music video

Ranked: Music Video Directors Turned Film Directors

by Nick Hyman, for Metacritic
August 31, 2010

From MTV to the big screen

It begins with MTV. The music video channel’s massive influence can hardly be measured. The alchemical combination of music and movies into irresistible three-minute chunks was legendary. Many of today’s top filmmakers got their start during the Music Television renaissance, and their work makes up many of the films we see at the multiplex.

The late production company Propaganda Films can’t be ignored in this respect, with a roster of talent that includes a sizable fraction of Hollywood filmmakers. Directors Michael Bay (Armageddon), Spike Jonze (Where the Wild Things Are), David Fincher (Zodiac) and many more all cut their teeth directing commercials and music videos at the seminal production house. But they weren't the only video directors to move into film.

Even the look of films started to change because of the continual influx of music video talent into movies, with more complex, slick, and stylized visual palettes dominating the frame. And their films keep coming. Three much-anticipated upcoming releases -- Wednesday's The American, and fall titles The Social Network, and Never Let Me Go -- are directed by music video veterans Anton Corbijn, David Fincher, and Mark Romanek, respectively.

Alas, not all prominent music video directors have made the jump onto the big screen. We still haven’t seen what Chris Cunningham (Aphex Twin’s “Windowlicker”) and Stéphane Sednaoui (Red Hot Chili Pepper’s “Give it Away”) would do with the medium.

Below, we look at the 20 most prominent music video directors (plus one directing tandem) who later went on to direct at least one feature film. (A few additional directors, like Brett Ratner, are excluded because they directed most or all of their videos after making their first film.) The directors are ranked in order by average Metascore for their feature films, though keep in mind that several of these directors have only directed one film apiece so far, so their "averages" really just represent the critical response to that one movie.

Film Directors Who Got Their Start in Music Videos

A scene from Anton Corbijn's iconic "Enjoy the Silence" video

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1. Spike Jonze

Average Metascore

Average Gross

# Good Films

# Mediocre

# Bad

$40.9m

Skateboard and BMX photographer Spike Jonze took his love of all things pop culture and injected them into his many memorable videos. For instance, Happy Daysappears in Weezer’s “Buddy Holly,” musicals are sent up high in the sky with Bjork’s “It’s Oh So Quiet,” and '70s cop shows were forever altered in our brains by the Beastie Boys’ “Sabotage.”

Noted videos:

Beastie Boys, "Sabotage"

Ween, "Freedom of '76"

Weezer, "Buddy Holly"

Best movie:

Being John Malkovich (1999) 90+ Netflix Queue

Jonze’s pop culture obsession went even more meta on the big screen with his debut about a puppeteer who finds a portal into the head of actor John Malkovich. John Cusack and Cameron Diaz played against type and nailed the sad, angry, and hilarious screenplay by Charlie Kaufman.

Next movie (as director):

Unknown

2. Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris

Average Metascore

Average Gross

# Good Films

# Mediocre

# Bad

$59.9m

Dayton/Faris’ deliciously high-concept videos played out during MTV’s last period of actually airing music videos. They’re perhaps most well known for their ambitious and stylistically diverse work for The Smashing Pumpkins, including their homage to Georges Méliès’ A Trip to the Moon in their video for “Tonight, Tonight.” The pair also worked briefly in television, directing segments for HBO's Mr. Show.

Noted videos:

Smashing Pumpkins, "1979"

Extreme, "More Than Words"

Best movie:

Little Miss Sunshine (2006) 80+ Netflix Queue

It took a while for Dayton/Faris to hit the big-screen, but when they did, it was with the indie smash Little Miss Sunshine. The film, while quirky, contains both heart and a disarmingly funny ending that reproduces the feeling you might have while watching one of the team’s better videos.

Next movie (as director):

The Abstinence Teacher (2012)

3. Anton Corbijn

Average Metascore

Average Gross

# Good Films

# Mediocre

# Bad

$0.9m

The frequent collaborator of Depeche Mode and U2 is perhaps most well known for his stark, grainy, black and white imagery that has graced many of his music videos and several iconic album covers, including R.E.M.’s Automatic for the People and U2’s The Joshua Tree.

