David Fincher directing a Rick Springfield video might
strike you as absurd. A cruel joke. The all-time greatest video director working for a soap star turned pop rocker? Well, if that sounds nuts, then you might
take it as a personal insult when I tell you he actually directed several videos for the
former Dr. Noah Drake, in additon to clips for Eddie Money, Hooters, Loverboy and The
Motels. Mind you, he didn't even get to tackle the hit songs until
several years into his career, when he got on a commercially successful
roll with "Roll With It," ironically enough.
Currently video directors curate their output as like a boutique store would curate their shelves. Everything needs to convey the right vibe and the right message. One false move and there goes your audience.
It makes sense: Directors have been credited on MTV since 1992 and the info is even more available nowadays, thanks in part to Websites like Videostatic.com (yes, I pat my back sometimes). And directors are most simplistically judged by the recording artists on their reel. The first question is always,"Who have you worked with?" and if you want to be considered on the cutting edge of visuals, it makes sense to be aligned with cutting edge music. If you want to nab a big rap video, you better hope your reel isn't entirely MOR rock bands.
But what if your goal is to make atmospheric and challenging movies like Seven and Fight Club and The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo? Then maybe you don't want your name affixed with bubblegum pop artists. Right?
Imagine David Fincher turned down his first big video opportunity, "Bop Til You Drop," because it wasn't the right artist or song. Or the next half dozen videos on which he was able to cut his creative teeth.
David Fincher, director (via moviefone.com):
"That one got me out of ILM. I mean, I would make that video very differently today... And for a 22-year-old and the first $150,000 I've ever had to spend ... yeah, we did the best we could with what we had. Rick was incredibly sweet to me to give me that opportunity, but I honestly don't know what any of that had to do with that song. At least it was different."
"Bop Til You Drop" is crazy, in terms of ambition and risk. It's a post-apocalyptic sci-fi extravaganza complete with explosions and a dancing alien creature. But, five years later he's making "Express Yourself." And then it's off to the races in terms of amazing videos for massive artists and songs: Aerosmith "Janie's Got A Gun," George Michael "Freedom 90" and many others. Eight years after "BTYD" he's making Aliens 3, and call me crazy, but I see the germ of "Express Younself" in that video, and I'm sure the Aliens folks saw something as well.
If you're young and viewing Fincher's videography for the first time — he essentially stopped regularly making videos with a 1994 Rolling Stones video, which is also fantastic, of course — then you'll likely be shocked that with a few exceptions, it's all very far removed from what's defined his feature work.
It's almost as if the videos he did were works for hire, with Fincher certainly adding his own touches and direction, but mainly expressing what was necessary to get the song and the recording artist across.
And I don't think that's a bad thing.
Also, let's give Rick Springfield some props. "Jessie's Girl" is undeniable. Respect.
Comments