Melina Matsoukas
Melina Matsoukas (born January 14, 1981) is an American director of music videos, television shows and commercials. She is a two-time Grammy Award winner for her "We Found Love" and "Formation" music videos.[1]
Life and career[edit]
Matsoukas is of Greek, Jewish, Jamaican and Cuban descent.[2] Both her name and surname are Greek: Μελίνα Ματσούκα. She earned her degree at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and completed her graduate work at the AFI Conservatory (MFA in cinematography). Her graduate thesis was on music videos.[3]
Matsoukas started out at Black Dog Film, then the now-defunct Gorilla Flix film production company, and is currently a director at Prettybird, which she has been signed to since 2011.
Her work is described as, "chock full of bright colors or crisp black and white images, smooth spotlights, and tasteful retro video models."[4] Matsoukas says that expensive equipment is not necessary for a quality video and one should never think that way: "A good video has the right visuals, a well conceptualised story and should be exciting and elicit reaction."[5] In an interview for Venus Zine's Fall 2010 issue, she says about being part of the music video world, "I love it. The quick turnaround, the creativity."[6] Regarding the concept of Solange Knowles' video "I Decided", Matsoukas stated: "This is her concept so I've definitely just developed it and put my mark on it."[7]
In 2016 and 2017, Matsoukas directed several episodes of the critically and publicly acclaimed TV series Master of None and Insecure.
Filmography[edit]
Music videos[edit]
2006[edit]
- "Dem Girls" – Red Handed feat. Paul Wall & Scooby
- "Go 'Head" – Ali & Gipp feat. Chocolate Tai
- "Need a Boss" – Shareefa feat. Ludacris
- "Cry No More" – Shareefa
- "Hey Hey" – 216
- "Money Maker" – Ludacris feat. Pharrell
- "Dangerous" – Ying Yang Twins feat. Wyclef Jean
- "Help" – Lloyd Banks feat. Keri Hilson
2007[edit]
- "Because of You" – Ne-Yo
- "Green Light" – Beyoncé
- "Kitty Kat" (co-directed by Beyoncé Knowles) – Beyoncé
- "Suga Mama" (co-directed by Beyoncé Knowles) – Beyoncé
- "Upgrade U" (co-directed by Beyoncé Knowles) – Beyoncé feat. Jay-Z
- "Tambourine" – Eve feat. Swizz Beatz
- "Do You" – Ne-Yo
- "Give It to You" – Eve feat. Sean Paul
- "Bleeding Love" – Leona Lewis (UK version)
- "Hold It Don't Drop It" – Jennifer Lopez
- "Sensual Seduction" – Snoop Dogg
- "How Do I Breathe" – Mario
2008[edit]
- "In My Arms" – Kylie Minogue
- "Wow" – Kylie Minogue
- "Modern World" – Anouk
- "Closer" – Ne-Yo
- "I Decided" – Solange
- "Just Dance" – Lady Gaga feat. Colby O'Donis
- "Energy" – Keri Hilson
- "Beautiful, Dirty, Rich" – Lady Gaga
- "Go Girl" – Ciara
- "Return the Favor" – Keri Hilson feat. Timbaland
- "Diva" – Beyoncé
- "Thinking of You" – Katy Perry
2009[edit]
- "I Will Be" – Leona Lewis
- "So Good" – Electrik Red
- "Not Fair" – Lily Allen
- "Sweet Dreams" (I Am... Tour interlude video) – Beyoncé
- "Touch My Hand" – David Archuleta
- "Work" – Ciara feat. Missy Elliott
- "I Look to You" – Whitney Houston
- "Million Dollar Bill" – Whitney Houston
- "Sex Therapy" – Robin Thicke
- "Never Knew I Needed" – Ne-Yo
- "Hard" – Rihanna feat. Young Jeezy
2010[edit]
- "Rude Boy" – Rihanna
- "Put It in a Love Song" – Alicia Keys feat. Beyoncé
- "Why Don't You Love Me" (co-directed by Beyoncé Knowles) – Beyoncé
- "Rockstar 101" – Rihanna feat. Slash
- "Gimmie Dat" – Ciara
2011[edit]
- "S&M" (co-directed by Rihanna) – Rihanna
- "Move Your Body" – Beyoncé
- "I'm Into You" – Jennifer Lopez feat. Lil Wayne
- "We Found Love" – Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris
- "You da One" – Rihanna
2012[edit]
- "Your Body" – Christina Aguilera
- "Losing You" – Solange
- "Looking Hot" – No Doubt
- "Keep You" – Wild Belle
2013[edit]
2016[edit]
Commercials[edit]
| Year | Name | Artist | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Year Off | Target / Beyoncé | |
| Fuel for Life | Diesel | ||
| 2012 | All Originals Represent | Adidas | |
| 2013 | Change Lanes | Lexus | |
| 2016 | Pop | Stella McCartney / Grimes, Amandla Stenberg, Lola Leon, Kenya Kinski-Jones | |
| 2017 | Equality | Nike |
Television[edit]
| Year | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Insecure | 3 Episodes |
| 2017 | Master of None | 2 Episodes |
Awards[edit]
- 2012 – MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year: Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris – "We Found Love"[8]
- 2013 – Grammy Award for Best Music Video: Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris – "We Found Love"[9]
- 2016 – MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year: Beyoncé – "Formation"[10]
- 2016 – MTV Video Music Award for Best Direction: Beyoncé – "Formation"[10]
- 2017 – Grammy Award for Best Music Video: Beyoncé – "Formation"[9]
- 2017 – Webby Award for Best Music Video (People's Voice): Beyoncé – "Formation"[11]
- 2017 – Gold Derby Award for Best Comedy Episode of the Year: Master of None – "Thanksgiving"[11]
References[edit]
- ^ Okeowo, Alexis (6 March 2017). "The Provocateur behind Beyonce, Rihanna and Issa Rae". The New Yorker. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
- ^ "Females Freakin' The Industry". Archived from the original on July 12, 2011. Retrieved 2010-05-14.
- ^ Kamuzu Banda, Tim. Saturday, September 6, 2008 at 22:01. "Video queen: Melina Matsoukas", Daily Nation.
- ^ "Visionary: Melina Matsoukas" Archived 2008-01-18 at the Wayback Machine., WatchLookListen.
- ^ Banda, Tim Kamuzu (2008). "Video queen: Melina Matsoukas", p.2, Nation.co.ke.
- ^ "Venus Zine: Melina Matsoukas" Venus Zine Fall 2010 Issue No. 44
- ^ "Dir. Melina Matsoukas, on the video concept", Truveo. Archived April 25, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ "One Direction beat Justin Bieber and Rihanna at MTV awards". Daily Telegraph. September 7, 2012. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
- ^ a b "Melina Matsoukas". GRAMMY.com. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
- ^ a b "MTV VMAs 2016: the MTV Video Music Awards – as it happened". Guardian. August 29, 2016. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
- ^ a b "Melina Matsoukas - Awards". IMDb.com. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