Noted videos:

Depeche Mode, "Enjoy the Silence"

Nirvana, "Heart-Shaped Box"

U2, "One"

Best movie:

Control (2007) 78+ Netflix Queue

Corbijn’s biopic of band Joy Division and tortured lead singer Ian Curtis was presented in the stark black and white that the director is known for, which enhances the emotion and pain that the conflicted singer goes through.

Next movie (as director):

The American (September 1, 2010)+ Netflix Queue

4. Marc Webb

$32.4m

Since 1997, Webb has been firmly footed in the music business machine, directing videos for such cash cows as My Chemical Romance, Good Charlotte, Miley Cyrus, AFI, Yellowcard, Incubus, and many more. Occasionally, he lands an indie talent like Regina Spektor.

Noted videos:

Green Day, "Waiting"

Weezer, "Perfect Situation"

Best movie:

(500) Days of Summer (2009) 76+ Netflix Queue

Webb’s debut feature was a thorny hipster romance starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel. It even had a music video in it, with the much talked about musical montage of Hall & Oates’ “You Make My Dreams” inserted into the narrative.

Next movie (as director):

Spider-Man reboot (2012)

5. Mike Mills

$1.3m

This Mike Mills is not the bass player for R.E.M., but rather a graphic designer and filmmaker who has made a distinctive mark in the medium primarily through his work with French band Air.

Noted videos:

Air, "Sexy Boy"

Blonde Redhead, "The Dress"

Best movie:

Thumbsucker (2005) 69+ Netflix Queue

Mills hit the suburbs of Oregon for his debut feature, an adaptation of the Walter Kirn novel of the same name about an introverted 17 year-old boy who has a problem with sucking his thumb. It's an admirable debut that didn't quite capture the magic found in Mills' short form material.

Next movie (as director):

Beginners (tba 2010; premieres at Toronto International Film Festival)

6. David Fincher

Average Metascore

Average Gross

$71.1m

Arguably the most celebrated of all music video-cum-film directors is David Fincher. His work with Madonna was groundbreaking, and his moves in the world of cinema are always interesting and pioneering, if sometimes cold, overlong, and emotionally detached.

Noted videos:

Madonna, "Vogue"

George Michael, "Freedom '90"

Paula Abdul, "Straight Up"

Best movie:

Zodiac (2007) 78+ Netflix Queue

Fincher takes his exacting hand and insane attention to detail into examining the Bay Area’s Zodiac killer in the late ’60s and early ’70s. Fincher’s perfectionist ways were well matched with this story, which had San Francisco investigators trying to track down the Zodiac killer by deciphering his letters to newspapers in order to save future victims. His use of state-of-the-art special effects to subtly recreate the period is stunning.

Next movie (as director):

The Social Network (October 1, 2010)+ Netflix Queue

7. Michel Gondry

$12.5m

The once-prolific French music video magician has created arguably the most original and creative body of work in the medium. Frequent viewings are recommended for most of his visually astounding videos to see if you can figure out how he pulled off so many three-minute miracles.

Noted videos:

Lucas, "Lucas With the Lid Off"

Björk, "Hyper-Ballad"

The Chemical Brothers, "Star Guitar"

Best movie:

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) 89 + Netflix Queue

The combination of brilliant screenplay from Charlie Kaufman mixed with the kinetic skills of Michel Gondry birthed one of the most acclaimed films of the last decade -- one so good that both creators have had trouble living up to its greatness.

Next movie (as director):

The Green Hornet (January 14, 2011)+ Netflix Queue

8. Jonathan Glazer

The British director is perhaps most well known for his legendary “Virtual Insanity” music video for Jamiroquai, which won the “Best Video of the Year” in 1997, when that still kind of meant something. His videos for UNKLE (“Rabbit in Your Headlights”), Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (“Into My Arms”), and Radiohead (“Karma Police”) are high-concept jaw droppers.

