Playlist: Wolf CVB

WOLF CVB (pronounced “wolf cub”) aka Dani Deville, has shot promos for the likes of Kove, Hervé, Sigma, Ayah Marar [below] and MZ Bratt among many others.

Currently signed to London-based UNIT9, the director discusses his musical influences, his favourite tech, walking in slow-motion and what's on his Playlist.

What’s the best promo you’ve seen recently and why?

Radiohead’s Burn The Witch was the last video I remember really liking and going back to. The first film I ever made in Film school was a stop-motion animation. Since then I always wanted to revisit the technique, but do something different with the concept.

What’s the first promo you remember being impressed by?

A Spike Jonze video from The Pharcyde- Drop. I remember being so windblown by how they did it, I just couldn't figure it out. That’s the first time I remember thinking how cool it would be to be a director.

And what’s your all-time favourite music video?

Gotta be Thriller. No one did promo’s like MJ.

What other directors/artists do you look to for inspirational?

I look to many areas of art to inspire me. Fashion is a big influence on me. I just saw the Chanel show with the space rocket. I love how no matter the medium, art can affect you and find a way of influencing / affecting your work.

If I had to name film-makers that are influencing me at the moment, I’d have to say Denis Villeneuve & DP Emmanuel Lubezki. Their attention to detail and focus on their craft inspires me. Being in awe of talent makes me a better film-maker for sure.

What are you listening to at the moment?

Currently the Lowercase Noises and J.Cole’s new album. But I’m also revisiting The Counting Crows and Slipknot [below].

What’s your favourite bit of tech, whether for professional or personal use?

Well I tried a friends Director’s Viewfinder when I was last in LA. It’s an expensive tool for a director but I’m such a geek its next on my list. To be able to frame up & select a lens so quickly is great. But I loved it because It takes you off set and puts you in the audience’s eye. It’s as good for the process as it is for the info it gives you.

What artist(s) would you most like to work with and why?

I’d love to do a video for Lana Del Rey. She’s the kind of artist that you can experiment with and isn’t afraid to do it for the art. I like artists that see the art form of film-making beyond it being merely a marketing tool.

How do you feel the promo industry has changed since you started in it?

It was pretty brutal when I started. Pretty saturated and a lot of underappreciated directors, fighting for tiny budgets. I see more chances being taken here in the UK, and that’s always a good thing.

Music videos have had a resurgence of late; where do you see the industry being in five years’ time?

I hope to see it returning to a healthier state, where budgets match expectation again. Hopefully giving it back to the auteurs and allowing us artists to create with freedom seen back in the 90s. I know it’ll probably never reach that stage again, but I do see the art returning; and I reckon that’s gonna give artists and labels more onus to take those creative chances.

Tell us one thing about yourself that most people won’t know…

I sometimes walk in slow-motion.