We are at a time when art and entertainment manipulate society and the next generations systematically but, also, we believe that these days, art has moved away from the manipulative purpose to involve social engagement and political motives. Doomsday Entertainment is a production company founded by Danielle Hinde in 2010 and this is why we are hopeful about today's art. Danielle Hinde has overseen groundbreaking and award-winning videos for Marvin Gaye, David Guetta, Katy Perry, Justin Bieber, Childish Gambino, One Republic, J. Lo, and hundreds more. She produced many culture-reset music videos like This Is America and according to Danielle Hinde, the success of these videos is a direct result of combining the right director with an artist — together they can tell a powerful story through the music. Being outspoken through art is her priority because she is passionate about speaking about social issues. We see the reflection of this with the projects and the people she worked with. Recently, she produced a music video premiere by FKA Twigs, "Sad Day," and Nike’s ‘You Can’t Stop Our Voice’ campaign, which was directed by Hiro Murai. We talked Danielle Hinde about Doomsday’s latest projects and the role of politics in music videos. Please read our exclusive interview below to learn more about her and Doomsday Entertainment.

Where are you based?
In the Arts District in Downtown LA.

You launched Doomsday 10 years ago. What inspired you to launch the company and what is the ethos of your company?
I came up in the world of music videos in the early 2000’s. “Back then,” there were mostly big corporate production companies with a rolodex of directors churning out work left and right. While it was certainly a fun time for music videos, I always felt like the human connection was lost in the flurry. When I decided to start my own company in 2010, I wanted to create a culture that was more family based – back to our roots, if you will. There’s a sense of personal responsibility that I feel for each of my directors, and I make it a priority to invest a level of care and interest in each one...so much so that over the years I’ve been given the moniker “Mama D,” and I wear it proudly. When you work closely with someone for a long period of time, I think it’s important to understand them like you would a close friend or family member. I am most successful when I am able to align myself with their goals and vision, both in a creative sense and a human one.

Doomsday, what a name! Can you tell us a little bit about why you decided on this name?
I used to compete in a lot of endurance sports, and years ago my Ironman coach nicknamed me “Doom” (*spoiler alert* I have a lot of nicknames). The name fully cemented when I broke my shoulder three weeks before one of my Ironman races and I completed the race with one arm. When deciding on a company name, I wanted something personal and reflective of my core values. For me, “Doomsday” embodies resilience and grit. These days it feels a bit too on the nose, but the same message applies.

L-R: Hiro Murai, Danielle Hinde, Donald Glover

Jejune loves that you produced Nike’s ‘You Can’t Stop Our Voice’ campaign. Why was this important for you to be a part of?
We’ve always been cautious about the content we produce and the types of messaging it promotes to the world. I think it goes without saying, but this has been especially true in 2020. It’s definitely our priority to ensure we’re creating content and partnering with agencies/brands that we can stand by, and not just something that will sell products. When we first started working with our friends at Wieden+Kennedy, it became clear that we shared the same core beliefs and values when it came to our work, and we’ve been very fortunate to have a longstanding relationship with them ever since. From a brand perspective, Nike has consistently led the charge with how to successfully communicate difficult topics in their messaging, so when we had the opportunity to partner with both W+K and Nike to combat the issue of voter suppression in 2020 America, there was no question for us.

What are your thoughts on brands using their platform to be political?
Like most things in life, it can be a hit or a miss. Some get it right and some get it horribly wrong. We’ve passed on many projects that we felt were inconsistent, socially negligible, or attempting to co-opt a space that it didn’t belong in. Like an old-timey whiskey your very white grandpa would drink attempting to make a spot about BLM–that level of cringe and lack of awareness is something we actively avoid. While these issues are extremely important and deserve the public’s attention, it’s equally important to show care and respect for where the messaging is coming from. That shouldn’t discourage brands (or people) from continuing to fight the good fight – donate, educate yourself, listen, show compassion – but please don’t appropriate a very important moment in history to sell your shitty whiskey! Advertising has a massive reach, and the power it yields over the masses is undeniable. Now more than ever it is so important to use that power responsibly.

