Stéphane Sednaoui

Directing

Stéphane Sednaoui

Born 1963-02-27 · Paris, France

Stéphane Sednaoui is a French music video director, photographer, film producer and actor. He has worked in various forms of media, including music videos, photojournalism, portrait photography, fashion and pop culture. Sednaoui's career began as a casting director for advertising campaigns and modeling for photographers and artists at age 18. At age 21, he began doing portraits for various publications, later photographing designers and models. Sednaoui has directed over 40 music videos, including "Give It Away" and "Scar Tissue" (Red Hot Chili Peppers), "Sly" (Massive Attack), "Mysterious Ways" (U2), "Big Time Sensuality" (Björk), "Fever" (Madonna), "German Bold Italic" (Towa Tei feat. Kylie Minogue), and "Queer" (Garbage). As a photojournalist he covered such events as the Romanian Revolution of 1989 and the 2001 September 11 attack of the World Trade Center. He has also been a regular contributor to Vogue Italia, Vogue China, Vanity Fair, The New York Times Magazine, Interview and Visionaire as a fashion and portrait photographer. Over the years, Sednaoui has redefined his artistic approach to focus on his fine-art and cinematographic projects. New and existing work have been exhibited recently at the MoMA, New York (2015)– the National September 11 Memorial & Museum (2013–2015), New York – the Brooklyn Museum, New York (2013 – the (Barbican Center, London (2014) – Le Grand Palais, Paris (2015)– the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne (2014) and in a solo exhibition at the Sam Art Projects Foundation, Paris (2013). In 2005, his work with music videos was included in Palm Pictures's Directors Label, a series of DVDs compiling the work of notable music video directors. Although Sednaoui never received formal training as a photographer or director, it was with the support of two major artists, William Klein and Jean-Paul Gaultier, that he shaped his artistic approach between the ages of 18 and 22. At 18 he started as a casting director for advertising campaigns before passing in front of the camera to become the face of Jean-Paul Gaultier's brand for two years (1982–1984). Through this collaboration he modeled for photographers Steven Meisel and Peter Lindbergh, and for artist Andy Warhol and William Klein. At 21 he was offered by his mentor photographer-director William Klein to be the casting director of the docufiction movie Mode in France (1985). At 22 he was a dancer in the French choreographer Régine Chopinot's creation: Le Défilé (1985), for which Jean-Paul Gaultier was collaborating by creating the costumes. The Jean-Paul Gaultier, William Klein, and Regine Chopinot collaborations were documented by Sednaoui and shown years later: his pictures of Gaultier-Chopinot were exhibited in 2007 at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs of the Louvre, and his experience with William Klein was published in 2009 as a portfolio in the French magazine "Paradis". Impregnated with the most experimental side of his masters’ work, William Klein, Robert Frank, Bill Brandt, Sednaoui's first photographic projects were in the form of abstract Photographic essays. ... Source: Article "Stéphane Sednaoui" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.

Acting credits

Behind the camera

Björk: Volumen poster
8.4

"Volumen" collects every video from Bjork's career {up until Hunter}, and showcases the work of famed video director's Spike Jonze, Sophie Muller and Michael Gondry

Björk: Volumen

1998

The Smashing Pumpkins - Greatest Hits Video Collection poster
8.1

Released alongside The Smashing Pumpkins greatest hits CD "Rotten Apples", this video collection comes with all of the Pumpkins music videos (excluding "The End is the Beginning is the End"). It also comes with a live performance of "Geek USA" and "An Ode to No One" which is taken from their final performance at the Metro. There is also a hidden video for the never-before-released song "Untitled". All of the videos come with commentary from the band and some have out-takes and behind the scenes footage.

The Smashing Pumpkins - Greatest Hits Video Collection

2001

Madonna: The Video Collection 93:99 poster
7.7

A collection of Madonna's favorite videos from 1993-1999. Contains the 14 videos: Bad Girl, Fever, Rain, Secret, Take A Bow, Bedtime Story, Human Nature, Love Don't Live Here Anymore, Frozen, Ray Of Light, Drowned World, The Power of Goodbye, Nothing Really Matters, and Beautiful Stranger.

Madonna: The Video Collection 93:99

1999

Acqua Natasa poster
NR

A looping video installation depicting the life cycle of a woman (model Nataša Vojnović) scored by Mirwais Ahmadzaï.

