Spike Jonze - Directors Challege Research

Frequent collaborators: cinematographer Lance Acord, writer Charlie Kaufman, actor Chris Cooper. His films/music videos are off-beat in their visual storytelling, particularly their mix of live-action, animation, and puppetry. Seamless integration of special effects into live-action photography also feature in alot of his videos. Jonze’s has a reputation as one of the most imaginative, intelligent, and daring filmmakers working today was established early on with his legendary skateboard videos, music videos, and commercials, and has since been cemented by three feature films. Some features which come up in alot of his videos:

• Diegetic sounds
• City location
• Slow motion footage
• All one take videos
• Intertexuality
• Performance footage
• Lip syncing
• Concept videos
• Narrative
• Special fx
• Animation
• Visual storytelling
• Cutting to the beat
• Focus of the singer
• Long takes
• Camera movement

Spike Jonze - Initial Thoughts



Wax - California



From the first few videos i've looked at from Spike Jonze, a few key features come up in alot of the videos. He often works with artist such as the 'Beastie Boys', 'Weezer' and 'Fat Boy Slim'. Often a diegetic intro is included with possible or in the case of 'Da Funk' diegetic sound is playing throughout. Another feature is the 80's style film grain effect used to make the video seem more like a film, for example in 'Feel The Pain' and 'Sabotage'. 





Daft Punk - Da Funk



The videos are often set on location in a large city such as LA or New York and are often Concept or Narrative videos with occasional peformance footage. In the case of 'Undone' and 'California' the footage is all shot in one take. He also uses intertexuality in the case of the video for Buddy Holly which is based of the show Happy Days. The videos i've looked at also include dance and performance with comedy elements also thrown in for example the video by 'Fatlip'.

Overall we can already see he has a distinctive style and is very successful because of it. He has produced over 50 muisc videos aswell as working on short films and has helped produce Jackass and other succesful feature films.





Vodcast 1 - Music Video Conventions

My first Vodcast going over some of the main conventions of the 10 music videos I have decontructed so far.

Vodcast Preparation

Connotations:

• Humour/Comedy: 'No One Knows', '1985', 'Learn To Fly'
• Intetexuality: '1985', 'Learn To Fly', 'Hey Ya', 'Du Hast'
• Features Band Members: 'No one Knows', 'Learn To Fly', 'Under The Bridge', 'Needing/Getting' etc.
• Special Fx: 'No One Knows', 'Hunter', 'Talking Heads'
• Performance Footage: 'Needing/Getting', 'No One Knows', 'Something Good Can Work', 'Girlfriend' etc. 
• Continuity Editing: 'Teenage Dirtbag', 'Under The Bridge', '1985' etc.
• Discontinuity Editing: 'Something Good Can Work'
• Sped Up Footage: 'Ray Of Light'
• Variation In Editing Pace: 'No One Knows', 'Duality'
• Colour Distortion: 'No One Knows'
• Shakey Camera Work: 'Something Good Can Work', 'Learn To Fly', 'After Midnight'
• Wipe Transition: 'No One Knows'
• Lip Syncing: 'No One Knows', 'Needing/Getting', '1985', 'Under The Bridge'
• Focus On Singer: 'No One Knows', 'Someting Good Can Work', 'Under The Bridge'
• Topless Band Members: 'No One Knows', 'Under The Bridge'
• Multiple Layering: 'Under The Bridge'
• Cutting To The Beat: 'Duality', 'No One Knows'
• Diegetic Intro: 'Learn To Fly', 'Teenage Dirtbag', 'Needing/Getting', 'Hey Ya', 'Stylo'
• Relation To A Film: 'Learn To Fly', 'Teenage Dirtbag'
• Band Playing Multiple Characters: 'Learn To Fly'
• Black And White: 'You need Me, I don't Need you'

Last Year Evaluation

We hope to build on our skills learnt last year and apply them to this year’s coursework. Things noted included improvements in amount of shots taken and shot variety. Also improvements in directing actors in the film openings are important to create a convincing performance. We used tools such as multi layering effects exclusive to final cut to try and mask some of the acting faults that may have occurred. Including diegetic sound in conjunction with non-diegetic sounds is also key to creating a realistic atmosphere. For this years coursework it's important we get lots of footage with a varity of shot types in order to be able to make the best video possible.

Eg Video 9: Queens Of The Stone Age - No One Knows Video Analysis

Artist: Queens Of The Stone Age
Song: No One Knows
Directors: Dean Karr/Michel Gondry
Genre: Hard Rock
Year: 2002
Audience: 14-25

The music video for this song is another with comedy value, It features the band members driving through the forest in a car when they hit a deer which proceeds to tie them up and go on a rampage. The song cuts between narrative and performance footage with a fairly discontinuity style of editing. Lots of parts are sped up which gives the video an interesting feel and overall the the editing is genrally fast paced and speeds up with the pace of the song. 

The performance footage is the band on a black background with a strange glow which changes colour throughout around the members. This is likely done with a green screen something we wouldn't have access too whilst making our coursework but it works well in this video. The comedy element gives the song good replay value and makes the video quite entertaining. 

This video also feature shaky camera work as have many of the others, this seems to be a trend in comparison to last years coursework. A challenge with recreating this sort of thing would be access to a car. "No One Knows" received heavy rotation on music video channels culminating in a nomination for the MTV2 Award at 2003 MTV Video Music Awards.

Eg Video 8: Red Hot Chilli Peppers - Under The Bridge Video Analysis

Artist: Red Hot Chilli Peppers
Song: Under The Bridge
Director: Gus Van Sant
Genre: Alternative Rock
Year: 1992
Audience: 14-25

The video for under the bridge feature performance footage from the different band members. It doesn't feature any specific narrative but fits well with the song. The multiple layering effects have been used well showing multiple band members in different locations around Los Angeles on the same screen. This effect has also been used to good effect in some of last years coursework productions. 

The video features different members in parts of the city and also members playing in front of super imposed images.  The song features Kiedis walking through the streets of LA,   the camera focuses on various people. This, according to Kiedis, was vital; he felt the studio portion of the video alone would not convey enough emotion.

This video lead to  led the nominations for the MTV music awards, which included the categories of "Best Video", "Best Group", and "Best Direction". We could defiantly apply the multiple layering techniques into our own coursework as it works to great effect as proved by previous years coursework entries. Also getting access to instruments and performance footage wouldn't be too much of a challenge as I'm in a band myself.