Director Diane Martel "3"Videoshoot

The director of the video for Britney Spears' single "3" tells Life & Style exclusively how the steamy sequence came together.

"I think it's her next sexy video," says director Diane Martel. "It's a very simple video for her -- I don't think you've seen her this much under a magnifying glass. Everything's really strong and playful."

Britney helped with the look of the video, too. "We collaborated on the wardrobe and had meetings about hair and makeup people," reveals Martel. "We talked a lot on the phone and met Tone and Rich — two of the best choreographers."

Martel says Britney was great to work with. "She's so sweet and funny and so normal and down to earth. It's really fun as a director to see her in front of the camera. She's so creative with this stuff. The video is very simple, it's very, very minimal. So it's her, her, her. And she's totally engaging every second. She really knows how to work with a camera and move.

"I was really impressed, and I have worked almost with every female artist in the business," Martel adds.

Britney herself is excited about the results, posting on Twitter, "It's gonna be hot!"