Director study on Michel Gondry!!!

So here is some basic background...Michel waqs born 8th May 1963 and is from Versailles in France. He not only directs short videos and music videos but is drummer for the pop/rock band Oui Oui which non-surprisingly he has done several videos for. Overall he has won 16 awards for his videos and had been nominated for 14. More recently Michel has been directing full legth features such as Be Kind Rewind and The Green Hornet which are both comedies where he has worked with big names such as Jack Black and Seth Rogen. He claims that he has worked with all the artists he could want to apart from Micheal Jackson.



Some of the artists he has worked with include:-

• The White Stripes
• The Chemical Brothers
• Bjork
• Oui Oui

One video wonders!

• Kylie Minogue-Come Into My World
• Foo Fighters-Everlong
• The Rolling Stones-Like A Rolling Stone
• Daft Punk-Around The World

Some key videos I feel he has directed were:






His other work includes short fi;lms like "La Lettre" and "One Day". He has also done advertising for Schmirnoff, Drugstore and Polaroid. Michel has had the chance to work with big names like Jim Carey in short sketch like films like "Pecan Pie". (Films he has directed are listed earlier)

His style I feel includes these features:

• Repetition (of images)
• Colour distortion
• Time and space (playing with the idea of)
• Modernism
• Filmed in urban areas, often cities
• Surreal settings
• Fast images (faster than like eg footage has been sped up)
• Transport is often involved whether it is a car or a train
• Point of View shots are used in some pieces

CGI is used in msot videos to distort, repeat or overlay images. Editing software can be used to fade and cross over images as well as make sure the edits keep in time with the beat of the music.
Lights are often used to make a video extremely dark to bring out a colour contrast or it is extreme bright colours so you almost don't know where to look. There are some videos where black and white images are used-often in short films and advertisments.

I think this director is a certain inspiration to us all. His videos are always wacky and out of the ordinary and for this I feel that he is to be admired for his creativity and imagination. His videos show good editing skills along with the flare that every director needs

Director Profile: Sophie Muller

Why do a bog-standard blogpost, when you can do a Powerpoint!

(Download the whole powerpoint with the videos embedded HERE > Note the file is 51.7MB and may take awhile to download... but the videos will work even when you don't have internet access. The embedded videos do not work on the powerpoint below...)

Director Profile - Sophie Muller

Analysation of a music video

Goodwin
This video shows that the true characteristics of the genre seeing a performance element in their videos where upon the band plays to the camera. Thee lyrics match the song in a way as when you are not seeing them performing they are walking down boulevards without anyone there so in a way it follows. Editing seems to mostly change when the chord does on the guitar or every few beats but this is hard to tell what could be counted because the video is purposefully jumpy and of a bad quality almost where it appears that there are holes int he film at times. Considering the darker location I think this is done on purpose. There are many close-ups of Billie Joe's (the lead singer's) face to make sure that he is recognised to be important in the video and though most are of him there are some of the other two members because they are all in the band together-the main focus staying on Billie though. They are in a dark location playing instuments isolated and alone which tends to eb the style of music video they have. There are no scantily clad women in this video but the band wear smart/casual clothes by wearing shirts and jackets with ties on some. This is to promote a particular look for the band. Also showing them doing performance shows how good they are at playing their instruments making them idols to the general public. There is no synergy in this video.
Green day are associated with labels such as Lookout! and Reprise. Reprise is then owned by Warner Bros. Therefore Green Day are owned by a major which means they have bigger acsess to money and resources. So although on the outside they look like they are siding with major rock labels they are all under the same institution.

This shows a representation of the world as time goes on. He talks about how he walks alone and I think this represents age in the fact that as you get older no one will be there to help you, you just have to go it alone. It also shows the lower class areas of this world, most rock bands like to make out they have come from darker backgrounds so it will match their music.

Our examples of Goodwin's theories

For each of Goodwin's 7 theories we picked an artist or a music video that we felt suited each theory.

1.There were several genres to pick from but choosing the metal/hard rock stereotype we picked a music video that we felt showed definate stage performance.



2.This is a video we felt that the song video reflected the lyrics of the song


3.After discussion we finally came to the conclusion that this music video correlated appropriately with the music


4.Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls was a perfect example of close-ups in a video as most of the focus is on the lead singer throughout


5.Videos by Slipknot have an iconic style in all of their concerts, albums and videos as each band member wears a mask and the video Dead Memories shows us just how this image works for them


6.Plenty of videos include scantily clad women even in some music videos where the singer is a woman herself. In all genres women are seen this way. Lady Gaga being a classic example.


7.Many music videos cross between the music by the band and images from television or a film that the song was featured in. A recent and famous example being Decode-Paramore

Iconic music videos

This music video was releases in 1972. i think its icon because Alice Cooper has been a massive influence of all metal bands to date, with the theatrical appearances, rebellious songs and guitar solo's. I also think this is icon as even today we still hear very heavy metal bands performing a salute to Alice cooper by playing this song at gigs. some even show the music video along side it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8vnVWfOzZI

Iconic Music Videos!

Ok so this is a song from the 80s which was actually banned after it's first release on MTV in 1983 and by some radio stations. The lyrics was deemed to be too rude and the video had graphic sexual references. This banning made the song a number one hit in the top 40 for five consecutive weeks. So here it is. Relax-Frankie Goes to Hollywood.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KaqqmsIzTw

Some people today would say that this is the average music video but it shocked the 80s making it the icon it was