Mark Ronson is the subject of YouTube’s latest original release, with documentary film “How to Be: Mark Ronson,” set to premiere Saturday, Oct. 12, for free on the video platform.
The film promises previously unreleased footage chronicling the 44-year-old Brit’s ascent in the music biz, plus exclusive interviews with collaborators including Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper, Miley Cyrus and Duran Duran’s Simon Le Bon. Over the course of his career, Ronson has produced a wide range of artists including Lady Gaga, Queens of the Stone Age, Q-Tip, Duran Duran, Miley Cyrus, Lily Allen and Amy Winehouse.
“How to Be: Mark Ronson” features Ronson’s first-hand reflections about his childhood (his stepfather was Foreigner’s Mick Jones); his early days in the music industry; working with Amy Winehouse on her breakthrough album “Back to Black”; and the eight-month process to create his most successful hit to date, “Uptown Funk” with Bruno Mars. Cooper talks about working with Ronson on music for “A Star Is Born,” while Lady Gaga discusses her relationship with Ronson from producing her album “Joanne” through to “Shallow.”
Other friends, family and artists featured in the film include Ann Dexter Jones, Boy George, Charlotte Ronson, Ilsey Juber, Joshua Homme, King Princess, Lykke Li, Mick Jones, Nikka Costa, Q-Tip, Rashida Jones, Sean Lennon, Yebba and Zane Lowe.
The movie, which runs 1 hour 49 minutes, will be available for free worldwide, under YouTube’s previously announced programming strategy to release original series and specials for free with ads. YouTube’s subscription service, YouTube Premium, will continue to offer ad-free access to all YouTube originals and provide exclusive access to director’s cuts and bonus content — including “How to Be: Mark Ronson” — when available.
“How to Be: Mark Ronson,” directed by Carl Hindmarch, is a Livewire Pictures/Eagle Rock Films production in association with BBC Music and Universal Music Group’s Eagle Rock Entertainment. The film is produced by Joss Crowley; executive producer Anouk Fontaine; Peter Worsley, supervising producer for Eagle Rock; Guy Freeman, executive producer for Livewire; and Geoff Kempin, executive producer for Eagle Rock.
Watch the trailer for “How to Be: Mark Ronson”: