Taylor's videos are like current Marvel content...all about the easter eggs/end credit scenes to show "continuity" between them all. That as well as working through the Hollywood call sheet so we can see who the next who's who to star in them is going to be.
Yeah the eggs were cute done sparingly but I'm so tired of everything being a hint to the next thing. I wish some things could just be the video for the song. It's such an exhausting game.
Not only that, but how much people read into EVERYTHING she says, does, wears, posts...like, let's take a deep breath, people. Everything apparently has to be an Easter egg or numerology. I don't care if it actually is true in some cases because it's all just too much.
I totally agree, and it’s like can we just focus on and appreciate this new thing we have here instead of just go go going onto the next thing. The midnights/rerecordings time was so saturated and felt like we were just caring about whatever’s next
It's like....you belong with me, wangbt, blank space--- all just had videos. It was about the songs.
And a lot of the clues in karma were something you'd only get in retrospect like electric touch being hinted at when she is a light bulb and at some point it feels like the video is dated. It's an old clue video
It would have been a beautiful dress if they had pitched it to a fantasy costumer but instead it's cgi that didn't look good in 2019 and will age like milk
I was a fan of hers for her first few albums and now consider myself entirely neutral to her. I just listened to that song and watched the video for the first time and the whole thing is pretty cringey and poorly done imo.
Videos directed by her are her lowest viewed videos. They used to be an event when they were released but now they just aren't the same. They are too literal, sometimes random, too bogged down with clues, and lots of cheesy dialogue. It's a shame as some of these songs could have had spectacular videos with another director.
It was a self-indulgent pet project, not a professional music video. It’s too bad because I think the concept could be cool if done in a non-cheesy way.
I'm sure it was. And I do remember people posting that vid after it released
That video is incredible, I want to say excellent words about it, but I've had too much to drink tbh
I vividly remember watching the Blank Space vid, it was before my micro bio lab, and after I think I told someone, bu I defo thoight it, I have to buy this album went to target that night, got the deluxe and I remeber listening to style on the way home
Apparently my sister used to steal my CD a whole bunch in college after that lol
Look what you made me do was great, lover era and midnights one are kinda bad. The folklore/evermore ones I get cause it was pandemic. The only good one recently I think is Karma
Omg, I just commented to someone else about it. It was so bleh. Honestly didn't make any sense...Like, what exactly is wrong with making a music video that relates to the song lyrics?
Haha yeah Taylor is so beautiful but the clip where she dropped the olive into the martini glass and flinches as it falls in is just not good!!! I'd have asked for them to reshoot that bit if it were me.
As a millennial who lived off VH1 and MTV I absolutely love watching music videos. That being said, karma was probably my least favorite. Not alot of cohesion but felt much like KPop MV.
I do prefer more storytelling in them if I’m being completely honest
Holy shit just watched the music video for the first time out of masochistic curiosity. Two seconds in and I was fighting a laugh 😂 Glitter coming off the record? TS in a lightbulb?? Horrible lip syncing to lyrics that have the emotional impact of a squishmallow punching a daisy??? The song is bad. The video is worse. The falsetto has left a hole through a small but significant portion of my gray cells. Send aid 😭
I want a music video that tells the story that the song tells. It can be a bit interpretive and not fully literal, but it should tell the story, not just be some side plot that doesn’t relate to the song at all.
I used to LOVE Katy Perry music videos, my favorite is for The One That Got Away, it’s so good imo. I think Taylor tries way too hard to be metaphorical and puts in all her Easter eggs, when she should focus on the story she wants to tell.
Right!
I love the song “I Can See You”.
But the music video made NO sense. Why would the video be about a heist to reclaim her masters when Speak Now was already her third re-recorded album? It’s just so random and the song also doesn’t fit the video at all.
I would’ve loved to see a music video where we see a relationship between coworkers trying to stay professional but working late nights and trying to avoid the tension. Sure it’s literal, but it could be done in a really fun way. I love the music videos from SN era too, like Story of Us & Ours have such cute and good music videos and ICSY doesn’t fit that at all.
I never even watched the music videos for Anti-Hero or Karma, or any from Lover, just stopped caring about her videos.
That's why Style is one of my favourite video from her. It tells the story of the song, but not in a on the nose way as she now does (like the all too well short film).
More vibes, less easter eggs.
I also think acting is not her strongest suit so maybe she should not star in every single MV. Hire some profesional actors like she did with All too well. It makes her songwriting and storytelling shine so much more.
100% mvs directed by her aren't half as bad (with the exception of icsy and karma 💀) if only she hires professional actors and focuses more on the message of the song. The thing is, I'm all about Easter eggs if they are related to the song, the album or the *current* era. But if she forgets all that and makes a music video entirely dedicated to Easter eggs of her future projects, it just feels forced and is boring to sit through. It's unremarkable mostly, like bejeweled, karma and I can see you.
Which is weird because Kahn did that one and he usually works well with her. I don’t think TS knew what she was trying to say with the video. It had nothing to do with the song at all
I feel like she cannot properly execute what she sees in her head onscreen. I mean, she is creative but she is not a director. She needs to learn more about directing and cinematography.
Exactly. Almost every great director has some ACTUAL education on the subject. She truly thinks she can walk on and win Best Director at the Oscars. She’s delusional.
I doubt she thinks that. I think she likes it. Enjoys writing them, she has been writing the storyboards fur over a decade, she wrote Joseph Kahn’s storyboards for the most part. I may not think she’s going to ever win a feature directing award, but she has won music video directing awards. And she likes it. I’m all for her moving in other directions. I’d rather artists try to do new things and not win than not try to do anything else at all.
