WORDS BY KHALID STRICKLAND a.k.a. BLACK PACINO
Although they come standard with every album release, all music videos are not created equal. Many are cranked out with soulless, re-hashed ideas scooped from a can. Other videos, like those directed by Yolande Geralds, stand alone as works of visual art and coherent storytelling. Geralds sharpened her chops while paying dues in the film industry, developing skills that now serve her well as a director. She worked in Casting for films like New Jersey Drive and The Daytrippers, among other gigs. By capitalizing on her opportunities Geralds continued to rise and produced The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till in 2005. The acclaimed film won a “Freedom of Expression” Award from The National Board of Review and Motion Pictures the same year. It also received a nomination at the 28th Annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards in 2007. Geralds has also filmed several commercials and TV spots, including a clip for the fashion company operated by Vanessa and Angela Simmons, Pastry Kicks.
Music videos with cinematic flair, however, comprise much of the multi-talented director’s resume. Yolande Geralds has helmed videos for Trey Songz, Tracy Chapman, Estelle and most notably, Plies (a frequent collaborator with Geralds). “Want It, Need It” by Plies and Ashanti was one of Geralds’ biggest works as it enjoyed plenty of burn on the airwaves. Poised to make a return to cinema in an even higher capacity, Yolande Geralds is backed by a strong team who has aided her momentum. Frame By Frame Inc., the production company Geralds co-owns, has composed twenty videos in less than a year and has taken other directors under its wing. Gwynnevyr Management also plays a role in Geralds’ career with its guidance, strategic bookings and media savvy.
In an exclusive interview with The Spizzy, Yolande Geralds discussed what sets her work apart from the rest, her take on “video vixens” and what it’s like to work with Plies, an artist who polarizes the Hip-Hop nation like no other (except for Soulja Boy). Eavesdrop on our conversation below the jump.
Black Pacino: When did you take an interest in being a video director?
Yolande Geralds: Maybe 11 years ago. I come from the film side and I was doing film first and I switched over into music. I figured in the process of producing, “Hey if I can make all these things happen (I can do videos).” Often times creatively I didn’t agree with certain visions but I took time off and came back about two months ago.
BP: What is it that you bring to the table?
YG: The biggest thing I do that’s a little different than most people is I like to tell stories. Pretty much visual stories that are bringing some kind of creative vision to life, not just something that you would actually see every day. I like the fact that we can take a medium like music where artists may have put something together lyrically and we can see what they’re doing. Even if it’s not in narrative form it’s something that is still visually stimulating but not necessarily something you’d see from any other director.
BP: What was your first video and how did you break into the game?
YG: Actually what’s really funny is my first video was for an artist named Davina. She was a little bit before her time because during the process of what she was basically doing, it was before the Erykah Badus and the India Iries. Actually she set the tone for them, this was years ago. That was (on) the soundtrack for a movie.
BP: As a female in the music video industry, how do you feel about the way that women are portrayed in some of these videos… the “video vixens,” so to speak?
YG: It’s a little hard for me to say… I can basically say how I truly feel about it but I think it’s how a woman portrays herself for doing this. It doesn’t necessarily have to be how an artist portrays them or how the director portrays them because you put yourself in those positions. You either take the job or not take the job and it’s about having what you feel is respect for yourself. Oftentimes women take the job to feed their families. Oftentimes women take the job so they can get to the next level. Most of the “video vixens” don’t necessarily want to be “video vixens.” They actually want to be actors or actresses or models… they take (video) jobs to get some visibility. I also think that within the realm of what they’re doing they oftentimes use an artist as stepping points to get to get to where they need to be, whether it be financially or to get in the circle that they’re getting into. It’s not something that I portray in doing (videos). I may do a video that the next director would eventually do the same song but we have two totally different creative visions. And if I’m going to portray a woman in it, it’s artistic and creative instead of just showing them droppin’ it like it’s hot (laughs). There’s an artform to it. If it’s going to be something like that, it’s going to be something more along the ascetics of a photograph, a nude portrait, rather than a porn.
BP: Cool analogy. You come from a film background. Is a full-length feature or short film something you plan on doing?
