The Eye: Squarepusher Pulls In Three At Mvpa Music Video Awards

MVPA AWARDS: If there's any trend we've noticed at the Music Video Production Assn. (MVPA) Music Video Awards, it's that the best video of the year award usually goes to a creatively compelling video that has received little national exposure. Call it the anti-MTV Video Music Awards.
Last year, Prodigy's "Smack My Bitch Up" was honored as best video of the year. This year, the award went to the clip for electronica act Squarepusher's "Come On My Selector," set in a scientific lab you'll never forget. "Come On My Selector" also won the most awards (three), including alternative video of the year and best editing.
The eighth annual MVPA Awards, held April 9 at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood, also honored many behind-the-scenes music video professionals who are often overlooked at more high-profile awards shows.
There were some noticeable improvements in this year's ceremony, compared to last year's: There were more celebrity presenters (including James Woods and Exene Cervenkova from X), and the after-show reception was a bigger party. The MVPA Music Video Awards has come a long way since its modest beginnings, with fewer than 50 people attending the first ceremony. This year, more than 600 people attended.
Michael Jackson's 1983 breakthrough "Thriller" video was this year's recipient of the MVPA Hall of Fame Award. John Landis, who directed the "Thriller" clip, was there to accept the award. Landis said during his acceptance speech, "Michael's record company didn't want to pay for the "Thriller' video because they considered it a vanity video. So Michael Jackson put up a little of his money to finance it . . . and we ended up selling the film to Showtime to raise money for it."
Limp Bizkit lead singer Fred Durst, who was on hand to present an award, is also a budding music video director, having lensed the popular Limp Bizkit clip for "Faith," as well as Staind's video for "Just Go."
We chatted with Durst after the show, and he said he'll be directing Limp Bizkit's next video, "Nookie." The song will be on the band's new album, "Significant Other," which is set for a June 22 release on Flip/Interscope Records.
Durst says, "We're filming the "Nookie' video in New York, and there's going to be a scene in an alley where we'll have lots of fans as extras. We want to create the same atmosphere as U2's video for "Where The Streets Have No Name.' " Filming was scheduled to take place the week of April 12.
Eligible videos for this year's MVPA Music Video Awards were produced in 1998. The nominations and awards are voted on by MVPA members. In many categories, the award is given to a winning video's production company, except for categories in which the award is for specific behind-the-scenes work.
Following is the complete list of winners:
Video of the year: Squarepusher, "Come On My Selector." Director: Chris Cunningham. Production company: Black Dog Films.
Pop video of the year: Madonna, "Ray Of Light." Production company: Oil Factory.
Rock video of the year: Marilyn Manson, "The Dope Show." Production company: HSI Productions.
Urban/R&B video of the year: Will Smith, "Miami." Production company: A Band Apart Music Video.
Rap video of the year: Busta Rhymes, "Gimme Some More." Production company: Big Dog Films.
Alternative video of the year: Squarepusher, "Come On My Selector." Production company: Black Dog Films.
Dance video of the year: Fatboy Slim, "Praise You." Production companies: The Director's Bureau and Satellite Films.
Country video of the year: Randy Travis, "Spirit Of A Boy, Wisdom Of A Man." Production company: Squeak Pictures.
AC video of the year: U2, "Sweetest Thing." Production company: The Artist Co./A+R Group.
Longform video of the year: Sarah McLachlan, "Surfacing Concert." Production company: Oil Factory.
Feature film video of the year: Pras Michel, "Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are)." Production company: David Naylor and Associates.
International video of the year: U.N.K.L.E. Featuring Thom Yorke, "Rabbit In Your Headlights." Production company: Academy.
Best video made for under $25,000: Goldie, "Mother." Director: Josh Evans. Production company: Holiday Films.
Technical achievement award: Reel EFX.
Best direction: Paul Hunter for Marilyn Manson's "The Dope Show."
Directorial debut of the year: Dawn Shadforth for All Seeing Eye's "The Beat Goes On."
Best editing: Squarepusher, "Come On My Selector." Editor: Chris Cunningham.
Best art direction: Lenny Kravitz, "If You Can't Say No." Art director: Tom Foden.
Best cinematography: Crystal Method, "Comin' Back." Cinematographer: Ramsey Nickell.
Best choreography: Brian Setzer Orchestra, "Jump Jive An' Wail." Choreographer: Travis Payne.
Best colorist/telecine: Dave Matthews Band, "Don't Drink The Water." Colorist: Arnold Ramm of 525 Post Production.
Best special effects: Madonna, "Frozen." Special effects: The Mill.
Best hair: Sugar Ray, "Every Morning." Hair stylist: Natalie McGowan-Spencer.
Best makeup: Garbage, "Push It." Makeup artists: Gina Monaci and Jeff Judd.
Best styling: Smashing Pumpkins, "Ava Adore." Stylists: Yelena Yumchuk and Kim Bowen.
Hall of Fame Award: Michael Jackson, "Thriller."
Lifetime achievement award: Julien Temple.