Derry man Paul McGonagle's Bunker Studio nominated for Best Music Video Award

The Dublin-based production company said it is delighted that its live video for Nealo’s track Absent Hearted has been nominated in the Best Music Video category at this year's awards.

Paul McGonagle, who worked on the music video as director and producer, said he was also delighted to see both his own work and that of his team recognised.

Created as part of the second season of The Bunker’s showcase series At The Bunker, the video will be in contention at the awards ceremony this Saturday at the Royal Marine Hotel in Dún Laoghaire.

A spokesperson for the Bunker Studio said the music video was filmed in a take with a crew of just three, the video takes a deliberately stripped-back approach, placing the emphasis on Nealo’s performance and the power of the song itself. The result is an intimate and compelling live visual that allows the track to take centre stage.

Reflecting on the song, Ed Power wrote: “On 'Absent Hearted’, Nealo observes that he spent too many years ‘making chemistry with the wrong shit’ and pivots into a cry of despair at the arrival on Irish shores of the scourge of racism.”

The Underground Cinema Awards nomination adds to the video's growing festival recognition. It previously received an Official Selection and was also named a finalist in the Best Music Video category at Waterford International Film Festival.

Supported by IMRO, At The Bunker is an original music showcase series that has completed two seasons featuring 14 artists across 14 episodes since launching in 2023. During that time, the series has accumulated an impressive record of recognition across Irish and international film festivals, including one award win, four Official Selections, one semi-finalist nomination and two finalist nominations.

Each episode aims to give artists the opportunity to perform an original track, reinterpret a song by an Irish artist, and take part in a quick-fire Q&A interview.

All 14 episodes of At The Bunker are available to stream at: www.thebunker.ie/atthebunker

Each song from the series is also available through The Bunker’s official VEVO channel, powered by Symphonic: www.youtube.com/@AtTheBunkerVEVO