January 05, 2005
Britney Spears Wants to Direct
File this one under the "Oh good God, please make it go away" category. If you've read The Movie Blog at all over the last year or so, you know how much I detest the whole "singers who think they can be actors" thing. Well, Britney Spears is now taking it to the next level... She wants to direct.
The director is the key person in any movie. The person most responsible for how well it turns out... yes, far more important than the actors (any actor will tell you that in a heartbeat). It takes great skill, talent and knowledge of the medium to do it well. So here comes Britney Spears (who in general I have no problem with) deciding she can be a director.
And what has prepared her for taking on the most difficult and important job in film making? Years at a prestigious film school? No. Training in a good directors program? No. Years of solid film projects working along side of some great directors to gleen some of their wisdom? No. As far as I can tell, these are her qualifications:
1) She's famous and figures that means she can do anything
2) She's directed a music video
Britney Spears has ventured behind the camera to co-direct her first pop video - in preparation for her assault on Hollywood. The "Toxic" beauty put her directorial skills into practice when she helped create the promo for her tune "Do Something" in New York last month. And Spears hopes the video will show studio heads she has the talent to score success as a movie-maker - especially since she's already devoting much of her spare time to writing scripts for big screen musicals. She says, "I made a cute video for 'Do Something.' We shot the entire thing in a record-breaking five hours. I even came up with all the choreography and styled the entire shoot myself. I've been working on writing and hopefully directing a musical that makes fun of Hollywood."Ummm... will someone please inform Ms. Spears that getting the video done as fast as possible is not the earmark of a good director. Also, someone please inform her that "directing" a music video is not the same as directing a motion picture. Hell, the director for Catwoman was a good music video director. On the up side, I seriously doubt any studio will hand the reigns to any project over to her. Look, get some training, learn the art, take a few years to understand the medium, actually be around the industry for a while (having cameos in a bunch of movies doesn't count)... and then why not... take a shot at it and see what happens. Being famous doesn't qualify you to direct... but it dosen't disqualify you either. Just do it right.
Posted by John Campea at January 5, 2005 07:49 AM
Comments
Posted by: Simon at January 5, 2005 10:20 AM
The Brittney thing is of course too ludicrous to even devote a post to, but you are being unnecessarily short-sighted with regard to musicians becoming actors- it can and has been done many times. Eminem was astonishing in '8 mile' and most critics thought so as well. The likes of Ice Cube and L.L cool J have also become respectable actors. You've got to be more open-minded man!
Posted by: minzo at January 5, 2005 02:36 PM
I'm sorry... did you say Ice Cube was an actor? Did you keep a straigh face while typing it? And LL Cool J?!?! I like LL... but he's no actor.
There are exceptions to every rule. But for every singer who does ok in a movie, there are a dozen who suck huge.
And M&M; was terrible in 8 mile (just my opinion)
Posted by: John Campea at January 5, 2005 04:13 PM
Where is the Britster going to find the time to fit in directing with her aspirations to become a forensic investigator?
http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/celebrity/19922004.htm
Posted by: Mark at January 5, 2005 04:36 PM
I think she was seriously underestimated in her extremely credible performance as a dumass in Fahrenheit 9/11. She should have at least get oscar nomination for that part. So, Go Girl, don’t mind us having fun!
Posted by: Darko at January 5, 2005 04:55 PM
Hahaha.....Spears needs to grow up and think twice before opening her mouth. One month she wants to be a stay at home the next she wants to direct and go back to school? She sounds like a 5 year old being asked what they want to be when they grow up. In a small way it is sad, however the endless laughter her "letters of truth" create keep me hoping she'll continue on with this behavoir.
Also - John, I completly agree with you, Eminem was awful in 8Mile.
Heck, the movie itself had me bored to tears half way through.
Posted by: Meli at January 5, 2005 05:07 PM
You are being very kind John. Really.
*giggles*
Posted by: Simone at January 5, 2005 07:12 PM
Give the girl a break. Hi Simone!
Posted by: Rich at January 5, 2005 07:20 PM
Mos Def is a competent actor.
Hmmm...that's the only one I can think of at the moment.
Posted by: Arethusa at January 6, 2005 12:30 AM
She cant even direct herself into oncoming traffic, how is she gonna direct a film
Posted by: Marla Singer at January 6, 2005 01:43 AM
M&M; put on a superb performance in 8-mile (AS HIMSELF!) Wonder how he would handle a role where he wasnt playing a rapper with a tough upbringing! The only film I would let Britney direct would be a Paris Hilton style home movie (off course with me as lead man)
Posted by: David Terry at January 6, 2005 03:44 AM
I think she is turning into a female Michael Jackson. She is too childish and too famous to make real decisions.
I thought the forensic investigator thing was hilarious.
Posted by: Pendragon00 at January 6, 2005 04:04 AM
yo britster is hott but hu is hotter than her sister
Posted by: kenny at January 23, 2005 11:42 PM
i dnt no what the hell Pendragon00 is sayin beacuse britney is really talented and why is he gettin micheal jackson envolved??
micheal jackson IS A LEGEND!!!
UR JUS JELOUS OK
N U CAN TALK Simon OF CORS SHE HAS TALENT SHE IS AN ENTERAINER SHE MITE NOT BE THE BEST SINGER BUT SHE CAN DANCE AMAZIN!!!
U WNA TRY DANCIN URSELF DEN WILL C HU HAS NO TALENT M8! DATS WOT I FORT!!!
SO DDNT BRING BRITNEY DOWN LEAVE HER TO DO WHAT SHE LOVES. AND SHES DOIN GREAT AT IT!
OK
Posted by: tanya at January 27, 2005 05:14 PM
I agree the girl has NO TALENT. what kind of a girl would wanna sing immature songs like..... ooops i did it again? who ever writes her songs should shoot her/himself.Her voice sounds like a hores. but shes still everywhere, she doesnt produce or writes songs,SO what makes her thing she could direct movies, dont get michael jackson involved ,unlike her, he has TALENT.
Posted by: BABE at July 23, 2005 03:06 PM
this girl has no talent,yet she is everywhere I turn, tv, internet, mags, music.Please make it stop.John you are not helping by posting something like this although I know it is movie related news, but still.