Noted videos:

Radiohead, "Street Spirit (Fade Out)"

Jamiroquai, "Virtual Insanity"

Best movie:

Sexy Beast (2001) 79+ Netflix Queue

Glazer’s perversely stylized debut feature stunner gets a lot of attention due to Ben Kingsley’s scene-stealing performance as violent sociopath Don Logan. Watching it again reveals just how underappreciated Ray Winstone’s performance is as ex-convict “Gal.” Did I mention that this is a gangster film that features a machine-gun-toting humanoid rabbit?

Next movie (as director):

Under the Skin (2011)

Average Metascore

Average Gross

# Good Films

# Mediocre

# Bad

$6.0m

9. Floria Sigismondi

One of the few female music video superstars, Sigismondi excels at the hazy blur of color and motion that made Marilyn Manson a superstar. She’s also done great work with artists as diverse as Tricky, Sarah McLachlan, and Sigur Rós.

Noted videos:

Marilyn Manson, "The Beautiful People"

Sarah McLachlan, "Sweet Surrender"

The White Stripes, "Blue Orchid"

Best movie:

The Runaways (2010) 65+ Netflix Queue

Sticking with music, Sigismondi delivers a mostly great debut feature about the girl group known for their popular single “Cherry Bomb.” Sigismondi's love for the ‘70s time period is evident in the fully realized presentation of the era. The rather predictable rags-to-riches rock story is enhanced by great performances from Kristen Stewart as Joan Jett and Dakota Fanning as Cherie Currie.

Next movie (as director):

Unknown

Average Metascore

Average Gross

# Good Films

# Mediocre

# Bad

$3.6m

10. Garth Jennings

As one part of duo Hammer & Tongs, Garth Jennings brought left field special effects, puppeteering, and animation to clips for artists such as Blur (“Coffee & TV”), Fatboy Slim (“Right Here, Right Now”), and more recently, Vampire Weekend (“A-Punk”).

Noted videos:

Blur, "Coffee & TV"

Supergrass, "Pumping on Your Stereo"

Eels, "Last Stop: This Town"

Best movie:

Son of Rambow (2008) 66+ Netflix Queue

After debuting with an ill-fated adaptation of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Jennings went more modest with this charming coming-of-age tale about a couple of kids whose obsession with the film First Blood takes them on a unique journey.

Next movie (as director):

Unknown

Average Metascore

Average Gross

# Good Films

# Mediocre

# Bad

$26.4

11. Mark Romanek

Once David Fincher left for features, Mark Romanek filled the video void with his astonishingly pristine and beautiful images that turned Nine Inch Nails into superstars and in turn affected cinema (especially opening credit sequences) for many years after.

Noted videos:

Nine Inch Nails, "Closer"

Lenny Kravitz, "Are You Gonna Go My Way"

Michael Jackson & Janet Jackson, "Scream"

Best movie:

One Hour Photo (2002) 64+ Netflix Queue

Romanek’s much-anticipated debut ended up being a tremendous letdown. This rote thriller about an obsessive film developer who stalks a family was predictable and shallow despite a disturbing performance by Robin Williams. Fortunately, after several aborted projects, Romanek is set to return big time with the adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go.

Next movie (as director):

Never Let Me Go (September 15, 2010)+ Netflix Queue

Average Metascore

Average Gross

# Good Films

# Mediocre

# Bad

$31.6m

12. Mark Pellington

The music videos from Mark Pellington were often filled with striking on-screen text, grainy imagery, and big bold close-ups of huge talent like Leonard Cohen (“Dance Me to The End of Love”) and Bruce Springsteen (“Lonesome Day”). The Baltimore native is also partly responsible for the great opening credits for the classic series Homicide: Life on the Street.

Noted videos:

Pearl Jam, "Jeremy"

Alice in Chains, "Rooster"

Best movie:

Arlington Road (1999) 65+ Netflix Queue

The heavy-handed thriller about a professor (Jeff Bridges) that thinks his neighbors (Tim Robbins, Joan Cusack) are terrorists looks good on paper, with a great cast, a score by Angelo Badalamenti, and script by then rising talent Ehren Kruger, but it falls apart under its own weight. Pellington fared better with another paranoid thriller, The Mothman Prophecies.

