Spike Jonze Research : Auteur Director! (Appendix 1)

Spike Jonze was born Adam Spiegel October 22, 1969. He is an American director of music videos and commercials, and an Academy Award-nominated director and producer in film and television, most notably the 1999 film Being John Malkovich and the 2002 film Adaptation., both written by Charlie Kaufman. He is also credited as a co-creator of MTV's Jackass.

In 2006, he was nominated by the Directors 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 MTV television series Jackass and Jackass: The Movie, also directing some of the segments. Jonze has acted in some videos and films; his most prominent role was in Three Kings as the sweet, dimwitted, casually racist Conrad, in which he was directed by friend David O. Russell.
Jonze was also a co-founder and editor of Dirt magazine along with Mark Lewman and Andy Jenkins, as well as an editor for Grand Royal Magazine and senior photographer for Transworld Skateboarding. 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 ‘nollie heelflip’ in loafers. He is also co-owner of Girl Skateboards.

The Adidas advert is the blatant work of an auteur. It's unusual as 'light illuminates' the dark surroundings as the subject runs in the trainers, they allow the wearer to run upside down and create surfaces out of nowhere. Its a great advert, take a look. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENleEsKhOj4

Uniquely, 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 "Praise You" 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.

Jonze was an avid BMX freestyle rider in his youth. As part of the famous Rockville BMX crew he was known for making fast friends with touring BMX teams that came to town, befriending riders and often touring with them for short periods afterwards. He eventually landed a sponsored ride with Haro Bikes and received limited fame as a BMX personality appearing in many BMX publications such as Freestylin'. He was featured in an early-1990s "Spike-Needs-A-Girlfriend" contest in Christina Kelly's 'What Now' column in Sassy Magazine. His requirements for a girlfriend were: "short hair, clear skin, and good teeth."

On June 26, 1999, Jonze married director Sofia Coppola, whom he had known for nearly ten years. On December 5, 2003, the couple filed for divorce, citing "irreconcilable differences." The character of John, a career-driven photographer (Giovanni Ribisi) in Coppola's Lost In Translation (2003), was rumored to be based on Jonze, though Coppola has vehemently denied this. He is now dating Michelle Williams (former fiancée of Heath Ledger and mother of his daughter Matilda). Jonze and Williams publicly came out as a couple in October 2008.

Below is a list of every Music Video Jonze has been acredited to in acending date order :

"High in High School" by Chainsaw Kittens (1992)
"100%" by Sonic Youth (1992)
"Cannonball" by The Breeders (1993) (co-directed by Kim Gordon, produced by Steve Reiss)
"Country at War" by X (1993)
"Daughters of the Kaos" by Luscious Jackson (1993)
"Hang On" by Teenage Fanclub (1993)
"Time for Livin'" by the Beastie Boys (1993)
"All About Eve" by Marxman (1994)
"Buddy Holly" by Weezer (1994)
"Ditch Digger" by Rocket from the Crypt (1994)
"Divine Hammer" by The Breeders (1994)
"Feel the Pain" by Dinosaur Jr. (1994)
"I Can't Stop Smiling" by Velocity Girl (1994)
"If I Only Had a Brain" by MC 900 Ft. Jesus (1994)
"Old Timer" by That Dog (1994)
"Ricky's Theme" by Beastie Boys (1994)
"Sabotage" by Beastie Boys (1994) (also writer)
"Sure Shot" by Beastie Boys (1994)
"Undone (The Sweater Song)" by Weezer (1994)
"California" by Wax (1995)
"Car Song" by Elastica (1995)
"Crush with Eyeliner" by R.E.M. (1995)
"Freedom of '76" by Ween (1995)
"It's Oh So Quiet" by Björk (1995)
"The Diamond Sea" by Sonic Youth (1995)
"Who Is Next?" by Wax (1995)
"Drop" by The Pharcyde (1996)
"Da Funk" by Daft Punk (1997)
"Electrolite" by R.E.M. (1997)
"Elektrobank" by The Chemical Brothers (1997)
"It's All About the Benjamins (Rock Remix)" by Puff Daddy (1997)
"Liberty Calls" by Mike Watt (1997)
"Shady Lane" by Pavement (1997)
"Sky's the Limit" by The Notorious B.I.G. (1997)
"Home (Sean Lennon song)" by Sean Lennon (1998)
"Praise You" by Fatboy Slim (credited to "Torrance Public Film Productions") (1998)
"Root Down" (version 2) by Beastie Boys (1998)
"The Rockafeller Skank" (version 1) by Fatboy Slim (1998)
"Weapon of Choice" by Fatboy Slim (2000)
"What's Up, Fatlip?" by Fat lip (2000)
"Wonderboy" by Tenacious D (as Marcus Von Bueler) (2000)
"Island in the Sun" (Version 2) by Weezer (2002)
"It's in Our Hands" by Björk (2002)
"Big Brat" by Phantom Planet (2003)
"Get Back" by Ludacris (2004)
"Y Control" by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs (2004)
"Triumph of a Heart" by Björk (2005)
"Blessed Evening" by Foetus (2005) (cinematographer only, directed by Karen O)
"Flashing Lights" by Kanye West (2008) (co-directed with West)
"The Greatest Man That Ever Lived (Variations on a Shaker Hymn)" by Weezer (2008)

The Video that he produced for Fat Boy Slim's 'Praise You' which is being touted by MTV and Much Music as being the most original video ever. It takes place in the lobby of a movie theater, with a slightly out of date dance troupe bustin' out some b-boy moves. Spike, as the leader of the pack, definitely makes the video worth watching!

Do it!!....>>>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ULVQOneeZE

The information i have researched has come from 'Spike's Original Website', Wikipedia and IMDB...