Comprised of filmmakers Alex Lee and Kyle Wightman, BRTHR mashes up vibrant pop culture with an infectious, unique, energetic style, integrating cinematic moments with visual effects, 3D and distinctive editing. Already a formidable force with a prolific reel and growing body of work, BRTHR has directed acclaimed music videos for Travis Scott, the Weeknd, Iggy Azalea, Miley Cyrus and Charli XCX, among others. Their visual style and scope of filmmaking is further enhanced by their abilities off camera, with the majority of their work having been shot, edited, colored and animated by their own hands.
Started in 2008, Vimeo’s Staff Pick program celebrates and awards creators who have challenged the status quo and ushered in a new vision for what video can do. Hand-selected by Vimeo’s curation team, the Staff Pick designation is a badge of honor for the creative community on Vimeo and spotlights the best short films on the internet. Generation Vimeo, Staff Pick’s 15-year anniversary campaign, invited 15 members of the Staff Picks community to curate video playlists, called Staff Pick Mixtapes, of their favorite Staff Picked Films – offering a special glimpse into the perspective of a community that celebrates the impact of boundary-pushing work and the power of video to inspire and enhance storytelling. In the last Staff Pick Mixtape being shared exclusively on Talkhouse, directing duo BRTHR dig through the Vimeo crates for six favorites from the past decade and a half.
M.I.A – “Bad Girls” by Romain Gavras
Point blank, this is the greatest performance music video of all time. It’s been 10 years and no one has topped it, nor do we think it will ever be topped. You couldn’t emulate/recreate this video even if you tried, and we love that.
POCKETS by Daniels
For filmmakers like us who started in the 2010s, we already knew the genius that is the directing duo the Daniels. This short film feels way ahead of its time. It may not have the production value of Everything Everywhere All at Once, but it absolutely showcases the Daniels’ style of filmmaking, along with their ability to make insane comic book-esque ideas come to life.
Grimes – “Oblivion” by Emily Kai Bock
One of our favorites of all time, it deserves a Staff Pick! The exploration of Grimes’ character, upbeat dreamy pop music, monster trucks and jocks — it’s a perfect performance video.
SHAPES by Elliott Sellers
This is somewhat of a deep cut, but this is another abstract video that feels ahead of its time. Even to this day, this lives up to the present and is a fun watch, especially for those who appreciate free-flowing editorial.
BATTLES – “My Machines” by Daniels
If we’re celebrating Vimeo, we need to celebrate another Vimeo classic by the Daniels.
MGMT – “Cool Song No. 2″ by Isaiah Seret
We love filmmakers who can create a distinct vibe. We don’t actually know why we like this video so much, but there’s something mysterious and magical in that. RIP Michael K. Williams.