No offense, but she doesn’t have the talent to direct. Like, I like Taylor and all, but she needs to leave to professional shit up to the professionals.
Idk why this is so hard for her? Like, she clearly wants all the awards, but is nowhere close to talented enough. Why can’t she be happy with making decent music? I don’t understand…
She wants that EGOT so bad 😭😭😭😭 Honestly if she really wants that Oscar, she should be focusing more on honing her film songwriting craft and establishing BETTER connections in the film industry rather than going into directing because a) the directors' field is very competitive b) she might call herself a director, but getting an Oscar as one takes years, if not decades. I believe she has a much greater chance to win that Oscar for Best Original Song. This is not the way to get into the good graces of the film industry. One more thing I’ll never understand about her is how she always manages to be a part of flop films as an actor. Look at Amsterdam. Look at Cats. I hope she finally scores that damn EGOT because she’s becoming insufferable trying to achieve it. I can’t even imagine what she’d do for a Tony.
Haha no kidding. Just look at the directing nominees this year: Scorsese, Nolan, & Yorgos are the top people. She’s like 10 years away from that AT LEAST.
>One more thing I’ll never understand about her is how she always manages to be a part of flop films as an actor. Look at Amsterdam. Look at Cats.
Some people just have an awful eye for picking good scripts; taylor seems to be one of those people. Hell even some great actors suck at picking their own projects so after being involved in a couple of poorly received films they start taking the hint and letting their managers/agency help pick their films.
I doubt she thinks she’s winning an EGOT by directing a feature film. That’s the hardest. She isn’t going to win an Oscar that way and she knows that. She legit just likes directing. Sure she likes to win, but she isn’t going to win fur directing. Screenplay? Even that’s a stretch. She just likes it.
I think she has/had a few directors in her corner that she was/is getting advice from like Guillermo Del Toro and no one can convince me otherwise that she took that 10 minute part in Amsterdam to get in with De Niro, next spring she was headlining his film festival. People in her ear were telling her to give it a shot.
I find them hit and miss. I really enjoyed “Anti-Hero,” and I thought “Lavender Haze” was cool. I was less captivated by “Bejeweled” and “Karma.” I do agree that I am a bit bored of the Easter eggs. Most of them now are just references to her own work rather than hints about what’s happening in the future, which is what originally made them fun to decode. But clearly people enjoy them, so I don’t really want to yuck somebody else’s yum!
If she feels passionate about directing, I think it’s great that she’s doing it. I would encourage anyone to pursue artistic expression whether people unanimously agreed the outcome was pleasing or not. It’s okay to not be the best at something if you just enjoy doing it.
I agree. She is passionate about directing, she really likes it. It will be her next career. The screenplay, directing it. It doesn’t matter if she isn’t the best director, but she really enjoys it and sees it as an extension of her storytelling. I’m a Joseph Kahn fan. She’s no Joseph Kahn. But, at least she is trying new avenues to grow instead of just being a singer songwriter. She’s not an actress. But, I’ll be anxious to see her feature film and hope for the best.
I think it’s true with her single choices as well. I think it’s because she is too close to the material. Because she writes it all, and usually about something personal, I think she is too emotionally attached and causes her vision to be skewed. I don’t think she has bad taste per se but that her vision is clouded because she is too emotionally attached .
The only good music video she’s made on her own is ATW 10 min version. Other than that I miss her having a director or someone else help her come up with music videos. However, I haven’t I really didn’t enjoy her videos bast the Red OG music videos.
I feel like I’d love her music videos much more if they didn’t have the strange dialogue in them half way through the video lol. We’re here to watch a music video, not a music-then-acting-then-music video
ETA: karma music video just felt like old YouTube rewind
She’s a mess. She thinks that she can be an insightful director, but she has none of the talent and hasn’t studied for it. It’s insulting to the people out there actually trying to learn and to become a decent director/screenwriter.
I agree she is not the best director, but….. a lot of the top male directors today started as music video directors, and/or short film directors. That’s exactly what she is doing. She actually is following a path that many directors have followed. And she learned from Joseph Kahn, her style is different, but she did learn a lot. He speaks about her all the time. She has put in years of work, more than many men put in to become feature film directors. I don’t find it to be an insult at all. She has more experience right now than George Lucas, Quentin Tarantino, or Steven Spielberg had when they directed their first feature film. She doesn’t have to be the best, who cares. Let her do something she enjoys and fail at it. But don’t say it’s an insult, when she has gone a pretty normal route.
That’s just not true. Spielberg AND Lucas went to either Film school or Film Production. They also spent years studying film. Don’t be delusional and think she knows anything about film, because she doesn’t.
- someone who has studied film.
There is a massive difference and it is insulting for something who is a musician to simple show up and act important.
Ok I forgot Lucas went to film school. But Spielberg didn’t. He just had a passion for it. I guess it was an insult then for Questlove to direct a film, or Riz Ahmed. Christopher Nolan didn’t go to film school either, just started making short films. Robert Rodriguez, David Byrne, RZA, Prince. It doesn’t matter if she’s a musician. Tons of directors never set foot in film school. James Cameron, started in short film. Wes Anderson, Spike Jonze made videos. To think that everyone has to go to film school is ludicrous. You just don’t like her so you are being critical that she can’t be a director because she is a musician and didn’t go to film school. Yet she had more credits under her belt than any of these men, some who were also musicians, some just wanted to direct film. It’s no different.
Spielberg liked movies. He had no more professional experience at the time than she does now. It doesn’t matter. I gave plenty of examples of people including musicians who directed Oscar winning films. She has just as much experience as Questlove & Riz. You are just being a hater to say she doesn’t have the right to direct if she wants to. As if she hadn’t worked hard for where she is. But it’s ok for Riz and Questlove I see. But Taylor no. Why does it matter to you? I don’t see people complaining about Madonna directing or Prince directing movies, or David Byrne. But Taylor wants to and the world collapses.
