Music Video Director

Shane Drake

Shane Drake • Shane C. Drake is a music video director

from Redding California, he has directed over 50 music videos and has a huge list of clients from mjor bands such as Paramore to Hip Hop artists such as Flo Rida.

• Shane worked as an editor and cinematographer in his early career and worked with a large range of bands, now he works primarily as a director on music videos and has worked on a fe w films. He owns his own production company named Red Van Pictures of which is a very popular Production company based in Los Angleles, where Shane works within a team to produce new music videos.

• Before his career in ddirecting and cinematography, Shane pursued a career in acting, where he moved to New York, he landed a few roles in feature films and these oppourtuniies led him to broaden his horizons and introducted him to the cinematic world. He then started to create his own short films using a low grade VHS camcorder. This opened him up to making contacts back in LA where he got into a different track in the entertainment business.

Awards

• Shane Drake has had huge success with his music videos and has been nominated and won a range of awards for his music videos:

• MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year for Panic at the Disco's "I Write Sins Not Tragedies“ in 2006.

• In 2007 Drake was nominated for the MTV Monster Single of the Year for his video for Timbaland's "The Way I Are". He also won the video of the year (MTVU awards) for Say Anything’s “Wow I Can Get Sexual Too”.

• In 2008, he has been nominated for MTV Video Music Award for Best Direction and MTV Video Music Award for Best Pop Video with Panic at the Disco's "Nine in the Afternoon" and MTV Video Music Award for Best Rock Video with Paramore's "Crushcrushcrush" and also Fall Out Boy's cover of "Beat It".

• In 2009 Drake was nominated for the MTV Video Music Award for Best Rock Video for his video for Paramore's "Decode" from Twilight.

Music Videos Directed.• 2004• Fall Out Boy - "Saturday" • Hawthorne Heights - "Ohio Is For Lovers" • mewithoutYou - "January 1979" • Silverstein - "Smashed Into Pieces" • 2005• Paramore - "Pressure" • My American Heart - "The Process" • Blindside - "Fell In Love With The Game" • Trivium - "A Gunshot to the Head of Trepidation" • Still Remains - "The Worst Is Yet To Come" • The Audition - "You've Made Us Conscious" • June - "Patrick" • Between The Buried And Me- "Alaska" • 2006• Showbread - "Oh! Emetophobia!" • Mewithoutyou - "Nice And Blue (Part 2)" • Gia Farrell - "Hit Me Up" • Trick Daddy feat. Chamillionaire - "Bet That" • Head Automatica - "Lying Through Your Teeth" • Less Than Jake -"The Rest Of My Life" • Gym Class Heroes - "The Queen And I" • Paramore - "Emergency" • An Angle - "Green Water" • Moneen - "If Tragedy's Appealing, Then Disaster's An Addiction" • Needtobreathe - "You Are Here" • Panic! at the Disco - "But It's Better If You Do" • Panic! at the Disco - "I Write Sins Not Tragedies" • Jonezetta - "Get Ready (Hot Machete)"

Shane Drake has directed a huge range of music videos, looking at a wide range of clients from different depths of the music business.

He is most famous for his work with Panic at the Disco and Paramore, working on the videos for ‘I write sins, not tragedies’ and ‘Decode’. He also directed the video ‘The way I are’ by Timberland feat. Keri Hilson, of which was a huge success. Most of the artists Shane works with fall into the ‘pop-rock’ genre, however he is quite versatile in his work, as he has worked with a range of artists.

• 2007• The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus - "False Pretense" • Paramore - "Misery Business" • The Almost - "Southern Weather" • The Rocket Summer - "So Much Love" • Say Anything - "Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too" • The Almost - "Say This Sooner" • The Higher - "Insurance?" • The Cheetah Girls "So This Is Love" • New Years Day - "I Was Right" • Timbaland ft. D.O.E and Keri Hilson - "The Way I Are" • Angels & Airwaves - "Everything's Magic" • The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus - "Your Guardian Angel" • Paramore - "crushcrushcrush" • Plain White T's - "Our Time Now" • Paul Van Dyk - "Let Go" • 2008• Panic at the Disco - "Nine in the Afternoon" • Forever the Sickest Kids - "Whoa Oh! (Me vs. Everyone)" • Fall Out Boy featuring John Mayer - "Beat It" • Flo Rida ft. Will.I.Am - "In The Ayer" • Shwayze - "Corona & Lime" • Plain White T's starring Tiffany Dupont - "Natural Disaster" • Paramore - "Decode" • 2009• Madina Lake - "Never Take Us Alive" • Flo Rida ft Wynter Gordon - "Sugar"

“I am excited for the opportunity to work with many different artists. I am less concerned with specific people as I am with working with people with certain characteristics. I love artists that are prepared to take risks creatively, and are genuinely in love with their craft. So for all you artists out there that fit this bill, I’m looking for you.”

Red Jumpsuit Apparatus- Guardian Angel.

In this music video I love the use of lighting

This music video by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus has a very distinct appeal to it, the use of light is very strong within this video; with a light bulb being the focus and causing a distinct change with contrast and light fill/overexposure. The use of slow motion really reflects the pace of the song, as does the editing- it flows throughout the video. I think that the use of light and the washed out colour palette within the video helps to create an emotive image throughout of which reflects the lyrics and works together with the action on screen. The combination of live performance and lip sync works with the conventions of a band such as this and helps to promote the emotion of the song, as conveyed by the singer.

