10 questions with Marilyn Manson’s video director

13 Dec 2005 Category: Features, Graphics, Music, Worldwide

10 questions with Marilyn Manson’s video director

Living things "Bombs Below"
all images are from "Immune" © 2005 Die Gestalten Verlag, Berlin
except "Bom Bom Bom" by Living Things

Floria Sigismondi works with musicians who have, well, a unique visual style. Bjork, Marilyn Manson, the Cure and the White Stripes are just some of the names in her portfolio of work which spans disciplines including video, photography, sculpture and books - including her recently-released second book from Die Gestalten Verlag. PingMag had the chance to ask her 10 questions and here’s what she said…

Interviewed by Uleshka & Kyoko


Floria’s second book “Immune” cover

Floria’s work - her beautiful self portrait

1) Many of your videos use imagery from your childhood: gothic opera dresses, industrial towns, religious imagery. Would you say all your work mirrors your real life?

I express my angers and loves through my work. Things that preoccupy me and elate me. Subconsciously it creeps into the images I create.

religious imagery - Living things “Bombs Below”

industrial town image - Incubus “Megalomaniac”

2) After graduating with a photography major, you worked as a fashion photographer, then started directing music videos. How did you make the transition?

I was interested in making moving images when I realized my photos started to be part of a series of 5 or more photos at a time. I would light the subject so I was able to move the camera 360 degrees around the person and it would look good from every angle. I loved the dimension sound and movement brought. It was a whole new experience.

Leonard Cohen “In My Secret Life”

3) Throughout your photography, music videos and installations - you always manage to create a distinctive “Floria Sigismondi” world. How would you describe what you do, it’s more than simply directing, right?

I think of myself as a visual artist…take my camera and materials away and I would sit here and draw pictures in the sand.

the White Stripes “Blue Orchid”

dream like state - Shivaree “John 2:14″

4) And how would you describe your style, then?

Maybe dream interpreter …maybe capturing signals from other worlds.

5) I want to make a music video. How do I start?

I tend to listen to the music over and over again until I don’t hear it anymore or it drives me crazy. Then it is ingrained into memory and the images start to present themselves. I don’t question the initial thought…I do not judge it. I let it grow and take me somewhere and hopefully somewhere I’ve never been before. I usually go a little crazy before I get it out though.

(left) the Cure “End of the World” (right) Floria’s work

(left) Floria’s work (right) Martina Topley Bird “Anything”

6) How long does it take to make one of your music videos?

Creating one video, it takes about 1 month from prep to final edit, if there are special effects then it may take a bit longer.

7) In your work, it is obvious that the body concerns you a lot. What does modifying the body (for example the prosthetics in Marilyn Manson’s “Beautiful People”) express/mean to you?

I was disconnected from my body for a long time…I lived in my head and was far from the physical. I think this was my way in dealing with it…the way I saw it…from an aliens point of view. I could take it apart and put it back together in order to try and understand it.

Floria sculpture work”

8) Your first book, “Redemption” became a bible for the Japanese goth girls.  What’s your opinion on them?

Great! I think the Japanese gothics dress the most creative in all the world. There is really a sense of individualism in the way it’s put together. It is a walking theater. You can imagine how into that I am. I would love one day to come to Japan.

9) Your imagery revolves around fear, warnings and anger. Do you consider yourself to be an optimist or a pessimist?

Sigur Ros “Untitled #1″

I am an optimist of course, but I am a realist also. It is evident that the course of the future will be very different than we enjoy it now. I depict a world gone wrong because that is part of nature…our human nature. We play god. Whether it be through war, the environment or genome manipulation, there is plenty of room for corruption and corrupted it will be.

Floria’s work”

10) Most recent projects and plans for the future?

I have done a video for my husbands band, Living Things, Bom Bom Bom. And I just finished Fiona Apple’s new video for “O Sailor”. I’m also planning to direct my first film - it is called Behind the Ballyhoo Blues…a place where people find who they really are. That is all I can say about the story. I am in the middle of writing it now actually - I plan on finishing the script and directing the film in the next year. Maybe I’ll record a couple of songs for the film…that would be great. I’ve wanted to record music as long as I could remember. My parents are both singers and it would make them happy to finally do that.

Living Things “Bom Bom Bom” (Revolver Film Company)

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with us!

74 Comments

  1. scary shit!

