Adam Powell (director)

Adam Christopher Thurai Powell, (born 11 August 1981) is a British director and photographer from London. His work directing music videos spans a wide range of genres, including hardcore, rock, hip-hop and pop. His portfolio includes many mainstream artists such as Bring Me The Horizon,[1] Example,[2] Jamie T,[3] The 1975,[4] and Charli XCX.[5] He was nominated as Best New Director at the UK Music Video Awards in 2009.[6] His video for The 1975 track "UGH!" was also nominated for 'Best Group Video' Award at the MTV VMA's in Japan.[7][8]

Adam Powell (director)
Born	Adam Christopher Thurai Powell 11 August 1981 Hammersmith, London, United Kingdom
Occupation	Music video director, editor, photographer
Years active	2004–present
Website	adam-powell.com

Career

Powell began his interest in film while shooting amateur skate videos, and editing them at home. After the initial buzz of editing these short clips to music, he began catering for bands who wanted him to create low budget music videos. He was able to build momentum as one of the UK's most prominent music video directors after signing for Black Dog Films, Ridley Scott Associates[9]

In 2013, for the musician Sivu, Adam Powell made the decision to create a music video purely from the imagery shown while the artist was in an MRI machine.[10][11] Of the result Powell explained, “The video is a collection of data gathered from MRI scans and is inspired by research into improving the management of children born with cleft lip and palate. I've just recently been obsessed with the idea of capturing images without conventional cameras/lenses.”[12]

Adam Powell has also worked as an editor for James Copeman on Magnetic Man's "Anthemic" featuring P Money[13] and Vato Gonzalez's "Badman Riddim (Jump)".[14] Adam briefly stepped outside the realm of music videos when he took on the role as editor for Rose McGowan's directorial debut, in her short film 'Dawn' which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.[15] He has also worked alongside Swedish director Jonas Åkerlund as Second Unit director on The Rolling Stones’ "Doom And Gloom" and has also worked with Åkerlund as editor on commercials for various clients such as Lexus, H&M and Johnnie Walker.[16]

Videography

2004 "Only Tools And Corpses" for The Rotted 2005 "Bleeding June" for Blood Red Summer "Untitled" for Life For Land 2006 "Nothing Tastes Like This" for Send More Paramedics "Mr. Music Man" for The King Blues "Firin'" for Data Flow "Mr. Park's Hand?" for Sometimenever 2007 "Blood Fever" for Send More Paramedics "The Stand" for Floors And Walls "A Wasp In A Jar" for Down I Go "High Road" for This Is Menace "Bite Your Tongue and Walk Away" for The Fall, The Rise "Indian 2" for *shels "Buried At Sea" for Architects "Always" for Architects "The Blood Stays On The Blade" for Your Demise "Black Art Number One" for The Ghost of a Thousand 2008 "He Spoke Of Success" for Open The Skies "Kill 'Em Dead Cowboy" for NATO "Silent Era" for From Grace "They Told Me You Were Dead" for Shaped by Fate "The Comedown" for Bring Me The Horizon "Boulder" for The King Blues "The Grotesque" for Johnny Truant "Death Rides" for Johnny Truant "Early Grave" for Architects 2009 "Fire Fire" for Jamie T "Chelsea Smile" for Bring Me The Horizon "The Vulture (Acts I & II)" for Gallows "London Is The Reason" for Gallows[17] "I Got Love" for The King Blues "Sticks 'n' Stones" for Jamie T[18] "Let's Hang The Landlord" for The King Blues "Tear The Place Up" for Skunk Anansie[19] "The Road" for Frank Turner "I Dread The Night" for Gallows "Fireworks" for Tell It To The Marines "The Sadness Will Never End" for Bring Me The Horizon "The Man's Machine" for Jamie T[20] "Misery" for Gallows "Grey Britain (Full Film)" for Gallows

