Playlist: Marvin Jay Alvarez

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

Most recently I’ve been heavy on Jianbo - VAT, shot by Nammy Wams. 

I’m a sucker for the gritty DIY vibes and it felt like watching Channel U again, cross legged on the floor with your back hunched over, not a single responsibility. It was a sweet feeling, even for a moment.

What’s the first music video you remember being impressed by?

Michael Jackson - Leave Me Alone. Growing up in the Philippines my uncles had a bunch of MJ videos taped on VHS back to back from a pirated MTV connection. 

You couldn’t see all the detail thanks to the terrible picture quality, but I still remember that video being such a crazy ride of cool imagery. I probably didn’t understand much of it at the time, but as a spectacle it was kind of mind blowing for me as a kid in 90s Manila.

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

Swiss - Broken Silence. I was probably about 12 or 13 and my family had moved to deepest West London by then. I remember my friend had knocked for me because word had spread that So Solid were shooting a music video on Feltham High Street. Somehow we managed to weasel our way into the first layer of the security fence and made friends with some of the extended So Solid family, who intro’d us to the video crew. We didn’t really have a plan, it was just about getting close to all the excitement; seeing something so out of the ordinary up close. When the video came out I remember being so amazed at how cinematic they made a grey day in Feltham look.

Sorry to wedge another one in but I also have to mention Ludacris - Stand Up. Luda has this big, bombastic persona on every track and this music video captures that energy so perfectly. Crazy wardrobe, all kinds of theatrics, double-take cameos, animated sequences, that braggadocious choreography of the time… so many moments squeezed into just 3.5 mins. It dropped during the height of the bling rap era which was totally flooded with cash/club/luxury/ladies type videos and still somehow stood out.

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

Jason Goldwatch is an all-time favourite, I want to be like him when I grow up. 

Pietro (Biz Biasia) is an absolute master of his craft and every time he drops a video I feel like cancelling my Adobe subscription. Shoutout my friend LD for putting me on early. 

My whole Kurupt FM fam, of course. Asim, Seapa, Hugo, Steve and Dan. They push, shape and hone their ideas like nobody else I know. 

Boots Riley, I love his approach to storytelling, his message, and just his unwavering pursuit of subverting the world of filmmaking that we’ve all inherited. 

And whatever Clint Ogbenna and his extended universe is putting out. multi-generational legend, his journey’s been amazing to experience. I’m wearing Corteiz socks as I write this.

What are you listening to at the moment?

In the kitchen, the Victory Light podcast with Mero, Rainey and Lizbel or BBC Sounds' Arts & Ideas. In the car, the Griselda back catalogue and Telemachus in Thailand.

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

At the moment it’s my Lumix LF1, a 10+ year old point and shoot that I’m trying to take everywhere with me in case inspiration strikes. It captures everything beautifully and it’s got an EVF and WiFi control/transfer, peak technical specs for something so compact.

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

Roc Marci - I think we only get a Roc Marci once every few lifetimes so I’d love to create something to complement his rich and luxurious poetry tbh.

Erykah Badu - I’ve seen her live maybe four-five times now, a little music vid would top it off nicely 🤗

Ludacris - I’ve always admired his dedication to being big and bold. I want to shoot a music vid with Luda in another planet, it’s only right.

Jorja Smith - I was in her video once so it might be good to balance it out.

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

Often these days, a lot of energy goes towards outsmarting the algorithm instead of the focus being on the idea, the look, the feel. I like to ignore it wherever possible, for me the fun comes from creating and seeing something fresh and a little unexpected. I think there are more effective ways of approaching promos that doesn’t lean into trends that will disappear within days. Your Brooklyn Beckham brand reactions are already dead in the water.

Long lasting and culturally impactful work always needs time, experience, and a slightly better budget.