The Music Video Guy Podcast

In the late 90s, if an artist wanted to bend reality, they hired Michel Gondry. But to actually build those impossible, mind-bending sets, they relied on his First Assistant Director: François Nemeta.This week on The Music Video Guy Podcast, Maui and Carla sit down with the legendary French filmmaker. It all started when François casually dropped into our Instagram comments to correct our breakdown of Massive Attack's "Protection"—and it led to one of our favorite conversations yet.We trace his incredible journey from a teenage music video obsessive staying up late to watch MTV, to tracking down Gondry at a Oui Oui concert, to eventually directing the definitive visual anthem of the French House era: Modjo’s "Lady (Hear Me Tonight)."In this episode, we discuss:The Origin Story: How a late-night music video broadcast led to a lifelong creative partnership with Michel Gondry.The "Sick Child" Theory: Why Gondry refuses to throw away a "bad" idea, and how François adopted (and adapted) that philosophy for his own sets.Finding His Own Voice: How François stepped out of Gondry's shadow of "robotic puzzles and mechanics" to pioneer his own naturalistic, atmospheric style for bands like Kings of Convenience and Modjo.Industry Survival: Why saying "no" to clients gets easier with age, and François’s ultimate advice for young film students trying to break into the industry today.Plus, François reveals which music video he would put in a time capsule to represent the golden era of French creativity.Links:InstagramYoutubePatreonDiscord

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 We are dismantling the outdated myths of the music industry and explaining why treating your music video as a precious piece of "un-touchable art" is the fastest way to get zero views.We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.

Before he broke hearts with (500) Days of Summer or swung through New York in The Amazing Spider-Man, Marc Webb was the visual architect of the mid-2000s Emo and Pop-Punk explosion.In this episode, we sit down with the legendary director to discuss how he turned music videos into mini-blockbusters.We dive deep into his collaboration with My Chemical Romance, breaking down how "Helena" and "The Ghost of You" brought a cinematic scale to the Warped Tour scene.If you grew up watching MTV in 2005, this episode is a look behind the curtain of the videos that defined your youth.

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.