Auteur Theory
By Daniel Bruce

Introduction
 The Auteur theory was introduced in the 1950’s by French film directors like Francois
Truffaut who advocated a focus on the contribution directors made on the style and
form of film, he said:
 “A true film auteur is someone who brings something genuinely personal to his
subject instead of producing a tasteful, accurate but lifeless rendering of the original
material”
 This theory holds that a film's director is its “author” (French, auteur). An auteur is a
film maker whose style and practise is distinctive which creates a signature auteur
status for them. It is also a film maker who has a personal, signature style and keeps
creative control over his or her work.

Explained
 Making any film or in this case a music video the director is the auteur but it would
not be possible for them to create the whole production on their own, instead they
collaborate with others and team up with; writer, cinematographer and actors but the
director is still an auteur in a sense as they control everyone and everything in the
production. Supporters maintain that the most successful films bear the distinctive
imprint of their director and that an auteur would place a significant visual style that
would be visible throughout their work. An example of a music video auteur is Chris
Cunningham. Chris Cunningham is a British music video film director and
video artist. Cunningham is known for his warped style and disturbing imagery, he
has worked and produced music videos for the likes of; Aphex Twins, Bjork, Placebo
and Madonna.

Hype Williams Case Study

About Hype
 Harold "Hype" Williams (born 1970), previously known as HYPE, is an
American music video and film director. As the definitive video director for late-'90s
rap music, Williams worked with every major rapper of the era, from Nas and
Kanye West to Missy Elliott and Puff Daddy, and even made the admirable leap to
feature films as well. Born in the Hollis, Queens, neighbourhood of New York to
working-class parents. He attended Adelphi University, where he studied film, and
subsequently joined Classic Concept Productions, where he swept floors on the
sets of golden-age rap video shoots. In 1993, he launched his own production
company, Big Dog Films, and made his first major video in 1994, Wu-Tang Clan's
"Can It Be All So Simple." Following the video's airing, offers began pouring in,
and Williams took on as many as time allowed, directing numerous videos every
year until the decade's end.

Hype’s Career
 Within only a few years, Williams had
become an award-winning director,
taking home the 1996 Billboard Music
Video Award for Best Director of the
Year, the 1997 NAACP Image Award,
and the 1998 MTV Video Music Award
for Best Rap Video, among others.
During this late-'90s run, he worked
with every major rap artist imaginable,
and earned a reputation for incredibly
stylish videos characterised by fish-eye
lens work and glitzy wardrobes. The
Artisan-released film starring
rappers DMX, Nas, and Method
Man became a substantial cult hit
among the urban audience.

Signature Style
Features

Use of coloured banners across the top
and bottom of the screen

Use of bold, primary colours –
Often block colours

Sexualisation of full figured women
through dance and costume

Singing and Rapping to the camera, lot
of close ups included throughout

Hype always made sure his name was
on every video he Directed!

Hype always included a Rap or R&B
focus in his Music Videos

Hype was a big fan of using the
Fish Lens