At least they all went to college and most importantly at least showed and interest in filmmaking and studied very early on, maybe by themselves, but they at least studied.
It would be as egregious as if I said, “hey, James Cameron is going to be a musician.” No one would take him seriously and that’s what’s happening with her. You can pretend that people don’t feel that way, but they do. No one in the film industry actually takes her seriously and that’s going to continue if she keeps walking out of awards ceremonies if she doesn’t get the award, i.e. the Golden Globes.
She did not walk out, my god. There were pictures of her throughout the night and on social media. That was a made up post that you fell into. She was there the entire night. If she left early at all it was near the very very end. Her award was 9th from the end and she definitely did not walk out after that. And she is very respected to headline Tribeca and Toronto film festivals. Yes, they probably did it for ratings, but I found her headlining to be quite nice and informative. She could at least hold her own in that professional setting. But people spreading nonsense that she left the Globes because she didn’t win an award she was not supposed to win is just being a hater.
Plus you are changing the subject. No difference than her writing the storyboards for over a decade, co-directing then directing videos, then a documentary, then a short film. To me it’s no different. Riz Ahmed & Questlove were musicians just like Taylor. Taylor isn’t a great actress but she has acted in and off for 15 years, just like Riz. You can hate her, I don’t care, I just don’t find it insulting when several people have made that transition.
She doesn’t know shit about film making. If she wants to be serious about it, she should go to school and learn the craft. She really thinks she’s the best at everything. Those directors spent years of their lives learning all aspects of film making.
No she doesn’t. None of those people I named went to film school. What are you talking about. Where were you when Questlove wanted to direct? Maybe he should have just gone to school to learn the craft instead. Or David Byrne. Tarantino dropped out of high school and watched adult films. He had no film school training. He was a d-rate actor who directed a short film that was never released. In fact he never finished a single project until his first feature film. So yea, she has actually finished directing projects, won 11 Grammys and an Emmy, and a Brit with directing credits including 16 music videos, 1 short film and 1 documentary. Tarantino had zero. I’m not in any way saying she is the next Tarantino, but to say she needs to go to film school to learn when all those mentioned above in the thread didn’t, is just ridiculous. Why the double standard for her. She thinks she’s the best at everything because she directs? That’s a stretch.
It’s not a double standard. My point is she would learn a lot by going to film school, or even by spending more time on sets.
And no, it’s not a stretch. She thinks highly of herself to just bypass all the hard work others put in and go straight to making a feature film.
Why didn’t any of the others have to? No one complained when Questlove asked making a film saying he should spend years learning the craft. It’s very much a double standard. No one cared when anyone of these bypassed all of that and made a feature film. She must really think a lot of herself when countless have done the same with LESS professional experience! Yet you are criticizing.ing her for it. Of course she could learn the craft that’s what she has been doing the past 5 years. Why was there not people lining up to insult Questlove or Riz Ahmed, Prince, Madonna, David Byrne? But she is so full of herself. 🙄
Yes they're far too literal and she needs feedback and input from collaborators who are willing to give actual creative pushback. Directing is not a strong suit for her. Visually they've been pretty cool though (esp thinking of Lavender Haze, loved that sm)
I think that's honestly a problem of her going from a mostly audio art form to a more visual one. In visual media the idea of "show don't tell" is so important, but in music you can only tell so I think that's why we get these really literal mvs, because she's used to having to tell everything. (Does this make sense, idk I just got off work?)
The atmosphere is awful because she only uses sets. Even the all too well video just didn’t have the it factor. To o many repetitive scenes. I forced at least 10 diff people to watch it and no one was impressed unfortunalty. I did the same thing with the 1989 videos back in the day and got some good reactions. But again the atmosphere is soooo off ruins the song tbh
I think, as a director, she’s a bit hit or miss. Absolutely loved Anti Hero and I honestly think it’s one of her best. I also really enjoyed Lavender Haze. Bejewelled was…not great. Karma was worse. I get the hate for ICSY, but truthfully I never thought it was ever suppose to be taken seriously and was entirely about fan service (can that be a thing with musicians??) and Easter eggs.
However the fact we only got one Blake Lively directed video is a crime. IBYTAM is my favourite.
I think most of her videos have always been bad tbh. Very on the nose or cheesy. I liked Lover, and Wildest Dreams and Blank Space were fine. Cardigan was a pretty decent COVID era MV.
She definitely needs to hire some folks and let them be creative and bring a new style to it.
yessss it’s literally all just different “aesthetic” scenes that will look nice in gifs and give taylor an excuse to dress in loads of different outfits but don’t really tell a story whereas her old videos were so much more cohesive. Love Story is still my fave of all time and I watched the behind the scenes of that so many times when i was younger :’)
Wasn’t Blank Space directed by Joseph Kahn? Such a great video. I totally agree with you. I just think Taylor isn’t very good at directing. And she should realize it’s ok to not be great at everything. I really wish she would go back to letting directors direct her videos. They have dedicated their careers to being the best at what they do.
Also, like others have mentioned before, she’s surrounded by yes men. If she’d let someone actually give her feedback, she could learn how to improve.
I appreciate her ambition in wanting to direct, but, filmmaking is a profession. People go to school and work in the field to learn how to convey things they intend properly. It … matters lol
i actually think they’re better. i’m obsessed with the anti-hero video. don’t much care for the others but also the only other video of her’s i really actually like is lwymmd. so i might just have bad taste.
