If you have any interest in the history and, quite possibly, the future of music videos, Scott Kalvert is somebody you should know. Although best known as the director of the Jim Carroll biopic The Basketball Diaries — starring some kid named Leonardo DiCaprio — Kalvert directed some of the most played videos of the '80s and '90s before settling into an executive producer role at F.M. Rocks and now Uncle.
name: Scott Kalvert
company: Uncle
job/title: President/ Executive Producer
First Video: First real major label video I directed was "Parents Just Don't Understand" for DJ Jazzy Jeff And The Fresh Prince. It was fun watching Will Smith the star being born. Like now, the 30k budget was like fitting a square peg in a round hole, which caused me to really have to be creative. The unique approach got it nominated for four MTV awards and it went on to win the first Best Rap Video award ever. I did lose Best Director to David Fincher for Madonna's "Express Yourself," which probably cost like a million. But hey, you can't win all the time.
Strangest Video: It was for a guy named Webb Wilder. I will never forget it because... It was cursed.
We did a circus freak show at the World's Fair site in Flushing Meadows, Queens. We had little people, strong men, fat ladies, you name it. All under a giant circus tent.
The day starts with me getting dropped off with the crew. A PA got out of a production van on a hill with the engine in drive. We all watched as the van raced by itself out of control down the hill and over a grassy field — almost running over half the crew. After an eternity it smashed into a giant tree. Totaled.
When the band was finally ready to leave their hotel and come to set, like five hours late, they had a fight and had to travel in different vans. As they were arguing, a cab hit the back of one of their vans, which caused
the side door to slam shut, which in turn chopped the finger off the lead guitarist. Not good for a guitarist. Not good for a film shoot.
Finally, as we are about to shoot, a giant hurricane hit. The tent filled with water and the whole scene became a bad Fellini movie on acid. Two feet of mud, a drenched crew fighting to not drown, sex crazed midgets hitting on the women: It became total chaos as the tent started collapsing around us. At that point
my mind goes blank. It was like the worst dream ever, only it was real!!!
I will never be involved with a freak show video again.
What's next: Running Uncle and trying to figure out a way to save the music video business.
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