You recently had a music video premiere by FKA Twigs, "Sad Day," which was directed by Hiro Murai, the same director behind "This Is America." How was the filming process? Can you talk about this music video a little bit?
The minute I met Hiro it was clear he had some pretty incredible ideas. I have cherished watching him take those ideas and running with them full steam ahead. “Sad Day” was no different. It started with a concept he and Twigs developed together and very rapidly blossomed into the unique and artful film it is today. Once it received the green light, our team was on a plane to London and wrapped filming the same week.

Twigs began training in the Chinese martial art of Wushu under the guidance of Master Wu of the Shaolin Wushu Centre for the music video ''Sad Day''. How do you see the dance and fight scenes in terms of virality? Do you think it plays an important role?
Twigs is such an incredible artist for so many reasons – her repertoire and talent is as vast as it gets – everything she does has an element of virality to it because there really isn’t another artist or person like her. As a former dancer myself, I’ve always appreciated how Twigs is able to infuse her dance background into her work, and that includes her unique fighting style shown in “Sad Day”. There’s something very beautiful and haunting about her artistry, and it’s a privilege to witness.

Watching your music videos is like watching a stunning movie. There is a storyline and incredible visuals! Can you tell us why this is so important to you?
I grew up in the school of Gondry–he is the reason I got into music videos and worked at Partizan in the first place. I love how his videos stand-alone from each other and are rooted in his camera work and practical ideas. His execution was always flawless. Even without budgets or Alexas, the execution was always focused on the idea and little else. When I taught at USC, I would always tell my students that if your ideas are solid then your work will speak for itself – don’t get caught up on having the best equipment money can buy, good budgets will come later. I like making videos that are little movies, since that’s all what we hope to make one day right? Performance videos were never really my bread and butter; I would much rather partner the right director with an artist, and see them tell a story through the music.

Your company has some music videos extremely political with hidden details. How do you examine the role of politics in music videos yesterday, today, and tomorrow?
In my life and in my career, I’ve always been very passionate about social justice issues. Because of that, I am very mindful about working with filmmakers and clients who are aligned in those same issues. I recognize that music video is an incredibly influential form of content, maybe even the most influential in terms of universal reach. The artist and production team have a massive responsibility to reach people (specifically younger generations) in an influential and productive way. I remember watching Rock the Vote on MTV in my younger years, and it was the first time I remember feeling engaged with politics and social issues. Now that we don’t have those programs anymore, Gen-Z relies on the short form content they engage with online to share that type of messaging. I have a teenage niece on the east coast who still talks to me about how important “This Is America” is to her generation, and that it’s come to represent an anthem for the future. I don’t think you could ask for anything better than that!

How do you choose which projects are right for you?
When we were first starting out, we were young and excited and wanted to say yes to everything for the sake of creating. As we grew and developed as a company (in our “older age”), however, we’ve definitely become more selective with the projects we engage in. We put a lot of love and energy into our work because it’s an extension of who we are personally, so we are definitely careful about what we sign on to. We want to make sure the work we produce is something important and will send the right message. We’re weirdos, there’s no question about that, so we tend to gravitate towards artists/clients who aren’t afraid to get a little weird too–and who also understand the importance of using their platform for good, never evil. We just don’t like to keep making the same ol’ thing.

Your music videos were so successful and break into the cultural zeitgeist and have a deeper meaning. We think that it engages in cultural conversations genuinely. What is the secret of that?
I don’t know if there is a secret, per say, but we always look to disrupt the space however we can, and that requires working with partners who feel the same way. You can’t be risk-averse at Doomsday, and we do our best to make sure everyone is on the same page before we start working on a project. We love to whisper, “you ready to get weird, my guy?” in our client’s ear before a shoot.

One of your most famous projects is obviously This Is America. What does the music video mean to you? Did you ever expect that massive reception?
I don’t think anyone could have anticipated the response we received from TIA. I feel immense pride and gratitude for having association with any project that carries impact and starts important conversations, but TIA really blew all of us away and we’re very humbled and inspired by the whole experience. All credit belongs to Donald and Hiro, we’re just happy to help facilitate their vision.

