Jonathan Glazer
Encyclopedia
Jonathan Glazer is an English director of films
, commercials and music videos
.
at Nottingham Trent University
, Glazer started out directing theatre and making film and television trailers, including award-winning work for the BBC
. In 1993 he wrote and directed three short films of his own ("Mad", "Pool" and "Commission"), and joined Academy Commercials. He has directed popular campaigns for Guinness
(Swimblack and Surfer) and Stella Artois
(Devils Island). Since the mid-1990s he has directed a number of music videos, and was named MTV
Director of the Year 1997. His work in these areas is often noted for its originality.
In 2000, he directed the gangster film Sexy Beast
, starring Ray Winstone
and Ben Kingsley
.
In 2001 Glazer directed the "Odyssey" spot for Levi Strauss Jeans.
In 2006 Glazer directed the second Sony BRAVIA TV advertisement, which took 10 days and 250 people to film. It was filmed at an estate in Glasgow, and featured paint exploding all over the tower blocks. Later the same year he was commissioned to make a television advert for the new Motorola
Red phone. The advertisement, showing two naked black bodies emerging from a lump of flesh rotating on a potter's wheel, was due to air in September 2006 but was shelved by Motorola. The advertisement was to benefit several charities in Africa.
He is currently working on a film adaptation of Michel Faber
's darkly comic science fiction novel Under the Skin
, slated for release in 2011.
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, commercials and music videos
Music video director
A music video director is driven by a given music track. These are called music videos and are then used as promotional tools for popular music singles...
.
Biography
After studying theatre designStagecraft
Stagecraft is a generic term referring to the technical aspects of theatrical, film, and video production. It includes, but is not limited to, constructing and rigging scenery, hanging and focusing of lighting, design and procurement of costumes, makeup, procurement of props, stage management, and...
at Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham Trent University is a public teaching and research university in Nottingham, United Kingdom. It was founded as a new university in 1992 from the existing Trent Polytechnic , however it can trace its roots back to 1843 with the establishment of the Nottingham Government School of Design...
, Glazer started out directing theatre and making film and television trailers, including award-winning work for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
. In 1993 he wrote and directed three short films of his own ("Mad", "Pool" and "Commission"), and joined Academy Commercials. He has directed popular campaigns for Guinness
Guinness
Guinness is a popular Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness at St. James's Gate, Dublin. Guinness is directly descended from the porter style that originated in London in the early 18th century and is one of the most successful beer brands worldwide, brewed in almost...
(Swimblack and Surfer) and Stella Artois
Stella Artois
Stella Artois is a 5% ABV lager brewed in Leuven, Belgium since 1926. In the UK, Canada and New Zealand a 4% ABV version is also available.-Production:...
(Devils Island). Since the mid-1990s he has directed a number of music videos, and was named MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
Director of the Year 1997. His work in these areas is often noted for its originality.
In 2000, he directed the gangster film Sexy Beast
Sexy Beast
Sexy Beast is a 2000 British-Spanish crime drama film directed by Jonathan Glazer and starring Ray Winstone, Ben Kingsley, and Ian McShane. Produced by Jeremy Thomas, it was Glazer's debut feature film, who had previously been a music video director for videos such as Rabbit in Your Headlights for...
, starring Ray Winstone
Ray Winstone
Raymond Andrew "Ray" Winstone is an English film and television actor. He is mostly known for his "tough guy" roles, beginning with that of Carlin in the 1979 film Scum and as Will Scarlet in the cult television adventure series Robin of Sherwood. He has also become well known as a voice over...
and Ben Kingsley
Ben Kingsley
Sir Ben Kingsley, CBE is a British actor. He has won an Oscar, BAFTA, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards in his career. He is known for starring as Mohandas Gandhi in the film Gandhi in 1982, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor...
.
In 2001 Glazer directed the "Odyssey" spot for Levi Strauss Jeans.
