Explore: Media

Music Video Director
Self Employed/Freelance

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Emil N

Music Video Director

00.03

My name’s Emil N, I’m a music video director and I guess that involves coming up with ideas for music videos, collaborating with artists to make a video that suits their song and yeah, ultimately promotes them I guess, visually.

00.18

I’ve worked with Jessie J most recently, basically kinda came up with, I wrote an idea which she wasn’t to keen on the first idea, then we met anyway becuse the label thought we’d get along and stuff and then we kind of came up with that idea just basically in the meeting. I knew she was going to be big I even said it. One of my friends was laughing with me the other day cos I said to one of my friends, ‘I know that everyone says it but like she is gonna be the next big thing’ and then yeah, she was just massive.

00.45

I definitely didn’t grow up thinking I wanted to be a director, I kinda grew up not really knowing. I think school made me feel like I didn’t really know as well because even though I was good at drama, I was still naughty in drama, so it was like just cos he is naughty it doesn’t mean he’s stupid or its just like just cos I don’t want to sit in a maths lesson and talk about pie charts and stuff like that. So I guess for a long time when I was younger I didn’t really know and I just kind of knew I hated school and knew that I wasn’t meant to be there. But before then I kinda wanted to be an actor, then I found out you had to wear leotards and stuff at college and was just like there’s no way I am wearing a leotard and then at one point I thought I’d be a house husband cos I was like, cos I’m such a child and I just thought I’d hang out with my kids and just roll around. And then when I got onto a film set and I kinda was like, I kinda saw what they were doing and was like yeah, that, I could definitely do that. Yeah it was all in that first half a year that I felt that like okay this is really something that I can see myself doing.

01.52

I made like 5 videos for kind of a couple of my friends and off that I got one for this band and off that I got one for this girl so I shopped around and there was a few companies that wanted me to sign with them which was amazing, I couldn’t kind of believe it. And then I went with one of the biggest ones in London and definitely the biggest one out of that three. It was kind of too big, cos they were so big you were like such a small fish in like a massive pond. So that was probably like a really tough point in my career as well because I kind of pitched like every day. I was in the office every single day like pitching pitching pitching like 4 pitches a week, nothing, nothing yeah that was not a, not a good time at all. And I moved companies which I thought, which was amazing. Moved to a smaller company who had less directors and who were like so much more nurturing for me and the first video I did there was for Tinchy Stryder, Take Me Back.

02.50

With any director’s job it is kinda like a full time job you can never really let go of it because you will be in bed at midnight and have an idea and have to get up and write it down or you know if I’m dealing with America they kind of wake up when, when we are finishing the day. So sometimes you might be on the phone on a phonecall at like 3 in the morning, because it’s only like 1 in the afternoon, you know it’s only like 10 in the morning there or something.

03.15

I think without technology I don’t even know how like I could get along without my Blackberry, I think. Its so good cos I think if I didn’t have that, I’d have to get back to the office when at least if you are on the road with your blackberry you can just type it out, its like … you can just send it off and even for just like when I’m on the tube and sometimes I just have a random idea and like I just wanna write it down and just to have it like does make the job a lot easier.

03.39

I’m not very good at relaxing. I don’t really relax very much actually I find that I’m not really good at, I don’t really like it too much. I like to keep busy. So yeah, I get to see my friends quite a lot, you kind of have to have your social life flexible around the job. The job comes first I guess, which is kind of, you know sad in some ways but I think if you really want to succeed, one day if you really work hard and succeed enough then you will have enough time to not have to work all the time.

 

Emil N is a successful music video director who has directed all of Jesse J’s music videos to date. At school he knew he loved music and drama but only discovered his true talent when he picked up a video camera. He’s worked his way up through lots of hard work and determination to become one of today’s most sort after directors.

More information about Arts officers, producers and directors

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£50,440
average salary

The UK average salary is £29,813

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38
average weekly hours

There are 37.5 hours in the average working week

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42%  male 
58%  female 

The UK workforce is 47% female and 53% male

Future employment

Future employment?

Description
? Arts officers, producers and directors assume creative, financial and organisational responsibilities in the production and direction of television and radio programmes, films, stage presentations, content for other media, and the promotion and exhibition of other creative activities.
Qualifications
Entry can be via academic qualifications, BTEC/SQA awards, diplomas or degrees in sector-relevant subjects. Apprenticeships are available at NVQ Levels 2 and 3 in some areas.
Tasks
  • Chooses writers, scripts, technical staff and performers, and assumes overall responsibility for completion of project on time and within budget;
  • Directs actors, designers, camera team, sound crew and other production and technical staff to achieve desired effects;
  • Breaks script into scenes and formulates a shooting schedule that will be most economical in terms of time, location and sets;
  • Prepares rehearsal and production schedule for main events, design of sets and costumes, technical rehearsals and dress rehearsals;
  • Ensures necessary equipment, props, performers and technical staff are on set when required;
  • Manages health and safety issues;
  • Selects, contracts, markets and arranges for the presentation and/or distribution of performance, visual and heritage arts.
Employment by region
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Top 10 industries for this job
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Libraries, etc 22289
Film &  music 19044
Office admin. 5046
Head offices, etc 4944
Arts & entertainment 4930
Broadcasting 4755
Computer programming, etc 3115
Advertising, etc 3003
Employment activities 2647
Sport & recreation 2609
Employment status
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