    Posted by: Jenny B on December 14th, 2005 at 2:40 pm

  2. awesome. very nice pics

    Posted by: joern on December 14th, 2005 at 6:46 pm

  3. great interview!!!!!!!
    more interview like this pleaze…

    Posted by: dathana on December 15th, 2005 at 5:13 am

  4. Floria Sigismondi’s 10 questions

    Sweet micro-interview at PingMag with cult music video director, Floria Sigismondi.
    No Tags…

    Posted by: Eternal Gaze on December 16th, 2005 at 3:08 am

  5. I LOVE MARILYN MANSON

    Posted by: mary on January 30th, 2006 at 4:26 am

  6. Floria has been one of my heroes in music videos and fine art for a long tim e– I can’t tell you how nice it is (as a director and photographer myself) to be allowed into her process this way — viva floria.

    (some day what’s in my head might actually touch the screen before the colourful pieces are diluted by ‘process’)

    mChristie.

    Posted by: christie on February 1st, 2006 at 11:00 am

  7. Beautiful Work. It gives a cinematographer, like myself, a quality to strive for.

    Posted by: Nate Tanner on February 3rd, 2006 at 10:13 am

  8. [...] * PingMag had the chance to ask her 10 questions and here’s what she said… Escrito por FACO, | 08/02/2006 | [...]

    Posted by: sieteochenta diseño colectivo » Qué tienen en común… on February 9th, 2006 at 10:18 am

  9. That’s an style, a theme, an scheme… I like some works by her :) is not my fav!! hahaha

    Posted by: Jorge on February 14th, 2006 at 3:48 pm

  10. freaky pics wierdos sickos

    Posted by: someone on April 27th, 2006 at 1:39 am

  11. [...] (Extra Link: Entrevista a F.S. en Ping Mag) [...]

    Posted by: hamden » Blog Archive » Floria Sigismondi on May 26th, 2006 at 12:25 pm

  12. [...] * PingMag had the chance to ask her 10 questions and here’s what she said… Escrito por admin | 02/07/2006 | [...]

    Posted by: sieteochenta · diseño colectivo » Qué tienen en común… on July 3rd, 2006 at 11:24 am

  13. [...] Até aquele momento eu pensava que Marilyn Manson era apenas mais um cara que usa ratos empalhados, sangue de efeitos especiais e símbolos demoníacos em seu show para vender mais discos - Blame Ozzy. Eu curtia alguns dos clipes, especialmente os dirigidos pela artista Floria Sigismondi, uma italiana filha de cantores de ópera extremamente inteligente e criativa e eu sei que o estilo visual desses clipes pertencem à ela e não a MM. Bom, so far, MM estava relegado para mim ao limbo dos clipes de rockhorrorshow da MTV. [...]

    Posted by: MadTeaParty by DaniCast » Blog Archive » Pequenas mudanças e um pouco de chá on August 9th, 2006 at 3:04 pm

  14. [...] PingMag: 10 questions with Marilyn Manson’s video director [...]

    Posted by: Floria’s exegesis « shb | pieces at random on September 10th, 2006 at 12:58 pm

  15. I am challenged and pleasantly disturbed with the chemistry of Floria and Marilyn.

    It makes the nerve damage completely worth the experience of being oppressed in Memphis.

    Posted by: John Streeter on October 17th, 2006 at 4:20 am

  16. omg i hate peaople saying that marilyn manson is responsible for kids dyieng its not his fault it is not him at all if u think im right tell me

    Posted by: mally on December 20th, 2006 at 10:54 am

  17. yer i know i meen i h8 life and wish i died right now but i aint gona kill mi self but its free will and its no 1 fault if they feel their life is sooooo shit tht they do it

    Posted by: dom on February 3rd, 2007 at 6:12 am

  18. i reckon u r riite

    Posted by: jess on September 17th, 2007 at 9:24 pm

  19. [...] PingMag in Fotografia. Feed for this Entry Trackback [...]

    Posted by: Fotografia - Floria Sigismondi at Fcraft / Café on January 10th, 2008 at 12:23 am

  20. I’m french and I live in France !
    I love your songs and your voice, your very great for me ! to be continue ! make new album !
    I love you

    Posted by: lori on February 14th, 2008 at 4:03 am

  21. [...] Sjekk også ut et intervju med henne i den kule nettblekka fra Tokyo http://www.pingmag.jp/2005/12/13/10-questions-with-marilyn-mansons-video-director/ [...]

    Posted by: Floria Sigismondi | ONION:BLOGG on March 2nd, 2008 at 7:47 pm

  22. dude…. lol what the hell was the pictures about? lol i think marilyn manson is hot but the way he thinks and makes things is sick and weird lol and ya those things you call “art” in your picture is more like a disgrace to art (no offence but its true) well all in all marilyn manson is one dude i wouldnt wanna mess with lol bye for you sick twisted people! lol

    Posted by: Maria F. on March 16th, 2008 at 2:47 am

  23. hey hey i love u lol u are so hot

    Posted by: ashley on April 14th, 2008 at 10:54 pm

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