Sam Smith's Viral Music Video "Unholy" Nominated at MTV Awards

Aug. 12, 2023

BIPOC-owned production company Scheme Engine is thrilled to announce that Sam Smith’s viral music video "Unholy" has been nominated at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards in an impressive five categories. Since making its global broadcast premiere on MTV Live in October last year, the music video has amassed over 200 million views on YouTube and has over 1 billion Spotify streams.

The five categories in which "Unholy" has been nominated include Video of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Direction, Best Visual Effects, and Best Choreography. Fans can vote for their favourite nominees at the MTV page here ahead of the awards ceremony on 12th September 2023.

Helmed by world-renowned director Floria Sigismondi, through Scheme Engine, and shot in London with UK production company Just Fred, the theatrical four-minute film is a modern retelling of the spectacle of cabaret where Sam Smith stars as the singing MC and Kim Petras as a sensual dancer in a lustful extravaganza of costume, dance, and sexual power. 

With cameos by Gottmik and Violet Chachki from "RuPaul's Drag Race" and porn star Paddy O'Brian, the provocative film follows a husband who ducks out on his wife and sneaks off to his favourite sex club cabaret, where he soon finds his guilty pleasures revealed in a very public manner. 

Influenced by her upbringing around the theatrical and the avant-garde, multidisciplinary director Floria’s trademark cinematic style is notable throughout the video, drawing from her experiences in the performing arts to craft the rich and exaggerated visuals.

Choreographed by French dance collective (LA)HORDE, which is also nominated in the Best Choreography category, the seductive music video is a visual feast led by a diverse and queer cast. 

The wave of nominations is the latest in a stellar round up of accolades this year for Scheme Engine. In addition to its music videos, the company has also been recognised for its commercials and features at top awards shows including Cannes, The One Show, Clios, D&ADs, Webbys and Grammys - often for work with a positive social or economic impact.  

Jannie McInnes, executive producer at Scheme Engine, speaks on the exciting nominations:

"Floria has been making iconic work for artists for decades and she inspires incredible collaboration.  With “Unholy”, the calibre of talent across the board, in every department, creative and technical was insanely high. Our cast embodied the bounty of this creative energy so perfectly.” 

 

Floria Sigismondi, director, commented:

"We had so much fun. It was important to Sam that we set a joyous environment for the video to unfold in, and it was. People got to shine as themselves, we just added pearls and latex. I recall this BTS moment with the whole elaborately decked out cast at the pub next to our location, ready for their wardrobe checks. It was a beautiful tableaux of humanity that made me feel grateful to witness."