March 2, 2009
Karl Giant Just Wants To Have Fun (With Cyndi Lauper)
Robert Nesti READ TIME: 3 MIN.
Originally from the Metro West town of Hudson, photographer and music video director Karl Giant has established a mammoth reputation for himself. Now based in New York City, Giant is tapped by countless celebrity clients (ranging from Janice Dickinsen to Rihanna) to capture their style and glamour. In recent years he's added music video directing to his stable of talents, taking on projects for modern dance divas like Ultra Nat? (her #1 club smash "Automatic") and established gay favorites. Most recently, he teamed up with Cyndi Lauper to direct the video for "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun/Set Your Heart," a mash-up of her classic '80s tune and a track from her most recent album, "Bring Ya to the Brink."
Bay Windows took a few moments to chat with Giant about his work with Lauper, and what else the Massachusetts native has coming down the pipeline.
Scott Kearnan: How did you end up working with Cyndi on "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun/Set Your Heart"? Have you worked with her in the past?
Karl Giant: This is my fist time working with Cyndi. I was working on a project for Lady Gaga with Carmen Cacciatore from Flylife Inc. [an LGBT focused PR firm]. He works with Cyndi quite a bit. He thought she and I would work well together.
SK: How did you determine the look and concept of the video? There's an umbrella motif... and am I wrong, or does it look like Cyndi's black dress was inspired by a gothic wedding gown look?
KG: Cyndi and I traded ideas while she was on tour. Once we agreed on the concept all the details came together. ... I really wanted lace umbrellas so you could see and have light shine through them. The dress was inspired in part by a fashion exhibition we went to called Gothic: Dark Glamour, which was at the Fashion Institute of Technology.
SK: What was Cyndi like to work with? Did she have any specific ideas or thoughts she really wanted for the video, or did she just put it all in your creative hands?
KG: It was a collaboration. Cyndi was cool to work with. She is very visual and is a director herself. It was great to work with someone with her knowledge. She really wanted Goth, Lolita [type] girls in the video.
SK: There's an amazing sense of lighting in your videos: bright, shimmering whites juxtaposed with intense darkness. It seems like it's become a major trademark of your video work. What inspires that approach?
KG: Sometimes I try to recreate my photographic style in the videos that I do or I create new looks. Many things are backlit; I don't like to use special effects after we shoot. I like the special effect to be real or happen in camera.
SK: I have to ask, since "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" is such a classic. What was it like to help reinvent one of the first truly legendary songs of the MTV era?
KG: It kind of blew my mind, it's not every day that one is asked to make a video for one of the most popular songs in the world. I wanted to show Cyndi in a way that she has never been seen before.
SK: What's next for Karl Giant? Any more videos on the way? Other projects?
KG: I have a new job: I'm the celebrity photographer for The Tyra Banks Show, that's been fun. One day I'm photographing Beyonce, the next day it's 50 Cent or Rosie O'Donnell. It's never boring! I'm finishing up videos for Colton Ford, Peppermint and Storm Lee. I'm [also] developing a feature film. So... if you know any investors, let me know!
For more info on Karl Giant and to view his portfolio, visit karlgiant.com.
Robert Nesti can be reached at [email protected].
