By Robert Goldrich

LOS ANGELES --

Director Chris Milk of @radical/music, the music programming arm of bicoastal/international @radical.media, has garnered a show-leading seven nominations in the 14^th annual Music Video Production Association (MVPA) Awards competition. Most notably Milk is a nominee for not only best director of the year but also for best directorial debut. The latter was earned on the strength of his video for Kanye West’s “All Falls Down.”

    The best director of the year nomination came for three clips: John Mellencamp’s “Walk Tall,” Kanye West’s “Jesus Walks” and Modest Mouse’s “Ocean Breathes Salty.”

Also nominated for the best director honor were Francis Lawrence of DNA, Hollywood; The Saline Project of bicoastal/international HSI Productions; Sophie Muller of Oil Factory, Beverly Hills; and Floria Sigismondi of Revolver Film Company, Toronto.

Sigismondi earned nominee status on the basis of Incubus’ “Talk Show On Mute,” The Cure’s “End of the World” and Living Things’ “I Owe.”

Muller was nominated for Sarah McLachlan’s “World On Fire,” Maroon 5’s “She Will Be Loved” and The Killer’s “Mr. Brightside.”

The Saline Project copped its nomination for Eminem’s “Toy Soldiers,” The Cure’s “Alt. End” and The Hives’ “Two Timing Touch.”

And Lawrence’s directorial nomination came for Gwen Stefani’s “What You Waiting For,” Black Eyed Peas’ “Let’s Get It Started” and Janet Jackson’s “All Nite (Don’t Stop).”

Rounding out Milk’s seven nominations were: John Mellencamp’s “Walk Tall” in the adult contemporary category; Kanye West’s “Jesus Walks” for best hip-hop video; Kanye West’s “All Falls Down” for best direction of a male artist; and Courtney Love’s “Mono” in the rock category, and for best direction of a female artist.

Receiving five nominations apiece were directors Spike Jonze of bicoastal/international MJZ, Oil Factory’s Muller and DNA’s Lawrence.

Among Jonze’s nominations were Bjork’s “Triumph of the Heart” in the international category; Ludacris’ “Get Back” for best direction of a male artist and for best hip hop video; and Yeah Yeah Yeah’s “Y Control” in the alternative music category.

Kanye West also figured prominently. Besides the nominations garnered by videos in which he starred, West also was recognized for his direction of John Legend’s clip for “Ordinary People” in the R&B category. West directs through @radical/music.

On the strength of one video, Beck’s “E-Pro,” helming collective Shynola of The Directors Bureau, Hollywood, received three nominations, for best animated video, best alternative music clip and for best direction of a male artist.

In the cinematography category, Danny Hiele landed two nominations–one for Modest Mouse’s “Ocean Breathes Salty,” the other for Kanye West’s “Jesus Walks.” Director/DP Samuel Bayer of bicoastal RSA USA and its music video sister shop Black Dog Films garnered a cinematography nomination (as well as a nom in the rock category)  for Green Day’s “Boulevard of Broken Dreams.” Other cinematography nominees were DPs Lukas Ettlin for Marilyn Manson’s “Personal Jesus,” and Joe Labisi for Butterfly Boucher’s “Another White Dash.”

The nominees for best editing were: Dustin Robertson of Avid Diva, Venice, Calif., who landed a pair of nods, one for Black Eyed Peas’ “Let’s Get It started,” the other for Gwen Stefani’s “What You Waiting For”; editor Lenny Messina of Brass Knuckles, Venice, for Counting Crows’ “Accidentally In Love”; and cutter David Blackburn of KromA, Los Angeles, for Blink 182’s “Always.”

Two colorists combined to cop the five nominations in the colorist/telecine category. Taking three nominations was colorist Dave Hussey of Company 3, Santa Monica; the remaining two went to Beau Leon of The Syndicate, Santa Monica.

Hussey’s nominations were for: Gwen Stefani’s “What You Waiting For,” Modest Mouse’s “Ocean Breathes Salty,” and Lindsay Lohan’s “Rumors.”  Leon was nominated for Marilyn Manson’s “Personal Juesus” and for Sum 41’s “Pieces.”

For the full list of nominations, visit www.mvpa.com. The winners will be announced and honored during the MVPA Awards gala scheduled for May 12 in Los Angeles.

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