The Music Video Guy Podcast

We just hit a massive milestone of 200,000 followers, and to celebrate, Carla and I sat down for our first in-person recording with the man who helped start our obsession: director and Emmy nominee Quark Henares. We’re geeking out over the legendary Directors Label DVDs, the technical jump from MiniDV tapes to RED cameras, and the digital era that defined the 2000s OPM scene. Quark breaks down the "Pantheon" of directors—pitting Michel Gondry’s puzzles against Spike Jonze’s subversion and Mark Romanek’s technical reverence.With the rise of vertical video and AI-perfect imagery, do you think the "Golden Age" of music videos is permanently archived, or are we just entering a new, messier evolution?Listen to the full interview on The Music Video Guy Podcast, and Join our Discord or Support me on Patreon!Other Information:The "Ateneo Brat Pack" (later known as the Prod Madnezz collective) was a group of students from the 2004-2006 batches who carved out a niche in music videos while the local film and commercial industries were still heavily gatekept.Michael Jackson’s "Scream" (1995) remains the benchmark for "Cash Equity" in music videos, largely because modern stars like Taylor Swift do not publicize the specific production budgets for high-end projects like "Bad Blood."Quark Henares’ favorite Mark Romanek video is "Rain" by Madonna, which he notes features Romanek himself playing the role of the director within the visual narrative.#MusicVideoAnalysis #QuarkHenares #TheMusicVideoGuy #AteneoBratPack #Filmmaking #Director #90sNostalgia #MusicPodcast

For decades, the biggest music awards have handed their trophies to the pop stars. But who is celebrating the crew that actually built those visual worlds? 🎬✨In our latest episode of The Music Video Guy Podcast, Carla and I sit down with Danny Pollack and Abi Perl, the founders of the Hollywood Music Video Awards (@hollywoodmusicvideoawards).We discuss the reality of the post-MTV era and the massive ecosystem of creatives it takes to pull off a music video today. Danny and Abi explain why they built a brand new awards platform dedicated exclusively to honoring the unsung heroes of production. We are talking about the directors, cinematographers, editors, colorists, set designers, and choreographers who put in the real sweat equity to create the cultural timestamps we love.If you are a filmmaker, an artist, or a production nerd, this episode is a deep dive into the community keeping the craft alive.🎧 Listen to the full episode now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube!🌴 Attending the HMVAs: The 2nd Annual Hollywood Music Video Awards are happening LIVE in Los Angeles next week on March 27, 2026! Ticketing is limited, so head over to thehmvas.com to grab yours and support the people who make movie magic happen.Other Information:The HMVAs highlight highly technical categories that mainstream pop awards entirely ignore, including Best Color Grading, Best Production Design, and Post-Production Company of the Year.When pitching the HMVA concept, Danny and Abi went directly to video commissioners at major labels like Columbia, Republic, and Atlantic, who immediately backed the idea, proving the industry desperately needed this platform.The awards act as a massive networking hub, bringing together the fragmented, modern music video community under one roof for the first time since the golden age of television countdowns.#HollywoodMusicVideoAwards #HMVAs #Filmmaking #MusicVideoDirector #BehindTheScenes #Cinematography #VideoEditor #TheMusicVideoGuy

In 1996, a music video was the ultimate artistic statement. You handed a director a massive check, they built a masterpiece, and MTV made you a star. In 2026? That standalone music video is no longer a marketing asset—it’s just a souvenir.This week, Maui flies solo for a harsh but necessary reality check. If you are an independent musician or a filmmaker trying to break through the noise of the algorithm, the old playbook will bankrupt you. We are dismantling the outdated myths of the music industry and explaining why treating your music video as a precious piece of "un-touchable art" is the fastest way to get zero views.We discuss:The Funeral for the "Big Break": Why the traditional album cycle is dead, and why gigging is for retention, not discovery.The Content Solar System: Why your $5,000 music video needs to be stripped for parts (BTS, lore, tutorials) to feed the machine.The Currency of Flaw: Why audiences in the AI-era crave messy, handheld "parasocial intimacy" over million-dollar CGI.The 2026 Playbook: Practical steps to market your music and visuals when the gatekeepers are gone and the algorithm is king.It isn't the death of the medium. It's an evolution. Here is how to survive it.

In 1981, they said video killed the radio star. In 2026, the algorithm buried the music video. But we aren't here to mourn the medium. We’re here to chronicle it.Hosted by Maui and Carla, this podcast is a weekly deep dive into the artistry, technical craft, and cultural impact of the music video. Moving beyond the 90-second breakdowns on your feed, we sit down with the legendary directors, cinematographers, and producers who defined the visual language of the last 40 years.What to expect:Legendary Interviews: From Marc Webb breaking down the cinema of Emo to François Nemeta on the geometry of Michel Gondry.Technical Deconstructions: Why was the "One-Take" video so hard to pull off in the 90s? Did the "Drop" in 2012 EDM change editing forever?Cultural Archiving: Ranking the videos that were "too spicy" for TV and revisiting the lost media of the VHS era.Whether you’re a filmmaker, a nostalgia addict, or just someone who misses TRL... this is the place to be.Let’s Dive In.