Panic at the disco- I write Sins not tragedies.

This music video has a clear narrative running throughout, based upon a wedding of which almost transforms into an elaborate circus inspired video; of which has a sense of mystery and a certain eeriness about it.

I love the combination of costume and overall mise en scene in this music video; the costume really helps to present the narrative, of which is further communicated via the use of close up shots, long shots and through the use of speed within the video. One feature I particularly like from this video is the use of non diagetic sound when the main characters are taking their vows, and close up shots of their mouths are shown. The initial establishing shot initially sets up expectations for the video, however it turns to be much more sinister.

Paramore- Decode.

I love this video, there are so many creative elements of which work so well together, I love the use of light and colour as it creates an eiree atmosphere and the camera movement is almost as if someone is watching them, it is very edgy and sweeping.

I love how the shots of the band have been incorporated with random shots moving through the woods, the editing and overlays are very creative and works well with the camera angles chosen.

Music Videos.

• As a music video, ‘The Way I Are’ is one of my favourite videos, due to the conventional element and the strong use of lighting and the theme of the video.

• Lighting- Shane Drake uses lighting as a subject within the video to cut to the beat, with a pulsing light to emphasise the song and musicality- he uses it to overlay shots, adding dynamics.

• Camera movement/shots- Fast paced cuts, they are quite jumpy and edgy. • Mise en Scene- The location of the video is set underground in a tunnel/location with bars

(reminiscent of a prison; presenting the idea of a grimy setting and representing the song ‘The way I Are’.

• Voyeurism- The representation of women within this music video is showing them in a sexual nature, however Keri Hilson is not being exploited; she is dressed in a smart, but slightly revealing, in contrast to the men who are all dressed in suits (conservative). This presents the idea of women being around to be looked at; supported by close up shots.

• Music & Visuals- The video cuts between a narrative and shots of the artists lip syncing- this is quite a conventional aspect of music videos.

• Colours- The colours are all very dark with blues to represent the underground music scene and present a dark mood/atmosphere to the video.

Visual Style.• The visual style of Shane Drake is very driven by the artist of which

he is shooting for, he loves to come up with a concept behind the video, however if it doesn’t suit the artist and reveal a certain truth, he states “it will fall flat”. He looks at what the band or artist means and how they want to be perceived and goes with that… In some cases he focuses on a rocking performance and in other cases in focuses on refinement, sometimes he likes to create a theatrical set or in other cases he simply focuses on character and personality.

• Shane uses contrasts to create an interesting music video, he uses oppositions to create interest and dynamics. ‘With every emotion, including sadness, I find that it is essential to show them in contrast to their opposite counterpart. Without conveying darkness, light conveys little impact, without portraying depravity, hope loses its value. So, in short, I convey most emotions by juxtaposing them next to their opposite.’

His Process.• Shane describes himself as a control freak and he says that he is “a

slave to my dysfunction” He states that he has OCD and is a strong person when it comes to authority in the process of directing. He has found it a challenge in his life and aims to work with passion, humility and excellence.

• He has a casting director called Dustin Blackburn, who he works with in most of his projects. He brings a range of resources and talent to the whole process and has a good relationship with Shane, understanding his requirements and needs for casting. He looks ultimately at characterisation and personality, taking this all into consideration on set; this is a serious focus. Secondly the whole ‘look’ for the roles are considered, making sure it is appropriate for the context of the video, and thirdly he looks for people who can take direction and communicate with him.

• Everyone on set has to be open to suggestions and be able to work together on set otherwise it will not work with his process.

Inspiration.

• Shane’s favourite video is Pearl Jam’s, Jeremy. “It was such an honest introspection into the heart and soul of the song, and captured the emotional qualities of the lyrics so magnificently in a way that very few videos are able to do.”

Narrative Elements.

• In his work, I can see quite strong narrative elements, I think that he does use a storyline to communicate his ideas and this works very well in the way that he chooses to tell it. The way he uses narrative does not always work parallel to the lyrics, and I think this is effective as it gives you a new way of reading into them, although he does use them to create his very own story.

Editing Style.

• Shane Drakes editing style is very strong, however he works with what he can from each video, adjusting himself to the narrative and band.

• The editing of his videos usually carries a similar style in respect of his use of fast paced cuts, however he uses a variety of techniques throughout his videos, with panning, tracking and a variety of motion shots.

• I love his aesthetic within his work as it is very strong and adaptable to the styles/genres of bands of which he works with.

My Views.

• I really love the work of Shane Drake, as I can see the inspiration behind his work. The way that he uses light in is so amazing, he manages to create an air of mystery about his videos, however the vibe of the videos always stay true to the genre of the video or the narrative. I do however think that his style is quite specific for rock videos, due to the darkness and mystic that he creates; some of his videos really sets a dark tone that works in correlation with the genre of alternative rock, although he does adjust his style, as he did when he did the Hip Hop video for Timbaland and Keri Hilson.

Shane Drake. • This director had a very strong sense

of style of which is present throughout all of his videos. I love his clever use of lighting and shadows and how he sets a mood surrounding each band of which is appropriate to their genre. His narrative ideas is mainly inspirational to me as it is obvious that he finds his story and really pushes it forward through the visual elements. I will take these strong ideas regarding narrative and try to put that into my own work. I do not think that this style of music video would be very appropriate for my band genre and song choice at this stage, however I will definitely utilise as many elements of his work, as his videos are so successful and effective for his target audience and representation of the band and song.