Auteur Analysis on Michel Gondry

"Auteur" - French for Author. Auteur theory was first created in the 1950's by french cinema critics and directors, for example Francois Truffoult and Andre Breton. Le Cahier du Cinema was their publication that discussed who should or shouldn't be recognised as an auteur - someone whose work has particular characteristics. The characteristics could stylistic (micro), structural, thematic or about process. Tim Burton is a good example of thematic characteristic of isolation. Michel Gondry is a French film, commercial and music video director and an Academy Award-winning screenwriter. He has directed many music videos including The White Stripes - Fell In Love With A Girl, Radiohead - Knives Out, Bjork - Declare Independence and Foo Fighters - Everlong. We found that in most of Michel Gondry's music videos there was an influence of abstract childhood mainly through toys. We believe this Michel Gondry's characteristic.
The whole of "Fell in Love With A Girl" is the band performing the song made of lego.


In "Knifes Out" there is a toy train that is seen repeatedly, the main woman in the video is made out of a life size "operation" board game and just her head and neck real.



Bjork's "Declare Independence" has has Bjork controlling a group of men who are connected to each other by wires that Bjork is holding. The way they are dressed and how Bjork is controlling them makes the men look like toy soldiers.



"A Change Would Do You Good" by Sheryl Crow is an extremely colourful. Sheryl is in the video and is seen casting spells on a little world, which shows Michel Gondry's characteristic of childhood coming through. There is a shot at the end where the screen is shown in a semi circle shape and the video spins round as though a part of a board game.