Mark Romanek: Music Video Director

Famous Videos:
Scream - Michael & Janet Jackson
99 Problems - Jay Z
Can't Stop - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Closer - Nine Inch Nails
Speed of Sound - Coldplay
Hurt - Johnny Cash
Rain - Madonna




MTV Music Video Awards:
Romanek's videos have won numerous MTV Music Video awards, and many more have been nominated e.g. in 1995 his video for Scream not only won Best Dance Video and Best Choreography, but it was nominated for 9 other awards including Video of the Year and Best Direction. His video for 99 Problems got 4 wins including Best Rap Video and Best Direction.

Visual Motifs:
The majority of Romanek's videos are performance based, but some are also conceptual. In his videos, he has recurring themes of the human body e.g. in Closer by Nine Inch Nails the visual images include a skull and a heart wired to a machine. Also in Can't Stop the random actions from the band members are all related to using the body to create art. In all his videos, there are cuts between the body shots and the band performing their song. Along with using the human body in his videos, Romanek also uses clothing to promote the band for their target audience i.e. the performance of the band in Can't Stop shows them dancing and performing topless, which appeals to the primary target audience of teenage girls.

Examples of how the body has been
used in Can't Stop

Examples of how the body has been
used in Closer

Some of his videos cleverly use lighting during the song. In Speed of Sound, the whole background is lit up behind the band, and changes with the music. In Can't Stop, the singer goes into a mirror room with orange torches in his hands and starts to dance around to create different effects. In Scream, at the start of the video the 'ship' is in darkness but then the lights come on brightly and the rest of the video is in bright white light.

Use of lighting in Can't Stop

Use of lighting in Speed of Sound

Inspiration

Mark Romanek has been inspirational for me in the planning of my music video as he uses lighting in different ways to promote the band and the song. In my own music video I also plan to use lighting during the song to promote the band. I also plan to use different costumes to appeal to the target audience and to help promote the band. I will do this by making each band member unique in their costumes i.e. have different colours for each member.