YG: Most definitely. I think most people go from music to film, whereas I am ready to go full circle. I came from film to video and I’m going back to film. At the time I started directing, I think in my heart I wasn’t ready to make the step. I just wanted some time off to figure out what I really wanted to do. And I think it helped me over the years as a director because I’ve worked with some of the biggest directors on the other side in film, behind the camera. But whether it be producing or post I think I have an advantage over most of the other directors out there. Because I don’t look at things from a creative standpoint of just putting it up there, I’m also thinking as an editor because I’ve had to (edit). I can do all those things… graphics, color… most of the things that most of them have to hire people to do. So I think financially with the way the industry is going right now it’s a plus for what we’re doing because we can make it much more cost-effective and use a lot of the funds directly on the screen.
BP: I happen to like Plies and I dig his albums. You’ve done numerous videos for him. How is he as a person?
YG: I think the best way to describe him is he’s misconceived, because most people see him lyrically as one of the raunchiest and the nastiest men out there. But when you truly sit down with him he’s one of the most polite and concerned individuals I’ve worked with. He’s extremely respectful, he’s extremely humble and he’s extremely appreciative of everything that I do. He pushes me like no other because it’s about recreating his vision and attempting to allow him to grow as an artist. I think since from where he started to where he is now, he’s grown completely… both lyrically and visually. And we’ve grown together to do things he would’ve never done when he first started out.
BP: So who are some of the film and video directors that you like or may have influenced you?
YG: It’s very interesting to say that I’ve worked with a lot of directors on the film side and a lot of them have completely different styles and visions. It’s very hard for me to say I like any one in particular because I love them all. A lot of what I do is not enforced by anyone because it’s been pretty much marching to my own beat and often times come off as a little abrasive or non-responsive, which is why I tell people all the time “Please do not try this at home.” Because most of the time, the effect that they get and what I’m going to get are two totally different things. I’m confident in terms of what it is I’m doing because I know how to do it, not necessarily an arrogance thing but because I’ve been there done that. Because before I started directing I wanted to be a producer. And I felt that to be a good producer I had to work in every department so that when someone told me it couldn’t get done, I knew that it could. So I think that it also helps me with directing now because oftentimes when the art department is being really slow I can just go in there are start addressing it myself because I know what it is I want to do. A lot of the directors out there are basic in what they’re doing and each person has their own style. But as for influencing me, I can’t truly say that there’s any one director that influences me because I appreciate what all of them are doing for what they do.
BP: Where do you see video production going in the coming years? There’s a lot of technology out there and viral videos and things are rapidly changing.
YG: I think video is doing the same thing that the rest of the music and entertainment industry is doing, where people are capable of doing it themselves… learning the medium and sharing and getting it out on the internet themselves. I think a lot of the directors are going to have a very hard time adapting to that because there’s been so much money (spent) over the past several years and playing with big toys and big things and now that the industry is taking a turn, it’s hurting a lot of them financially. But I think the blessing that we have is that because of my background in terms of production, we pretty much approach things a lot differently. So it doesn’t hurt us as much but I do see it doing what the rest of the scene is doing, where people are doing it themselves. Soon there will be tons of directors popping up and you’ve got to be able to say, “This is what I can do for you. This is who I am and this is what I am in terms of what I can give you.”
BP: What are some of the projects you’ve got going on that you can speak on?
YG: There are several things. My business partner and I co-own an online magazine called Convey. We’re spending a lot of time getting that out. And we’re looking for other directors to bring under our helm to help us grow and also we’re looking to produce and develop because I do write and we’ve sold some things to television in terms of pilots. We’re looking at short films, we’re looking at movies. But we’re just basically continuing to spread our wings and just bring content to whatever we do; whether it be visual, whether it be editorial… whatever it is.
Links of interest:
Videos:
BEHIND THE SCENES OF PLIES “PLENTY MONEY” VIDEO SHOOT
For more stories and work by Khalid Strickland a.k.a. Black Pacino visit www.spizzyblog.com, www.myspace.com/blackpacino and www.supremearsenal.com. Also check me at twitter.com/pacino718 and Facebook.