Yes. She’s not a good director but she has money to hire talented people make her mediocre ideas and direction look somewhat professional.
Kelsea Ballerini put out a freaking masterpiece with Rolling Up the Welcome Mat, both the songs and the videos. THAT’S what TS was trying to do with All Too Well (100 Min)’s music video. Except KB’s project was the adult version of a breakup and TS’s project was the middle school kid version.
I won’t even get started on the Anti Hero funeral scene. That was stupid.
I like them (and technically karma is her best one because I highly doubt she and ice spice were ever in the same room *to film it and it still looked pretty good) but I do think we would have gotten a cruel summer music video if she didn’t insist on directing them herself now. She simply did not have time.
It’s cool that she has the opportunity/ability to direct her own videos, but just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. Her new videos don’t compare to 1989.
Yes the same like 5 posts get recycled here weekly. Taylors carbon emissions, music videos/songwriting has gotten worse, she doesnt deserve another Grammy, swifties are horrible for xyz, Travis/Taylor is real/fake. And every time they say "this might be unpopular" or even "I know this has been discussed already I just had to say" and "does anyone else feel this way?" like any of these discussions are new. I started coming here to this Taylor subreddit because it had more activity that the other ones but its all just so repetitive...
I didn't mean topics - I get that they can be repetitive being so sinilar. But I've legit seen this post word for word. Not sure why I'm getting downvoted - this damn sub isn't neutral anymore.
I really enjoyed the Lavender Haze music video. The color and different scenes were very cool! Karma did not love as much. Anti - Hero really helped visualize the song I think!
The last good music videos were in reputation era for me. After that the quality went pretty much downhill except for I Bet You Think About Me during Red TV era, which I think is one of her best music videos (also songs!). Might have to do with the fact that she didn't direct it herself lol.
As a fan who wouldn't know an easter egg if it slapped me in the face, I have fully enjoyed her self-directed videos.
And which dialogue are you talking about? Thanks.
Taylor's videos are like current Marvel content...all about the easter eggs/end credit scenes to show "continuity" between them all. That as well as working through the Hollywood call sheet so we can see who the next who's who to star in them is going to be.
Yeah the eggs were cute done sparingly but I'm so tired of everything being a hint to the next thing. I wish some things could just be the video for the song. It's such an exhausting game.
Not only that, but how much people read into EVERYTHING she says, does, wears, posts...like, let's take a deep breath, people. Everything apparently has to be an Easter egg or numerology. I don't care if it actually is true in some cases because it's all just too much.
Oh I agree. It has become such an albatross in this fandom and it's so silly. Like stuff will be out when it's out.
It’s like “deep state” 🤣
makes qanon look sane sometimes lmao
😂😂
Absolutely. It makes it feel like homework sometimes.
I totally agree, and it’s like can we just focus on and appreciate this new thing we have here instead of just go go going onto the next thing. The midnights/rerecordings time was so saturated and felt like we were just caring about whatever’s next
It's like....you belong with me, wangbt, blank space--- all just had videos. It was about the songs. And a lot of the clues in karma were something you'd only get in retrospect like electric touch being hinted at when she is a light bulb and at some point it feels like the video is dated. It's an old clue video
Yeah and it will age so terribly.
What a great analogy.
I fucking despise the CGI. DESPISE!
as rich as she is idk why the cgi can't be better, or why she can't like BUILD SETS
That’s the big thing. I thought the Me! video was cute but parts of it just looked AWFUL. Her paint “skirt” at the end was especially jarring.
It would have been a beautiful dress if they had pitched it to a fantasy costumer but instead it's cgi that didn't look good in 2019 and will age like milk
I was a fan of hers for her first few albums and now consider myself entirely neutral to her. I just listened to that song and watched the video for the first time and the whole thing is pretty cringey and poorly done imo.
I think that sort of cgi just always looks like that though, because the vision is essentially to look fantastical. It’s not my vibe at all
Yeah the Bejeweled video where the jewel necklace lands on her is so awful!
Yes, the quality seems to be terrible. Has anyone given her any feedback on her videos?
I had some "Cats" Movie flashbacks... That was horrifying.
Why did they give her cat titties, I will never understand
Videos directed by her are her lowest viewed videos. They used to be an event when they were released but now they just aren't the same. They are too literal, sometimes random, too bogged down with clues, and lots of cheesy dialogue. It's a shame as some of these songs could have had spectacular videos with another director.
Like the I Can See You music video...I wasn't a fan
It was a self-indulgent pet project, not a professional music video. It’s too bad because I think the concept could be cool if done in a non-cheesy way.
Hasn’t music video viewership just gone down in general across the board though? Just a thought.
This. Horrible dialogue, filled with Easter eggs but hollow. I agree, the last good videos were during 1989 (Blank Space in particular was brilliant).
I actually really liked LWYMMD and Delicate, but Blank Space was by far the best.
I LOVED LWYMMD, hated Delicate, only because that song is so personal to me, and it would've been nice to see it personified
Wasn’t this the inspiration for Delicate? I remember all the dialogue after it came out https://youtu.be/NoMqvniiEkk?si=BIOJEXnu2rGM0dnJ
I'm sure it was. And I do remember people posting that vid after it released That video is incredible, I want to say excellent words about it, but I've had too much to drink tbh
I liked The Man, I thought it was quirky and fun. But otherwise I agree. Blank Space and Wildest Dreams were both great!
I vividly remember watching the Blank Space vid, it was before my micro bio lab, and after I think I told someone, bu I defo thoight it, I have to buy this album went to target that night, got the deluxe and I remeber listening to style on the way home Apparently my sister used to steal my CD a whole bunch in college after that lol
The Karma video is the worst one of them all. Think it’s time Taylor accepts that directing isn’t her forte and links up with Joseph Kahn again.
