Paul Hunter (director)
Paul Hunter is an American film director, screenwriter, and music video director. He has directed over 100 music videos, television advertisements and is most recognized for Nike's Freestyle commercial.
Alongside Kerstin Emhoff, the renowned director is also the co-founder of PRETTYBIRD, a creative think tank that provides clients with distinct visionary work across an ever-evolving entertainment and branding landscape. The company is responsible for some of the most high-profile and internationally renowned work in the past decade which has picked up multiple awards including Grammys, Emmys, D&AD Awards, Cannes Lions & Grand Prix, Clio’s and MTV Video Music Awards – in addition to them being
named Creativity’s 2015 Production Company of the Year.
Hunter graduated from Cal State Northridge with a degree in Radio, TV & Film.
Hunter's directed the music video of Michael Jackson's come-back single, 'You Rock My World' and the award-winning "Lady Marmalade" video for the soundtrack to the film Moulin Rouge!. In addition, Hunter has worked with musical artists including Whitney Houston, Aaliyah, Pharrell, Dr. Dre, TLC, Tyrese Gibson, Beyoncé, LL Cool J, Justin Timberlake, Lenny Kravitz, Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, and Michael Jackson. Some of his most memorable projects include The Notorious B.I.G.’s “Hypnotize”, D’Angelo’s “How Does It Feel?” and Christina Aguilera’s “Lady Marmalade”. Hunter has also worked with legendary artists including Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Madonna, U2, Justin Timberlake, Will Smith, Gwen Stefani, Marilyn Manson, Lenny Kravitz and Jennifer Lopez. Most recently, his video for Pharrell’s “Freedom” was nominated for Best Music Video at the 58th annual Grammy Awards.
Hunter made his feature-length directorial debut with Bulletproof Monk, starring Chow Yun Fat and Seann William Scott.
Selected music video credits
| Year | Artist | Song | Notes |
| 1996 | Twinz | "Eastside LB" | |
| 1996 | Keith Sweat | "Twisted" | |
| 1996 | Keith Sweat | "Nobody" | |
| 1996 | Keith Sweat | "Just a Touch" | |
| 1996 | Snoop Dogg | "Santa Claus Goes Straight to the Ghetto" | |
| 1996 | Aaliyah | "One in a Million" | |
| 1996 | Aaliyah | "Got to Give It Up" | |
| 1996 | Erykah Badu | "On & On" | |
| 1997 | Aaliyah | "One in a Million" | Video features singers Ginuwine, Missy Elliott, and producer Timbaland |
| 1997 | Snoop Dogg | "Vapors" | |
| 1997 | Whitney Houston | "Step by Step" | |
| 1997 | Zhané | "Request Line" | |
| 1997 | Warren G | "I Shot the Sheriff" | |
| 1997 | Heavy D | "Big Daddy" | |
| 1997 | Adriana Evans | "Seein' Is Believing" | |
| 1997 | Mary J. Blige and Nas | "Love Is All We Need" | |
| 1997 | Brownstone | "5 Miles to Empty" | |
| 1997 | Scarface featuring Makaveli and Johnny P | "Smile" | |
| 1997 | Lauryn Hill | "The Sweetest Thing" | |
| 1997 | Blackstreet featuring Ol' Dirty Bastard, Slash, and Fishbone | "Fix" | |
| 1997 | Tamia | "Make Tonight Beautiful" | |
| 1997 | Mariah Carey | "Honey" | |
| 1997 | Mariah Carey featuring Puff Daddy, The Lox, and Mase | "Honey" | |
| 1997 | Puff Daddy featuring Mase | "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" | |
| 1997 | Puff Daddy featuring The Lox and Lil' Kim | "It's All About the Benjamins" | |
| 1997 | Puff Daddy featuring The Notorious B.I.G. and Mase | "Been Around the World" | |
