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TARA O’CALLAGHAN 7th Obi, Caz9, Hovay Tara O’Call
aghan may be the newest director on this list, but having garnered so much attention in such a short span of time is testament to her creative vision. A couple of years free of film school in Dun Laoghaire, the director toyed with the idea of animation but decided on film instead. She explains why within the first fifteen seconds of recording. “Me as a person, I’m very fast moving, fast talking. I’m very quick as a person. So, it seemed a bit too slow for me.” Every second word, spoken at a blistering rate, is enunciated with a hand clap. A subconscious action that literally reinforces her words as they’re uttered. Her work, thus far, has seen her direct for Northern Irish hip-hop artist 7th Obi, Dublin electronic-indie act Caz9 and most recently, emerging MC Hovay. An eclectic mix for sure, but one that is tied together with a lofi aesthetic and sometimes faster than life edits. “I wanted to make what I wanted to see, and I hadn’t been seeing that. I didn’t see that in a lot of Irish music videos. There are so many amazing music video directors out there who are doing something new constantly.” O’Callaghan is reluctant to put strict labels on her vision. “I don’t have a style and, in a way, I hope that I never do. I always want to change. I always want to do something different. I don’t subscribe myself to a certain way of thinking because I’d be putting a barrier there in a way. I’m only getting started.” Collaboration is key to the director’s process. She seems uncomfortable with the idea of overstepping her mark, some kind of imagined line. The point at which a video becomes less about complimenting the audio than about satisfying her own vision. She unpacks that approach. “At the end of the day, I’m directing their piece. I don’t want my work to overshadow what their idea of their song is. I want to work quite closely with them and figure out what their vibe is as an artist and what they want to portray.” O’Callaghan treats the role of director as fluid, evolving a video into shape around the concepts the musician already has in mind. It seems like a conducive, ego-free, approach to her artform. More importantly, it seems to be the one that births the best finished product. “You’re always working in a different way with a different person. They always bring something new to the table, something that I hadn’t thought of before. That’s why I really love music videos.” Collaboration is key in a medium that blends two art forms under the auspices of two artists. taraocallaghan.com Hovay’s Karma I don’t have a style and, in a way, I hope that I never do. I always want to change. I always want to do something different. 25