Sophie Muller
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Sophie Muller (born January 31, 1962) is an accomplished music video director.
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[edit] Background
Sophie Muller was born in Marylebone, London, but spent her early years growing up on the Isle of Man. After leaving secondary education, she returned to London to attend Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, gaining a Foundation Diploma in Art.
Following her graduation, Muller went to the Royal College of Art to study for her Masters in Film and Television, where she made "Interlude" and "In Excelsis Deo (In Adoration of God)." The latter winning the J Walter Thompson Prize for creativity.
[edit] Career
Muller's first taste of professional film came working as a third assistant on the horror/thriller "Company of Wolves." Sophie then went on to work for International Film and Video, honing her editing, producing, and directing skills.
Sophie's real goal was to become a successful Director in her own right and her big break came through a chance meeting with John Stewart and Billy Poveda of Oil Factory - an established film production company.
She has directed over a hundred music videos and has been a longtime collaborator with acts like No Doubt, Garbage, Blur, Annie Lennox and Eurythmics. Her work with Annie Lennox won her a Grammy for the Diva video album. She also picked up an MTV Video Music Award for "Why" and was also Grammy nominated for the Eurythmics' Savage video album.
Muller has directed seven No Doubt videos, and five solo videos for Gwen Stefani, including "Don't Speak." When No Doubt won the award for Best Group Video at the 1997 MTV Music Video Awards Gwen thanked her by saying, "I'd like to say that Sophie Muller is a genius." Gwen has also said, "Sophie Muller is one of my most talented friends. She can and will only do projects that she is inspired by. She is driven by creativity and the love for what she does and as a result she never compromises. I consider her a true artist. I was a fan of Sophie's work before I even imagined working with her. She has a very pronounced style and taste that drew me in. I think she has the gift of being able to bring out the artist's personality, emotion and style. After working with her for the first time on our "Don't Speak" video, we became close friends. On set her direction is humble and simple, but she knows what she wants and knows when she gets it. A woman in charge in the male-dominated world of filmmaking makes the whole experience that much more exciting. She has a way of making every cut have a reason and meaning. The videos have a life of their own and become better each time you watch them. I am always in shock the first time I see them and then after a few more times I am actually amazed. She has taught me a lot and I feel very lucky to have worked with her."
Muller states that her only ambition is to continue directing to her own high standards and to never grow bored. In 2004, she directed the socially aware video for Sarah McLachlan's "World On Fire," where all but $15 of the entire $150,000 video budget was donated to charities. Recently, she has directed videos for Shakira, up-coming UK artist, Lily Allen and the critically acclaimed comeback video for the Dixie Chicks, "Not Ready To Make Nice".
One of her upcoming music videos is that for Siobhán Donaghy's new single, Don't Give It Up, which will be shot in Morocco from November 16 to 21.
[edit] Selected Videography
1987
- Eurythmics - "Beethoven"
1988
- Eurythmics - "Brand New Day"
- Eurythmics - "Do You Want To Break Up?"
- Eurythmics - "Heaven"
- Eurythmics - "I Need You"
- Eurythmics - "Put The Blame On Me"
- Eurythmics - "Savage"
- Eurythmics - "Wide Eyed Girl"
- Sade - "Nothing Can Come Between Us"
- Sade - "Turn My Back On You"
- Eurythmics - "I Need A Man"
- Sade - "Love Is Stronger Than Pride"
- Eurythmics - "You Have Placed A Chill In My Heart"
- Shakespear's Sister - "Break My Heart"
- Annie Lennox featuring Al Green - "Put A Little Love In Your Heart"
1989
- Shakespear's Sister - "You're History"
- Shakespear's Sister - "Run Silent"
- Eurythmics - "Don't Ask Me Why"
- Eurythmics - "Angel"
1990
- Eurythmics - "King & Queen Of America"
- Julia Fordham - "Lock And Key"
- Sinéad O'Connor - "Emperor's New Clothes"
1991
- Nanci Griffith - "Late Night Grande Hotel"
- World Party - "Thank You World"
- Curve - "Coast Is Clear"
- Shakespear's Sister - "Goodbye Cruel World"
1992
- Curve - "Fait Accompli"
- Shakespear's Sister - "Stay"
- Aaron Neville - "Somewhere, Someday"
- Annie Lennox - "Why"
- Shakespear's Sister - "Hello"
- Annie Lennox - "Precious"
- Vegas - "possessed"
- Annie Lennox - "Cold"
- Annie Lennox - "Money Can't Buy It"
- Annie Lennox - "Legend in My Living Roon"
- Annie Lennox - "The Gift"
- Annie Lennox - "Primitive"
- Annie Lennox - "Keep Young and Beautiful"
- Sade - "No Ordinary Love"
- Annie Lennox - "Walking On Broken Glass"
- Annie Lennox - "Love Song For A Vampire"
- Shakespear's Sister - "I Don't Care"
- Annie Lennox - "Little Bird"
1993
- Björk - Venus as a Boy
1994
- Hole - "Miss World"
- The Jesus & Mary Chain Featuring Hope Sandoval - "Sometimes Always"
- The Jesus & Mary Chain - "Come On"
- Sparks - "When Do I Get To Sing My Way?"
1995
- Sophie B. Hawkins - "As I Lay Me Down"
- Sparks - "When I Kiss You"
- Stone Roses - "Ten Storey Love Song"
- Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories - "Do You Sleep?"