In 2006 Glazer directed the second Sony BRAVIA TV advertisement, which took 10 days and 250 people to film. It was filmed at an estate in Glasgow, and featured paint exploding all over the tower blocks. Later the same year he was commissioned to make a television advert for the new Motorola
Motorola
Motorola, Inc. was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, which was eventually divided into two independent public companies, Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions on January 4, 2011, after losing $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009...
Red phone. The advertisement, showing two naked black bodies emerging from a lump of flesh rotating on a potter's wheel, was due to air in September 2006 but was shelved by Motorola. The advertisement was to benefit several charities in Africa.
He is currently working on a film adaptation of Michel Faber
Michel Faber
Michel Faber is a Dutch-born writer of fiction. He writes in English.Faber was born in The Hague, Netherlands. He and his parents emigrated to Australia in 1967...
's darkly comic science fiction novel Under the Skin
Under the Skin (novel)
Under the Skin is a novel by Michel Faber, his first full-length novel. It is set in northern Scotland. It was shortlisted for the 2000 Whitbread Award.-Plot:...
, slated for release in 2011.
Music videos
- "Karmacoma" by Massive AttackMassive AttackMassive Attack are an English DJ and trip hop duo from Bristol, England consisting of Robert "3D" Del Naja and Grant "Daddy G" Marshall. Working with co-producers, as well as various session musicians and guest vocalists, they make records and tour live. The duo are considered to be of the trip...
(1995) - "The Universal" by BlurBlur (band)Blur is an English alternative rock band. Formed in London in 1989 as Seymour, the group consists of singer Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. Blur's debut album Leisure incorporated the sounds of Madchester and shoegazing...
(1995) - "Street Spirit (Fade Out)Street Spirit (Fade Out)"Street Spirit " is a song by English alternative rock band Radiohead, featured on their second studio album The Bends, which was released in 1995...
" by RadioheadRadioheadRadiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
(1996) - "Virtual InsanityVirtual Insanity"Virtual Insanity" is the lead single from British Acid Jazz band Jamiroquai's third studio album, Travelling Without Moving. The song reached #3 on the UK Singles Chart. The song also charted at #38 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart upon the single's release in America in 1997...
" by JamiroquaiJamiroquaiJamiroquai is a British jazz funk and acid jazz band formed in 1992. Jamiroquai were initially the most prominent component in the early-1990s London-based acid jazz movement, alongside groups such as Incognito, the James Taylor Quartet, and the Brand New Heavies. Other Acid Jazz artists such as...
(1996) - "Cosmic GirlCosmic Girl"Cosmic Girl" is the second single from British Acid Jazz band Jamiroquai's third studio album, Travelling Without Moving. Released in November 1996, it achieved great chart success, peaking at #6 on the UK Singles Chart.-Background:...
" (version 2) by JamiroquaiJamiroquaiJamiroquai is a British jazz funk and acid jazz band formed in 1992. Jamiroquai were initially the most prominent component in the early-1990s London-based acid jazz movement, alongside groups such as Incognito, the James Taylor Quartet, and the Brand New Heavies. Other Acid Jazz artists such as...
(1997) - "Into My ArmsInto My Arms"Into My Arms" is a song written by Nick Cave, and released as the first single from Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds' tenth studio album The Boatman's Call in 1997. The single, released on 27 January 1997, was pressed on 7" vinyl, as well as a standard CD single...
" by Nick Cave and the Bad SeedsNick Cave and the Bad SeedsNick Cave and the Bad Seeds are an Australian alternative rock band, formed in Melbourne in 1983. The band is fronted by Nick Cave and has featured international personnel throughout their career.-Formation and early releases :...
(1997) - "Karma PoliceKarma Police"Karma Police" is a song by English alternative rock band Radiohead from their 1997 third studio album OK Computer. The song's title and lyrics derive from an in-joke among the band, referring to the Hindu theory of retributive enforcement, known as karma....
" by RadioheadRadioheadRadiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
(1997) - "Rabbit in Your Headlights" by UNKLEUNKLEUnkle are a British musical outfit founded in 1994 by school friends James Lavelle and Tim Goldsworthy. Originally categorized as trip-hop, the group once included producer DJ Shadow and have employed a variety of guest artists and producers.-First incarnation :Lavelle and Goldsworthy were joined...
ft. Thom YorkeThom YorkeThomas "Thom" Edward Yorke is an English musician who is the lead vocalist and principal songwriter for Radiohead. He mainly plays guitar and piano, but he has also played drums and bass guitar...
(1998) - "A Song for the LoversA Song for the Lovers"A Song for the Lovers" is a song by English singer-songwriter Richard Ashcroft and is the opening track on his 2000 album, Alone with Everybody. The song was also released on April 3, 2000 as the first single from that album in the United Kingdom...
" by Richard AshcroftRichard AshcroftRichard Paul Ashcroft is an English singer-songwriter. He was the lead singer and occasional guitarist of alternative rock band The Verve from their formation in 1990 until their split in 1999, and continues as a lead vocalist working with guitars and keyboards...
(2000) - "Live with MeLive with Me (song)"Live with Me" is a song by Massive Attack which was included in their 2006 compilation album, Collected, and was also released as a single...
" by Massive AttackMassive AttackMassive Attack are an English DJ and trip hop duo from Bristol, England consisting of Robert "3D" Del Naja and Grant "Daddy G" Marshall. Working with co-producers, as well as various session musicians and guest vocalists, they make records and tour live. The duo are considered to be of the trip...
(2006) - "Treat Me Like Your MotherTreat Me Like Your Mother"Treat Me Like Your Mother" is a single released by the alternative rock band The Dead Weather. It is the second single released off of the band's debut album Horehound . The single was released on May 25, 2009, and released with the album on July 14, 2009.The song was co-written by every member of...
" by The Dead WeatherThe Dead WeatherThe Dead Weather is an American alternative rock supergroup, formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 2009. Composed of Alison Mosshart , Jack White , Dean Fertita and Jack Lawrence , The Dead Weather debuted at the opening of Third Man Records' Nashville...
(2009)
Film
- Sexy BeastSexy BeastSexy Beast is a 2000 British-Spanish crime drama film directed by Jonathan Glazer and starring Ray Winstone, Ben Kingsley, and Ian McShane. Produced by Jeremy Thomas, it was Glazer's debut feature film, who had previously been a music video director for videos such as Rabbit in Your Headlights for...
(20002000 in filmThe year 2000 in film involved some significant events.The top grosser worldwide was Mission: Impossible II. Domestically in North America, Gladiator won the Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Actor ....
) - BirthBirth (film)Birth is a 2004 film directed by Jonathan Glazer and starring Nicole Kidman, Lauren Bacall, Danny Huston and Cameron Bright.The story is about a young widow from a prominent Manhattan-based family named Anna who slowly becomes convinced that her husband, Sean, who died ten years previously, has...
(20042004 in filmThe year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol...
) - Under the Skin (20112011 in filmThe year 2011 is notable for containing the release of the most film sequels in a single year, at 27 sequels. The following tables list films that are in production or have completed production and will be released in the United States and Canada at some point in 2011.- Highest-grossing films :...
, forthcoming)
Commercials
- KodakEastman KodakEastman Kodak Company is a multinational imaging and photographic equipment, materials and services company headquarted in Rochester, New York, United States. It was founded by George Eastman in 1892....
: "Husband To Be" - Pretty Polly: "Linda 2"
- MazdaMazdais a Japanese automotive manufacturer based in Fuchū, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.In 2007, Mazda produced almost 1.3 million vehicles for global sales...
: "Shock ff the New" - AT&TAmerican Telephone & TelegraphAT&T Corp., originally American Telephone and Telegraph Company, is an American telecommunications company that provides voice, video, data, and Internet telecommunications and professional services to businesses, consumers, and government agencies. AT&T is the oldest telecommunications company...
