Music video director
Encyclopedia
A music video director is driven by a given music track. These are called music video
s and are then used as promotional tools for popular music
singles
. The earliest music videos were directed by television and film directors; by the 1990s music had become a specialized field.
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
s and are then used as promotional tools for popular music
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
. The earliest music videos were directed by television and film directors; by the 1990s music had become a specialized field.
Notable music video directors
- RT!RT!Randall Thorne , better known by his pseudonym RT!, is a Canadian music video & commercial director of Trinidadian and Barbadian heritage. A prolific director, he has directed over 120 music videos for various Canadian and international music artists and is the most awarded music video director in...
- System D-128System D-128System D-128 is a music video and film director, editor, video artist, new media artist and producer.-Early life:...
- Michael JacksonMichael JacksonMichael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
- Floria SigismondiFloria SigismondiFloria Sigismondi is an Italian, naturalised Canadian, photographer and director.Apart from her art exhibitions, she is best known for writing and directing The Runaways, starring Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning...
- Robby StarbuckRobby StarbuckRobby Starbuck is an American Music Video director from Los Angeles, California. In 2010 he was named to OC METRO's Top 40 under 40.SUBSTREAM Magazine ran a cover story on Robby Starbuck in 2010 as well.-Career:...
- Jared LetoJared LetoJared Joseph Leto is an American actor, director, producer, occasional model and musician. Leto has appeared in both big budget Hollywood films and smaller projects from independent producers and art houses. He rose to prominence for playing Jordan Catalano in the teenage drama My So-Called Life...
- Jonas ÅkerlundJonas ÅkerlundJonas Åkerlund is a Swedish film and music video director, and drummer. He is best known for directing music videos, which are often mock forms of movie trailers and short films...
- Chris ApplebaumChris ApplebaumChris Applebaum is an American music video director, who has worked with a diverse range of artists, among them Rihanna, Hilary Duff, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Mandy Moore, Natasha Bedingfield, Fountains of Wayne and Britney Spears...
- Michael BayMichael BayMichael Benjamin Bay is an American film director and producer. He is known for directing high-budget action films characterized by their fast edits, stylistic visuals and substantial practical special effects...
- Samuel BayerSamuel BayerSamuel David Bayer is an American commercial, music video and film director, and cinematographer.-Early life:Bayer was born in Syracuse, New York...
- Alan CalzattiAlan CalzattiAlan Calzatti, is a director, cinematographer, and a movie editor.Calzatti is well versed in the creative and technical aspects of directing, shooting, editing and creating CGI/visual effects...
- Roman CoppolaRoman CoppolaRoman Coppola is an American film director and music video director.-Early life:Coppola was born in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, the son of set decorator/artist Eleanor Coppola and Francis Ford Coppola. Coppola was born in the American Hospital in Neuilly-sur-Seine while his father was in Paris...
- Chris CunninghamChris CunninghamChris Cunningham is an English music video film director and video artist. He was born in Reading, Berkshire in 1970 and grew up in Lakenheath, Suffolk....
- Gregory DarkGregory DarkGregory Dark is an American film director, film producer, music video director, and screenwriter. Dark is one of the few adult film-makers to successfully transition into mainstream Hollywood film-making...
- Jonathan Dayton and Valerie FarisJonathan Dayton and Valerie FarisJonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris are a team of American music video directors, also husband and wife, that received critical acclaim for their feature film directorial debut, Little Miss Sunshine....
- Shane DrakeShane DrakeShane C. Drake is an American music video director originally from Redding, California. He has directed videos for bands such as Trivium, Paramore, Fall Out Boy, Panic! at the Disco, Angels & Airwaves, Flo Rida, Timbaland, Blindside, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, The Almost, Hawthorne Heights and...
- David FincherDavid FincherDavid Andrew Leo Fincher is an American film and music video director. Known for his dark and stylish thrillers, such as Seven , The Game , Fight Club , Panic Room , and Zodiac , Fincher received Academy Award nominations for Best Director for his 2008 film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and...
- Bill FishmanBill FishmanBill Fishman is an American film director, whose work includes the cult film Tapeheads, starring Tim Robbins and John Cusack, as well as the film version of the TV classic Car 54, Where Are You?...
- Jonathan GlazerJonathan GlazerJonathan Glazer is an English director of films, commercials and music videos.-Biography:After studying theatre design at Nottingham Trent University, Glazer started out directing theatre and making film and television trailers, including award-winning work for the BBC...
