Research into Music Videos-Michel Gondry

· Michel Gondry- (born May 8, 1963) He is a French film, advertising and music video director.

He is seen to be a director attracted to visual representation, and being very inventive with mise-en-scene, manipulating it to suit his work.

Born in Versailles France. He is the son of inventor Constant Martin.

Began creating videos for French rock band “Oui Oui”, where he was also the drummer.

His videos drew attention from the music artist Bjork, whom he produced several music videos for, including her video Human Behavior.

Daft Punk, The White Stripes, The Chemical Brothers, The Vines, Steriogram, Radiohead, and Beck, are all other music artists Gondry has worked with. He pioneered the "bullet time" technique used in Matrix, in a Smirnoff vodka advert, as well as directing inventive holiday-themed advertisements for Gap.

Gondry, Spike Jonze and David Fincher, are linked with the influx of music video directors into feature film.

The style of Gondry's music videos relies on videography and camera tricks which play with frames of reference. He is inventive and abstract in his view of how videos should be constructed.

Human Nature (2001)

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

The Science of Sleep (2006)

Be Kind Rewind (2008)

The Green Hornet (2011)

Spike Jonze- born October 22, 1969 is an American director and producer, he works on music videos, adverts, films and television. His work with writer Charlie Kaufman brought him to fame.

· Jonze was born in Rockville, Maryland, and raised in Bethesda, Maryland and in Gulph Mills, Pennsylvania.

· His father was a relation of the Spiegel Catalogue Company, his brother is a producer and DJ and his mother is an artist, communications consultant, and writer.

· He got the name Spike Jonze from the co-workers he worked with at the BMX shop in Rockville.

· His nominations and achievements include: Outstanding Achievement in Commercials in 2005, a body of work that included "Hello Tomorrow" for Adidas, "Penguin" for Miller Beer, and "Pardon Our Dust" for The Gap. The Rockerfella Skank video (song by Fatboy Slim), won Jonze Best direction, Breakthrough and Best-Choreographed awards.

· He was a producer and co-creator of MTV television series Jackass and Jackass: The Movie

· Jonze has been involved in Dirt magazine and a series of skateboarding photography and skate companies, he began his career as a producer of skate videos.

Year	Film	Budget	US Gross	Awards
1999	Being John Malkovich	$13 million	$22,863,596	3 Oscar nods; 4 GG nods
2002	Adaptation.	$19 million	$22,498,520	1 Oscar win, 3 nods; 2 GG wins
2009	Where the Wild Things Are	$100 million	$100,049,466	1 GG nod

Music Videos Spike Jonze has produced:

· Beastie Boys-Time for Livin

· Buddy Holly- Weezer

· Bjork- Its Oh So Quiet

· Daft Punk- Da Funk

· Fatboy Slim- Weapon of Choice and Praise You

· The Vines- Ride

· The Chemical Brothers- Elektrobank

The Vine’s video “Ride” was produced by Spike Jonze and directed by Michel Gondry. It is a traditional skiffle set-up and has no underlying narrative, but asks questions of the audience. It shows the band performing their song in a large hall with strobe lighting and a large ensemble of musicians. The crowd are imitating the band and mimicking their way of performing. The costumes are very “Indie”, sweaters, baggy jeans and plain t-shirts, but this is only the bands individual style and the crowd are dressed in a variety of costumes from suits, to wedding dresses, showing that anybody can be a part of their establishment and no body is divided by stereotypes. The video shows people from different ethnic backgrounds and social class.

High Angle Establishing Shot

Close up of lead singer

Over the shoulder shot

Strobe lighting effect is used

Slow zooming in pan, at a low angle

Challenging Stereotypes and representing ethnicity.

David Fincher- born August 28, 1962 is a filmmaker and music video director, known for his dark and stylish thriller movies, such as Se7en (1995), The Game (1997), Fight Club (1999), and Zodiac (2007)