Innovated Heights

Innovated Heights

In the beginning, Marc Klasfeld didn’t have five hundred hats.  He had only one hat.  It was an old one that had belonged to his father and his father’s father before him.  It was probably the oldest and the plainest hat in the whole Kingdom of Didd*…  Hey, wait a minute – that was Bartholomew Cubbins, not Marc Klasfeld!  And even though the latter undoubtedly wears numerous hats, it’s nowhere near five hundred.  Okay, so sometimes it feels like five hundred…

An innovative director, Klasfeld began his directorial career with breakthrough music videos for such artists as Jay-Z, Foo Fighters, Nelly, Beyonce, Taking Back Sunday, Gnarls Barkley, Backstreet Boys, and N’Sync.  Quick to assess the commercial playing field by watching luminary directors of the time eking out a more-than-satisfactory existence, Klasfeld knew he had met his calling.  “When I was first starting out,” says Klasfeld, “I was very aware that directors such as Tony Kaye and Spike Jonze were enjoying full-blown careers working in commercials.  It was then that I saw myself doing something similar as I was able to recognize my talents through their work.  Not only did I know that it was going to be a lot of fun – but that it was also not going to be your typical day job.” 

Typical it has never been for this boyish-faced director.  His ability to put his own interpretation on the boards is what continues to get Klasfeld noticed.  With talents stretching across numerous genres,  it is his versatility that serves to separate him from the rest of the field.  “I’m definitely not just a documentary guy, a comedy guy, a concept guy.  My variety of skills have allowed me to avoid getting pigeonholed and instead have propelled me to make sure the end product is something that no one has seen before.”  Case in point is Smirnoff’s Green Tea Partay music video parody starring Boyz in the Hillz.  Packed with witty lyrics and equally amusing visuals, the piece is highly entertaining as the West coast actors-turned-rappers put their spin on the gated ‘hood’ known as Beverly Hills.  Working with Snoop Dogg producer Ted Chung, the 3.5 minute video is simply, delicious.  “The cast was a good group to work with,” says Klasfeld, “and the creatives were amazing. During the shoot, the piece was always in flux and we did a lot of ad-libbing.  In the end, Tea Partay reflects our intensity of commitment and allows our thought process to shine through.”

It is not only Klasfeld’s attention to his directorial work that glimmers, but his aptitude for the business side of things as well.  Founder of Rockhard Films, Klasfeld’s perspective into the world of advertising is twofold.  “The industry is opening up further with the maturation of the 360-degree advertising model.  There are now so many opportunities to try different things, and thus giving more freedom to filmmakers.”  The director is also quick to point out that the industry, in its ever-evolving fashion, is creating an ‘Americanized idolization’ of itself.  “The competition has reached insane proportions,” states Klasfeld.  “Add to that mix the ‘call out’ to amateurs to either develop a concept or to shoot a commercial and the playing field becomes even more saturated.”  Despite new directors popping up each week, Klasfeld is optimistic that the bar on creativity and innovation will remain high, allowing those devoted to the work to excel. 

Nowadays, Klasfeld balances his spot and music video work with his film career.  His most recent foray into the documentary film realm is currently making the festival circuit.  Entitled “Bears,” the project focuses on the sub-culture that exists within the homosexual community, where big, hairy gay men compete in beauty pageants.  “The wonderment of these guys,” says Klasfeld, “is their ability to look at beauty from an entirely different vantage point than what society does. They have managed to redefine the standard and surpass societal norms that plague Western culture.  The film captures their transcendence in the most heartfelt of ways.”  

Klasfeld’s interests, moreover numerous hats, keep his schedule chock full.  His palpable confidence and overall perception from the various genres he dabbles in is not only keeping the director grounded, but is making him a far better filmmaker.  “All of the film categories play into each other.  Even though everything has it own set of rules, for me, the divisions are essentially the same.  Individually or collectively, they all manage to push me to new heights – and to new fear.  But when all's said and done, I find what I do extremely exciting.”

(*except from The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins by Dr. Seuss)