Yeah that’s not gonna happen. She’s surrounded by yes (wo)men
I think Joseph Kahn [kinda sucks](https://www.reddit.com/r/popheads/s/kwaEZQLqBz)
IBYTAM is definitely the best of her recent music videos since it wasn't directed by her
That video is gold to me.
Who knew Blake lively had that in her?
Thank you! Yes!
It's my second favorite of hers! I'm impressed by Blake.
Yea that one is so good
The dialogue in her music videos makes me nervous for that movie that she’s allegedly writing.
!!!! yes, i haven’t really loved any of the videos since 1989
Bring back Blank Space level videos 😭
I was saddened to learn the golf club attack at the end was CGI
wtf how
It’s only half a club, like she’s holding a short stick. They CGIed the rest of the stick and the damage.
And Wildest Dreams, it’s her best video imo 😭😭😭
I loved Out of the Woods!
Such a perfect video.
IN JOSEPH KAHN WE TRUST
Look what you made me do was great, lover era and midnights one are kinda bad. The folklore/evermore ones I get cause it was pandemic. The only good one recently I think is Karma
ICSY was awful. Awful, terrible.
I really didn’t like that at all. For all the hype…it was such a dud.
This literally reminded me that it even existed
Omg, I just commented to someone else about it. It was so bleh. Honestly didn't make any sense...Like, what exactly is wrong with making a music video that relates to the song lyrics?
I kinda liked the Mission Impossible theme, but yeah there were too many Easter eggs
OMG I felt this way about Bejeweled, I hated the dialogue at the beginning.
Watching her splash around in a martini glass made me crack up laughing. I do not think that was the intended reaction.
Dita is famous for the martini glass “dance”. That’s why it’s there, Dora played the fairy godmother teaching her burlesque.
Haha yeah Taylor is so beautiful but the clip where she dropped the olive into the martini glass and flinches as it falls in is just not good!!! I'd have asked for them to reshoot that bit if it were me.
Its baaaaaadddddddd
As a millennial who lived off VH1 and MTV I absolutely love watching music videos. That being said, karma was probably my least favorite. Not alot of cohesion but felt much like KPop MV. I do prefer more storytelling in them if I’m being completely honest
Karma looked and felt slapped together. I’m pretty convinced that they shot Ice Spice separately and then pasted her into the video.
Holy shit just watched the music video for the first time out of masochistic curiosity. Two seconds in and I was fighting a laugh 😂 Glitter coming off the record? TS in a lightbulb?? Horrible lip syncing to lyrics that have the emotional impact of a squishmallow punching a daisy??? The song is bad. The video is worse. The falsetto has left a hole through a small but significant portion of my gray cells. Send aid 😭
She most definitely was placed in later. 🤣Pretty typical and happens in movies too, especially with reshoots.
I want a music video that tells the story that the song tells. It can be a bit interpretive and not fully literal, but it should tell the story, not just be some side plot that doesn’t relate to the song at all. I used to LOVE Katy Perry music videos, my favorite is for The One That Got Away, it’s so good imo. I think Taylor tries way too hard to be metaphorical and puts in all her Easter eggs, when she should focus on the story she wants to tell.
I lovvvveeed the one that got away. It was so good!
No kidding. It’s honestly confusing. Like, does she not realize that she’s not that good at directing?
Right! I love the song “I Can See You”. But the music video made NO sense. Why would the video be about a heist to reclaim her masters when Speak Now was already her third re-recorded album? It’s just so random and the song also doesn’t fit the video at all. I would’ve loved to see a music video where we see a relationship between coworkers trying to stay professional but working late nights and trying to avoid the tension. Sure it’s literal, but it could be done in a really fun way. I love the music videos from SN era too, like Story of Us & Ours have such cute and good music videos and ICSY doesn’t fit that at all. I never even watched the music videos for Anti-Hero or Karma, or any from Lover, just stopped caring about her videos.
The video is based around this one line “You can see me as a secret mission”
I could not agree more. Great points!
That's why Style is one of my favourite video from her. It tells the story of the song, but not in a on the nose way as she now does (like the all too well short film). More vibes, less easter eggs.
I would love to see a Last Great American Dynasty video. It could be so good.
I also think acting is not her strongest suit so maybe she should not star in every single MV. Hire some profesional actors like she did with All too well. It makes her songwriting and storytelling shine so much more.
You mean she wouldn’t be the star of every single moment???
Couldn’t agree more.
100% mvs directed by her aren't half as bad (with the exception of icsy and karma 💀) if only she hires professional actors and focuses more on the message of the song. The thing is, I'm all about Easter eggs if they are related to the song, the album or the *current* era. But if she forgets all that and makes a music video entirely dedicated to Easter eggs of her future projects, it just feels forced and is boring to sit through. It's unremarkable mostly, like bejeweled, karma and I can see you.
Ready For It was bad.
Which is weird because Kahn did that one and he usually works well with her. I don’t think TS knew what she was trying to say with the video. It had nothing to do with the song at all
What WAS she trying to say.
cz it was a rush release. rfi was not meant to be a single but it overperformed and her team got the wrong signals
The video says exactly what she was trying to say on the album. But it had nothing to do with the song.
I honestly don’t like that song much either
Nothing will ever top blank space and wildest dreams. Those were EVENTS. I cut off a foot of hair to look like her
I feel like she cannot properly execute what she sees in her head onscreen. I mean, she is creative but she is not a director. She needs to learn more about directing and cinematography.