A lot of bigger names have previously felt scared to speak out on political issues. Have you ever had problems with this? Why is being outspoken through art important to you?
I have been known to have a very large moral compass, and often wave it around when the situation presents itself, so I don’t mind speaking out on issues that are important to me or when I see something crooked going down. Everything is so public these days, so I think it’s hard for people to voice their opinion for fear of backlash. We are living in a very polarized and divisive time–it’s very challenging to engage in any type of civil discourse without swift and violent retaliation, but we must work together and learn how to grow from this darkness in order to survive. Exploring these social issues through art is more digestible and subjective. Art opens itself up for interpretation and starts conversations that people can pull inspiration from. If our work is able to help guide people towards a more productive direction, then I can retire happy.

Finding and cultivating young talent is so difficult. How do you deal with it?
That is the piece of the puzzle that excites me the most. I love working with emerging filmmakers because they have this insatiable work ethic and drive that is unparalleled. I have always enjoyed sniffing out talent from an early age and cultivating them over time. I started working with Hiro when he was still in film school. Not to toot my own horn, but I think I’ve always had an eye for spotting other people’s talent and believing in it wholeheartedly–it’s talent symbiosis! I never enter into a relationship with a director with too many expectations, which is why I am still surprised by their abilities to this day. The only things I do expect from all of our directors is humility and respect for their crew; the overall experience can only truly be successful when those two things happen. Before I sign a new director, I do a bit of vetting to suss out what type of human they are–I really have no patience for ego or flexing. We make music videos, we aren’t curing COVID-19.

You put your creative development before your company’s profits. Is it hard to balance it? Did this motto always bring you success?
It definitely is a tough business model, but I am a big believer in Essentialism. I know when to say NO and not regret the decision after. I just have to believe in the process. This wasn’t always the case, but over the years I have learned when something requires my full attention, and when it’s OK to let go. I know that I can’t spread myself too thin, because I would rather do one important thing really well than doing a bunch of less important things sub-par. Would it be nice to have a house in Malibu living off the profits of high-paying car commercials? Probably! But that’s not why I got into this game (and I must say, I love the game).

What’s next for Doomsday? Do you have anything coming out soon relating to the current times?
We have a lot of work coming out at the end of this year (and what a year it’s been), and we’re really excited to start focusing more attention on some longer-form content in 2021 (it’s a surprise!). But really, we are very grateful to have made it out of this year alive. We are so fortunate to enter 2021 with our doors open and doing what we love the most.

How has COVID changed your approach or impacted your production?
It has been a complete game changer. As soon as the shutdown commenced, my team and I hit the ground running and spent months developing safety guidelines and collaborating with colleagues in order to ensure a strong return to work. From day one, we took the shutdown and the risks it posed to our industry very seriously. We didn’t know when we would be back, but when the time came, I knew I wanted to treat and protect the crew as if they were my own family. We were the third production to shoot in LA following the shutdown, and it really felt like all eyes were on us! We made safety the priority and received glowing reviews from all of the unions, none of which we could’ve done without the incredible teamwork of our crew. Since then, we’ve become totally dialed in–at this point it all seems very commonplace. The normalcy of it all feels alarming sometimes, but it’s really a testament to our incredible production community and the resiliency they possess, a characteristic I am forever in awe of.

How are you staying positive during a shelter in place?
I am very fortunate to have a healthy family and cozy place to call home – I don’t think I realized how much quality time I was missing until it became my entire existence. My three year old has spent more time with her two work-obsessed parents than ever before, and that has been huge for her development and emotional health (and ours too, really). As difficult as this year has been, learning how to surrender to the unknown has been very eye-opening for me, and it’s helped me to slow down and reconnect with my family. I think it’s easy to forget how little we need to exist and find happiness in basic things we might otherwise overlook or take for granted. It’s been a definite reset--I didn’t realize how much we all needed that as humans until now.

What is your motto in life?
This was the quote in my high school yearbook, and it still holds up today: “Greet the dawn with a breath of fire.” From my favorite movie Harold and Maude.

To learn more about Doomsday Entertainment and Danielle Hinde, please follow her via the below platforms:
http://www.doomsdayent.com
Instagram: @doomsdayent

Being Outspoken Through Art With Doomsday Entertainment