Calmatic earned a Best Direction nod at last night’s MTV Video Music Awards for the video for one of the most ubiquitous pop hits of this generation, the country-rap hybrid “Old Town Road.”
It was one of a number of prizes handed out in craft categories that weren’t part of the televised broadcast. Watch some of the videos recognized for the quality of their execution, below, or scroll down for a complete list of MTV VMA winners.
Best Direction: Calmatic
Calmatic got the award for his cinematic video for “Old Town Road” with Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus along with cameos by Chris Rock, Diplo and Vince Staples.
Best Cinematography: Scott Cunningham
Honors for Best Cinematography went to Scott Cunningham, who shot “Señorita,” an atmospheric, delicately colored music-video duet between Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello.
Best Editing: Billie Eilish
Best Editing went to Billie Eilish for cutting her own alternately deadpan and exuberant music video — sometimes both at once — for “bad guy.”
Best Visual Effects: Loris Paillier and Lucas Salton, Buf VFX
Best Visual Effects honors were claimed by Loris Paillier and Lucas Salton at Buf for Taylor Swift’s impressively busy “ME!,” featuring Brendon Urie, which opens with the sudden transformation of a CG snake (representing Swift’s Reputation-era career?) into a swarm of butterflies and develops from there into a massive dance party in a candy-colored metropolis.
Best Art Direction: John Richoux
Dominated by pinks and purples set off by the occasional greens and blues, the video for Ariana Grande’s “7 rings” has a color palette that can be described as “intense.” John Richoux’s art direction accents the surroundings at a lavish, decadent house party with a champagne tower, graffitied cars parked on the front lawn, and a dollhouse the artist tears through and peers into from outside.
Complete List of VMA Nominees/Winners
(Winners are in boldface.)
MICHAEL JACKSON VIDEO VANGUARD AWARD
Missy Elliott
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
21 Savage ft. J. Cole – “a lot” – Slaughter Gang LLC/Epic Records
Billie Eilish – “bad guy” – Darkroom/Interscope Records
Ariana Grande – “thank u, next” – Republic Records
Jonas Brothers – “Sucker” – Republic Records
Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – “Old Town Road (Remix)” – Columbia Records
Taylor Swift – “You Need to Calm Down” – Republic Records
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Cardi B – Atlantic Records
Billie Eilish – Darkroom/Interscope Records
Ariana Grande – Republic Records
Halsey – Capitol Records
Jonas Brothers – Republic Records
Shawn Mendes– Island Records
SONG OF THE YEAR
Drake – “In My Feelings” – Young Money/Cash Money/Republic Records
Ariana Grande – “thank u, next” – Republic Records
Jonas Brothers – “Sucker” – Republic Records
Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper – “Shallow” – Interscope Records
Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – “Old Town Road (Remix)” – Columbia Records
Taylor Swift – “You Need to Calm Down” – Republic Records
BEST NEW ARTIST, presented by Taco Bell
Ava Max – Atlantic Records
Billie Eilish – Darkroom/Interscope Records
H.E.R. – MBK/RCA Records
Lil Nas X – Columbia Records
Lizzo – Atlantic Records
ROSALÍA – Columbia Records
BEST COLLABORATION
Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – “Old Town Road (Remix)” – Columbia Records
Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper – “Shallow” – Interscope Records
Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello – “Señorita” – Island Records
Taylor Swift ft. Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco – “ME!” – Republic Records
Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber – “I Don’t Care” – Atlantic Records
BTS ft. Halsey – “Boy With Luv” – Columbia Records
PUSH ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Bazzi – Atlantic Records
CNCO – RCA Records
Billie Eilish – Darkroom/Interscope Records
H.E.R. – MBK/RCA Records
Lauv – LAUV/AWAL
Lizzo – Atlantic Records
BEST POP
5 Seconds of Summer – “Easier” – Interscope Records
Cardi B & Bruno Mars – “Please Me” – Atlantic Records
Billie Eilish – “bad guy” – Darkroom/Interscope Records
Khalid – “Talk” – Right Hand Music Group/RCA Records
Ariana Grande – “thank u, next” – Republic Records
Jonas Brothers – “Sucker” – Republic Records
Taylor Swift – “You Need to Calm Down” – Republic Records
BEST HIP HOP
2 Chainz ft. Ariana Grande – “Rule the World” – 2 Chainz Ps/Def Jam
21 Savage ft. J. Cole – “a lot” – Slaughter Gang LLC/Epic Records
Cardi B – “Money” – Atlantic Records
DJ Khaled ft. Nipsey Hussle & John Legend – “Higher” – We The Best/Epic Records
Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – “Old Town Road (Remix)” – Columbia Records
Travis Scott ft. Drake – “SICKO MODE” – Epic Records/Grand Hustle/Cactus Jack
BEST R&B
Anderson .Paak ft. Smokey Robinson – “Make It Better” – Aftermath Ent/12 Tone Music
Childish Gambino – “Feels Like Summer” – RCA Records
H.E.R. ft. Bryson Tiller – “Could’ve Been” – MBK/RCA Records
Alicia Keys – “Raise A Man” – RCA Records
Ella Mai – “Trip” – 10 Summers/Interscope Records
Normani ft. 6lack – “Waves” – Keep Cool/RCA Records
BEST K-POP
BTS ft. Halsey – “Boy With Luv” – Columbia Records
BLACKPINK – “Kill This Love” – YG Entertainment/Interscope Records
Monsta X ft. French Montana – “Who Do You Love” – Epic Records
TOMORROW X TOGETHER – “Cat & Dog” – Republic Records
NCT 127 – “Regular” – SM Entertainment
EXO – “Tempo” – SM Entertainment
BEST LATIN
Anuel AA, Karol G – “Secreto” – Universal Music Latino
Bad Bunny ft. Drake – “MIA” – OVO Sound/Warner Records
benny blanco, Tainy, Selena Gomez, J Balvin – “I Can’t Get Enough” – NEON16/Friends Keep Secrets/Interscope Records
Daddy Yankee ft. Snow – “Con Calma” – Universal Music Latin Entertainment
Maluma – “Mala Mía” – Sony Music US Latin
ROSALÍA & J Balvin ft. El Guincho – “Con Altura” – Columbia Records
BEST DANCE
The Chainsmokers, Bebe Rexha – “Call You Mine” – Disruptor/Columbia Records
Clean Bandit ft. Demi Lovato – “Solo” – Big Beat/Atlantic Records
DJ Snake ft. Selena Gomez, Ozuna & Cardi B – “Taki Taki” – DJ Snake Music Productions Ltd/Geffen
David Guetta, Bebe Rexha & J Balvin – “Say My Name” – Big Beat/Atlantic Records
Marshmello & Bastille – “Happier” – Capitol Records
Silk City & Dua Lipa ft. Diplo, Mark Ronson – “Electricity” – Columbia Records
BEST ROCK
The 1975 – “Love It If We Made It” – Dirty Hit/Interscope Records
Fall Out Boy – “Bishops Knife Trick” – Island Records
Imagine Dragons – “Natural” – KIDinaKORNER/Interscope Records
Lenny Kravitz – “Low” – BMG Rights Management (UK) Ltd.
