Music Video Director

Melina Matsoukas

Melina Matsoukas is a graduate of the American Film Institute and her graduate thesis there was on music videos. She started out at Black Dog Film and is currently a director at Prettybird, where she has been signed since 2011. Her work has been described as 'chalk full of bright colours or crisp black and white images, smooth spotlights, and tasteful retro video models.' 

Melina Matsoukas has worked with artists like Rihanna, Beyonce, Leona Lewis, Ne-Yo and many more to help create their music videos. The wide range of artists has meant she has made a variety of types of music videos. Many of the videos directed by Melina Matsoukas have very little and narrative, and mostly consist of performance from the artist. Voyeurism can be seen in some of the music videos she has directed and is particularly seen in some of Beyonce and Rihanna's music videos.

I have watched some of the music videos she directed and I have noticed that the majority of them seem to sell the star and enhance the star image. In some of these music videos i began to realise that there is very little narrative or it is not clearly structured and established. Here are a few examples of videos Melina Matsoukas has directed.

Star Image- How It Can Change Over Time

Britney Spears

Britney Spears first began performing when she was a child in stage productions and television shows. When Britney Spears first started her pop career with her release of ‘Hit Me Baby One More Time’, she was portrayed as being young and attractive but still being relatively innocent.  This hit went on to become the best-selling track by a teenage solo artist. Her second track was just as much of a hit and she became the 'best-selling teenage artist of all time' before she turned 20. She was then known as the 'Princess of Pop'.

In 2001 she branched out and starred in the film 'Crossroads' as the lead. She continued to release another album as well as two compilation albums. Her image began to change slightly as she became more sexualised as she got older. Her style of music began to change and become slightly more rebellious and fiesty with the release of 'Toxic' and 'Piece Of Me'.


In 2004 Britney Spears had her first reality tv show 'Britney & Kevin: Chaotic', which showed the early stages of their relationship before they married in October. She then released her first fragrance 'Curious' which broke first week sales for the company. Britney and Kevin had their first child in 2001, a son named Sean. After the birth of her second child, Jayden, in 2006 she filed for divorce.

When Britney's aunt died due to ovarian cancer, she spent one night in a drug rehabilitation facility and the following night, she shaved her head. Following this, she admitted herself to various other facilities over the next few weeks. She later posted on her website 'I truly hit rock bottom...' She began to work her way back up through promotional concerts.

When Britney was hospitalized after police thought she appeared to be on drugs. Her visitation rights to her kids were suspended and the control of her assets was given to her father, James Spears. She was later then given some visitation rights after coming to an agreement with Kevin Federline. She then began to get her career back.

In 2008 her sixth album 'Circus' continued to show the new side to Britney as she was becoming more and more sexualised, but also very powerful and in control of the sexual appeal. This can be seen in the music videos for 'Womanizer'.


In 2011 she released a seventh album called 'Femme Fatale'. This album featured three top ten singles in the US; 'Hold It Against Me', 'Till The World Ends' and 'I Wanna Go'. As well as featuring on Rihanna's 'S&M' to gain her fifth number one.

Pink - Please Don't Leave Me

The camerawork and editing in Pink’s music video for ‘Please Don’t Leave Me’ is very similar to that seen in a film. To begin with there is an extreme long shot which is used as the establishing shot; used to show the audience the setting. The use of seamless editing for the majority of the music video helps to portray the linear narrative. Although there are various fade transitions used to show the male character slipping in and out of consciousness. The wide range of shots and angles helps to show both the action as well as the emotions of the characters. This wide range, including the use of POV shots also makes the music video seem more like a film. This music video does not always edit on the beat which is less common in music videos. 

The linear narrative for ‘Please Don’t Leave me’ is very clear and amplifies the lyrics. This narrative based music videos shows Pink’s desperation and almost psychotic behaviour to not be left by her boyfriend. The narrative is almost like a nightmare as it begins normal and sane but soon begins to spiral into an almost surreal dreamlike nightmare. The setting and props also add to the surreal nightmare to help create the eerie feel to the music video. The music video is not purely narrative based it has some performance throughout which is important to have in a music video.

Pink’s performance is almost theatrical towards the end of the music video. She has exaggerated actions, which enhances the desperation and despair at the thought of him leaving. The use of the various ways to keep him seems almost immature and childlike but also adds a comic element. The use of marbles and dressing up also reflects this childlike immaturity which helps to show the extremes she will go to. 

Throughout this music video there is evidence of voyeurism. Her costumes show this as she is wearing revealing costumes throughout the music video. Her dancing when she is dressed as the nurse also adds to her sexual appeal. Although she is sexualised she is still shown as being in control. This is common when there is a female artist, it is used to make them seem more important and in power. 

Pink's star image has a very unique style and edge to it, this is reflected in this music video. Throughout many of Pink's music videos she is presented as being very rebellious, masculine and overpowering. This particular music video shows the rebellious and overpowering side. The costumes contradict the masculine approach often taken in her music videos. 

There is evidence of intertextuality in this music video. The first reference is to the 1990 film, ‘Misery’. The storyline of a woman breaking a mans legs so he cannot escape, can also be seen in this music video. There has been a twist on this storyline though as in the film it is an old lady however Pink has been sexualized.

The second reference is to the 1980 film ‘The Shining’. The use of Pink chasing the man down the hall with an axe as he hides in the bathroom has been taken from this film. When Pink cuts through the door and then looks through the door is also from this film. The use of this intertextuality makes the music video more interesting and also helps to enhance the narrative.

Intertextuality

Madonna- Open Your Heart

Intertextuality is when one media text makes a reference to another. A music video that is an example of this is Madonna’s ‘Open Your Heart’. It makes reference to the 1972 film ‘Cabaret’. The use of the blue background with the chair makes reference to a performance made my Liza Minnelli. The use of the black wig also links to this film however by her removing this wig adds a twist to it. The cabaret style performance also reflects a very similar dance to the one seen in the film. The use of the spotlight also makes it seem more like a performance which links back to themes throughout the film. The black, very revealing costume is also similar to the one from ‘Cabaret’. Although this is a reference to the film the end of the music video is very different as she is wearing slightly more boyish clothes and is a lot more covered up and looks more masculine. 

There is also the use of voyeurism during the beginning of the video. Madonna’s costume and dance routine as well as the fragmented, close up shots of her body; for example her legs and chest. Although she is very sexualised she is also very in control as all the men are positioned on a lower level from her which makes her appear as superior to them. All the men in the video seem captivated by Madonna which also makes her seem more important. Although she is very sexualised her image changes towards the end of the music video. She changes costumes to a boyish cut suit and hat which makes her appear less sexually attractive but also adds a different side to her star image.