Spike Jonze
Spike Jonze (born Adam Spiegel on October 22, 1969), is a Jewish-American director of offbeat music videos and commercials, and an Academy Award-nominated director and producer in film and television, most notably the 1999 black comedy film Being John Malkovich and the 2002 film Adaptation. (both written by Charlie Kaufman).
Career
In 2006, he was nominated by the Director's Guild of America for "Outstanding Achievement in Commercials in 2005". He was nominated for a body of work that included "Hello Tomorrow" for Adidas, "Penguin" for Miller Beer, and "Pardon Our Dust" for The Gap. He was a producer and co-creator of the Jackass, television series on MTV and of Jackass: The Movie, and also directed some of the segments. Jonze has acted in some videos and films; his most prominent role was in Three Kings as the sweet but dimwitted Conrad, in which he was directed by friend David O. Russell.
Jonze was also a co-founder and editor of Dirt magazine, as well as an editor for Grand Royal Magazine. In the past, Jonze shot skateboard videos, most notably Blind skateboard company's Video Days in 1991. He also co-directed the Girl Skateboards film Yeah Right! and the Chocolate Skateboards video Hot Chocolate. In the closing credits montage of Yeah Right! Spike is shown doing a heelflip in loafers. He is also co-owner of Girl Skateboards.
Jonze has many alter egos, which have included Richard Koufey (alternately spelled Coufey or Couffe), the leader of the Torrance Community Dance Group, an urban troupe that performs in public spaces. The Koufey persona appeared when Jonze, in character, filmed himself dancing to Fatboy Slim's Rockafella Skank as it played on a boombox in a public area. Spike showed the video to Slim, who loved it. Jonze then assembled a group of dancers to perform to Slim's "Praise You", which was taped outside a Westwood, California movie theater. The resulting clip was a huge success, and 'Koufey' and his troupe were invited to New York City to perform the song for the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards. The video received awards for Best Direction, Breakthrough, and Best Choreography, which Jonze accepted, still in character. Jonze made a mockumentary about the experience called Torrance Rises.
He also has a speaking part along with Dave Eggers in a Beck song entitled The Horrible Fanfare / Landslide / Exoskeleton from his new album, The Information. He appears in the "Exoskeleton" bit.
Currently, Jonze is directing Where the Wild Things Are in Australia.
In 2006, he was nominated by the Director's Guild of America for "Outstanding Achievement in Commercials in 2005". He was nominated for a body of work that included "Hello Tomorrow" for Adidas, "Penguin" for Miller Beer, and "Pardon Our Dust" for The Gap. He was a producer and co-creator of the Jackass, television series on MTV and of Jackass: The Movie, and also directed some of the segments. Jonze has acted in some videos and films; his most prominent role was in Three Kings as the sweet but dimwitted Conrad, in which he was directed by friend David O. Russell.
Jonze was also a co-founder and editor of Dirt magazine, as well as an editor for Grand Royal Magazine. In the past, Jonze shot skateboard videos, most notably Blind skateboard company's Video Days in 1991. He also co-directed the Girl Skateboards film Yeah Right! and the Chocolate Skateboards video Hot Chocolate. In the closing credits montage of Yeah Right! Spike is shown doing a heelflip in loafers. He is also co-owner of Girl Skateboards.
Jonze has many alter egos, which have included Richard Koufey (alternately spelled Coufey or Couffe), the leader of the Torrance Community Dance Group, an urban troupe that performs in public spaces. The Koufey persona appeared when Jonze, in character, filmed himself dancing to Fatboy Slim's Rockafella Skank as it played on a boombox in a public area. Spike showed the video to Slim, who loved it. Jonze then assembled a group of dancers to perform to Slim's "Praise You", which was taped outside a Westwood, California movie theater. The resulting clip was a huge success, and 'Koufey' and his troupe were invited to New York City to perform the song for the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards. The video received awards for Best Direction, Breakthrough, and Best Choreography, which Jonze accepted, still in character. Jonze made a mockumentary about the experience called Torrance Rises.
He also has a speaking part along with Dave Eggers in a Beck song entitled The Horrible Fanfare / Landslide / Exoskeleton from his new album, The Information. He appears in the "Exoskeleton" bit.
Currently, Jonze is directing Where the Wild Things Are in Australia.