| 1997 | The Notorious B.I.G. | "Hypnotize" | |
| 1997 | LL Cool J | "Phenomenon" | |
| 1997 | Boyz II Men | "4 Seasons of Loneliness" | |
| 1997 | Mack 10 featuring Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube | "Only in California" | |
| 1997 | Salt-N-Pepa | "Gitty Up" | |
| 1998 | Jermaine Dupri featuring Da Brat and Usher | "The Party Continues" | |
| 1998 | Queen Latifah | "Paper" | |
| 1998 | LL Cool J | "Hot Hot Hot" | |
| 1998 | Joydrop | "Beautiful" | |
| 1998 | Babyface | "You Were There" | |
| 1998 | Brandy featuring Mase | "Top of the World" | |
| 1998 | Boyz II Men | "Can't Let Her Go" | |
| 1998 | Tamia | "Imagination" | |
| 1998 | Ice Cube | "We Be Clubbin'" | |
| 1998 | LSG featuring LL Cool J, Busta Rhymes, and MC Lyte | "Curious" | |
| 1998 | Janet Jackson | "I Get Lonely" | |
| 1998 | Janet Jackson featuring Blackstreet | "I Get Lonely" | |
| 1998 | Busta Rhymes | "Turn It Up /Fire It Up" | |
| 1998 | Usher | "My Way" | |
| 1998 | Missy Elliott featuring Timbaland and Mocha | "Hit Em wit da Hee" | |
| 1998 | Marilyn Manson | "The Dope Show" | |
| 1998 | Marilyn Manson | "I Don't Like the Drugs " | |
| 1998 | Everclear | "Father of Mine" | |
| 1998 | A Tribe Called Quest | "Find a Way" | |
| 1998 | Hole | "Malibu" | |
| 1998 | Lenny Kravitz | "Fly Away" | |
| 1999 | Faith Evans featuring Puff Daddy | "All Night Long" | |
| 1999 | Warren G featuring Mack 10 | "I Want It All" | |
| 1999 | Keith Sweat | "I'm Not Ready" | |
| 1999 | Matchbox Twenty | "Back 2 Good" | |
| 1999 | Will Smith featuring Dru Hill and Kool Moe Dee | "Wild Wild West" | |
| 1999 | Jennifer Lopez | "If You Had My Love" | |
| 1999 | Lenny Kravitz | "American Woman" | |
| 1999 | Enrique Iglesias | "Bailamos" | |
| 1999 | TLC | "Unpretty" | |
| 1999 | Puff Daddy featuring Mario Winans | "Best Friend" | |
| 1999 | D'Angelo | "Untitled " | |
| 2000 | Jennifer Lopez featuring Big Pun and Fat Joe | "Feelin' So Good" | |
| 2000 | Will Smith | "Freakin' It" | |
| 2000 | Brian McKnight | "Stay or Let It Go" | |
| 2000 | Kelis | "Get Along with You" | |
| 2000 | Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Dogg | "The Next Episode" | |
| 2000 | Kina | "Girl from the Gutter" | |
| 2000 | Eminem | "The Way I Am" | |
| 2000 | Christina Aguilera | "Come On Over Baby " | |
| 2000 | Lenny Kravitz | "Again" | |
| 2000 | Deftones | "Back to School " | |
| 2000 | Tamia | "Stranger in My House" | |
| 2000 | A Perfect Circle | "3 Libras" | |
| 2000 | Faith Hill | "Where Are You, Christmas?" | |
| 2000 | Jennifer Lopez | "Love Don't Cost a Thing" | |
| 2001 | Jay-Z featuring R. Kelly | "Guilty Until Proven Innocent" | |
| 2001 | Aaliyah | "We Need a Resolution" | |
| 2001 | Christina Aguilera, Mýa, Lil' Kim, and P!nk | "Lady Marmalade" | |
| 2001 | Nikka Costa | "Like a Feather" | |
| 2001 | Sunshine Anderson | "Lunch or Dinner" | |
| 2001 | Michael Jackson | "You Rock My World" | Video features actors Marlon Brando, Chris Tucker, Michael Madsen, Billy Drago and introducing Kishaya Dudley |
| 2002 | Thalía | "Tú y Yo" | |
| 2003 | Eminem | "Superman" | |
| 2003 | Britney Spears featuring Madonna | "Me Against the Music" | |
| 2003 | Justin Timberlake | "Señorita" | |
| 2003 | Justin Timberlake | "I'm Lovin' It" | |
| 2003 | Tamia | "Officially Missing You" | |
| 2003 | Ashanti | "Rock wit U " | |
| 2003 | Joe Budden featuring Busta Rhymes | "Fire " | |
| 2003 | Mýa | "My Love Is Like...Wo" | |
