Adele and creative trio Canadá triumph at UK Music Video awards 2011
Best indie video goes to Manchester Orchestra while Spike Jonze named best director – twice – at ceremony in London
Sean Michaels
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 9 November 2011 07.02 EST
Adele, an American film director and three upstarts from Barcelona were among the winners at the UK Music Video awards on Tuesday night. The London gala celebrated the best music videos made in the country and abroad, recognising "creativity and technical excellence" – not just YouTube views.
"Some amazing music videos have been made in the past year," said David Knight, editorial director for the fourth annual awards. There has been "a resurgence of the medium as a creative force", he said, in spite of the "very challenging budgets" of many projects. While the night saw wins for blockbuster acts including Depeche Mode, Arcade Fire and Jay-Z and Kanye West, many smaller artists were also rewarded, including the Shoes, Is Tropical and Wave Machines.
Most of the UK Music Video awards are given out in three tiers – UK, international and "budget", awarded to smaller productions. And so, as Adele's Rolling in the Deep, directed by Sam Brown, won best UK pop video, Oh Land's White Nights, directed by Canadá, won best international pop video, and the Prano Bailey-Bond-directed video for House, by English pair Cool Fun, won best budget pop video. Canadá, a trio based in Barcelona, were arguably the night's biggest winners: nominated 11 times, they also took home the overall prize for best director.
The top award of the night, for best international music video, saw a surprise win for Atlanta-based indie band Manchester Orchestra. Their video for Simple Math, directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, is a mixture of schmaltzy nostalgia and explosive special effects. Spike Jonze took home international prizes for his work on Jay-Z and Kanye West's Otis as well as his clip for Arcade Fire's The Suburbs, which borrowed footage from his short film of the same name.
Duran Duran presented an icon award to Jonas Åkerlund, director of now-classic videos for Madonna's Ray of Light, the Prodigy's Smack My Bitch Up and Lady Gaga's Paparazzi.
Whereas most of the winners were selected by a panel of "industry professionals", the people's choice prize was awarded by voters on the music video website Vevo. Syndrome's video for Eyes Wide Shut, by JLS featuring Tinie Tempah, beat out Coldplay, Adele and two videos for Jessie J. "It's such a great feeling to know that our work is being watched, shared and enjoyed by so many fans in the UK," admitted Syndrome's James Larese. The video has enjoyed almost 9m YouTube views.
The UK Music Video awards winners
Best pop video, UK in association with Music Week:
Adele – Rolling in the Deep. Directed by Sam Brown
Best pop video, international:
Oh Land – White Nights. Directed by Canadá
Best pop video, budget:
Cool Fun – House. Directed by Prano Bailey-Bond
Best dance video, UK in association with Rudeye Dance Agency:
Chase and Status featuring Liam Bailey – Blind Faith. Directed by Daniel Wolfe
Best dance video, international:
Duck Sauce – Barbra Streisand. Directed by So Me
Best dance video, budget:
Eskmo – We Got More. Directed by Cyriak Harris
Best urban video, UK, in association with East End Studios:
Wiley – Numbers in Action. Directed by Us
Best urban video, international:
Jay-Z and Kanye West – Otis. Directed by Spike Jonze
Best urban video, budget:
Jargon VA featuring Tinie Tempah – Disappoint You. Directed by Ian Pons Jewell
Best indie/rock video, UK, in association with 3 Mills Studios:
Is Tropical – The Greeks. Directed by Megaforce
Best indie/rock video, international:
Manchester Orchestra – Simple Math. Directed by Daniels Kwan and Scheinert
Best indie/rock video, budget:
Memory Tapes – Yes I Know. Directed by Eric Epstein
Best alternative video, UK, in association with Smoke and Mirrors:
Depeche Mode – Personal Jesus (Stargate remix). Directed by Patrick Daughters
Best alternative video, international:
Arcade Fire – The Suburbs. Directed by Spike Jonze
Best alternative video, budget:
Matta – Release the Freq. Directed by Kim Holm
Best animation in a video:
Seven for Is Tropical – The Greeks
Best art direction and design in a video:
Roger Bellés for Scissor Sisters – Invisible Light
Best choreography in a video:
Jen Irons for Wave Machines – Keep the Light On
Best cinematography in a video, in association with Panalux:
Tom Townend for Adele – Rolling in the Deep
Best editing in a video, in association with Vanderquest:
Tom Lindsay for Tom Vek – Aroused
Best styling in a video:
Hannah Edwards for Chase and Status featuring Liam Bailey – Blind Faith
Best telecine in a video:
Simon Bourne for Plan B – Love Goes Down
Best visual effects in a video, in association with BEAM:
Ric Comline for Klaxons – Twin Flames
The innovation award:
The Shoes – Cover Your Eyes. Directed by We Are From LA
The people's choice award, in association with Vevo:
JLS featuring Tinie Tempah – Eyes Wide Shut. Directed by Syndrome
Best live music coverage, in association with BBC Motion Gallery:
Tinie Tempah – Ibiza Rocks. Directed by Paul Caslin
Best music ad, TV or online:
Mark Ronson and the Business International – Record Collection. Directed by Steve Milbourne and Phil Clandillon
Outstanding achievement award:
Barry Wasserman
Best producer, in association with Rushes:
Tim Francis
Best commissioner, in association with IMD Fastrax:
Ross Anderson
Best new director, in association with Locomotion:
Us
Best director, in association with Promo News:
Canadá
The icon award:
Jonas Åkerlund
Video of the year:
Manchester Orchestra – Simple Math. Directed by Daniels Kwan and Scheinert