Video director Eugene Lee Yang, aka Ely, found himself so enamored with the music and messages of rising star Marina and the Diamonds that he decided to create a megamix music video all on his own. What differentiates this from other fan projects, however, is the astonishing production values Yang threw behind the project. Featuring a full cast of actors and dancers, elaborate costuming, and studio-quality stage sets, “I Am Not a Princess” uses a ten-minute edit of tracks from Marina’s debut album, The Family Jewels, to create a stunning storybook world populated by colorful (and familiar) characters.
As Yang explains, “My fairy tale dream was this: to produce and direct my ideal music video with no limitations…to allow a spectacular young cast and crew to perform solely off their own creativity…to encourage and embrace diversity on film…to direct a project both my grandmother and little sister could love and understand…and, if anything, to promote a new artist who sincerely deserves more international attention.”
Yang initially made waves on online last year with another spec video he created, that time for a mash-up of Lady Gaga’s “Boys Boys Boys” and “Fashion,” which you can see here.