Director Study - Shane Drake

[Note: Sorry about the use of random video hosts...youtube has blocked most of these songs from being embedded!! :(]

Biography...
Shane Drake is an American music video director, from California originally, now based in Los Angeles. Early on in his career he spent time working as an editor and cinematographer. However now spends the majority of his time directing. Since 2006, Drake has directed over 50 music videos and co-produced a handful of films. He now owns 'Red Van Pictures'- a production company.
The website: www.redvanpictures.com has a montage/list of all music videos Drake has worked on; giving information on who was the producer, which awards it was nominated for or received, as well as giving people the chance to view and comment.

Awards and Recognition...
In 2006, Drake was awarded an MTV Video Music Award 'Video of the Year' for Panic at the Disco's - I Write Sins, Not Tragedies. He has been nominated for many more MTV Video Music Awards; for 'Best Direction', 'Best Pop Video' and 'Best Rock Video'.

His Style...
Shane Drake is one of the more recent music video directors that we, as a group, decided to look at. Beginning his career in 2006, he has worked with an array of artists. He has worked mostly with bands such as Paramore, Panic at the Disco, Fall Out Boy and The Almost (as well as 2 of my favourite bands Say Anything and MeWithoutYou!!) However, recently he has branched out and worked with artists Flo Rida and Timbaland. One of his most early music videos is a personal favourite of mine, and showcases his love of costumes and mainly performance based videos; MeWithoutYou - January 1979





The music video I believe conforms the most to the conventions and codes of music videos according to Andrew Goodwin, with parodic intent;
Say Anything - Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too




This video can be seen as conforming to Goodwin's theory or parodying those that do conform, either way, the video does demonstrate most of his notions...
Relationship between lyrics and visuals...: This definitely is apparent in Say Anything's video; the song is about the lead singer calling various girls...the video shows him dialling a phone and a girl answering. A particular (and quite humerous...) example is when the lyrics say: 'I forgot all the rules my rabbi taught me in the old schul.' the visual is of a rabbi pulling the lead singer along by his ear.
Frequent reference to the notion of looking...: The lead singer looks directly into the camera, addressing the viewers as if story telling. This also refers to the idea of spectacle and 'Demand of close-ups' of the band - especially the lead singer.
Intertextuality...: The video is a blatent parody of stereotypical hip-hop or maybe even pop songs. It shows the lead singer throwing money and posing next to an expensive car. The female form is also shown to be an object of desire - fitting the codes and conventions of music videos. Towards to end, the video makes particular reference to Justin Timberlake's 'Rock Your Body' where he dances infront of a wall of lights, it could also be seen to mimic the band The Killer's song 'Somebody Told Me'. Harry Winkler (The Fonz from Happy Days) also makes a cameo in this video; who is seen as the 'embodiment of cool'.
Overall...: The song is mainly performance based and also shows Drake's favourite, using extravagant costume design.



Gym Class Heroes - The Queen and I
Panic at the Disco - I Write Sins Not Tragedies
Drake's use of tracking shots that run smoothly throughout makes it visually stylish, showing an experimental use of camerawork as well as the use of animation. It also conforms to the idea of spectacle again. Both of these videos showcase Drake's use of narrative in music video; still maintaining the use of costumes.