Kailee McGee

My Idea - YACHT

It’s a painful process being an idea waiting to be brought to life, waiting to become real. Many ideas never make it. With this music video, I dared myself to express the messy, surreal experience of my own creative process — the confusion of discovering My Idea’s meaning amidst the human day-to-day, the responsibility of bringing My Idea to life, and the magic of discovering that somehow, all along, some ideas know exactly who they are meant to be.

Synopsis:
A motion capture actor struggles to reconcile his identity with the unrecognizable version of himself he portrays onscreen.

Starring:
Alex Karpovsky, Claire L. Evans, Jona Bechtolt, Rob Kieswetter, Kailee McGee

Available on Vimeo
Also available on Youtube

Offical Selection SXSW 2024

Artist: YACHT
Music Video
Runtime: 6 minutes
2023

Who I Am - Dresage

We all clash with our identities on our journeys towards self-actualization, balance, acceptance, and authenticity. It’s tricky to be an artist especially in today’s digital daze of infinite scrolling ripe with comparisons. Terror Nights / Terror Days is Dresage’s debut EP, a coming-of-age album about the struggle and beauty of making art.

I wanted to create a vulnerable debut music video that captured the dualities that haunt the never-ending quest to figure out, “How do I become the person I was always meant to be?”

Available on Vimeo
Also available on Youtube

Artist: Dresage
Music Video
Runtime: 4 minutes
2020

Partied to Death - Whitmer Thomas

“Partied to Death” is the single of Whitmer Thomas’ comedy music album, The Golden One, which was released on Hardly Art alongside his HBO/A24 one hour comedy special of the same name. All of Whit’s songs are autobiographical and intimate. This song is about how Whit’s mom was an alcoholic and literally partied to death. It’s emotional, vulnerable, groovy, and somehow fun even though the content is intense and sad.

I wanted to create a vibrant, surreal, funny, and strange music video — contrasting ugliness and beauty, youth and maturity, glam and grunge. I set out to explore the connection between the artist and the audience — the mysteries of attraction and how long ago heartache often remains part of our present.

One of Vulture’s favorite videos of February
Special program official slection Vienna Shorts 2020

Available on Vimeo
Also available on Youtube

Artist: Whitmer Thomas
Music Video
Runtime: 04:25
2020

All the Time - French Vanilla

We are constantly haunted by the unspoken pressure to develop and expand our personas on social media, personal websites, and dating profiles. We are addicted to our devices. We are hooked on consuming content. And, we are obsessed with connecting always — compulsively attempting to translate our real lives to idyllic digital selves. The desire to self-actualize through creating the perfect, curated public persona is very real. And, it’s bizarre, scary, and kind of sad. All the time, we are faking, pushing, and projecting — living our lives through a filtered lens and trying hard to show our friends, family, possible clients, and potential lovers that we are valuable, busy, relevant, and special. But, maybe the person we are trying the hardest to impress is ourselves.

I wanted to create a music video for “All the Time” that blurred the line between lived reality and digital fantasy while highlighting French Vanilla’s infectious energy and enthusiasm. I used the circle as a device to define this abstract world and to transport us through different realities and lenses. And, I wonder: do we try to make other people fall in love with us, so we can finally fall in love with ourselves?

Premiered on Stereogum
Available on Vimeo
Also available on Youtube

Artist: French Vanilla
Music Video
Runtime: 02:48
2019

Shame - YACHT

Everyone is faking it to an extent, especially in Los Angeles. We carefully mold our social media personas and frequently value posting evidence of a good experience more than the actual experience. I wanted to make a funny and subversive video about the pressure we feel to keep up a veil of effortless and abundant perfection.

Available on Vimeo
Also available on Youtube

Artist: YACHT
Music Video + Lifestyle Mist
Runtime: 03:39
2018

Better L8 Than Never - Amber Lynn Shelves

I wanted to direct a music video for a country popstar, but I didn’t know any country popstars, so I created Amber Lynn-Shelves. Inspired by actor, Amanda Maddox, Amber is a cute and playful Kentucky girl who loves to sing, clean, and tend to the stables. I partnered with music producer, Coleman Moore, to write the song and lyrics. Amanda came into the studio and laid down the vocals. Then I produced and directed the music video. To ensure a popstar amount of views for Amber to feel real, most of the budget was spent buying 200,000 views and 500 thumbs ups.

Music Video
Runtime: 03:10
2015