W.I.Z.

W.I.Z. is the working name of Andrew Whiston, a film director from the United Kingdom who has directed music videos for popular recording artists since 1991. He is currently signed to the film production company Academy Films. Previously, he worked with Factory Films (UK) and Oil Factory Inc. (USA).^[1]

Background

W.I.Z. has directed a number of high-concept videos for major music artists from the United Kingdom and the United States, including Massive Attack, Kasabian, Oasis and Marilyn Manson. Many of these videos, in addition to featuring the song and the performers, also follow a running narratives, and may often contain a political or social message. Once belonging to a band himself, W.I.Z. has also directed concert films shot of live performances by the bands Suede, Manic Street Preachers and Primal Scream. He has directed two short films, "Weekender" and "Baby".

Career

The 1992 short film Weekender follows the band Flowered Up and displays the hedonistic side of club and drug culture; the 13-minute film was screened on Channel 4 in Britain. W.I.Z. plans to extend the "Weekender" concept into a horror film, The Real Life, which he says will blow "all the prejudices and ignorance that surrounds drug-taking" wide open.

W.I.Z.'s second short film Baby made its European debut at the 2000 Edinburgh International film festival and its U.S. debut at the MVPA Director's Cuts 2000 film festival. In February 2003 WIZ's video for Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's "Whatever Happened to My Rock 'N Roll" was named MTV2 Best Video of The Year 2002 by the NME Carling Awards.