Melina Matsoukas
Melina Matsoukas is an American music video, film, commercial and television director. She is a two-time Grammy Award winner and four-time MTV Video Music Awards winner for her "We Found Love" and "Formation" music videos. She was honored with the Franklin J. Schaffner Alumni Medal by the American Film Institute in 2019. Her directorial debut in film was Queen & Slim, starring Jodie Turner-Smith and Daniel Kaluuya, and written by Lena Waithe. It was released on November 27, 2019, by Universal Pictures.
Early life and education
Matsoukas grew up in the Co-op City housing development in the Bronx. Her father worked as a builder, and her mother taught math in a local high school. When Matsoukas was eight, the family moved to Hackensack, New Jersey. Her father is of half Greek and half Jewish descent, and her mother is of Afro-Cuban and Afro-Jamaican descent. Both her name and surname are Μελίνα Ματσούκα. She earned her degree at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and completed her graduate work at the AFI Conservatory with an MFA in cinematography. Her graduate thesis was on music videos.Career
Matsoukas started out at Black Dog Film, then the now-defunct Gorilla Flix film production company, and is currently a director at Prettybird, which she has been signed to since 2011.Her work is described as "chock full of bright colors or crisp black and white images, smooth spotlights, and tasteful retro video models." Matsoukas says that expensive equipment is not necessary for a quality video and one should never think that way: "A good video has the right visuals, a well conceptualised story and should be exciting and elicit reaction." In an interview for Venus Zine's Fall 2010 issue, she says about being part of the music video world, "I love it. The quick turnaround, the creativity."
In 2016 and 2017, Matsoukas directed several episodes of the critically and publicly acclaimed television series Master of None and Insecure.
Matsoukas made her directorial debut in film with Queen & Slim, starring Jodie Turner-Smith and Daniel Kaluuya, and written by Lena Waithe. It was released on November 27, 2019, by Universal Pictures.
Filmography (director)
Music videos
| Year | Title | Artist | Notes |
| 2006 | "Dem Girls" | Red Handed feat. Paul Wall & Scooby | |
| 2006 | "Go 'Head" | Ali & Gipp feat. Chocolate Tai | |
| 2006 | "Need a Boss" | Shareefa feat. Ludacris | |
| 2006 | "Cry No More" | Shareefa | |
| 2006 | "Hey Hey" | 216 | |
| 2006 | "Money Maker" | Ludacris feat. Pharrell | |
| 2006 | "Dangerous" | Ying Yang Twins feat. Wyclef Jean | |
| 2006 | "Help" | Lloyd Banks feat. Keri Hilson | |
| 2007 | "Because of You" | Ne-Yo | |
| 2007 | "Green Light" | Beyoncé | |
| 2007 | "Kitty Kat" | Beyoncé | co-directed by Beyoncé |
| 2007 | "Suga Mama" | Beyoncé | co-directed by Beyoncé |
| 2007 | "Upgrade U" | Beyoncé feat. Jay-Z | co-directed by Beyoncé |
| 2007 | "Tambourine" | Eve feat. Swizz Beatz | |
| 2007 | "Do You" | Ne-Yo | |
| 2007 | "Give It to You" | Eve feat. Sean Paul | |
| 2007 | "Bleeding Love" | Leona Lewis | UK version |
| 2007 | "Hold It Don't Drop It" | Jennifer Lopez | |
| 2007 | "Sensual Seduction" | Snoop Dogg | |
| 2007 | "How Do I Breathe" | Mario | |
| 2008 | "In My Arms" | Kylie Minogue | |
| 2008 | "Wow" | Kylie Minogue | |
| 2008 | "Modern World" | Anouk | |
| 2008 | "Closer" | Ne-Yo | |
| 2008 | "I Decided" | Solange | |
| 2008 | "Just Dance" | Lady Gaga feat. Colby O'Donis | |
| 2008 | "Energy" | Keri Hilson | |
| 2008 | "Beautiful, Dirty, Rich" | Lady Gaga | |
| 2008 | "Go Girl" | Ciara | |
| 2008 | "Return the Favor" | Keri Hilson feat. Timbaland | |
| 2008 | "Diva" | Beyoncé | |
| 2008 | "Thinking of You" | Katy Perry | |
| 2009 | "I Will Be" | Leona Lewis | |
| 2009 | "So Good" | Electrik Red | |
| 2009 | "Not Fair" | Lily Allen | |
| 2009 | "Sweet Dreams" | Beyoncé | I Am... Tour interlude video |
| 2009 | "Touch My Hand" | David Archuleta | |
| 2009 | "Work" | Ciara feat. Missy Elliott | |
| 2009 | "I Look to You" | Whitney Houston | |
| 2009 | "Million Dollar Bill" | Whitney Houston | |
| 2009 | "Sex Therapy" | Robin Thicke | |
| 2009 | "Never Knew I Needed" | Ne-Yo | |
| 2009 | "Hard" | Rihanna feat. Young Jeezy | |
| 2010 | "Rude Boy" | Rihanna | |
| 2010 | "Put It in a Love Song" | Alicia Keys feat. Beyoncé | |
| 2010 | "Why Don't You Love Me" | Beyoncé | co-directed by Beyoncé |
| 2010 | "Rockstar 101" | Rihanna feat. Slash | |
| 2010 | "Gimmie Dat" | Ciara | |
| 2011 | "S&M" | Rihanna | co-directed by Rihanna |
| 2011 | "Move Your Body" | Beyoncé | |
| 2011 | "I'm into You" | Jennifer Lopez feat. Lil Wayne | |
| 2011 | "We Found Love" | Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris | |
| 2011 | "You da One" | Rihanna | |
| 2012 | "Your Body" | Christina Aguilera | |
| 2012 | "Losing You" | Solange | |
| 2012 | "Looking Hot" | No Doubt | |
| 2012 | "Keep You" | Wild Belle | |
| 2013 | "Pretty Hurts" | Beyoncé | |
| 2013 | "RUN" | Beyoncé and Jay-Z | |
| 2016 | "Formation" | Beyoncé |