Acqua Natasa

2005

Björk's Greatest Hits: Volumes 1993-2003 poster
NR

From her 1993 solo Debut album up to her Vespertine era. All of Björk's iconic visuals from "Human Behaviour," "Army of Me," all the way to "Jóga," showcasing her innovative visuals alongside her groundbreaking electronic/art-pop music. It features 14 stunning videos of Björk. The videos for Human Behaviour (from her first solo album Debut), Isobel (from her second album, Post) and Bachelorette (from her 3rd studio album, Homogenic) form a trilogy - all directed by Michel Gondry.

Björk's Greatest Hits: Volumes 1993-2003

2002

R.E.M.: In View 1988-2003 (The Best of R.E.M.) poster
5.0

In View: The Best Of R.E.M. 1988–2003 is a DVD featuring videos by the rock band R.E.M. during 1988–2003, released as a companion to the Warner Bros. compilation In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003. All but two of the songs included on the audio CD made the DVD—the exceptions being "All the Right Friends" (which had no official music video) and "Animal" (the video not having been shot until early 2004.)

R.E.M.: In View 1988-2003 (The Best of R.E.M.)

2003

Björk: Vessel 1994 poster
10.0

Björk’s performance of her debut studio album, Debut, at the The Royalty Theatre in London in May 1994, interspersed by short interviews with Björk on the streets of London.

Björk: Vessel 1994

1994

Björk: Greatest Hits - Volumen 1993-2003 poster
7.6

The visual companion of the Greatest Hits audio release, includes all Björk 21 music videos available at that moment in chronological order.

Björk: Greatest Hits - Volumen 1993-2003

2002

Miao Shan and the Minotaur poster
NR

A young girl wanders the streets in a foreign country.

Miao Shan and the Minotaur

2012

Miao Shan and the Minotaur poster
NR

A young girl wanders the streets in a foreign country.

Miao Shan and the Minotaur

2012

Massive Attack: Eleven Promos poster
8.8

Massive Attack are one of the innovative frontrunners within the world of Electronica. Credited with creating the sound of trip-hop, Massive Attack continue to develop new sound worlds with each successive release. Massive Attack has just as dstinctive a vision when it comes to videos as they do for their music. "Eleven Promos" compiles eleven videos from the mind of Massive Attack including such memorable tracks as "Unfinished Sympathy," "Safe from Harm," "Protection," and "Angel." Video directors represented are: Michel Gondry, Jonathan Glazer and Wiz among others. Other tracklistings: Daydreaming; Be Thankful for What You've Got; Sly; Karmacoma; Risingson; Teardrop.

Massive Attack: Eleven Promos

2001

U2: Achtung Baby: A Classic Album Under Review poster
NR

This profile of the seminal rock band U2 traces the writing and recording of the group's landmark 1991 album Achtung Baby: a story that begins with the band verging on breaking up, and ends with a new era in the longstanding foursome's creativity and success. The release uses rare interviews, backstage footages, performances, as well as criticism and analysis by rock journalists and fellow musicians to tell the band's tale.

U2: Achtung Baby: A Classic Album Under Review

2007

The Work of Director Stéphane Sednaoui poster
8.0

Stephane Sednaoui's career took off in the early 1990's, following the phenomenal success of his videos for the Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Give It Away" and U2's "Mysterious Ways". Ever in high demand since, Stephane has continued to redefine music videos and photography with his stylish and unique work for R.E.M., Alanis Morissette, and many others.

The Work of Director Stéphane Sednaoui

2005

Absolute Garbage poster
6.2

A collection of the band's most famous promos from 1995's "Vow" to 2007's "Tell Me Where It Hurts". Includes the documentary "Thanks For Your Uhh, Support".

Absolute Garbage

2007

No artwork available
4.0

Written 30 years earlier, Lou Reed’s hymn celebrates five flamboyant characters, each one a fragile icon from Andy Warhol’s Factory: Holly Woodlawn, Candy Darling, Joe Dalessandro, Joe Campbell (aka Sugar Plum Fairy) and Jackie Curtis. Over five delicate tableaux Stéphane Sednaoui films these young people proudly displaying their sexuality and creativity, each one dreaming of becoming a star on the New York scene.

Lou Reed: Walk on the Wild Side

2005