Tame Impala, Avalanches, up for UK Awards

Tame Impala’s The Less I Know The Better and The Avalanches’ Frankie Sinatravideos are multi-nominees in the UK Music Video Awards – along with those by David Bowie, Beyoncé, Radiohead, Massive Attack, Coldplay, Christine And The Queens and Jamie xx.

Both marked two of the most imaginative and compelling videos made by Australian acts this year, although both were directed by overseas names.

Tame Impala’s was directed by the Spain-based collective CANADA, who’d made their mark with, notably, Phoenix’s Trying To Be Cool and Scissor Sisters’ Invisible Light. Shot over thee days with a team of 50, the storyline for The Less I Know The Better was based around a love triangle between a high school footballer, a cheerleader and the team’s gorilla mascot.

It set the bar for animation (done over two weeks by Lope Serrano and his photographer wife Cecilia Duarte), styling, production design, VFX and a colour palette which came primarily from pouring paint over a surface.

The Avalanches’ Frankie Sinatra video was directed by Fleur&Manu (Drake, A$AP Rocky, M83, Skrillex) and based around the concept of a small town community hallucinating after drinking glowing neon liquid. Scenes include their firing paintball guns and trombone guns at each other, ending up dead and forensics teams in hazmat suits investigating.

Tame Impala are up for no less than four nominations.

The two Australian acts will vie for a win in the Best Production Design In A Video category alongside David Bowie’s Blackstar, Fergie’s M.i.l.f., Miike Snow’s Genghis Khan and Radiohead’s Burn The Witch.

The Perth band is listed for Best Rock/Indie Video – International alongside De Staat for Witch Doctor, Hinds for Wants, Radkey for Glore, The Dead Weather for I Feel Love and Wintersleep’s Amerika.

For Best Styling In A Video, The Less I Know The Better is up against Beyonce’s Formation, Hurts’ Lights, Jamie xx’s Gosh, Metronomy’s Old Skool and Mykki Blanco ft Woodkid’s High School Never Ends.

The Tame Impala video makes its fourth appearance for Best Cinematography In A Video. Also on that list are Holy Fuck’s Tom Tom, Hurts’ Lights, Jamie xx’s Gosh, Miike Snow’s Genghis Khan and Nao’s Bad Blood.

The Avalanches’ Frankie Sinatra makes its second appearance in Best Pop Video – International. Fellow nominees are Christine And The Queens’ Tilted, Miike Snow’s Genghis Khan, Miike Snow’s My Trigger, Mø‘s Kamikaze and OK Go’s Upside Down & Inside Out.

The UK Music Video Awards take place at the Roundhouse in London on Thursday, October 20. Winners are based on the highest levels of creativity and technical excellence.

Video categories cover pop, rock/indie, alternate, urban, dance, within each broken into British, international and newcomer.

On the technical side are categories for styling, cinematography, choreography, editing, visual effects, animation, interactive, live music coverage, director, best new director, producer, commissioner and music documentary.

Best Video Artists will be chosen from Beyonce, Christine And The Queens, Massive Attack, Miike Snow, Radiohead and Years & Years.

Video of the Year will be announced on the night, along with the Icon Award.