Shane Drake

Music Video Director Case Study

Biography Shane C. Drake is an American music video director

originally from Redding, California. He has directed videos for bands such as Trivium, Paramore, Fall Out Boy, Panic at the Disco, Angels & Airwaves, Flo Rida, Timberland, Blindside, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, The Almost, Hawthorne Heights, and many more. Early in his career, Drake spent time working as an editor and cinematographer with such bands as Poison the Well, Deftones, Thursday, and many more. He now spends most of his time directing. As of 2006, Drake has directed more than 50 music videos and co-produced three films. He owns Red Van Pictures a Los Angeles based Production Company.

Awards In 2006 Drake was awarded the MTV Video Music

Awards for Video of the Year for Panic at the Disco's "I Write Sins Not Tragedies". In 2007 Drake was nominated for the MTV Monster Single of the Year for his video for Timberland's "The Way I Are". In 2008, he has been nominated for MTV Video Music Award for Best Direction and MTV Video Music Award for Best Pop Video with Panic at the Disco's "Nine in the Afternoon" and MTV Video Music Award for Best Rock Video with Paramore's "Crushcrushcrush" and also Fall Out Boy's cover of "Beat It". In 2009 Drake was nominated for the MTV Video Music Award for Best Rock Video for his video for Paramore's "Decode" off the Twilight Movie Soundtrack

Videography

2004:Fall Out Boy - "Saturday"

Hawthorne Heights - "Ohio Is For Lovers" mewithoutYou - "January 1979"

Silverstein - "Smashed Into Pieces" Number One Gun - "The Starting Line"

2005:Paramore - "Pressure"

My American Heart - "The Process" Blindside - "Fell In Love With The Game"

Trivium - "A Gunshot to the Head of Trepidation" Still Remains - "The Worst Is Yet To Come" The Audition - "You've Made Us Conscious"

June - "Patrick" Between The Buried And Me- "Alaska"

2006:Showbread - "Oh! Emetophobia!"

Mewithoutyou - "Nice And Blue (Part 2)" Gia Farrell - "Hit Me Up"

Trick Daddy feat. Chamillionaire - "Bet That" Head Automatica - "Lying Through Your Teeth"

Less Than Jake -"The Rest Of My Life" Gym Class Heroes - "The Queen And I"

Paramore - "Emergency" An Angle - "Green Water"

Moneen - "If Tragedy's Appealing, Then Disaster's An Addiction"

Needtobreathe - "You Are Here" Panic! at the Disco - "But It's Better If You Do"

Panic! at the Disco - "I Write Sins Not Tragedies" Jonezetta - "Get Ready (Hot Machete)"

2007:The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus - "False Pretence"

Paramore - "Misery Business" The Almost - "Southern Weather"

The Rocket Summer - "So Much Love" Say Anything - "Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too"

The Almost - "Say This Sooner" The Higher - "Insurance?"

The Cheetah Girls "So This Is Love" New Years Day - "I Was Right"

Timberland ft. D.O.E and Keri Hilson - "The Way I Are" Angels & Airwaves - "Everything's Magic"

The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus - "Your Guardian Angel" Paramore - "crushcrushcrush"

Plain White T's - "Our Time Now" Paul Van Dyk - "Let Go"

2008:Panic at the Disco - "Nine in the Afternoon"

Forever the Sickest Kids - "Whoa Oh! (Me vs. Everyone)" Fall Out Boy featuring John Mayer - "Beat It"

Flo Rida ft. Will.I.Am - "In The Ayer" Shwayze - "Corona & Lime"

Plain White T's starring Tiffany Dupont - "Natural Disaster" Paramore - "Decode"

2009:Madina Lake - "Never Take Us Alive" Flo Rida ft Wynter Gordon - "Sugar"

Darius Rucker - "History in the Making" The Almost - "The Lonely Wheel"

The Almost - "Hands" Honor Society - "Over You"

2010:Laura Bell Bundy - "Giddy On Up" Papa Roach - "Kick in the Teeth"

Paramore- “Pressure”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-MaaxgdUT4&ob=av2e

Live Performance Aspect:

Within this video, Shane uses a live performance of the band throughout, intertwining it with the narrative. Firstly, this helps the band to be recognised in their video and will gain them promotion as a result. This shows that Shane is taking into account not only the wants of the target audience, but the needs of the artist/band itself. Moreover, by Shane using a live performance is also shows attributes of the style he likes to use. By giving a live performance it shows not only that he has creativity but that he perhaps likes to show authenticity within him videos and the rawness and pure talent that the artist/band have. The use of the water adds to the overall feel of the video, that being handling with all the pressures of life, and could portray a release to this pressure, or the pressure bursting under the strain. Shane also dresses the band in quite casual wear. This could suggest that he wishes the music to speak for itself, and the narrative of the video, rather than the items of clothing they are wearing. This portrays that Shane’s values and aspirations are the success of the video for both the artist, the song and the meaning that it carries.

Narrative AspectAs mentioned on the previous slide, Shane uses a strong narrative within this music video- perhaps to help express the meaning and emphasise the intentions of the song itself. The narrative consists of the pressures different people are facing within their lives. This not only shows how life can be struggle and that pressure can come in many circumstances, but, on a silver lining intention, it could perhaps evoke to the audience that everyone is actually the same; everyone struggles and has pressure within their lives but we’re all in the same boast, all can help each other, all need help off each other sometimes.

