ICYMI, MTV Actually Gave Out Some Professional Awards at the VMAs

Lyndsey Parker
·Editor in Chief, Yahoo Music

The great irony of the MTV Video Music Awards (besides the obvious irony that MTV doesn’t actually play videos, or really any music, anymore) is the fact that the technical awards are not handed out during the on-air ceremony. For instance, you know that Beyoncé won a bunch of Moonmen Sunday night, but did you know that the 2016’s Best Direction award went to Melina Matsoukas for Bey’s “Formation”? Or that original 1984 Video Vanguard honoree David Bowie’s “Blackstar” and “Lazarus” received a combined posthumous four nominations this year?

Of course you didn’t. The Oscars can show four hours of categories like Best Sound Editing for a Short Animated Foreign Film, but MTV can’t even be bothered to put the Best Direction presentation on the air at the VMAs.

Well, let’s right that wrong, shall we? Below are the directors, cinematographers, choreographers, editors, and effects artists that make today’s VMAs superstars look good. And they were really the coolest winners at this year’s awards. Enjoy their work below.

BEST DIRECTION

Beyoncé, “Formation” (Director: Melina Matsoukas)

Also nominated: Adele, “Hello” (Director: Xavier Dolan) / David Bowie, “Lazarus” (Director: Johan Renck) / Coldplay, “Up&Up” (Directors: Vania Heymann and Gal Muggia) / Tame Impala, “The Less I Know the Better” (Director: Canada)

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Coldplay, “Up&Up” (Visual Effects: Vania Heymann and GloriaFX)

Also nominated: Adele, “Send My Love (To Your New Lover)” (Visual Effects: Jonathan Box and MPC) / FKA Twigs, M3LL155X (Visual Effects: Lewis Saunders and Jihoon Yoo), The Weeknd, “Can’t Feel My Face” (Visual Effects: Louis Mackall and T.J. Burke) / Zayn, “Pillowtalk” (Visual Effects: David Smith)

BEST ART DIRECTION

David Bowie, “Blackstar” (Art Director: Jan Houllevigue)

Also nominated: Adele, “Hello” (Art Director: Colombe Raby) / Beyoncé, “Hold Up” (Art Director: Jason Hougaard) / Drake, “Hotline Bling” (Art Director: Jeremy MacFarlane) / Fergie, “M.I.L.F. $” (Art Director: Alexander Delgado)

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY

Beyoncé, “Formation” (Choreographers: Chris Grant, JaQuel Knight, and Dana Foglia)

Also nominated: Beyoncé, “Sorry” (Choreographers: Chris Grant, JaQuel Knight, Dana Foglia, Anthony Burrell & Beyoncé Knowles Carter) / Missy Elliott (featuring Pharrell), “WTF (Where They From)” (Choreographer: Hi-Hat) / FKA Twigs, M3LL155X (Choreographer: Aaron Sillis, Benjamin Milan, Kenrick Sandy and FKA Twigs) / Florence + The Machine, “Delilah” (Choreographer: Holly Blakey)

BEST EDITING

Beyoncé, “Formation” (Editor: Jeff Selis)

Also nominated: Adele, “Hello” (Editor: Xavier Dolan) / David Bowie, “Lazarus” (Editor: Johan Söderberg) / Fergie, “M.I.L.F. $” (Editor: Vinnie Hobbs) / Ariana Grande, “Into You” (Editor: Hannah Lux Davis)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Beyoncé, “Formation” (Director of Photography: Malik Sayeed)

Also nominated: Adele, “Hello” (Director of Photography: André Turpin) / Alesso, “I Wanna Know” (Director of Photography: Corey Jennings) / David Bowie, “Lazarus” (Director of Photography: Crille Forsberg) / Ariana Grande, “Into You” (Director of Photography: Paul Laufer)