Justin Francis is a Los Angeles-based film director and photographer.
Francis has directed music videos for Alicia Keys, Skip Marley, Jidenna, Carly Rae Jepsen, Santana, Wyclef, Kimbra, Pia Mia, B.o.B, Weezer, The Fray, Kelly Clarkson, Nicole Scherzinger, Modest Mouse, Young the Giant, Demi Lovato, Jessica Sanchez, Amos Lee, Timbaland, Mariah Carey, Bonnie McKee, Trey Songz, Jaguar Wright, Obie Trice, Cashis, Kill Hannah, Dropping Daylight, and Busta Rhymes (co-directed with Benny Boom). [1]
As part of The Saline Project, Justin has also co-directed videos for Eminem, 50 Cent, Gwen Stefani, The Black Eyed Peas, The Roots, The Hives, The Cure, Keane, Mobb Deep, Daddy Yankee, Young Buck, Sugarcult, The Mars Volta, Demi Lovato and Nappy Roots. [2]
Francis's work with Alicia Keys on "Unbreakable" won "Outstanding Video" at the 37th NAACP Image Awards. [3] His video for the Alicia Keys song "No One" [4] was granted "Best R&B Video" at the 2008 MVPA Awards. [5]
In addition to directing music videos and commercials, Francis has undertaken photography projects all over the world. He shot publicity photos for The Roots to promote their album, The Tipping Point . His photos have been featured on album covers and distributed internationally on records, CDs, and posters. [6]
Francis also served as the Director of Photography's apprentice under Matthew Libatique on the film Requiem for a Dream (2000).
Alicia Augello Cook, known professionally as Alicia Keys, is an American singer and songwriter. A classically trained pianist, Keys began composing songs when she was the age of 12 and was signed by Columbia Records at the age of 15. After disputes with the label, she signed with J Records to release her debut studio album, Songs in A Minor (2001). Met with critical acclaim and commercial success, the album sold over 12 million copies worldwide and won five awards at the 44th Annual Grammy Awards. It contained the Billboard Hot 100-number one single "Fallin'." Her second album, The Diary of Alicia Keys (2003) was met with continued success, selling eight million units worldwide and spawning the singles "You Don't Know My Name", "If I Ain't Got You", and "Diary". Its release earned an additional four Grammy Awards.
Paul Hunter is an American film director, screenwriter, and music video director. He has directed over 100 music videos, television advertisements and was nominated for an Emmy for Nike's Freestyle commercial. In 2004, the Washington Post called Hunter one of "most seminal names among black hip-hop directors."
Chris Robinson is an American film director, commercial director, and music video director. He has directed films such as Netflix original Beats (2019). He has directed commercials for brands such as iPod, Coca-Cola and Verizon and music videos for songs like "Fallin'" and "You Don't Know My Name" by Alicia Keys, "Roc Boys" by Jay-Z, the Grammy nominated video for "One Mic" by Nas, and "Bonnie & Clyde '03" by Jay-Z featuring Beyoncé Knowles. Robinson made his debut as a music video director with the 1991 clip "Doo Doo Brown" by 2 Hyped Brothers & a Dog.
"Unbreakable" is a song by American R&B-soul singer Alicia Keys from her live album, Unplugged (2005). Written by Keys, Kanye West, and Harold Lilly, the track features a Wurlitzer riff, and is built around a sample of Eddie Kendricks' 1977 song "Intimate Friends", written by Garry Glenn. It was released as the album's lead single in 2005 and peaked at number thirty-four on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, becoming Keys' first single to miss the top twenty since 2002's "How Come You Don't Call Me", and failed to peak inside the top forty on Billboard Pop 100. It was nevertheless a big success on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, where it landed at number four.
The 37th NAACP Image Awards ceremony, presented by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), honored the best in film, television, music of 2005 and took place on February 25, 2006, at the Shrine Auditorium. The show was televised live on Fox, March 3 at 8 p.m. EST and hosted by Cuba Gooding Jr.
Demetria Devonne "Demi" Lovato is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. After appearing on the children's television series Barney & Friends (2002–2004), she rose to prominence for playing Mitchie Torres in the musical television film Camp Rock (2008) and its sequel Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam (2010). The former film's soundtrack contained "This Is Me", her debut single and duet, which peaked at number nine on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
Melina Matsoukas is an American music video, film, commercial and television director. She is a two-time Grammy Award winner and four-time MTV Video Music Awards winner for her "We Found Love" and "Formation" music videos. She was honored with the Franklin J. Schaffner Alumni Medal by the American Film Institute in 2019. Her directorial debut in film was Queen & Slim, starring Jodie Turner-Smith and Daniel Kaluuya, and written by Lena Waithe. She then worked as executive producer and director for television series Insecure, being nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2020.
