The Directors Label DVDs

Started by KingBlackDeath, November 02, 2003, 07:00:11 PM

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MacGuffin

#30
December 31, 2003, 01:26:10 AM
Directors Share Stories from Behind the Videos

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Wires must have gotten crossed at the North Pole this year because under the Christmas tree at our house, we ended up with three copies of the Palm Pictures DVD series "Directors Label: The Works of Spike Jonze, Chris Cunningham and Michel Gondry."

Not that anyone is complaining. Narrated by the three young wise men of modern-day motion imagery, the DVD compilations provide hilarious and heartbreaking tours through various production and postproduction nightmares that occurred during the making of some of the most iconic music videos that have aired in the past two decades.

In one of the darker moments, Cunningham provides a glimpse into a filmmakers' postproduction hell when he painfully relives viewing the dailies for the Bjork video "All Is Full of Love," a clinical yet simultaneously intimate ode to industrial robot romance.

"My strength is sculpting stuff up in post," Cunningham says. "(The footage) was pretty ramshackle; in the Avid, it looked awful . . . so cheap and nasty. I had a panic attack looking at the rushes in telecine. Only when (London post house) Glassworks was doing the (head replacement) stuff -- about six to seven shots in ... up until that point, I had no faith in computer graphics. Now I'm a convert."

In the 75-minute short film "I've Been 12 Forever," Gondry makes use of ink drawings, illustrated T-shirts, a hand-recorded phonograph, wall projections, velvet pin-hole skies, dioramas, flipbooks, historical re-enactments, an interview with his mother and, among other mediums, old Super 8mm family films to investigate what it is exactly that inspires him.

"I think inspiration comes in many ways," Gondry says. "You have your own way to solve problems -- that's inspiration."

It's a pretty low-key estimation coming from one of the most inspiring and magical filmmakers working today. And as an almost tacit admission to the absurdity of talking earnestly on camera about personal inspiration, Gondry's girlfriend streaks through the frame, pretty much on cue.

In his own DVD, Jonze says he first met Gondry at a Cibo Matto concert when, because of a mild language barrier and the high-frequency noise factor, the French director mistook Jonze for the band's bus driver and blew him off. When Gondry finally realized that Jonze also was a music video director, the two met up at Du-Par's restaurant on Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles and ultimately decided to do the DVD directors series together.

One of the most telling aspects of the DVD series is hearing various musicians talk about the creative collaborations experienced during the making of their music videos. Bjork, whose videos are featured on each of the DVDs, is clearly a muse for all three directors, inspiring some of their best work.

Jonze also clearly finds inspiration in working with Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon. He also frequently cites Sofia Coppola, who, at one point -- thanks to some clever camerawork and an agile body double -- performs as a competitive high school gymnast in the Chemical Brothers video "Electrobank."

Each director's DVD also includes a 52-page booklet of original photographs, storyboards, drawings and interviews that are well worth a peek for anyone interested in a little insight into the filmmaking process.
"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." - Andy Warhol


Skeleton FilmWorks

Stefen

#31
December 31, 2003, 01:55:27 AM
Great Article Mac, I can't stress this dvd set enough. It's cheap and a good thing to throw on to watch and drink some beers, or just to throw on and put on mute while you have a bunch of friends over and are playing cards.
Falling in love is the greatest joy in life. Followed closely by sneaking into a gated community late at night and firing a gun into the air.

MacGuffin

#32
December 31, 2003, 02:05:31 AM
Quote from: StefenIt's cheap and a good thing to throw on to watch and drink some beers, or just to throw on and put on mute while you have a bunch of friends over and are playing cards.

Hmmmm...I don't drink, I have no friends and I can't watch it if I'm playing solitare.  :yabbse-undecided:
"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." - Andy Warhol


Skeleton FilmWorks

Stefen

#33
December 31, 2003, 02:22:50 AM
Quote from: MacGuffin
Quote from: StefenIt's cheap and a good thing to throw on to watch and drink some beers, or just to throw on and put on mute while you have a bunch of friends over and are playing cards.

Hmmmm...I don't drink, I have no friends and I can't watch it if I'm playing solitare.  :yabbse-undecided:

Well then you my friend need to buy yourself a new baseball cap. Problems solved!
Falling in love is the greatest joy in life. Followed closely by sneaking into a gated community late at night and firing a gun into the air.

cine

#34
December 31, 2003, 02:28:08 AM
Quote from: StefenWell then you my friend need to buy yourself a new baseball cap. Problems solved!
Worst therapist ever.

