HYPE WILLIAMS!!!!!

Harold Hype Williams who is commonly known as Hype was born in the 70's. Hype got his nickname when he was a child as he had a 'hyper' nature.

The beginning of his work saw him tagging local billboards, storefronts and playgrounds using HYPE as his graffiti tag in order to get his work noticed! Hype commented on how 'thats probably what stimulated my interests in colour' this is evident with Beyonces video 'Check on it' which displays a high contrasts of pinks and purples in order to create a theme. 

Hype Williams graduated from Andrew Jackson High School of Art and Music in 1987, i feel that this has allowed him to expert knowledge on music and art and how to use them together in order to make successful music videos. he then went to Adelphi University. However hypes big break came when he started working with Classic Concepts Video Productions despite growing up wanting to be a painter.

After slowly building his career up he is now able to work will more successful artists or bands such as 'The Notorious B.I.G, LL Cool J, Missy Elliott, Busta rhymes, Jay Z, Christina Aguilera, coldplay etc. All of the artists he has directed for seem to have a similar genre, being RnB, Rap or hip hop. This suggests that he likes to direct videos for a set genre of artists. i find it interesting that he specified in this genre as for me i find these videos most inspiring for my own work. i also feel that i would choose a song within this genre for my own A2 media coursework. 



i have chosen to use this video in which Hype Williams directed as i feel it is a very well known song and artist in which will allow people to realise his success within this business. He is able to make videos for the likes of beyonce a massive hit and headliner at Glastonbury Festival. Beyonces video was shot with a pink theme due to the background of the song being for the pink panther film. this meant that hype Williams didn't have the control over this, i feel that this is significant as he didn't have the freedom with the colours etc. Check on it was filmed in 12hours and had beyonce in 12 different set-ups and outfits. Hype commented on how 'the concept was to make everything pink to brand the relationship with the pink panther. the pink sails reflect the wind instrument sound of the string section'.
at 4.3 there are black bars which normally appear on a television showing a wide screen production, footage is displayed of curtains moving in the background. this was a trend in Hypes work during that year with a similar effect being used in Ne-Yos 'so sick'. Beyonces video 'check on it' won the best R&B video at the 2006 MTV video music awards, i feel that this is a good success for hype as he specified in this genre.  Hype also uses a signature style within this video where he places shots in a wide screen ratio, while a second shot is split and placed in the upper and lower bars.

Another key video that hype directed was 'gimme some more' by busta rhymes.




i found it interesting to look at this video and the background story to it. The narrative of the video is recalling how busta rhymes once bumped his head as a child. i find that this video is very interesting as i feel it is quite unconventional for this genre as it starts with a looney tunes like intro. this video also shows another signature style in which Hype has adopted, this being the use of a fish eye lens. this was shown in slow motion and is largely absurdest in nature. Hype Williams has however dropped this style as he experienced his lowest level of production activity since the beginning of his career  as a music director. 

one further style hype is know for is combining a center camera focus on the artist's body from the torso upward and a solid colour background with a soft different-colour like being shown in the center of the background, as to give a sense of illumination of the background by the foreground subject. An example of this is in the music video by 'kanye west', 'Gold Digger'. 





Personally i really enjoyed looking at Hype Williams work due to his signature style. It was interesting to see how he applied this to his videos and how he altered it to that artists. i feel that looking at this specific director was interesting as he works with some very famous artists within the RnB genre.