Next movie (as director):

I Melt With You (2011)

Average Metascore

Average Gross

# Good Films

# Mediocre

# Bad

(Non-scored)

$14.6m

13. Gore Verbinski

After being in several failed punk bands, Verbinski started directing videos for established acts Bad Religion, NOFX, and Monster Magnet before moving to commercials and eventually films, where his penchant for creating larger-than-life worlds was embraced by audiences.

Noted videos:

Bad Religion, "21st Century (Digital Boy)"

Monster Magnet, "Negasonic Teenage Warhead"

Best movie:

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) 64+ Netflix Queue

After successfully remaking The Ring, Verbinski became a major Hollywood player by helming the first in what would eventually be a trio of Pirates of the Caribbean films; a fourth is currently filming with director Rob Marshall (Chicago). Verbinski is currently working on his first animated feature, Rango.

Next movie (as director):

Rango (2011)

Average Metascore

Average Gross

# Good Films

# Mediocre

# Bad

$186.9m

14. Alex Proyas

The Australian director, born in Egypt, had been creating far-out landscapes for groups like Yes (“Rhythm of Love”) and INXS (“Kiss the Dirt”), often with ambitious special effects and busy frames, so it made sense for him to work in primarily genre-heavy films.

Noted videos:

Crowded House, "Don't Dream It's Over"

Yes, "Rhythm of Love"

Best movie:

Dark City (1998) 66+ Netflix Queue

After directing The Crow, Proyas went further into the science fiction well that he would continue to mine over the course of his career (I, Robot,Knowing) with Dark City, an overly ambitious thriller with great set design and special effects that takes place in a city where you never see the sun.

Next movie (as director):

Dracula: Year Zero (2011)

Average Metascore

Average Gross

# Good Films

# Mediocre

# Bad

(Non-scored)

$58.0m

15. Antoine Fuqua

Another Propaganda Films vet, Fuqua had an impressive string of videos featuring urban artists, but was more of a director for hire. He came into his own with films that told stories of violence in settings as diverse as Nigeria (Tears of the Sun), Rome (King Arthur), and Brooklyn (Brooklyn’s Finest).

Noted videos:

Coolio, "Gangsta's Paradise"

Toni Braxton, "Another Sad Love Song"

Best movie:

Training Day (2001) 70+ Netflix Queue

Fuqua directed Denzel Washington to his second Academy Award win for his searing portrayal of Los Angeles Police Department Detective Alonzo Harris. The rapidly becoming unglued Harris must evaluate fellow LAPD cop Jake Hoyt (Ethan Hawke), who soon learns that "King Kong ain’t got nothing on" Harris.

Next movie (as director):

Untitled Tupac Shakur biopic (2011)

Average Metascore

Average Gross

# Good Films

# Mediocre

# Bad

$35.1m

16. Tarsem Singh

Tarsem Singh (or Tarsem, as he usually goes by) may have fallen victim to his own impressively visual style. His music video for R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion” was an evocative and sumptuous feast for the eyes that was ubiquitous at the time of release, eventually winning best video at the MTV Video Music Awards.

Noted videos:

REM, "Losing My Religion"

En Vogue, "Hold On"

Best movie:

The Fall (2006) 64+ Netflix Queue

After only directing a handful of music videos and countless advertisements, Tarsem crashed and burned with his violently overly stylized The Cell, and then returned to cinemas after several years with this beautiful to look at but deadly dull to watch fantasy film The Fall.

Next movie (as director):

Immortals (2011)

Average Metascore

Average Gross

# Good Films

# Mediocre

# Bad

$31.8m

17. McG

The king of wretched ’90s pop rock videos by Sugar Ray, Smash Mouth, and The Offspring, McG excels at saturated colors and sunshine. His blown-out imagery became ubiquitous in the late ’90s, making its way into many commercials of the day.

Noted videos:

Sugar Ray, "Fly"

Smash Mouth, "All Star"

Best movie:

We Are Marshall (2006) 53+ Netflix Queue

The first Charlie’s Angels is a fun pop spectacle that includes interesting oddball performances by Bill Murray and Crispin Glover, but McG’s bid for respectability, the stylistically restrained football movie We Are Marshall, was better accepted by critics. Let’s not talk about Terminator: Salvation.

