10 Music Videos That Were Actually Made By Famous Directors

Films aren't the only thing that need to be directed...

Music videos have come a long way. From The Beatles' A Hard Day's Night and Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody to Psy's Gangnam Style, the first video on YouTube to get 1 billion views, they've been an evolving "art form" since the 1960s. But how on earth did they wind up being helmed by some of the biggest names in cinema? It began with MTV, which thrust music videos into the mainstream media, allowing people to watch them at the push of a TV remote. Nowadays, MTV has been replaced by YouTube, providing unparalleled access to hundreds of thousands of music videos. With this increased popularity came interest from filmmakers. As music videos became more elaborate, budding filmmakers saw them as a great opportunity to kick-start their career and seasoned directors recognised they offered what can be difficult to achieve through Hollywood studios: experimental freedom. Many directors saw the opportunity to play with lighting, colour and sound in ways that simply weren't possible in a feature-length film. There was a uniqueness to music videos that differed from the rigorous structure of traditional cinema. So who are these famous filmmakers who've dabbled in making music videos? And which directors were making music videos long before they were shooting films? Let's visit the set and find out.
Contributor
Contributor

Commonly found reading, sitting firmly in a seat at the cinema (bottle of water and a Freddo bar, please) or listening to the Mountain Goats.