Introduction
The paper offers a descriptive overview of the video works, which were created by the inspiring MTV directors and gifted filmmakers, Spike Jonze, and Michel Gondry. The analysis of their popular accomplishments claims that both video creators gained their immense popularity in the world of TV, according to their ability to combine cultural tendencies with alternative and fresh metaphorical images in their works. The further study dwells on the brief descriptions of the directors’ backgrounds as well as discusses two videos, which brought them recognition.
Spike Jonze and his “Sabotage” Breakthrough
Spike Jonez entered the world of popular culture as a music video director in the 1990s. The biography of the celebrity claims that his works root in the events from his real life as well as his personal musical tastes. Thus, according to Jonez, from early childhood, he adored trickery and the culture of gangs. Thus, the first thematic line, which is distinctly traced in the career of the video maker, refers to the concept of skateboarding that was vividly present in his works. Spike Jonez managed to succeed not only in video making but in film direction as well. Thus, the most famous films, which were produced by Jonez, are Her and Human Nature. The stunning acclaims were directed to Her, which was nominated for Oscar in 2014 as the movie with the best screenplay (“Spike Jonze Biography” par. 4).
An excellent example of Jonze’s professionalism is his breakthrough video “Sabotage,” which was written for the Beastie Boys band in 1990. In the video, the author embodies the stereotyped picture of unsophisticated policemen. The music work is quite dynamic and full of cop symbolism. Primarily, Jonze turns the band members in policemen. The embodiment is quite preposterous and shows a ridiculous reality of law protectors, who position themselves as warriors. Thus, the policemen show off by climbing through fences and committing heroic deeds (Austerlitz 174). The video offers a perfect balance between the rhythm of the song, the active movements of the band members, and the energetic atmosphere of the event. Strong radiation of the video action creates a marvelous effect, which allows perceiving the meaning of the song even without words. Conclusively, in the work, Jonze managed to combine good-natured hipster humor with the parody of a well-developed cop show, and Jonze’s personal ability to place the character of the song into the unique popular culture conditions.
Michel Gondry and His Eccentric Video Filming Style
Michel Gondry is a French film director and a video maker, who works in the style of postmodernism tendencies and is likely to apply non-standard initiatives in video production. The history of the figure starts with his Mood Indigo, the movie, which diversified and reformed the sphere of the American film-making and showed the excellent instance of surrealism tendencies in standard content movies (MacMahon par. 1). The experts claim that the special peculiarity of Gondry’s production relates to the idea that he is likely to give much theoretical elaboration even to the simple scenes. Thus, the director excels in mise-en-scene creation, the adjustment of post-structuralism music pieces, etc.
The director’s success refers not only to his sophisticated management style but to his ability to set the video pieces in the unique cultural environments as well. Thus, one of his essential music video works was released for the French band, IAM. The video to the song “Je Danse Le Mia” disclosed the unique atmosphere of the contemporary French music as well as embodied some unique shooting techniques. Specifically, the director applied zoom-morphing, which created the effect of peering into specific space nooks and episode settings from afar. The change of sight perspectives, which is maintained in the video, throughout its length, literally transfers a watcher inside the work. As a result, the atmosphere of the tricky perspectives’ use is created. The magic effects of shooting keep the audience in tonus and comply with the dynamic song rhythmic patterns. Since France belongs to the range of countries, which excel in video making, the example proves that the French director made a successful attempt to set the tendencies of modern movie making against the environment of popular culture conditions.
Conclusion: The Creativity of Video Shooting in Multiple Perspectives
The study of the video making examples shows that the creativity of contemporary shooting production turned the industry into a genuine art discipline. Thus, the elaboration of Spike Jonze’s works demonstrates that life reality may stimulate the development of unique video tendencies. Moreover, the exemplification of the director’s work reveals that shooting movements are often correlative with the personal views and experiences of the authors, who transmit their experience through their creativity. The description of Gondry’s video proves that cultural patterns and atmospheric settings are correlative with music adjustment. Furthermore, the director demonstrates that video shooting is open to constant technical innovations, which provide unique viewing effects.
Works Cited
Austerlitz, Saul. Money for Nothing: A History of the Music Video from the Beatles to the White Strips, London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2008. Print.
MacMahon, Oliver. The Films of Michel Gondry, Ranked Worst to Best. 2014. Web.
Spike Jonze Biography 2014. Web.