Sophie Muller

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Sophie Muller is a British music video director, noted for her long-time collaborations with artists like Sophie Ellis-Bextor, No Doubt, Sade, Shakira, Shakespears Sister, Garbage, The Killers, Blur, Annie Lennox and Eurythmics.

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Background [edit]

Sophie Muller was born in London, United Kingdom, but spent her early years growing up on the Isle of Man. After leaving secondary education, she returned to London to attend Central St Martin's, gaining a Foundation Diploma in Art.

Following her graduation, Muller went to the Royal College of Art to study for her Masters in Film and Television, where she made "Interlude" and "In Excelsis Deo (In Adoration of God)." The latter won the J Walter Thompson Prize for creativity.

Her trademark style in most of her videos usually has a singer or a band inside a dim, isolated room.

Career [edit]

Muller's first taste of professional film came working as a third assistant on the 1984 horror/thriller Company of Wolves. She then went on to work for International Film and Video, honoring her for her editing, producing, and directing skills.

Muller's goal was to become a successful director in her own right, and her big break came through a chance meeting with John Stewart (brother of Eurythmics' Dave Stewart) and Billy Poveda of Oil Factory, an established film production company.

She has directed over one hundred music videos and has been a longtime collaborator with acts like Sophie Ellis-Bextor, No Doubt, Shakespears Sister, Garbage, Blur, Annie Lennox and Eurythmics. Her work with Annie Lennox won her a Grammy for the Diva video album. She also picked up an MTV Video Music Award for Lennox's 1992 hit "Why", and was also Grammy nominated for the Eurythmics' 1987 Savage video album. In total, Muller has directed over twenty videos for Lennox and Eurythmics.

She has directed seven videos for Sophie Ellis Bextor including "Take Me Home", "Murder on the Dancefloor", "Catch You" and two versions of "Music Gets the Best of Me".

Muller has also directed seven videos for No Doubt and six solo videos for Gwen Stefani. When No Doubt's "Don't Speak" won the award for Best Group Video at the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards, Stefani thanked her extensively, saying "I'd like to say that Sophie Muller is a genius." Stefani has also stated, "Sophie Muller is one of my most talented friends. She can and will only do projects that she is inspired by. She is driven by creativity and the love for what she does and as a result she never compromises. I consider her a true artist. I was a fan of Sophie's work before I even imagined working with her. She has a very pronounced style and taste that drew me in. I think she has the gift of being able to bring out the artist's personality, emotion and style. After working with her for the first time on our "Don't Speak" video, we became close friends [...]. On the set her direction is humble and simple, but she knows what she wants and knows when she gets it. A woman in charge in the male-dominated world of filmmaking makes the whole experience that much more exciting. [...] She has a way of making every cut have a reason and meaning. The videos have a life of their own and become better each time you watch them. I am always in shock the first time I see them and then after a few more times I am actually amazed. She has taught me a lot and I feel very lucky to have worked with her."[1]

The artwork for The Jesus and Mary Chain's 1994 album, Stoned & Dethroned, and the singles accompanying it, is composed entirely of stills from the video to the group's song "Sometimes Always," which was directed by Muller. She also directed the video for "Come On", which also appears on the album.

Muller states that her only ambition is to continue directing to her own high standards and to never grow bored. In 2004, she directed the socially aware video for Sarah McLachlan's "World on Fire",[2] where all but $15 of the entire $150,000 video budget was donated to charities. Recently, she has directed videos for Shakira, Mika, Kings of Leon, Brandon Flowers, Tom Odell and the critically acclaimed video for the Dixie Chicks, "Not Ready to Make Nice".

Selected videography [edit]

1982 [edit]

1987 [edit]

1988 [edit]

  • Eurythmics - "You Have Placed a Chill in My Heart"
  • Eurythmics - "Brand New Day"
  • Eurythmics - "Do You Want to Break Up?"
  • Eurythmics - "Heaven"
  • Eurythmics - "I Need You"
  • Eurythmics - "Put the Blame on Me"
  • Eurythmics - "Savage"
  • Eurythmics - "Wide Eyed Girl"
  • Sade - "Nothing Can Come Between Us"
  • Sade - "Turn My Back on You"
  • Sade - "Love Is Stronger Than Pride"
  • Shakespears Sister - "Break My Heart"
  • Shakespear's Sister - "Heroine"
  • Annie Lennox featuring Al Green - "Put a Little Love in Your Heart"

1989 [edit]

1990 [edit]

1991 [edit]

1992 [edit]

1993 [edit]

1994 [edit]

1995 [edit]

1996 [edit]

1997 [edit]

1998 [edit]

1999 [edit]

2000 [edit]

2001 [edit]

2002 [edit]

2003 [edit]

2004 [edit]

2005 [edit]

2006 [edit]

2007 [edit]

2008 [edit]

2009 [edit]

2010 [edit]

2011 [edit]

2012 [edit]

2013 [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ [1]
  2. ^ "Sarah McLachlan's Socially-Charged Video 'World On Fire' Raises $150,000 To Benefit 11 Charities Worldwide; Video Compiled and Directed by Sophie Muller Benefiting Charities include Carolina for Kibera, Comic Relief, CARE, Dorcas, Engineers Without Borders, Help The Aged, Film Aid, Warchild, Heifer International, ITDG, and Action Aid.". PR Newswire. 05-OCT-04. Retrieved 6 February 2010. 
  3. ^ Boy Next Door CD 1 (CD Liner). Parlophone. 2000.
  4. ^ http://web.epicrecords.com/shakira/contestrules.html
  5. ^ http://www.rollingstone.com/videos/player/30829553

External links [edit]

Sophie Muller @ Factory Films *(http://www.factoryfilms.net/music-director/sophie-muller)

Authority control
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