This document provides case studies of several prominent music video directors, including Jonas Akerlund, Spike Jonze, Michael Bay, Chris Applebaum, and David Fincher. It describes their backgrounds and styles. It notes that understanding the directors behind music videos is important for research into how music videos are made and the music industry overall. The document concludes that gaining an in-depth knowledge of music video production through further research is crucial before making a music video.

1. Music Video Directors This PowerPoint depicts case studies of the various existing music video directors and describes their work and different styles. This will give me insight not just into the music videos, but also into the music industry and possibly the history of it. It is vital to understand the directors behind music videos as part of beginning this project to understand more into the making of a music video and the various processes. I may find this PowerPoint extremely useful in the research section of this project as I may possibly choose a song in which one of the following music directors has directed and therefore I shall instantly have information based upon the chosen song.

2. Jonas Akerlund This Swedish born director is very notable for his music videos. In the 1980s, he was a member of a black metal band called Bathory until becoming a music director for the well known Roxette, this gained his fame and he then began to direct for global stars such as Madonna, U2 and Christina Aguilera. He then directed a movie and focused on other ways of directing, but his main profession lied within the music industry. Later in his career, he worked with Madonna again on various occasions, allowing his identity to become more famous and well known throughout the industry. He has received various awards for his work including a Grammy involving Madonna's song ‘Ray of light’ as well as winning an award for Robbie Williams song ‘Come undone’. He has shown himself to be a very diverse music directors for artists such as Moby, The Prodigy, Madonna, The Cardigans, Metallica, Jamiroqai, The Smashing Pumpkins, U2, Robbie Williams, Blondie, Jane's Addiction, Blink 182, Primal Scream and many more.

3. Spike Jonze Jonze is an American director, mainly for music videos yet over the past ten years has began to work on films (most well known is being john malkovich) and commercials as well as founding various businesses involved in directing and part-owning businesses. From a young age, he took up photography and began to create magazines with his artistic nature, his interest in magazines allowed him to co found ‘dirt’. He has worked with MTV on more than one occasion, being a creative director to a chorographer as well as documentaries. On music videos, he has directed for Beastie boys a lot as well as REM at the start of his career and then began to shoot for Fatboy slim, the chemical boys, Ludacris, Kanye West. He is one of the few music video directors who has also been successful in directing mainstream films such as ‘where the wild things are’ and producing films such as ‘Synecdoche, New York’

4. Michael Bay Bay directs and produces films as well as directing music videos. His selection of films is larger than music videos yet he is still well known. For films however, Bay also is known to be a producer of mainstream films noticeably with a large budget such as Armageddon, Transformers and Bad Boys with his main interest in the genre of action. For his education, he studied film at the college of art and design in Pasadena. In his career, he also has directed commercials for TNC’s including coca cola and Nike. The music videos in which he has directed includes artists such as Faith Hill, Meat Loaf, Aerosmith, Tina Turner and Lionel Richie. Despite mainly being in the film industry whilst living in Los Angeles he is well known for his music videos due to the selection of famous talented singers.

5. Chris Applebaum Chris Applebaum is another well known music video director working with stars such as Celine Dion and Britney Spears gaining his famous reputation in the music industry. His main career unlike other music video directors is that his main focus remains in the genre of music beginning from 1993. His name is becoming more recognised year by year after working with Rihanna in her single ‘Umbrella’ and other female singers: Natascha Beddingfield, Hilary Duff and The Pussycat Dolls.

6. David Fincher This again is another music video director who also directs films, his style however is easily distinguished with films such as Zodiac, Fight club, Seven and the Curious Case of Benjamin Button making him well known for his collaborations with Brad Pitt. However his chosen music videos to direct vary from one another deeply similar to the approach other music video directors own. The music artists in which he works with contrast from Rick Springfield, Wire Train, Aerosmith, Madonna, George Michael, Billy Idol, The Rolling Stones and Michael Jackson. As well, he has also directed many commercials showing how directors in today's society are very flexible with a wide range of working methods. ‘ People will say, 'There are a million ways to shoot a scene,' but I don't think so. I think there're two, maybe. And the other one is wrong.’

7. To conclude.. After researching these various music video directors, I have had the basic knowledge of the music industry and how it interlinks with the film industry when involving the directors and producers etc. However, this shows that the depth in knowledge and understanding needing to be gained before completing a music video is crucial; and therefore, in the research at some point there should be a focus on how to create an effective video which fits in with the song. This research should pick up on characteristics of camera movements, mise en scene and many other vital necessities. All the directors have their own imagination and despite contrasting from one another, their own videos also contrast greatly portraying how the song is the main influential factor for a music video and that the aim should be to accurately represent the lyrics and what the music artist aims to portray. It is understood though that directors influence the outcome to a high extent. As well as completing these case studies based upon music video directors, I have been led to plan further research into the music industry and who influences how it is run today. Finally, another aim is to look at the history of music videos and how it has changed over the years including where it began. It is important to get an idea of what the music industry is like and its structure as part of research before creating a music video, poster and CD Cover.