A Utah director and his brother-in-law — both former UVU students — were winners at MTV’s Video Music Awards on Monday. Matt Eastin and Aaron Hymes co-directed and edited Imagine Dragons “Whatever It Takes” video, which won in the best rock video category.
If you tuned in, no, you didn’t miss an appearance by Hymes and Eastin (who directed the opening credits of the BYUtv’s comedy series “Studio C” and co-created and directed the BYUtv music series “Audio Files”). For one thing, directors generally don’t accept VMAs; for another, this category was not presented during the telecast.
“Whatever It Takes” won over Fall Out Boy’s “Champion,” Panic! At the Disco’s “Say Amen (Saturday Night),” Foo Fighters’ “The Sky Is a Neighborhood,” Linkin Park’s “One More Light” and Thirty Seconds to Mars’ “Walk on Water.”
The “Whatever It Takes” music video, released in October, was the fifth Imagine Dragons video directed by Eastin; he also helmed “On Top of the World,” “Roots,” “Shots” and “Believer.” It opens with the band’s lead singer, Dan Reynolds, swimming through a water-filled room; cuts to the band performing the song in the room as it fills with water (and mermaids appear); then cuts to the band performing in the midst of a fire.