2010 "Nine to Five" for Mouthwash "14 Coleman St." for Great Cynics "Don't Go There" for Giggs feat. B.o.B[21] "Emily's Heart" for Jamie T[22] "Liquid Confidence (Nothing to Lose)" for You Me at Six "It's The Weekend" for MyToyBox "25 Knives" for Sometimenever "Look What the Cat Dragged In" for Giggs "Headbutt" for The King Blues "Gangsta?" for Tinchy Stryder "Holiday" for The King Blues "Hustle On" for Giggs[23] "Game Over" for Tinchy Stryder feat. Example, Devlin, Chipmunk, Professor Green & Tinie Tempah[24] 2011 "Darling Buds Of May" for Viva Brother[25] "Look What I Done" for Maverick Sabre "Changed the Way You Kiss Me" for Example[26] "Say Silence (Heaven & Earth)" for Tellison[27] "People F**K People" for Holy Show "Redemption Days" for Josh Osho feat. Ghostface Killah[28] "Stay Awake" for Example "Poseidon" for Down I Go[29] "People Help the People" for Birdy[30] "Midnight Run" for Example[31] "Nothing's Real but Love" for Rebecca Ferguson 2012 "Are You Not Entertained?" for Dot Rotten "Too Good to Lose" for Rebecca Ferguson "Squeeze" for Man Like Me[32] "London Town" for Man Like Me "I'll Get Along" for Michael Kiwanuka[33] "Say Nothing" for Example[34] "Take The World" for Tinchy Stryder feat. Bridget Kelly[35] 2013 "Better Man Than He" for Sivu[36] "Bodies" for Sivu[37] "Sex" for The 1975[38] "I Lost Myself" for Sivu[39] "Girls" for The 1975[40] 2014 "Can't Stop Now" for Sivu[41] "One More Day (Stay with Me)" for Example "Somebody Loves You" for Betty Who "Heart Out" for The 1975[42] "Fossils" for Circa Waves[43] "You & I (Forever)" for Jessie Ware[44]

2015 "Doing It" for Charli XCX feat. Rita Ora[45] "She Wants" for Sunset Sons "Whisky Story" for Example "About You" for Fine Print "UGH!" for The 1975[46] 2016 "Beats 1 Live In LA" for The 1975 2017 "Yuk Foo" for Wolf Alice 2018 "Love It If We Made It" for The 1975 "Narcissist" for No Rome feat. The 1975 2020 "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" for The 1975

