Spike JonzeDirector study

Adam Spiegel or Spike Jonze was  born ion the 14th December 1911in Rockville, Maryland, and raised in Bethesda, Maryland.

He’s a Oscar winning American director. He also works as a  producer, screenwriter and actor, whose work includes music videos, commercials, film and television.

During his early life he was working mainly as a photographer for the magazines ‘Dirt’ and ‘Homeboy’

He gained the nickname Spike Jonze from his childhood which was given to him by the owner of a shop he used to often visit.

Finally he was the heir to a wealthy catalogue owning family.

Biographical imformation

He’s best known for his collaborated work with writer Charlie Kaufman as director for 2009’s ‘Where The Wild Things Are’.

Jonze is also known for his Film ‘Being John Malkovich’ winning him an academy award.

Being both the co-creator and executive producer of MTV’s Jackass is another reason he’s know. This links in with his love for skateboarding which is featured as a strong theme throughout.

He’s also the owner of a skatebord company ‘Girl Skateboards’ with riders such as Rick Howard and Mike Carroll

Jonze has worked with many musicians through his career however the video’s he’s best known for producing are in his collaborations with Weezer, The Beastie boys and Björk

Film carer

Jonze’s style is very mixed and seems to change depending on the music video. An example of this could be a comparison between his work with Björk in ‘Oh it’s so quiet’ contrasting completely with Beastie Boys sabotage.

Sabotage is a video which is contrasts completely from it’s name. Based around an early 80’s cop action drama it focus’s on the catching of criminals which is not what the name infers. This can be seen as an expression of spikes unique and unbound style.

Spikes videos swap between narrative and performance however i have yet to see an example of concept as the performance by the actors is entertaining enough.

Visual Style

Recorded in 2000 weapon of choice was one of two songs on a double sided EP released by the artist fat boy slim.

This video features Christopher Walken dancing and wond multiple awards at the MTV video music awards.

Spikes style to manipulate parts of the visual style to create a surreal video is expressed in this. The video starts with Christopher Walken walking normally though a hotel lobby dressed in a smart suit. This quickly progresses into a dance routine. Which is carried on throughout the building, finally the video loses all sense of realism. As Christopher Walken energetically fly's from wall to wall in the main lobby, smashing our concept of reality.

This video is a stereotypical expression of jonze’s video style expressing a concept which breaks the norm.

Music video: Weapons of choice- fat boy slim

Films, shorts and music videos

Films Television Music videos

1999-Being John Malkovich

2000- Jackass Beastie Boys- Sabotage 1994

2002-Adaptation 2004- Sonic Youth Video Dose

Björk- It’s Oh So Quite 1995

2009- Where The Wild Things Are

2010/2012- The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret

Daft Punk- Da Funk1997

2013- Her Fat Boy Slim- Weapon Of Choice 2000

Weezer-Island In The Sun 2002

Arcade Fire- The Suburbs 2010

JayZ/ Kanye West- Otis 2011

Personally I find Jonze’s work to be quite vibrant and active, it’s constantly changing as you can tell through the progression of his work. This was one aspect I enjoyed, due to this his style isn’t stable and set into a specific place.

You can see a collection of ideas by screening his work building up a picture of his mind. Which let me see him as a person and feel a sense of connection to his work.

My thoughts on his work