Arguably one of the most influential music video directors in the underground scene right now is Nick Welch. He is at the front of a wave that is exploding all over the internet. Nick is a mastermind behind some of the most promising up-and-coming artists with a DIY approach to music videos. Your eyes will thank you after you experience the VFX he inputs into each music video. He and others removed giant productions with easier access to editing software and cameras. Not to mention music itself is constantly changing and with that music video directors are now given the chance to be more in the spotlight.
When you type into google the average age for a music video director the first thing that pops up is forty years old and up. Since "Video Killed the Radio Star" came out, which was the first music video ever on TV, typically the director had a lot of years under his belt. The big bad wolf labels would only hire experienced videographers because who would trust one guy with a camera. Throw this all out the window because this way of doing things has shattered in today's world. Nick is twenty-one years old and is one of the go-to directors for underground artists. Notable artists under his belt are Yung Bans, Slump6s, Sgpwes, Killbunk, Yung Fazo, Yvngxchris, and Ka$hdami. Typically for those in the music industry success doesn't come overnight, but for Nick, it manifested itself right away. His very first music video was in February of 2021. Prior to this, he had never owned a camera and barely used editing softwares. Talk about a giant skyrocket of a jump into the music industry. I asked Nick how he got from point A to point B and he said, " I would say that the main way I was able to get to this point in my career so quickly was by taking every opportunity I could and offering a unique and upcoming style in my videos." Nick would film two to three music videos a day and when he wasn't filming he was locked in editing. This fast-paced rise parallels the rising underground music scene.
VFX is more prominent than ever in music videos. I asked Nick how Directors/DP's/VFX editors are adapting to the new levels of music and he said, "I feel like as the scene has shifted to this more glitchy and artificial sound, the VFX and style of videos have followed. I feel like VFX is more prominent than ever in music videos and I try and portray that in my videos. Whether it’s subtle VFX that just adds to the scenes or crazy Instagram edit style VFX, it’s becoming more and more common in almost every music video you see." With a new wave of DIY directors, there is a worry of over-saturation. Nick is breaking out of this by implementing the cinematic aspect. Underground Rap isn't his only focus with Hyper Pop in the back of his mind which will create a whole new fanbase for him. Joining Spacehearts eight months ago, Nick is now a part of a collective of up-and-coming directors, cinematographers, and editors. The collective also dabbles in graphic design, sound design, and clothing design. With the goal of becoming a multi-media company, we could see the brand become worldwide in the future. Focused up and new videos on the horizon make sure to follow the rise of Nick Welch.
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