Robby Starbuck – 10 Music Videos That Inspired Me

ROBBY STARBUCK – Director / Editor Official Website | Twitter
Production Company: RSM
Watch his 2011 Director’s Reel HERE.

When the wonderful people at AMP Magazine contacted me to do this feature on the 10 videos that inspired me the most I was very happy to be a part of it and a bit nervous as I always am at making “best of” lists. In this case I feel I’ve done and exemplary job. If any of you are thinking about becoming directors this is a great place to start getting inspired! Here we go:

1. Johnny Cash “Hurt” Music Video | Dir. Mark Romanek

Mark Romanek was a big influence for me moving into directing. Not only directing but directing with confidence. He helped me in a way no one else ever could. He showed me that by coming from our most vulnerable places we can actually be the strongest. This is something I’ll never forget. It’s truly exhibited in this video for subsequently one of my favorite artists of all time… The man in black… Johnny Cash. The video shows off the shell of a man who focuses more on what he missed then what he saw. A man that in old age knows that family was the thing that mattered most. In a lot of ways I think it’s a reflection that… Oh shit… I’m nearly dead and I missed so much. I think there’s also a peace to it, which is brilliant. He’s sad, but he’s okay. It’s just a beautiful, stunning piece. I remember the first time I saw it I cried.

[pro-player width='600' height='400' type='video']http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-m_VBR8XZYI&feature=fvst[/pro-player]

2. Fiona Apple “Criminal” Music Video | Dir. Mark Romanek

This video for Fiona Apple is haunting, gorgeous, magical. She becomes everything you hate and everything you love all in one. She’s addictive… She’s dangerous. The lighting was just brilliant in a time where shining pop and wide angle lenses were all the rage. I’d also go further to say it’s the sexiest video of the 90′s and also one of the most timeless. This video just…. Just watch it please… For your own damn good.

Watch this video now on YouTube.

3. Placebo “Pure Morning” Music Video | Dir. Nick Gordan

I chose this video because it’s such a beautiful use of slow motion, pacing & locked off camera work being effective. There’s very little “movement” from the camera but the video moves you regardless. It’s a dangerous video in the sense I could see how this could have turned out to be a horrible flop but the director executed it with precision. I love the production design throughout and the attention to detail. The color grade has always been one of my favorites as well. You can see how dark crunched blacks like these really influenced my work subconsciously. Then… The jump… I mean it’s unreal. It was such a magical execution. It’s beyond buyable. Things like that look fake NOW over 10 years later… That is a testament to this director and his team or possibly a perfectionist band that wouldn’t have it any other way. Either way? Just gorgeous. I have to say I’m a fan of the androgyny they tip toed around with as well.

[pro-player width='600' height='400' type='video']http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4JhtoR39M0[/pro-player]

4. Nine Inch Nails “Only” Music Video | Dir. David Fincher

We know Dir. David Fincher more now for his films like Fight Club, The Social Network and the upcoming Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, but before all that he was a video director and a damn good one. He’s my 2nd favorite behind Mark Romanek. David’s use of visual effects in this video is just stunning. I’m not a fan of many FX in videos because something about it feels like the easy way out sometimes to me but in this case it’s about making objects with no soul grow one. It feels like it all comes to life. I love the challenge he took on with it and the way it came out is well… A masterpiece for the ages. His work has had a profound impact on me. His director of photography and the looks that David sets in his films is a big influence.

Watch this video now on YouTube.

5. Marcy Playground “Sex and Candy” Music Video | Dir. Jamie Caliri

Here’s an interesting video for me. This is the video that started it all for me. This video is the one that made me say, “I want to direct music videos” and later on that became wanting to do movies as well. Funny enough I contacted Jamie Caliri back then and he was very supportive and loving about my wild dreams. He told me I could do it and I’ve never forgotten that. In turn I do the same for kids that email me now. So more than anything this video is hopeful to me because it is such a personal marker for me about goals and achievement. This video is a good example of doing a lot with minimal production design as well… At least by 90′s standards. Make sure you watch the ending – It was always my favorite part of the video.

Watch this video now on YouTube.

6. Macklemore “Otherside” Music Video | Dir. Jason Koenig/Ryan Lewis

This video may be confusing because… Well it just came out this year. Here’s my reasoning behind adding this low-budget video to my list. It does what many million dollar videos do not, it lives. It breathes. It dies. It feels. I guess you have to be a certain type of person that has lived through pain and addiction like I have to be moved by this how I was. I don’t know really what it is. I just love it. I’ve watched it a thousand times this year. It doesn’t influence me in the career shaping way the others did but it gives me hope to move forward. To create unabashedly as I strive to make people feel through my work. So hats off to Macklemore & his team, you made this sucker cry.

[pro-player width='600' height='400' type='video']http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvDQy53eldY[/pro-player]

7. Jay-Z “On to the Next One” Music Video | Dir. Sam Brown

Okay another new-ish video. Confused? It’s okay because sometimes I even confuse myself. I see myself doing more hip-hop in the coming years and this is an inspiration that a hip-hop video can be done RIGHT. It’s not about bitches & hoes, fancy cars, etc. It can be about beautiful art still. That’s where I want to go with it and build on what Sam Brown did here. I love the controversy this sparked with Illuminati/FreeMason talk across the world. Videos are supposed to ignite something within people. That’s just what this does.

[pro-player width='600' height='400' type='video']http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WM1RChZk1EU[/pro-player]

8. Nine Inch Nails “Closer” Music Video | Dir. Mark Romanek

For those of you who didn’t know about Mark Romanek before this article… Well now you do. He made the seminal videos that inspired me to be okay with the darkness I had inside. In a way it kept me from becoming so introverted that all i felt was dark. In a way his comfort with darkness gave me light. Enough to grow and breathe. This video has a few things truthfully on the production design side that I actually don’t like! Just had to say that BUT there’s so many amazing things in this video… The 7- foot angel wings made of meat? Beautiful. The masks? Perfect. The fact showing boobs was okay? +100 points. (Youtube censors me or shuts my videos down when I do that nowadays). Mixing innocence with the very image of sin? Perfect dichotomy. That’s the name of the game for his videos as well as mine. Dichotomy. When you’re like that you’re bound to have very passionate fans and equally passionate haters. That’s a-okay by me!

[pro-player width='600' height='400' type='video']http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTFwQP86BRs[/pro-player]

9. Marilyn Manson “The Dope Show” Music Video | Dir. Paul Hunter

This one will be my shortest review really. I think the imagery speaks for itself. Just give it a watch. The colors in wardrobe & design are inspiring. The color grading of the whole piece is gorgeous as well. I love the controversy and the HUGE feel of this video. It just feels like the label said, go do whatever the fuck you want. Here’s a blank check. I doubt that happened but it’s still a nice dream.

Watch this video now on YouTube.

10. Smashing Pumpkins “Ava Adore” Music Video | Dir. Dom&Nic

Coming full circle I present to you one of my favorite bands of all time and one I’ve had the pleasure of directing myself. This video was just so powerful and still retains that same power in watching now. The flawless transitions aren’t just a great nod to the directors prowess but to Billy’s star-power. I can tell you right now there’s only 4 or 5 artists in this world that could have pulled this off remotely close to how well Billy did. He’s just an artist in every sense and I feel like as a Pisces his raw understanding of all that is really pushes him further than most in the world. It’s another beautiful haunting extravaganza. Honestly this probably belongs way up there on the list but I’m just too damn lazy to change the numbers out. Consider this number 2 or 3 on the list!

Watch this video now on YouTube.

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