Slick Shoes

#35
January 04, 2004, 10:38:54 PM
I just re-watched some of the Jonze DVD and realized something: that part where Jonze is dancing with his troupe out in front of the movie theatre is less than a minute from where I live... I rule!!!

Rudie Obias

#36
January 06, 2004, 04:17:37 PM
Quote from: Slick ShoesI just re-watched some of the Jonze DVD and realized something: that part where Jonze is dancing with his troupe out in front of the movie theatre is less than a minute from where I live... I rule!!!

yeah, it's in westwood, near ucla.
\"a pair of eyes staring at you, projected on a large screen is what cinema is truly about.\" -volker schlöndorff

Spike

#37
January 11, 2004, 09:18:10 AM
Yesterday I bought the Jonze-DVD and it's fucking great!
I simply love it!

The music videos are great, especially the Beastie Boys stuff, "California" by Wax and "Feel The Pain" by Dinosaur Jr.

I like especially the features on the B-side with Spike's rarities and documentarys. "The Oasis Video that never happened" was a quiet cool idea and "Amarillo By Morning" is a really great documentary. I also loved "What's Up Fatlip?", especially the part when Fatlip tells the story of him almost having sex with a man.
Did anybody else think that the Fatlip-documentary was sometimes really kind of sad?

And there's a trailer for a "Adaptation"-Special Editon-DVD....
"We're gonna celebrate St. Suck-My-Big-Fat-Fucking-Sausage'a!!!"

cron

#38
January 11, 2004, 04:24:03 PM
Quote from: Spike

And there's a trailer for a "Adaptation"-Special Editon-DVD....



why!? why?! why?! btw, Spike , are you the guy who took a photo with Spike Jonze at a Skateboarding convention or something? it's in the Charlie Kaufman site.
context, context, context.

Spike

#39
January 12, 2004, 08:05:32 AM
Quote from: chuckhimselfo
Quote from: Spike

And there's a trailer for a "Adaptation"-Special Editon-DVD....



why!? why?! why?! btw, Spike , are you the guy who took a photo with Spike Jonze at a Skateboarding convention or something? it's in the Charlie Kaufman site.

No, I'm not the guy, although I would do anything to meet Spike.
I'm so happy now that I haven't bought the "Adaptation"-DVD yet! Now I'm going to wait for the SE, which will hopefully contain a commentary with Spike, Charlie and Cage.
"We're gonna celebrate St. Suck-My-Big-Fat-Fucking-Sausage'a!!!"

ᾦɐļᵲʊʂ

#40
January 12, 2004, 03:25:57 PM
The series has opened my mind to some great songs and bands, so even if not for finding out abuot new directors, I have seen new music as well.
"As a matter of fact I only work with the feeling of something magical, something seemingly significant. And to keep it magical I don't want to know the story involved, I just want the hypnotic effect of it somehow seeming significant without knowing why." - Len Lye

BrainSushi

#41
January 13, 2004, 12:40:13 PM
Quote from: Spike
And there's a trailer for a "Adaptation"-Special Editon-DVD....

It's just the Adaptation theatrical trailer with "Special Edition DVD Coming Soon" tagged on at the end.

cron

#42
January 24, 2004, 02:41:24 AM
yes, it would be great if there was a Mark Romanek one, or a Paul Hunter (legend) one, or a Hammer + Tongs one, (you can see all their videos at www.hammerandtongs.co.uk ,tho)   and specially a Shynola one.  or a Jonathan Glazer one.


EDIT: wait, i'm forgetting Brett Ratner.
context, context, context.

modage

#43
January 24, 2004, 11:19:42 AM
Quote from: chuckhimselfo.yes, it would be great if there was a Mark Romanek one.
http://www.markromanek.com/faq.html

are there any plans to release a dvd compilation of your music videos?
yes. a comprehensive dvd is currently in production and will appear in 2004. it will be released by palm pictures as part of their new 'director's label' series (the same label that just released dvd compilations of the work of spike jonze, michel gondry, and chris cunningham). there will be interviews with most -- if not all -- of the artists i've worked with, a full-color fifty page booklet, and an extensive assortment of bonus materials.
Christopher Nolan's directive was clear to everyone in the cast and crew: Use CGI only as a last resort.

cron

#44
February 08, 2004, 06:26:13 AM
these dvd's are fantastic.  i feel so proud of owning them.  do you also feel proud of owning them?
context, context, context.
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