"Superwoman" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys for her third studio album As I Am (2007). Written by Keys, Linda Perry, and Steve Mostyn, it was released as the fourth and final single from As I Am on July 29, 2008, by J Records.
Disney's Friends for Change is a pro-social "green" initiative that started in the summer of 2009.
Patrick Ecclesine is an American commercial and fine art photographer and director who has contributed extensively to Vanity Fair.
"Skyscraper" is a song recorded by American singer Demi Lovato for her third studio album, Unbroken (2011). It was released by Hollywood Records on July 12, 2011, as the lead single from the album. The song was written by Toby Gad, Lindy Robbins, and Kerli; the former handled its production. American singer Jordin Sparks provided background vocals for the track. It was inspired by a picture of the apocalypse, in which the world was in ruins and, among collapsed buildings, one skyscraper was standing.
The 2012 MTV Video Music Awards, hosted by Kevin Hart, took place on Thursday, September 6, 2012, honoring the best music videos from the previous year. The awards were broadcast from the Staples Center arena at L.A. Live in Downtown Los Angeles. Nominations were announced on July 31, 2012. Rihanna and Drake were the most nominated artists that year with five nominations apiece, followed by Katy Perry and Beyoncé, who received four.
"Give Your Heart a Break" is a song recorded by American singer Demi Lovato for her third studio album Unbroken (2011). It was released on January 23, 2012, by Hollywood Records, as the second and final single from the album. The song was written and produced by Josh Alexander and Billy Steinberg. "Give Your Heart a Break" incorporates drums, violin and strings. The latter two, according to music critics, are reminiscent of those used in Coldplay's "Viva la Vida". Lyrically, the song chronicles the protagonist's attempt to win over her lover who has been hurt in a previous relationship and is fearful of committing again. In 2023, the song was re-recorded for her rock-compilation Revamped with Bert McCracken from the rock band The Used.
"Heart Attack" is a song recorded by American singer Demi Lovato. It was released on February 25, 2013, as the lead single from her fourth studio album, Demi (2013). The song was produced by Mitch Allan and Jason Evigan of The Suspex, who co-wrote the song along with Lovato, Sean Douglas, Nikki Williams, and Aaron Phillips. "Heart Attack" is an electropop song that employs cardiac motifs to represent the fear of falling in love. It received acclaim from music critics, many of whom complimented its lyrics and Lovato's vocals.
"Confident" is a song by American singer Demi Lovato. It was released on September 18, 2015, by Hollywood and Island Records as the second single from her fifth studio album of the same name (2015). Lovato co-wrote the song with Savan Kotecha and its producers Max Martin and Ilya Salmanzadeh. Commercially, it reached number one in Israel and the top 30 in Canada, the Czech Republic, New Zealand, Scotland, and the United States. The song has been certified quadruple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
"I Love Me" is a song by American singer Demi Lovato. It was released on March 6, 2020. The track was written by Lovato alongside Anne-Marie, Jennifer Decilveo, Sean Douglas, Alex Niceforo, Keith Sorrells and Warren "Oak" Felder, with production being handled by the latter three. It is an midtempo pop and R&B song, with lyrics about struggles with self-image. The song was originally intended to be the lead single off of Lovato's seventh studio album Dancing with the Devil... the Art of Starting Over, but was ultimately scrapped from the final tracklist. The song was later included on the digital expanded edition of the album.
American singer and actor Demi Lovato has released two video albums and appeared in various music videos, films, and television shows. From her debut album Don't Forget (2008), she released music videos for its eponymous single as well as "Get Back" and "La La Land". Lovato released her second album Here We Go Again in 2009, producing music videos for the eponymous single and "Remember December". Her third studio album Unbroken (2011) spawned music videos for "Skyscraper", which won Best Video with a Message at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards, and "Give Your Heart a Break". She then released her fourth studio album Demi (2013), which was accompanied by music videos for "Heart Attack", which was nominated for Best Female Video at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, "Made in the USA", "Neon Lights", and "Really Don't Care".
"OK Not to Be OK" is a song by American music producer Marshmello and singer Demi Lovato. It was released on September 10, 2020, via Island Records and Joytime Collective, in partnership with the Hope For The Day suicide prevention movement. The song was later included on the expanded edition of Lovato's seventh studio album Dancing with the Devil... the Art of Starting Over.
"Commander in Chief" is a song by American singer Demi Lovato. She co-wrote the track with Justin Tranter, Julia Michaels, and its producers Finneas and Eren Cannata. The song was released as a single by Island Records on October 14, 2020. Its lyrics are directed towards then U.S. President Donald Trump, and are a response to the 2020 United States presidential election. An accompanying video was released on the same day.