EnergaCamerimage, the cinematography-based film festival, will honor filmmaker and director Colin Tilley with its Achievement in Music Videos Award at its 29th edition, which will take place in Torun, Poland, on November 13 – 20, 2021.
Tilley, CEO and owner of Boy in the Castle Productions, is a self-taught Bay Area filmmaker who began his directorial career shooting and editing music videos for local rappers at age 19. He eventually gained industry attention and moved south to Los Angeles, where he had access to a new level of talent.
Artists for whom Tilley has written and directed music videos include Kendrick Lamar, Justin Bieber, Chris Brown, Nicki Minaj, Enrique Iglesias, Zendaya, Justin Timberlake, 50 Cent, Usher, Rita Ora, Cheryl Cole, Wiz Khalifa and The Band Perry. He directed and produced his first short film, “Mr. Happy,” starring Chance the Rapper, in 2014 and has also directed commercials for Reebok, YSL, Fresh Empire, Beats by Dre, and Minaj’s perfume Pink Friday.
Tilley’s “Alright” music video for Lamar was nominated for Music Video of the Year for the 2016 Grammys. It also won the Video of the Year Award at Camerimage and Best Direction at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards.
In addition, Tilley won Video of the Year at the 2011 BET Awards for Chris Brown’s “Look at Me Now,” Best Male Video at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards for Justin Bieber’s “U Smile,” and Best Hip Hop Video at the 2015 Video Music Awards for Minaj’s “Anaconda.”
Most recently, Tilley directed “If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power,” a concept feature film starring Halsey and scored by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, with costumes by Vivian Westwood.
In addition to receiving his award at this year’s Camerimage, Tilley will also sit on the jury of the fest’s music video competition.