: "Chief Executive's Wife" - Club MedClub MedClub Méditerranée , commonly known as Club Med, is a French corporation of vacation resorts found in many parts of the world, usually in exotic locations. It is considered the original all-inclusive resort.-Foundation:...
: "City" - AT&T: "Sales Director"
- NikeNike, Inc.Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
: "Frozen Moment" (1996) - Nike: "Guerrilla Tennis"
- Caffery's: "New York"
- Nike: "Parklife" (1997)
- GuinnessGuinnessGuinness is a popular Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness at St. James's Gate, Dublin. Guinness is directly descended from the porter style that originated in London in the early 18th century and is one of the most successful beer brands worldwide, brewed in almost...
: "Surfer" (March 1999) - Guinness: "SwimblackSwimblackSwimblack is a 1998 advertisement for Guinness-brand draught stout broadcast in the United Kingdom. It is the first in the Good things come to those who wait advertising campaign created by Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO who had won the Guinness account from Ogilvy & Mather in January 1998...
" (May 1999) - Levi StraussLevi Strauss & Co.Levi Strauss & Co. is a privately held American clothing company known worldwide for its Levi's brand of denim jeans. It was founded in 1853 when Levi Strauss came from Buttenheim, Franconia, to San Francisco, California to open a west coast branch of his brothers' New York dry goods business...
: "Kung Fu" (January 2000) - Stella ArtoisStella ArtoisStella Artois is a 5% ABV lager brewed in Leuven, Belgium since 1926. In the UK, Canada and New Zealand a 4% ABV version is also available.-Production:...
(January 2000):- "Last Orders"
- "Devil's Island"
- Volkswagen PoloVolkswagen PoloThe Volkswagen Polo is a supermini car manufactured by Volkswagen. It is sold in Europe and other markets worldwide in hatchback, saloon, coupé and estate variants....
: "Protection" (January 2000) - Wrangler: "Whatever You Ride" (May 2000)
- Guinness: "Dreamer" (April 2001)
- Levi Strauss: "Odyssey" (January 2002)
- Barclays (January 2003):
- "Evil"
- "Bull"
- "Chicken"
- Ad-Aid (for Live AidLive AidLive Aid was a dual-venue concert that was held on 13 July 1985. The event was organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for relief of the ongoing Ethiopian famine. Billed as the "global jukebox", the event was held simultaneously in Wembley Stadium in London, England, United Kingdom ...
, 2004):- "Bar"
- "Double Don"
- "Rant"
- "Razor"
- Stella Artois: "Ice Skating Priests" (April 2006)
- SonySony, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
BRAVIABRAVIABRAVIA is a Sony brand used to market its high-definition LCD televisions, projection TVs and front projectors and for the PlayStation 3 , along with its home cinema range under the sub-brand BRAVIA Theatre. The BRAVIA name is an acronym of "Best Resolution Audio Visual Integrated Architecture"...
: "Paint" (October 2006) - Motorola Red (unreleased) (December 2006)
- Sony 3D TV (June 2010)
External links
- Interview with Jonathan Glazer (Directors Label DVD) by Daniel Robert Epstein for Suicide Girls
- "Guinness was good to him" by Dave Calhoun for The Guardian (5 Oct 2004) - via Britmovie Film Forum
- "Shooting the "Beast". Jonathan Glazer Tames the Gangster Genre" by Anthony Kaufman for IndieWire (12 Jun 2001)
- "Academy Films" Contains films of his commercials and other videos
- "Sony Bravia 'Paint' Advert" Home of the Sony Bravia Advert
- "Making of the Sony Bravia 'Paint' ad - YouTube link
- "Making of the 'Paint' ad - Further information from the post production company
- "Shelved Motorola Red Advert" YouTube link to shelved Motorola Red advert
- "Jonathan Glazer's Best Work" - Selection of his ad work
- Videos by Jonathan Glazer