Panic! At The Disco – “High Hopes” – Elektra Music Group
twenty one pilots – “My Blood” – Elektra Music Group
VIDEO FOR GOOD
Halsey – “Nightmare” – Capitol Records
The Killers – “Land of the Free” – Island
Jamie N Commons, Skylar Grey ft. Gallant – “Runaway Train” – KIDinaKORNER / Interscope RecordsInterscope Records
John Legend – “Preach” – Columbia Records
Lil Dicky – “Earth” – Dirty Burd, Inc./Commission/BMG
Taylor Swift – “You Need to Calm Down” – Republic Records
BEST DIRECTION
Billie Eilish – “bad guy” – Darkroom/Interscope Records – Directed by Dave Meyers
FKA twigs – “Cellophane” – Young Turks – Directed by Andrew Thomas Huang
Ariana Grande – “thank you, next” – Republic Records – Directed by Hannah Lux Davis
Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – “Old Town Road (Remix)” – Columbia Records – Directed by Calmatic
LSD ft. Labrinth, Sia, Diplo – “No New Friends” – Columbia Records – Directed by Dano Cerny
Taylor Swift – “You Need to Calm Down” – Republic Records – Directed by Drew Kirsch & Taylor Swift
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Billie Eilish – “when the party’s over” – Darkroom/Interscope Records – Visual Effects by Ryan Ross, Andres Jaramillo
FKA twigs – “Cellophane” – Young Turks – Visual Effects by Matt Chandler, Fabio Zaveti for Analog
Ariana Grande – “God is a Woman” – Republic Records – Visual Effects by Fabrice Lagayette, Kristina Prilukova & Rebecca Rice for Mathematic
DJ Khaled ft. SZA – “Just Us” – We The Best/Epic Records – Visual Effects by GloriaFX, Sergii Mashevskyi and Anatolii Kuzmytskyi
LSD ft. Labrinth, Sia, Diplo – “No New Friends” – Columbia Records – Visual Effects by Ethan Chancer
Taylor Swift ft. Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco – “ME!” – Republic Records – Visual Effects by Loris Paillier & Lucas Salton for BUF VFX
BEST EDITING
Anderson .Paak ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Tints” – Aftermath Ent/12 Tone Music – Editing by Vinnie Hobbs
Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – “Old Town Road (Remix)” – Columbia Record – Editing by Calmatic
Billie Eilish – “bad guy” – Darkroom/Interscope Records – Editing by Billie Eilish
Ariana Grande – “7 Rings” – Republic Records – Editing by Hannah Lux Davis & Taylor Walsh
Solange – “Almeda” – Columbia Records – Editing by Solange Knowles, Vinnie Hobbs, Jonathon Proctor
Taylor Swift – “You Need to Calm Down” – Republic Records – Editing by Jarrett Fijal
BEST ART DIRECTION
BTS ft. Halsey – “Boy With Luv” – Columbia Records – Art Direction by JinSil Park, BoNa Kim (MU:E)
Ariana Grande – “7 Rings” – Republic Records – Art Direction by John Richoux
Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – “Old Town Road (Remix)” – Columbia Records – Art Direction by Christian Zollenkopf for Prettybird
Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello – “Señorita” – Island Records – Art Direction by Tatiana Van Sauter
Taylor Swift – “You Need to Calm Down” – Republic Records – Art Direction by Brittany Porter
Kanye West and Lil’ Pump ft. Adele Givens – “I Love It” – Warner Records & Def Jam Music Group – Art Direction by Tino Schaedler
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
FKA twigs – “Cellophane” – Young Turks – Choreography by Kelly Yvonne
ROSALÍA & J Balvin ft. El Guincho – “Con Altura” – Columbia Records – Choreography by Charm La’Donna
LSD ft. Labrinth, Sia, Diplo – “No New Friends” – Columbia Records – Choreography by Ryan Heffington
Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello – “Señorita” – Island Records – Choreography by Calvit Hodge, Sara Biv
Solange – “Almeda” – Columbia Records – Choreography by Maya Taylor, Solange Knowles
BTS ft. Halsey – “Boy With Luv” – Columbia Records – Choreography by
Son Sungdeuk, Quick Crew
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Anderson .Paak ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Tints” – Aftermath Ent/12 Tone Music – Cinematography by Elias Talbot
Billie Eilish – “hostage” – Darkroom/Interscope Records – Cinematography by Pau Castejon
Ariana Grande – “thank you, next” – Republic Records – Cinematography by Christopher Probst
Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello – “Señorita” – Island Records – Cinematography by Scott Cunningham
Solange – “Almeda” – Columbia Records – Cinematography by Chayse Irvin, Ryan Marie Helfant, Justin Hamilton
Taylor Swift ft. Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco – “ME!” – Republic Records – Cinematography by Starr Whitesides
BEST GROUP
BTS
BEST POWER ANTHEM
Megan Thee Stallion ft. Nicki Minaj & Ty Dolla $ign “Hot Girl Summer”
SONG OF THE SUMMER, presented by Samsung
Ariana Grande & Social House – “boyfriend”