Next movie (as director):

This Means War (2011)

Average Metascore

Average Gross

# Good Films

# Mediocre

# Bad

$98.8m

18. F. Gary Gray

Born in New York and raised in South Central Los Angeles, F. Gary Gray helped shape rap and R&B in the ’90s. From his work with West Coasters Ice Cube and Dr. Dre (“Natural Born Killaz”) to ATL legends OutKast (Ms. Jackson) and TLC (“Waterfalls”), Gray was great at telling stories through videos.

Noted videos:

Ice Cube, "It Was a Good Day"

OutKast, "Ms. Jackson"

Best movie:

The Italian Job (2003) 68+ Netflix Queue

Gray’s remake of the 1969 British thriller was a solid heist flick with a standout ensemble cast featuring Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron, Edward Norton, Jason Statham, and a killer BMW Mini Cooper fleet chase.

Next movie (as director):

Kane & Lynch (2011)

Average Metascore

Average Gross

# Good Films

# Mediocre

# Bad

(Non-scored)

$53.0m

19. Michael Bay

Bay is considered by some to be the death knell of American cinema or the messiah of the lowest common denominator. With their quick cuts, the director's slickly manipulative action films feel like music videos, but mostly lack music’s rhythm and soul.

Noted videos:

Divinyls, "I Touch Myself"

Meat Loaf, "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)

Best movie:

Transformers (2007) 61+ Netflix Queue

Bay teamed up with producer Steven Spielberg and made a film that looked great in a three-minute trailer (hmmm) but landed with a giant metal thud. The adaptation of popular ’80s action figures into a feature film translated to global box-office success, however, and led toTransformers: Revenge of the Fallen, one of the worst (yet most financially successful films) of 2009. 2011 brings Transformers 3D -- you’ve been warned!

Next movie (as director):

Transformers 3D (July 1, 2011)

Average Metascore

Average Gross

# Good Films

# Mediocre

# Bad

$187.0m

20. Simon West

West is responsible for the most-viewed music video of the past few years with his amazingly skilled take on Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up.” (If you’ve been Rickrolled, you’ve seen part of his contribution to the form.) West moved primarily into the commercial world before venturing into features.

Noted videos:

Rick Astley "Never Gonna Give You Up"

Best movie:

Con Air (1997) 52+ Netflix Queue

The marriage of producer Jerry Bruckheimer (who usually works with commercial and music video directors) and Simon West made sense, and the silly and slick action flick that starred Nicolas Cage and one bad wig was the first of many disposable yet popular West films.

Next movie (as director):

The Mechanic (2011)

Average Metascore

Average Gross

# Good Films

# Mediocre

# Bad

$95.7m

21. Dominic Sena

You can’t mention Dominic Sena without bringing up his collaborative work with Janet Jackson on her Rhythm Nation 1814 music videos. The energetic black-and-white clips were both militant and funky.

Noted videos:

Janet Jackson, "Rhythm Nation"

Fleetwood Mac, "Little Lies"

Best movie:

Kalifornia (1993) 48+ Netflix Queue

Sena’s debut feature Kalifornia was a glossy thriller with great performances by a pre-X-FilesDavid Duchovny, Michelle Forbes, and a pre-superstar turn by Brad Pitt, who plays a drunken sociopath who terrorizes a journalist couple along with his ragdoll girlfriend (Juliette Lewis).

Next movie (as director):

Season of the Witch (2011)

Average Metascore

Average Gross

# Good Films

# Mediocre

# Bad

$46.0m

2014 video project

Self evaluation and reflection

1. What did you learn about the MOVIE MAKING PROCESS? Use specific examples.
2. What did you learn about YOURSELF from doing this project? Use specific examples.
3. What did you learn about your specific job on our production team through this project? Use specific examples.
4. Where did you get your inspiration from when making this music video? Try to site 3 examples from videos and movies you have seen in the past.

Below is a rubric for the steps of this project. Please pick what grade you feel is appropriate for you and explain why using the rubric.