References

1. "Bring Me The Horizon Unveil New Video For "The Sadness Will Never End"". Epitaph Records. October 12, 2009.
2. "Example - Changed The Way You Kiss Me". MTV. December 7, 2013.
3. "Jamie T - Emily's Heart". MTV. June 26, 2013.
4. "Watch the 1975's Sleek, Neon 'Ugh!' Video". Rolling Stone. December 18, 2015.
5. "Charli XCX Robs Gas Station, Evades Stripper Police in Wild 'Doing It' Video". Rolling Stone. January 21, 2015.
6. "UK Music Video Awards 2009 – the Individual award nominations in full". Promo News. October 1, 2009. Archived from the original on May 10, 2017. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
7. "Best Group Video Nomination: The 1975 - UGH!". MTV Japan.
8. "MTV Video Music Awards Japan Announces Nominees". NME Japan. September 1, 2016.
9. "Adam Powell: How I Became A Music Video Director". soundonsound.com. 1 February 2011.
10. "Sivu MRI Video: British Musician Releases Mesmerising Imagery Created Using A Hospital Scanner (VIDEO)". The Huffington Post. January 31, 2013.
11. "Artists use real-time MRI footage to create music video". CNET. January 28, 2013.
12. "This Is What Your Brain Looks Like While You're Belting Out a Pop Song". Vice Magazine. February 1, 2013.
13. "Magnetic Man feat P Money 'Anthemic' by James Copeman". promonews.tv. July 11, 2011.
14. "Vato Gonzalez' Badman Riddims by James Copeman". promonews.tv. May 31, 2011.
15. "Dawn by Rose McGowan". Hollywomen. October 12, 2014.
16. "The Rolling Stones 'Doom And Gloom' by Jonas Åkerlund". Promonews.tv. November 23, 2012. Archived from the original on September 11, 2016. Retrieved August 7, 2016.
17. "BEHIND THE SCREEN: LONDON IS THE REASON". Rock Sound. May 23, 2009.
18. "Jamie T's Sticks & Stones by Adam Powell". promonews.tv. May 28, 2009. Archived from the original on August 27, 2016. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
19. "SKUNK ANANSIE 'Tear The place Up' (HD video) from SMASHES AND TRASHES". Zildjian.
20. "Jamie T - The Man's Machine". MTV. November 3, 2009.
21. "Video: Giggs f. B.O.B., 'Don't Go There'". The Fader. February 16, 2010. Archived from the original on May 10, 2017. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
22. "Jamie T - Emily's Heart". MTV. June 26, 2013.
23. ""Giggs' Hustle by Adam Powell"". promonews.tv. August 26, 2010. Archived from the original on August 24, 2016. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
24. "Tinchy Stryder's Game Over by Adam Powell". promonews.tv. November 3, 2010. Archived from the original on May 10, 2017. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
25. "Brother's Darling Buds of May by Adam Powell". promonews.tv. January 28, 2011.
26. ""Example - Changed The Way You Kiss Me"". MTV. December 7, 2013.
27. ""Tellison Say Silence(Heaven & Earth) Video by Adam Powell now live on Tellison's website"". AAA Music. May 13, 2011.
28. "Josh Osho feat Ghostface Killa's Redemption Days by Adam Powell". promonews.tv. May 18, 2011. Archived from the original on August 22, 2016. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
29. "Get on down with Down I Go at The Aubin Cinema". Time Out. October 5, 2011.
30. "Birdy 'People Help The People' by Adam Powell". promonews.tv. October 7, 2011.
31. "Example Unveils Behind The Scenes Film For 'Midnight Run' Video". Capital FM. November 9, 2011.
32. "Man Like Me 'Squeeze' by Adam Powell". promonews.tv. May 9, 2012.
33. "Michael Kiwanuka 'I'll Get Along' by Adam Powell". promonews.tv. May 2, 2012.
34. "Example 'Say Nothing' by Adam Powell". promonews.tv. August 9, 2012.
35. "Tinchy Stryder's Take The World featuring Bridget Kelly by Adam Powell". promonews.tv. November 22, 2010.
36. "Sivu Interview". Fred Perry.
37. "Gig Of The Day – SIVU". Amazing Radio. August 7, 2013.
38. "SUB. NEWS: THE 1975 RELEASES VIDEO FOR "SEX"". Substream Magazine. July 31, 2013.
39. "WATCH: SIVU UNVEIL NEW 'I LOST MYSELF' VIDEO". DIY. October 23, 2013.
40. "THE 1975 DON'T TAKE THEMSELVES -- OR ANYTHING -- TOO SERIOUSLY IN THEIR CHEEKY 'GIRLS' VIDEO". MTV. October 25, 2013.
41. "Premiere: Sivu - Can't Stop Now (Jack Steadman Remix)". Clash. March 13, 2013.
42. "VIDEO: THE 1975 – HEART OUT". Crack in the Road. September 8, 2014.
43. "CRUSHING ON CIRCA WAVES". TopShop. February 3, 2015. Archived from the original on September 21, 2015. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
44. "jessie ware - you & i (forever)". MTV. December 3, 2014.
45. "Charli XCX and Rita Ora Go Thelma & Louise in 'Doing It' Video". Pitchfork Magazine. January 20, 2015.
46. "The 1975 reveal fluorescent video for 'UGH!'". NME. December 18, 2015.

External links

• Adam Powell at IMDb
• Adam Powell at the IMVDb.com
• Adam Powell at the MVDbase.com
• Adam Powell on promonews.tv
• Status Magazine interview with Adam Powell
• rockindustry.co.uk interview with Adam Powell
• Adam Powell official web page
• Adam Powell: How I Became A Music Video Director for Sound on Sound
• Adam Powell at VideoStatic
• Grimsby Telegraph article (2012)