Therefore, I believe that the narrative can act as a gateway to bring all manner of people together and Shane may have done this intentionally to perhaps appeal to a wider audience, through this narrative meaning and portrayal.

Shane’s narrative allows the audience to be able to personally identify with the themes and perhaps the circumstances under which the different pressures may be felt. In turn, this could further evoke the feeling of escapism on the audience.

Fall Out Boy- “Beat It”Parody:

Shane Drake choose to express this video with elements of a Parody (expressing another person’s work in a different view for comic effect.) This is done through the constant referencing of Michael Jackson and many of the attributes that he carries in his own videos- for example: the one glove on one hand, his idolised dance moves, his chosen attire within his videos.

By Shane doing this it adds humour and comedy to the video and lightens he mood and the atmosphere throughout. This is the re-establishes on the band for the video as being humorous and having light-hearted values in terms of offering something visually interesting to watch.

Moreover, it could also have been a way of showing the audience that the band value and aspire to become as good and as globally known as Michael Jackson; valuing his work and his nature of performing successfully in the music industry.

Shane shows his experience of knowledge of music video techniques by including this Parody and shows the audience of the differing ways in which he chooses to exert his many videos upon them.

Recurring Theme

This video of Fall Out Boy’s also has a live performance featured in it. This could suggest that a creative favour of Shane Drake is that of featuring a live performance within his videos. As I said before, this gives the video and ‘edge’ and a ‘rawness.’ However, this could also suggest that a stereotype of the genre, in this case being alternative, could be the feature of a live performance in the video. This further could perhaps reinforce the fact that Shane Drake had a wide understanding of the music industry and the differing artist(s) and their likes and dislikes, dreams and aspirations.

OverallFrom looking at Shane Drake and the videos that he has directed, I have come to the conclusion that he has a style that is both creative, modern and up to date. He takes into account the likes and dislikes of both the audience and artist/band themselves and works around their ideas, acting with his own techniques to create a successful video.

He uses live performance frequently so that the actual artist and the video are represented and so that the audience can both personally identify with the narrative behind each video, another common technique of Shane, and also so that they can perhaps escape from the eyes of the artist and relate to how they are performing, both in terms of the actual lyrics, the song and the video.

How did you get into directing?Shane Drake: “I was always distracted by the art of making films. It wasn’t until I graduated with a pre-med degree, spent time as a youth pastor, an actor and student at Princeton graduate school that I finally took the distraction seriously. I soon “learned the ropes” so to speak after garnering the attention of another director who wanted to mentor me. It turned out that I had a knack for the craft and went on to start my own company, Red Van Pictures, where I produce and direct music videos. A couple years later I won the VMA for Video Of The Year at the MTV Video Awards. Winning the award lead to many new relationships, including my current relationship with Wild Plum where I now direct commercials. My distraction has finally become my career and I truly feel that when I am on set, I am home.”

What is your most recent project?Shane Drake: “I recently finished my first broadcast commercial for Lincoln that aired during the Grammys, which also had a successful viral presence. I am currently in production shooting the Ford music videos for American Idol. The videos are a uniquely exciting opportunity. It is an honour to get to work so closely with the Idols and Ford on one of most successful shows in television history.”

What is the best part of being a director?Shane Drake: “I believe that aside from the wonderful opportunities to travel, create and meet new people, the job itself truly utilizes all the skill sets that come most naturally to me, namely capitalizing on my abilities in artistry, communication, and teamwork. I love to be inspired and to use that inspiration to cast a vision. The ultimate satisfaction comes in seeing that vision become a reality.”

Have you a mentor and if so, who is that person (or persons)and what has been the lesson learned from that mentoring which resonates most with you?Shane Drake: “I have had a number of mentors along the way. While each left me with a uniquely indelible impression, it really is the amalgam of them that has made me the director I am today. From the directors that have inspired me, to the spiritual leaders that have fuelled me, and to the number of producers and managers who have helped shape me, each has been a crucial addition to my journey.”

Who is your favourite director and why?Shane Drake: “I were to pick the one director that has had the most influence on me and inspired me the most, it would have to be P.T. Anderson. His approach to dramatic issues is both witty and insightful. He tackles familial issues in a way that captivates me both emotionally and cathartically. His images are flawless and the coordination of all filmic elements from sound, to design, to cast and crew is artful and masterful.”

What is your favourite movie? Your favourite commercial?Shane Drake: “My favourite movie is P.T. Anderson’s Magnolia. The film keenly tackles, issues of religion, the law, the delusion of family, the birth and death of man’s dreams, narcissism, depravity, righteousness, forgiveness and hope. Picking a favourite commercial is a difficult task, as I have seen so many in my 35 years. I have always had a penchant for the comedic, from Wendy’s commercials of old to the new campaigns from Skittles and Axe.”

Tell use about your background (i.e. Where did you grow up? Past jobs?)Shane Drake: “I grew up in a small town. While I’ve always loved my small town roots, there was always something itching inside of me to get out and see the world. Through college and beyond I had stints in Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, New York, and Princeton. I’ve worked as a biochemist, a pastor, an Actor, and now a director. I feel blessed by the experiences I’ve been afforded and look forward to many more.”