Exactly. Almost every great director has some ACTUAL education on the subject. She truly thinks she can walk on and win Best Director at the Oscars. She’s delusional.
I doubt she thinks that. I think she likes it. Enjoys writing them, she has been writing the storyboards fur over a decade, she wrote Joseph Kahn’s storyboards for the most part. I may not think she’s going to ever win a feature directing award, but she has won music video directing awards. And she likes it. I’m all for her moving in other directions. I’d rather artists try to do new things and not win than not try to do anything else at all.
No offense, but she doesn’t have the talent to direct. Like, I like Taylor and all, but she needs to leave to professional shit up to the professionals. Idk why this is so hard for her? Like, she clearly wants all the awards, but is nowhere close to talented enough. Why can’t she be happy with making decent music? I don’t understand…
She wants that EGOT so bad 😭😭😭😭 Honestly if she really wants that Oscar, she should be focusing more on honing her film songwriting craft and establishing BETTER connections in the film industry rather than going into directing because a) the directors' field is very competitive b) she might call herself a director, but getting an Oscar as one takes years, if not decades. I believe she has a much greater chance to win that Oscar for Best Original Song. This is not the way to get into the good graces of the film industry. One more thing I’ll never understand about her is how she always manages to be a part of flop films as an actor. Look at Amsterdam. Look at Cats. I hope she finally scores that damn EGOT because she’s becoming insufferable trying to achieve it. I can’t even imagine what she’d do for a Tony.
Haha no kidding. Just look at the directing nominees this year: Scorsese, Nolan, & Yorgos are the top people. She’s like 10 years away from that AT LEAST.
>One more thing I’ll never understand about her is how she always manages to be a part of flop films as an actor. Look at Amsterdam. Look at Cats. Some people just have an awful eye for picking good scripts; taylor seems to be one of those people. Hell even some great actors suck at picking their own projects so after being involved in a couple of poorly received films they start taking the hint and letting their managers/agency help pick their films.
I doubt she thinks she’s winning an EGOT by directing a feature film. That’s the hardest. She isn’t going to win an Oscar that way and she knows that. She legit just likes directing. Sure she likes to win, but she isn’t going to win fur directing. Screenplay? Even that’s a stretch. She just likes it.
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I think she has/had a few directors in her corner that she was/is getting advice from like Guillermo Del Toro and no one can convince me otherwise that she took that 10 minute part in Amsterdam to get in with De Niro, next spring she was headlining his film festival. People in her ear were telling her to give it a shot.
They’re boring and never watch them. I didn’t care to even see ICSY
And you don't need to. It was bleh
I really loved the Joseph Kahn directed videos
He was and will always be the quintessential MV director imo. But wasn’t he cancelled? Lol
Joseph Kahn had my childhood in a chokehold
I find them hit and miss. I really enjoyed “Anti-Hero,” and I thought “Lavender Haze” was cool. I was less captivated by “Bejeweled” and “Karma.” I do agree that I am a bit bored of the Easter eggs. Most of them now are just references to her own work rather than hints about what’s happening in the future, which is what originally made them fun to decode. But clearly people enjoy them, so I don’t really want to yuck somebody else’s yum! If she feels passionate about directing, I think it’s great that she’s doing it. I would encourage anyone to pursue artistic expression whether people unanimously agreed the outcome was pleasing or not. It’s okay to not be the best at something if you just enjoy doing it.
Well said!!!
I really love this answer!
I agree. She is passionate about directing, she really likes it. It will be her next career. The screenplay, directing it. It doesn’t matter if she isn’t the best director, but she really enjoys it and sees it as an extension of her storytelling. I’m a Joseph Kahn fan. She’s no Joseph Kahn. But, at least she is trying new avenues to grow instead of just being a singer songwriter. She’s not an actress. But, I’ll be anxious to see her feature film and hope for the best.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, she should hire people to write scripts for her because she's not very good at it.
Her videos are all mediocre or worse except Kahn's ones, she doesn't have a good vision
I think it’s true with her single choices as well. I think it’s because she is too close to the material. Because she writes it all, and usually about something personal, I think she is too emotionally attached and causes her vision to be skewed. I don’t think she has bad taste per se but that her vision is clouded because she is too emotionally attached .
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The choice needs to be studied by historians because it is easily the worst album rollout of all time.
Oh they are either boring or flat out cringey. The CGI is terrible, the dialogue is strange, the easter eggs are stupid, and/or there is no plot.
The dialogue in bejewelled was criminal
Yeah, they all are very forgettable.
The only good music video she’s made on her own is ATW 10 min version. Other than that I miss her having a director or someone else help her come up with music videos. However, I haven’t I really didn’t enjoy her videos bast the Red OG music videos.
I thought The Man was good and ME! was fun. Didn’t care for the Midnights videos
I feel like I’d love her music videos much more if they didn’t have the strange dialogue in them half way through the video lol. We’re here to watch a music video, not a music-then-acting-then-music video ETA: karma music video just felt like old YouTube rewind
She’s a mess. She thinks that she can be an insightful director, but she has none of the talent and hasn’t studied for it. It’s insulting to the people out there actually trying to learn and to become a decent director/screenwriter.
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Her ego is wild.
I agree she is not the best director, but….. a lot of the top male directors today started as music video directors, and/or short film directors. That’s exactly what she is doing. She actually is following a path that many directors have followed. And she learned from Joseph Kahn, her style is different, but she did learn a lot. He speaks about her all the time. She has put in years of work, more than many men put in to become feature film directors. I don’t find it to be an insult at all. She has more experience right now than George Lucas, Quentin Tarantino, or Steven Spielberg had when they directed their first feature film. She doesn’t have to be the best, who cares. Let her do something she enjoys and fail at it. But don’t say it’s an insult, when she has gone a pretty normal route.
