Dave Meyers

Dave Meyers

Dave Meyers born Berkeley, California, USA. He is a music video and film director, active since 1997. David Meyers has directed numerous of famous music videos such as Pink’s There you go, Most girls and So What. Meyers has also worked alongside many other famous artists such as Shakira, Hilary Duff and Jay-z.

Meyers won a Grammy award in 2005 for the music video he produced for Pink’s “Get the party started” the award fell under the category of best short form music video.

Meyers enrolled into Loyola Marymount university after his graduation from Berkeley high school in California. From this he required a degree in film production and philosophy. He then worked his way through the studio systems at Paramount and Fox, before filming his first music video with rap crew The Whoridas. Other work apart from this such as his production of Missy Elliot's “Work It” won the MTV video music award for best video of the year in 2003. Meyers has also worked alongside famous directors such as Michael Bay who he helped remake the film The Hitcher in 2007.

Music Videos By Dave Meyers

These are some of the music videos directed by Dave Meyers, If you notice most of the music videos he creates come under the pop genre. Some of these music videos also seem quiet up beat songs. (If you click onto each image it will direct you to view the music videos themselves). For the upbeat pop songs Meyer uses very bright colours with lost of fast pace editing, whereas with the music video to Hilary Duff's come clean the mood of the song is sad, therefore Meyer has used quiet dull colours such as greys etc. To
portray the atmosphere and set the mood. He has also used
the weather i.e. the rain, as a technique to foreshadow the 
perhaps depressing narrative of the music video. 

                         

     

Videos 

David Meyer also directed the film the Hitcher in 2007, The Foolish 1999 and The Human Highway 1982. Below is the trailer for the film The Human Highway. 
This trailer in particular involves lot of fast paced editing, therefore going with the stereo-type of the genre, comedy. As it keeps the audience interested and also excited to see what happens next. (Click on images below to view movie trailers)

Trade Mark

David Meyers trade mark seems to be when making upbeat music pop videos, he uses fast cut editing in order to create a fast pace exciting atmosphere for the audience, so they are intrigued to see what happens next in the narrative. These music videos also tend to follow Goodwin's analysis as there tends to be a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals, this most poignantly shows in Fireworks by Katy Perry as every time the lyric "Baby, you're a firework Come on let your colours burst an image of a firework exploding in the air is shown. 

 

However when he is directing a sad narrative he tends to use a small colour pallet consisting of blacks, greys and whites, this mostly shown in Hilary Duff's music video Come Clean. He also uses long shots in contrast to his usual fast pace editing as this sets the almost depressing atmosphere for the audience and furthermore creates a serious mood, to the lyrics being sung. 

Analysis of Katy Perry Firework

Meyer uses a wide establishing shot to present to the audience the location in which the music video has been filmed in, this image also informs the audience that the video was shot at night, therefore due to the title being 'Firework' it could suggest that it is being set on the british celebration of Firework Night.

The use of this shot presents the audience with the narrative of the music video, as we establish the idea that the boy is unhappy in his home, due to his parents constant arguing, which could perhaps be centered around him, therefore he feels he needs to leave. Goodwins theory is applied here as Katy sings "Do you ever feel so paper thin like a house of cards one blow from caving in." Therefore this may have a relationship with the visuals as it establishes what the boy is thinking and the adds to the idea that he wants to get out of the family home, as he feels he has nearly reached his limit of tolerance to his parents unhappy marriage. 

The Fireworks and also the sparks used in this music video, I think portray the inner strength in which these characters in the music video find in order to break out or overcome their demons. 
This is show for all of the characters in the images below. 

However when the lyrics are negative towards the person for instance the lyrics "Waste of space" Meyer uses again his dull colour pallet to express, the serious tone behind the lyrics. Creating a sombre mood for the visuals. 

Intrestingly the use of the sparks could suggest new beginnings for the cast in the music video, this is indicated by the sparks used when the woman is giving birth to new life, this also adds to the idea that the sparks are symbolic of the characters overcoming something, as the woman is overcoming the fear and mental ability of giving birth, to be left with a happier and beautiful outcome. Perhaps this is a symbol of hope for the characters in the video, as it suggests that once they have broke free there is a positive and much happier outcome for them in the end. 

Furthermore by Meyer choosing to use this close-up shot of the artist, it portrays the colour change in her hair, the purple. Connotations of the colour purple are strength, therefore perhaps suggesting that the characters have now found their inner strength.  

In the music video Meyer has used a high angle shot to represent how the people have found their inner strength, this is portrayed through the positioning of them forming a firework like figure, suggesting how each individual is strong and has overcome something, maybe even portraying how they have come together as a community as they have been able to bond over their challenges in life.