| 2003 | Tyrese | "Signs of Love Making" | |
| 2003 | Pharrell featuring Jay-Z | "Frontin'" | Video features models Lanisha Cole and Lauren London |
| 2004 | N.E.R.D | "Maybe" | |
| 2004 | Van Hunt | "Down Here in Hell " | |
| 2004 | Mos Def | "Sex, Love & Money" | |
| 2004 | Snoop Dogg featuring Pharrell | "Drop It Like It's Hot | |
| 2005 | Snoop Dogg featuring Pharrell | "Let's Get Blown" | |
| 2005 | Snoop Dogg featuring Charlie Wilson and Justin Timberlake | "Signs" | |
| 2005 | Gwen Stefani | "Hollaback Girl" | |
| 2005 | Will Smith | "Switch" | |
| 2005 | Will Smith | "Party Starter" | |
| 2005 | The Pussycat Dolls featuring Busta Rhymes | "Don't Cha" | |
| 2005 | Stevie Wonder | "So What the Fuss" | |
| 2005 | Common | "Be" | |
| 2005 | Pharrell featuring Gwen Stefani | "Can I Have It Like That" | |
| 2005 | Warren G featuring Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, and B-Real | "Get U Down" | |
| 2005 | Mariah Carey | "Don't Forget About Us" | |
| 2006 | Mariah Carey featuring Snoop Dogg | "Say Somethin'" | |
| 2006 | Jamie Foxx featuring Twista | "DJ Play a Love Song" | |
| 2006 | Jamie Foxx | "Extravaganza" | |
| 2006 | Mary J. Blige featuring U2 | "One" | |
| 2006 | Luke and Q | "My Turn" | |
| 2006 | Outkast | "Idlewild Blue " | |
| 2006 | Warren G featuring Nate Dogg | "I Need a Light" | |
| 2006 | Justin Timberlake featuring T.I. | "My Love" | |
| 2007 | Nicole Scherzinger | "Whatever U Like" | |
| 2009 | Chester French | "She Loves Everybody" | |
| 2009 | Mishon | "Just a Kiss" | |
| 2009 | Jeremih | "Birthday Sex" | |
| 2009 | Keri Hilson | "Slow Dance" | |
| 2009 | The All-American Rejects | "I Wanna" | |
| 2009 | Snoop Dogg featuring The-Dream | "Gangsta Luv" | |
| 2010 | Kesha | "Take It Off" | Co-directed by Dori Oskowitz |
| 2010 | Maroon 5 | "Give a Little More" | |
| 2010 | N.E.R.D | "Hypnotize U" | |
| 2011 | Lenny Kravitz | "Stand" | |
| 2011 | Nicole Scherzinger | "Right There" | |
| 2011 | Jennifer Lopez | "Papi" | |
| 2012 | Jennifer Lopez featuring Pitbull | "Dance Again" | |
| 2015 | Tyrese | "Shame" | |
| 2015 | Pharrell | "Freedom" | |
| 2018 | Justin Timberlake | "Man of the Woods" |
Awards
Commercials
- 2010 - London International Advertising Awards - Bronze Television/Cinema/ Digital/Web/Mobile - Axe: "Destiny"
- 2010 - Cannes Lion International Festival of Creativity - Bronze Award: Product & Service/Cosmetics & Beauty - Axe: "Destiny"
- 2013 - Samsung Galaxy Note 3 TV Commercial / Digital Short Film
Music videos
- 2007 - MVPA Awards - Best Direction of a Male Artist - Justin Timberlake: "My Love"
- 2006 - MVPA Awards - R&B Video of the Year - Stevie Wonder: "So What the Fuss"
- 2002 - MVPA Awards - Hollywood Digital Award for Rap Video of the Year - Jay-Z: "Guilty Until Proven Innocent"
- 2001 - MTV Video Music Awards - Best Video of the Year and Best Video From a Film - Mya, Pink, Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim: "Lady Marmalade"
- 2000 - MVPA Awards - Best Direction of a Male Video - D'Angelo: "Untitled "
- 1999 - MTV Video Music Awards - Best Cinematography in a Video - Marilyn Manson: "The Dope Show"
- 1999 - MVPA Awards - Rock Video of the Year and Best Direction of a Music Video - Marilyn Manson: "The Dope Show"
- 1997 - MTV Video Music Awards - Best Rap Video - The Notorious B.I.G.: "Hypnotize"
- 1997 - MVPA Awards - Best Urban/R&B Video - Erykah Badu: "On & On"