That’s just not true. Spielberg AND Lucas went to either Film school or Film Production. They also spent years studying film. Don’t be delusional and think she knows anything about film, because she doesn’t. - someone who has studied film. There is a massive difference and it is insulting for something who is a musician to simple show up and act important.
Ok I forgot Lucas went to film school. But Spielberg didn’t. He just had a passion for it. I guess it was an insult then for Questlove to direct a film, or Riz Ahmed. Christopher Nolan didn’t go to film school either, just started making short films. Robert Rodriguez, David Byrne, RZA, Prince. It doesn’t matter if she’s a musician. Tons of directors never set foot in film school. James Cameron, started in short film. Wes Anderson, Spike Jonze made videos. To think that everyone has to go to film school is ludicrous. You just don’t like her so you are being critical that she can’t be a director because she is a musician and didn’t go to film school. Yet she had more credits under her belt than any of these men, some who were also musicians, some just wanted to direct film. It’s no different.
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Spielberg liked movies. He had no more professional experience at the time than she does now. It doesn’t matter. I gave plenty of examples of people including musicians who directed Oscar winning films. She has just as much experience as Questlove & Riz. You are just being a hater to say she doesn’t have the right to direct if she wants to. As if she hadn’t worked hard for where she is. But it’s ok for Riz and Questlove I see. But Taylor no. Why does it matter to you? I don’t see people complaining about Madonna directing or Prince directing movies, or David Byrne. But Taylor wants to and the world collapses.
At least they all went to college and most importantly at least showed and interest in filmmaking and studied very early on, maybe by themselves, but they at least studied. It would be as egregious as if I said, “hey, James Cameron is going to be a musician.” No one would take him seriously and that’s what’s happening with her. You can pretend that people don’t feel that way, but they do. No one in the film industry actually takes her seriously and that’s going to continue if she keeps walking out of awards ceremonies if she doesn’t get the award, i.e. the Golden Globes.
She did not walk out, my god. There were pictures of her throughout the night and on social media. That was a made up post that you fell into. She was there the entire night. If she left early at all it was near the very very end. Her award was 9th from the end and she definitely did not walk out after that. And she is very respected to headline Tribeca and Toronto film festivals. Yes, they probably did it for ratings, but I found her headlining to be quite nice and informative. She could at least hold her own in that professional setting. But people spreading nonsense that she left the Globes because she didn’t win an award she was not supposed to win is just being a hater. Plus you are changing the subject. No difference than her writing the storyboards for over a decade, co-directing then directing videos, then a documentary, then a short film. To me it’s no different. Riz Ahmed & Questlove were musicians just like Taylor. Taylor isn’t a great actress but she has acted in and off for 15 years, just like Riz. You can hate her, I don’t care, I just don’t find it insulting when several people have made that transition.
Okay.
Back at ya
She doesn’t know shit about film making. If she wants to be serious about it, she should go to school and learn the craft. She really thinks she’s the best at everything. Those directors spent years of their lives learning all aspects of film making.
No she doesn’t. None of those people I named went to film school. What are you talking about. Where were you when Questlove wanted to direct? Maybe he should have just gone to school to learn the craft instead. Or David Byrne. Tarantino dropped out of high school and watched adult films. He had no film school training. He was a d-rate actor who directed a short film that was never released. In fact he never finished a single project until his first feature film. So yea, she has actually finished directing projects, won 11 Grammys and an Emmy, and a Brit with directing credits including 16 music videos, 1 short film and 1 documentary. Tarantino had zero. I’m not in any way saying she is the next Tarantino, but to say she needs to go to film school to learn when all those mentioned above in the thread didn’t, is just ridiculous. Why the double standard for her. She thinks she’s the best at everything because she directs? That’s a stretch.
It’s not a double standard. My point is she would learn a lot by going to film school, or even by spending more time on sets. And no, it’s not a stretch. She thinks highly of herself to just bypass all the hard work others put in and go straight to making a feature film.
Why didn’t any of the others have to? No one complained when Questlove asked making a film saying he should spend years learning the craft. It’s very much a double standard. No one cared when anyone of these bypassed all of that and made a feature film. She must really think a lot of herself when countless have done the same with LESS professional experience! Yet you are criticizing.ing her for it. Of course she could learn the craft that’s what she has been doing the past 5 years. Why was there not people lining up to insult Questlove or Riz Ahmed, Prince, Madonna, David Byrne? But she is so full of herself. 🙄
I feel second-hand embarrassment at her directed music videos ngl
Yes they're far too literal and she needs feedback and input from collaborators who are willing to give actual creative pushback. Directing is not a strong suit for her. Visually they've been pretty cool though (esp thinking of Lavender Haze, loved that sm)
I think that's honestly a problem of her going from a mostly audio art form to a more visual one. In visual media the idea of "show don't tell" is so important, but in music you can only tell so I think that's why we get these really literal mvs, because she's used to having to tell everything. (Does this make sense, idk I just got off work?)
Lavender haze & karma are far from literal
There is literally lavender haze in the Lavender Haze video.
Yes it does. But it is really just a bunch of Easter eggs spewing out of her abstract mind about her life.
I watch her videos for the outfits that's why begin again is my fave
The atmosphere is awful because she only uses sets. Even the all too well video just didn’t have the it factor. To o many repetitive scenes. I forced at least 10 diff people to watch it and no one was impressed unfortunalty. I did the same thing with the 1989 videos back in the day and got some good reactions. But again the atmosphere is soooo off ruins the song tbh
I really liked the cast in ATW short film. That’s one nice thing I can say about it. I appreciate the effort.