- Jeff Buckley - "So Real"
- Weezer - "Say It Ain't So"
1996
- The Cure - "The 13th"
- Kè - "Strange World"
- Gary Barlow - "Forever Love"
- Shakespear's Sister - "I Can Drive"
- No Doubt - "Don't Speak"
- No Doubt - "Excuse Me Mr."
- No Doubt - "Sunday Morning"
- The Lightning Seeds - "What If..."
1997
- Blur - "Beetlebum"
- Blur - "On Your Own"
- Blur - "Song 2"
- Maxwell - "Whenever, Wherever, Whatever"
- Curve - "Chinese Burn"
- No Doubt - "Hey You"
- No Doubt - "Oi To The World"
1998
- James Iha - "Be Strong Now"
- Maxwell - "Luxury: Cococure"
- Sparklehorse - "Sick Of Goodbyes"
- Garbage - "When I Grow Up (Live version)"
- Garbage - "The Trick Is To Keep Breathing"
- Rufus Wainwright - "April Fools"
1999
- Blur - "Tender"
- Sinéad O'Connor - "Chiquita"
- Natalie Merchant Featuring N'dea Davenport - "Break Your Heart"
- Sparklehorse - "Pig"
- Manic Street Preachers - "You Stole The Sun From My Heart"
- Garbage - "When I Grow Up (US version)"
- Semisonic - "Secret Smile"
- The Cardigans - "Hanging Around"
- Sarah McLachlan - "Possession"
- Sarah McLachlan - "I Will Remember"
- Emiliana Torrini - "To Be Free"
- Beth Orton - "Central Reservation"
- Sarah McLachlan - "Ice Cream"
- Supergrass - "Mary"
2000
- Eurythmics - "I Saved The World Today"
- No Doubt - "Simple Kind Of Life"
- Ute Lemper - "The Case Continues"
- Doves - "Catch The Sun"
- Bentley Rhythm Ace - "How'd I Do Dat?"
- Alisha's Attic - "Push It All Aside"
- Alisha's Attic - "Pretender Got My Heart"
- JJ72 - "Oxygen"
- PJ Harvey - "Good Fortune"
- Sade - "By Your Side"
- Coldplay - "Trouble"
2001
- Turin Brakes - "The Door"
- Sade - "King Of Sorrow"
- Turin Brakes - "Underdog (Save Me)"
- No Doubt - "Bathwater"
- PJ Harvey - "A Place Called Home"
- Nelly Furtado - "Turn Off The Light"
- Sophie Ellis Bextor - "Take Me Home"
- PJ Harvey - "This Is Love"
- Radiohead - "I Might Be Wrong"
- Sophie Ellis Bextor - "Murder On The Dancefloor"
2002
- Amy Studt - "Just A Little Girl"
- Sophie Ellis Bextor - "Move This Mountain"
- Sugababes - "Freak Like Me"
- Coldplay - "In My Place"
- Amy Studt - "Misfit"
- The Beau Sisters - "I Was Only 17"
- Sparta - "Cut Your Ribbon"
- Pink - "Family Portrait"
- No Doubt (featuring Lady Saw) - "Underneath It All"
- Sophie Ellis Bextor - "Music Gets The Best Of Me" (both versions)
2003
- Nickel Creek - "Speak"
- Dolly Parton - "I'm Gone"
- Dido - "Life For Rent"
- Pink - "Trouble"
- The Raveonettes - "That Great Love Sound"
- Sophie Ellis Bextor - "I Won't Change You" [Co-Produced]
2004
- Dixie Chicks - "Top Of The World"
- The Killers - "Mr. Brightside"
- Sixpence None The Richer - "Don't Dream It's Over"
- Maroon 5 - "This Love"
- Maroon 5 - "She Will Be Loved"
- Nelly Furtado - "Try"
- Mindy Smith - "Come To Jesus"
- Jamelia - "See It In A Boy's Eyes"
- Sarah McLachlan - "World On Fire"
- Sarah McLachlan - "Stupid"
- The Strokes - "The End Has No End"
- Natasha Bedingfield - "These Words" (UK Version)
- Vanessa Carlton - "White Houses"
- Loretta Lynn Featuring Jack White - "Portland, Oregon]]
2005
- KT Tunstall - "Black Horse & The Cherry Tree"
- Garbage - "Why Do You Love Me"
- Garbage - "Bleed Like Me"
- Garbage - "Sex Is Not the Enemy"
- Garbage - "Run Baby Run"
- Gwen Stefani - "Cool"
- Coldplay - "Fix You"
- Faith Hill Featuring Tim McGraw - "Like We Never Loved At All"
- Gwen Stefani - "Luxurious"
- Gwen Stefani - "Serious"
- Gwen Stefani - "Crash"
2006
- Shakira Featuring Wyclef Jean- "Hips Don't Lie"
- Dixie Chicks - "Not Ready to Make Nice"
- She Wants Revenge - "These Things"
- Faith Hill - "Stealing Kisses
- Lily Allen - "Smile"
- Beyoncé Featuring Jay-Z- "Déjà Vu"
- Beyoncé - "Ring The Alarm"
- Sophie Ellis-Bextor - "Catch You"
- The Raconteurs - "Level"
- Gwen Stefani - "Wind It Up (Gwen Stefani song)"
- Siobhán Donaghy- "Don't Give It Up"