- Michel GondryMichel GondryMichel Gondry is an Academy Award winning filmmaker, whose works include being a commercial director, music video director, and a screenwriter. He is noted for his inventive visual style and manipulation of mise en scène. - Life and career :...
- Phil HarderPhil HarderPhilip Harder is a music video director and commercial director represented by Bob Industries in Santa Monica, California. He had a music video company Harder/Fuller Films, 1985 - 2005...
- Wayne IshamWayne IshamWayne Isham is an American music video director who has directed music videos of many popular artists; such as Bon Jovi, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Roxette, Mötley Crüe, Britney Spears, Kelly Clarkson, Whitesnake, David Cook, Simple Plan, Avenged Sevenfold, Pantera, *NSYNC, Backstreet Boys,...
- Tim ArmstrongTim ArmstrongTimothy Lockwood Armstrong is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer, best known for his work with punk rock bands Rancid, Operation Ivy, Downfall, and the Transplants. He is also the owner and operator of Hellcat Records.-Personal life:Armstrong was born November 25, 1965 and was...
- Lasse HallströmLasse HallströmLars Sven "Lasse" Hallström is a Swedish film director. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director for My Life as a Dog and later for The Cider House Rules .-Life and career:...
- Jean-Pierre JeunetJean-Pierre Jeunet-Life and career:Jean-Pierre Jeunet was born in Roanne, Loire, France. He bought his first camera at the age of 17 and made short films while studying animation at Cinémation Studios. He befriended Marc Caro, a designer and comic book artist who became his longtime collaborator and...
- Spike JonzeSpike JonzeSpike Jonze is an American director, producer and actor, whose work includes music videos, commercials, film and television...
- Joseph KahnJoseph KahnJoseph Kahn is an American music video, advertising, and feature film director.-Early life:Kahn was born in Jersey Village, Texas, a suburb of Houston. He is of Korean ancestry. He spent part of his childhood growing up in Livorno, Italy until his family moved to Texas...
- Ray KayRay KayRay Kay is a Norwegian director and photographer, based in Los Angeles.He is one of the most sought-after music video & commercial directors in the world now, and has directed the most watched video on YouTube, Justin Bieber's "Baby" . All in all, his videos have been viewed more than 1 billion...
- Marc KlasfeldMarc KlasfeldMarc Klasfeld is an American music video director. He has directed over two hundred music videos for artists such as Katy Perry, Jay-Z, Kid Rock, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nelly, Foo Fighters, Jewel, Sum 41, Avril Lavigne and many others with multiple MTV award wins and nominations...
- Little XLittle XJulien Christian Lutz , better known as Little X, X or Director X, is a Canadian music video director. He also has his own clothing line X Fit...
- The MalloysThe MalloysThe Malloys is the working name of music video and film directors and brothers Emmett Malloy and Brendan Malloy. They are signed to HSI Productions.- Videography :*"Holiday" by Vampire Weekend...
- Adam JonesAdam Jones (musician)Adam Thomas Jones is a three time Grammy Award-winning Welsh-American musician and visual artist, best known for his position as the guitarist for Grammy-Award winning band Tool. Jones has been rated the 75th Greatest Guitarist of all time by the Rolling Stone and placed 9th in Guitar World's Top...
- Anthony MandlerAnthony MandlerAnthony Mandler is a commercial and music video director, who has written and directed music videos for several artists. His most notable and frequent collaborator is Rihanna...
- Melina MatsoukasMelina MatsoukasMelina Matsoukas is an American music video director.-Life and career:Matsoukas is of Greek, Jewish, Jamaican and Cuban descent. Both her name and surname are Greek: Μελίνα Ματσούκα. She is a graduate of the American Film Institute and New York University...
- Diane MartelDiane MartelDiane Martel is a music video director and choreographer.-Choreographer:1989*Bloodhounds of Broadway 1991*"Shiny Happy People" - R.E.M...
- McGMcGJoseph McGinty Nichol , better known as McG, is an American director and producer of film and television, as well as a former record producer....
- Dave MeyersDave Meyers (director)David "Dave" Meyers is an American music video director.-Career:Meyers has directed over 200 music videos including: P!nk's "There You Go", "Most Girls", "You Make Me Sick", "Get The Party Started", "Don't Let Me Get Me", "Feel Good Time", "Stupid Girls", "U + Ur Hand", "So What", "Please Don't...
