Taylor Swift received the first ever MTV VMA Artist Director Honor on Sunday at Los Angeles’ Peacock Theater, becoming the award’s inaugural recipient. The new honor recognizes musical artists whose work behind the camera has pushed music videos and visual storytelling forward. Swift accepted the award after longtime friend Dakota Johnson praised her as a visionary with an unusually serious commitment to the craft. Swift has earned seven VMA nominations and four wins for Best Director, making her the most recognized video director in the show’s history. Taylor Swift Is Fully in Her Director Era Swift said she has been involved in music videos for two decades and has worked on 60 of them, including 18 that she wrote and directed herself. Her directing credits include “The Man,” “cardigan,” “willow,” “Anti Hero,” “Bejeweled,” “Lavender Haze,” “I Can See You,” “Karma” with Ice Spice, and “Fortnight” with Post Malone. “I just love making stuff.” Swift also directed the 2021 short film for the 10 minute version of “All Too Well,” starring Sadie Sink and Dylan O’Brien. During the ceremony, Swift premiered the “Patient Zero” music video, which features Dakota Johnson and Colin Farrell , alongside the release of The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore, an expanded album with four new songs: “Patient Zero,” “Cleveland!,” “Pink Clouding,” and “Babylon.”