Winners Selected In YouTube's 'Elton John: The Cut' Music Video Contest

Elton John (Tinseltown)

In recognition of the 50th anniversary of ELTON JOHN and BERNIE TAUPIN's songwriting partnership, ELTON JOHN, supported by YOUTUBE, conducted a contest to create the official music videos for “Rocket Man,” “Tiny Dancer,” and “Bennie and the Jets.” As these songs were released before the rise of the music video, this competition gives aspiring creators the chance to showcase these  hits like never before. The winning videos will then live on YOUTUBE for fans around the world to watch and enjoy them.

The competition, announced last DECEMBER 12th, received entries from over 50 countries. On FEBRUARY 28th, the full judging panel for THE CUT, made up of ELTON and BERNIE, along with OSCAR-winning director BARRY JENKINS, DREAMWORKS ANIMATION's JEFFREY KATZENBERG and GRAMMY-winning music video director MELINA MATSOUKAS,

Winners were picked in each category -- Live action ("Tiny Dancer"), Choreography ("Bennie and the Jets") and Animation "Rocket Man"), winning the opportunity to make the official music video and $10,000 to support future creative endeavors.
 
Commented JENKINS:  “It was veryclear [they all had] really thought through the idea -- taken the essence of the song, the essence of the brief -- and manifested it in their own voices. To me, that was the thing that united all the winners.”
 
The final videos will be revealed later this month. The winners are:

"BENNIE AND THE JETS":  JACK WHITELEY (Director) and LAURA BROWNHILL (choreographer/ artistic director)
 
"TINY DANCER": MAX WEILAND
 
"ROCKET MAN": MAJID ADIN

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