- Chris MilkChris MilkChris Milk is an American music video director and photographer. He has directed videos for Kanye West, U2, Green Day, Courtney Love, Audioslave, Modest Mouse, Gnarls Barkley and Arcade Fire. He also has numerous television commercials to his credit...
- Jean-Baptiste MondinoJean-Baptiste MondinoJean-Baptiste Mondino is a French fashion photographer and music video director. He has directed music videos for Madonna, David Bowie, Sting, Björk, Neneh Cherry and Les Rita Mitsouko...
- Vincent MoonVincent MoonVincent Moon is an independent filmmaker from Paris mainly known for his field work music videos of indie rock related musicians as well as some notable mainstream artists like Tom Jones, R.E.M. or Arcade Fire. Besides making music videos he also makes experimental films and documentaries...
- Sophie MullerSophie MullerSophie Muller is a British music video director, noted for her long-time collaborations with artists like Sophie Ellis-Bextor, No Doubt, Sade, Shakira, Shakespears Sister, Garbage, Blur, Annie Lennox and Eurythmics.-Background:...
- Jake NavaJake NavaJake Nava was born on 17 August and grew up in northern London. He currently lives in eastern London.He graduated from the University of WestministerJake Nava is an English-born music video and film director.-Filmography:MUSIC VIDEOS...
- Doug NicholDoug NicholDoug Nichol is an American filmmaker and commercials/music video director.He won a Grammy Award for Best Long Form Music Video for Sting’s Ten Summoner's Tales and also received two other Grammy nominations for work with Aerosmith and NKOTB. He has won several MTV awards including Best Rock Video...
- Tony PetrossianTony PetrossianTony Petrossian is an acclaimed director of commercials and music videos. Today, he is best known for his work in television advertisements and music videos. He has directed spots for brands including McDonald's, Nike, Subway, Zoo York, Beeline, Sony Ericsson, the Environmental Defense Fund and...
- Derek PikeDerek PikeDerek Pike is a 23 year old American music video director and photographer. He is of half British and half Japanese-American descent. In May 2010 Derek graduated from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts where he majored in Film and Television...
- Brett RatnerBrett RatnerBrett Ratner is an American film director, film producer and music video director. He is best known for directing the Rush Hour film series, The Family Man, Red Dragon, X-Men: The Last Stand, and Tower Heist. He was also a producer on the Fox drama series, Prison Break.- Early life :Ratner was...
- Mark RomanekMark RomanekMark Romanek is an American filmmaker, whose directing work includes feature films, music videos and commercials.He wrote and directed the critically acclaimed 2002 film One Hour Photo starring Robin Williams...
- Stéphane SednaouiStéphane SednaouiStéphane Sednaoui is a French-American photographer, director and producer whose work includes music videos, art projects, photographic essays, portrait photography, fashion photography and photojournalism....
- Scott SpeerScott SpeerScott Speer is an American music video director born in San Diego, California.-Career:At age 23 he was signed with HSI Productions, and in 2006 Speer received the MVPA Award for Directorial Debut of the Year for the music video of "Stars" by Switchfoot.In 2007 he won his first MTV Video Music...
- Colin TilleyColin TilleyColin Tilley is an award winning music video director for Riveting Entertainment who has written and directed music videos for artists including Chris Brown, Justin Bieber, 50 Cent, Lil Wayne, Diddy, Usher, Melanie Fiona, Keri Hilson, Wiz Khalifa and U.K. rapper Chipmunk among others. His most...
- Marc WebbMarc WebbMarc Preston Webb is an American music video, short film and major motion picture director. He directed the 2009 romantic comedy-drama Days of Summer and is currently directing the 2012 Spider-Man reboot The Amazing Spider-Man.-Life and career:Webb was born in Bloomington, Indiana, the son of...
- David LaChapelleDavid LaChapelleDavid LaChapelle is a photographer and director who works in the fields of fashion, advertising, and fine art photography, and is noted for his surreal, unique, sexualized, and often humorous style.-Early life:...
- Hype WilliamsHype WilliamsHarold "Hype" Williams , previously known as HYPE, is an American music video and film director of African-American and Honduran descent. His nickname "Hype" comes from his hyperactive nature as a child....
- Bille WoodruffBille WoodruffBille Woodruff is a music video and film director, noted for directing many videos for a number of R&B and hip-hop artists since the mid-1990s. These artists include Joe, for whom Woodruff has directed nine music videos since 1994, and Toni Braxton, whom he has worked 8 times since 1996...
- Weird Al Yankovic