 16+ therefore the crude comedy involves is perfect because this is the most popular humour for this age group.
The video won “Best Pop Video” and “Best New Director” at the CADs Music Vision Awards in June 2007, and nominated at the 2007 Q Awards for “Best Video”, but lost to “Ruby” by Kaiser Chiefs.
Shauna Church 