December 14, 2021

As our first music video director on Clips, Inner West local Angus Bell Young is as good as they come.

His music reel is not only a star-studded affair, but it’s also a clamorous ode to partying, stage presence and the moshpit. At 27 years old, Angus says he’s been capturing video for as long as he can remember, but his foray into the music scene is a little more recent. “I’ve been directing and photographing narrative and commercial projects for ages, but the move into music was a decisive one and I’m so stoked to be welcomed to the community,” he says.

The list of Angus’ favourite people to shoot reads like a who’s who of Australian music, counting everyone from Hermitude to Lime Cordiale, alongside his latest direction of the Sticky Fingers’ video single, ‘My Rush.’ All of these acts and more are interspersed throughout Angus’ portfolio, either taking centre-stage or riling up a crowd of watching concert-goers. “My favourite place to film is wherever an artist is touring: being on the road and in the moment, documenting the journey on and off stage,” Angus says.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TjXKCn3BGY

Sticky Fingers, ‘My Rush,’ 2021.

Elsewhere, Angus has scored directing and photography credits for artists like Kwame and Don West, and admits that the process of working with fellow experts in their creative field has been mutually beneficial for his own work. As his client list continues to expand, Angus says it’s his ongoing experiences that’ll continue to shape his work. “As a director I work with other people crushing it in their field…my own style has evolved over time as I discover new things, take new risks, meet new people, eat new food, and travel to new places,” he says.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMn1VEU9O5g

Hot Dub Wine Machine Aftermovie

Aside from his role as director-to-the-stars, Angus has also put his to skills to use in the corporate world, working with some big-time international clients like Netflix, Amazon and luxury car brand Porsche. The extravagance of this clientele is replicated particularly in Angus’ music videos, which spare no expense in realising their artists’ vision. From trippy graphics to exclusive backstage access, Angus’ Clips are a big-budget affair.

But Angus’ career hasn’t been as seamless as his credits might suggest. One time, while shooting Honda Motorcycles in Indonesia, Angus had to be ferried between shoots in armed military convoys, both to minimise the threat from ISIS at the time, as well as protect the production from spying competitors at Yamaha. “One day while we were in production on a rooftop, we heard a gunfight in the next block while the [Muslim] ‘Call To Prayer’ echoed over the neighbourhood,” Angus recalls.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3ttWPiVBsI

F-POS, ‘No Cause,’ 2021.

But big budgets, and the crazy experiences that sometimes surround them, aren’t Angus’ primary concern. Like most creatives, he’s excited most by the energy of a given shoot, and it’s something he translates expertly in his work. Whether he’s shining his spotlight on talent, materialising an artist’s imagination, or simply documenting the atmosphere of a live event, Angus remains focussed on all the moving parts.

“[I enjoy] the symbiosis of music and visual stimuli, the way the talent moves with sound and light, and the audience (whether live or through reactions) who’s along for the ride…We’re locked in to this vision and don’t stop till it’s done,” Angus says.