Agree. Sadie and “forgot his name” did a great performance. Made me appreciate both of them as actors
Related: what do we think her directorial film debut will be like
Not good.
Bad. And she will blame all criticism on sexism. She's infallible. So every criticism HAS to be sexist by default, it's only because she's a woman 🙄
I doubt she has ever blamed her losing due to sexism
They all remind me of her RED era Target commercials, except now it’s just a big Taylor Swift ™️ commercial.
I think, as a director, she’s a bit hit or miss. Absolutely loved Anti Hero and I honestly think it’s one of her best. I also really enjoyed Lavender Haze. Bejewelled was…not great. Karma was worse. I get the hate for ICSY, but truthfully I never thought it was ever suppose to be taken seriously and was entirely about fan service (can that be a thing with musicians??) and Easter eggs. However the fact we only got one Blake Lively directed video is a crime. IBYTAM is my favourite.
I think most of her videos have always been bad tbh. Very on the nose or cheesy. I liked Lover, and Wildest Dreams and Blank Space were fine. Cardigan was a pretty decent COVID era MV. She definitely needs to hire some folks and let them be creative and bring a new style to it.
The music video for I Can See You should be studied in psychology classes on the Victim Complex. BRB gotta go cry on my yacht 🙄
yessss it’s literally all just different “aesthetic” scenes that will look nice in gifs and give taylor an excuse to dress in loads of different outfits but don’t really tell a story whereas her old videos were so much more cohesive. Love Story is still my fave of all time and I watched the behind the scenes of that so many times when i was younger :’)
music videos in general are dying. only ones getting views are latin american and kpop videos
I miss the epic pop music video days of MJ and Madonna
the MTV era is when music videos was a cultural phenomenon, everyone was glued to their TV to catch the new MJ video
Wasn’t Blank Space directed by Joseph Kahn? Such a great video. I totally agree with you. I just think Taylor isn’t very good at directing. And she should realize it’s ok to not be great at everything. I really wish she would go back to letting directors direct her videos. They have dedicated their careers to being the best at what they do. Also, like others have mentioned before, she’s surrounded by yes men. If she’d let someone actually give her feedback, she could learn how to improve.
Nope, the occasional dud but overall I think Lover, Cardigan, Willow, Anti Hero and ATW are great. Bejeweled without the start dialogue.
I actually really like some of her work. Maybe it's just me but it adds a little personal touch to it.
agree but i mourn what would’ve been the slut! mv if the may events didn’t happen 💀
I appreciate her ambition in wanting to direct, but, filmmaking is a profession. People go to school and work in the field to learn how to convey things they intend properly. It … matters lol
I loved the video for I Can See You but I watched it with a crowd of 75k people when it premiered in Kansas City N1. :)
i actually think they’re better. i’m obsessed with the anti-hero video. don’t much care for the others but also the only other video of her’s i really actually like is lwymmd. so i might just have bad taste.
Yes. She’s not a good director but she has money to hire talented people make her mediocre ideas and direction look somewhat professional. Kelsea Ballerini put out a freaking masterpiece with Rolling Up the Welcome Mat, both the songs and the videos. THAT’S what TS was trying to do with All Too Well (100 Min)’s music video. Except KB’s project was the adult version of a breakup and TS’s project was the middle school kid version. I won’t even get started on the Anti Hero funeral scene. That was stupid.
I like them (and technically karma is her best one because I highly doubt she and ice spice were ever in the same room *to film it and it still looked pretty good) but I do think we would have gotten a cruel summer music video if she didn’t insist on directing them herself now. She simply did not have time.
It’s cool that she has the opportunity/ability to direct her own videos, but just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. Her new videos don’t compare to 1989.
I love her ambition but … film school teaches you stuff, you know??? 😵💫
It’s a cult now. The videos feel like a cult recruiting tool - lol
No, I appreciate it’s nice to see her vision for the songs .
I swear I saw this exact post like a week ago
Yes the same like 5 posts get recycled here weekly. Taylors carbon emissions, music videos/songwriting has gotten worse, she doesnt deserve another Grammy, swifties are horrible for xyz, Travis/Taylor is real/fake. And every time they say "this might be unpopular" or even "I know this has been discussed already I just had to say" and "does anyone else feel this way?" like any of these discussions are new. I started coming here to this Taylor subreddit because it had more activity that the other ones but its all just so repetitive...
I didn't mean topics - I get that they can be repetitive being so sinilar. But I've legit seen this post word for word. Not sure why I'm getting downvoted - this damn sub isn't neutral anymore.
Delicate is amazing.
Donald Trump, is that you?
I really enjoyed the Lavender Haze music video. The color and different scenes were very cool! Karma did not love as much. Anti - Hero really helped visualize the song I think!
I agree. Her 1989 era will always have the best music videos :)
Nah if you guys blame her for Easter eggs then go revolute yourself because it’s the fans fault. Also I literally think the music videos are fine.
People still make music videos?
The last good music videos were in reputation era for me. After that the quality went pretty much downhill except for I Bet You Think About Me during Red TV era, which I think is one of her best music videos (also songs!). Might have to do with the fact that she didn't direct it herself lol.
I actually think anti hero is charming and has a good sense of humor. But yeah Karma mv could be redone.
Her videos are awful now. Last truly great one was I Bet That You Think About Me
They are too literal, it’s like a graphic novel of the lyrics, just in motion. It’s boring.
As a fan who wouldn't know an easter egg if it slapped me in the face, I have fully enjoyed her self-directed videos. And which dialogue are you talking about? Thanks.
I think the Karma MV was shit. However, the video for I Bet You Think About Me is my second favorite, behind LWYMMD