So no, let's look at the world of music video direction! Yum! Music videos are mini film sets where directors get to get in, make magic and get out. Music videos are like a good quickie, whereas movies (when they're good) are like a passionate 90 minute love making session. Good analogy? YAY!
So let's look at the greatest Music Video Director/Artist relationships to grace our screens!
HYPE WILLIAMS AND BUSTA RHYMES
While Hype Williams has become a raised eyebrow of late (with his questionable videos for Kanye West's All Of The Lights and Nicki Minaj's Massive Attack), his visionary artistry (and undying use of his trusty fish eye lens) is responsible for some of the greatest music videos of all time. He connects to the music and makes it come alive for our eyes and did that so well with Busta Rhymes. He gave Busta Rhymes his own visual character and energy; a movement that was unique to him and for this my eyes thank you .
Yeah man, Hype Williams was like the prophet of music video. He led many artists to the promised land where they could become their greatest fantasies and didn't just have to have big booty "hoes" bouncing their asses in our poor faces. They were able to transcend what society told them they had to be doing and become characters in their own mini films. And isn't Busta Rhyme's 1997 Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See just the embodiment of escapism.
This video to me is an extension of Michael Jackson's Remember The Time. Like a part 2 on crack. I love it beyond words. This video is another promise from the prophet Hype Williams of representation of black women that we longed for but never saw in the decade succeeding this video. WOMP WOMP!
MELINA MATSOUKAS AND RIHANNA
Fast forward to a time where Final Cut Pro rules the roost and Melina Matsoukas is personally a great hero to me. And while I understand how no one can forgive her for the "you ACTUALLY, don't deny it, stole David Lachapelle's work, frame for frame" debacle, this woman has created some of the past five year's most eye catching work. And for that, I salute you. And she's so young! She just turned 30. Big hand clap for her. Everyone's allowed a few mistakes and S&M was her big one.
Miss Matsoukas has worked with Rihanna on many videos, and they have really built up a relationship where both the artist and director know that they will be able to achieve their vision. Matsoukas has developed a moving visual identity for Rihanna that is sexy without being overbearing. However the problem arises because Rihanna's main fan base are tweens, is this too sexy for them? Yes. Is that Melina Matsoukas' problem? No. She's an artist, she creates visual art, baby sitting your children is your business.
As a woman, Melina Matsoukas has really inspired me, I just can't wait for the time when her references are more refined. She got away with it on the Rude Boy video where she borrowed from MIA, Andy Warhol, Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquait. Why did she get away with it? I don't know, to be honest. But the video was well produced and I liked it.
However it is her lack of refinery that really go her in trouble for the S&M video. If she is the great director I hold her up to be, she will learn from that really embarrassing situation and rise and rise again to take over the world of directing once more.
EMIL NAVA AND JESSIE J
This relationship is a lot younger than the other relationships discussed, but it's a relationship nonetheless and a fruitful one at that. In under a 9 months, these two have carved out a distinct persona for the long legged Jessie J, giving her songs a further depth visually. The first time I watched Do It Like A Dude, I had to watch it over and over and over because I couldn't believe this was by an English artist? It makes me proud to be British yo!
Price Tag was their second single together and Miss J's first number one single. The bright colours were a refreshing change to everything we were bombarded with around that time. Her new video Nobody's Perfect makes me anticipate when she's shed her layers and reveal the real, Real, REAL Jessie J. But if anyone can take her there, it's Emil Nava. I love his work. Great British Director right here.
DAVE MEYERS AND MISSY ELLIOT AND P!NK
Dave Meyers has such a diversified portfolio. Working with everyone from The Notorious BIG, to Hanson, to Creed... my good God in heaven, this man is a gift! He's amazing. A mind that can appeal to artists from different genres in that way, is just superb. I think he should get a lifetime achievement award from somewhere. His work ethic blows my mind.
Well, I was going to look at his relationship with Missy Elliott, but then remembering how much of P!NK's videos he's done, I am forced to do them both! Let's start with Missy Elliot.
Much like Hype William's relationship with Busta Rhymes, Meyers develops a unique visual character for Missy Elliot. This woman is big and dances better than Britney Spears. Meyers develops a world where movement and artistry are not withheld from Elliott, she is free to do whatever and be whoever she wants. LOVE!
According to my research they first worked together on the mesermising Get Ur Freak On, which had all us obscure children in London wearing embellished denim and army fatigues and bandanas backwards in an attempt to get our freak on. Missy Elliot and Dave Meyers; you two have created iconic imagery here, my friends.
Where Hype Williams and Busta Rhymes use the fish eye lens to define their relationship, Dave Myers and Missy Elliot used CGI. Oh my goodness, did they use CGI! Everyday using CGI! LOL. And it works. These two have also built a relationship where they trust one another with the other's artistic vision and you can see that in their 2002 video Work It which won MTV's Video Music Award's Video of the Year award in 2003. GREATENESS.
Now P!NK and Mr Meyers! What is so special about these two's relationship is that P!NK used to be another artist before she was this rock star. Once upon a time P!NK was black and Dave Meyers was there for her. Then P!NK was white and Dave Meyers was there for her.
I love their relationship especially because heres a director who is able to understand the transition an artist is going through and take their audience there in an authentic way. Let's take time to remember when P!NK was black.
JESUS TAKE THE WHEEL! How could LA Reid do this to her? LOL. I remember being 11 or 12 and so shocked that P!NK was actually white when she came out with her Missunderstood album. The record label changed this woman's whole persona and used music videos to compound a false identity of P!NK into our minds. THIS IS THE POWER OF MUSIC VIDEOS. (Note: mobile phones really age music videos.)
Anyway, P!NK was black for 3 music videos; There You Go, Most Girls and You Make Me Sick. Then I can't be bothered to go into what happened between her and LA Reid (watch her Behind The Music for that) and she's had an epiphany; these people are making me someone who I'm not. What the bloody hell? So she once again enlists my man Dave Meyers to create a new visual identity for her and they start slowly with Get The Party Started.
Then the just let it all go and released Don't Let Me Get Me.
"LA told me you'll be a pop star all you have to change is everything you are..."
And I think that encapsulates everything I'm trying to say about P!NK. I love P!NK because she really uses adversity to create great music and her relationship with Dave Meyers helps communicate her development visually.
LOVE.
Thank you for reading!
Dani x