That's Major!

First, shouts to Rik Cordero for being one of the only heads who actually respected our vision, and let us do the feature as our debut feature with nothing to go off and base his decision off of other than the vision for the site that I explained to him. Good Looks Homie!

For those not in the know, Rik Cordero is THE director of good hip-hop; I don’t know if when you establish yourself as a decent rapper you get one of Rik’s cards or what, but nearly any act worth listening to has a Cordero video or two under their belt. Somehow amidst a genre which isn’t exactly known for its innovations as of late, Rik and his team manage to bring fresh ideas and concepts to the to the table and consistently outshine the competition (I’m still surprised dude doesn’t have some type of major studio deal yet).

For those who don’t recognize the name, youll deffinitly recognize the resume

- Nas : “Be A N****r Too”, and “Sly Fox”
- Snoop Dogg : “Neva Have 2 Worry”
- The Roots : “Black’s Reconstruction”, “Get Busy”, “Birthday Girl – feat. Fallout Boy”, “Rising Up – feat. Chrisette Michele and Wale
- Jay-z : “Blue Magic Trailer”
As well as numerous videos for artists like Ghostface, Joel Ortiz, Consquence, Krs One, Joe Budden, Memphis Bleek, and Smif-N-Wessun

Without further ado, I present to you the first installment of the 10 Questions Series (and some Cordero videos after the jump):

First, how did you end up where you are today? What inspired you to venture into directing?

Thanks for having me! The human condition inspired me to direct. Humanity and the challenge of being yourself every single day are the kinds of things that draw me to directing. I was a very introverted kid throughout high school and college so my grasp of all things technical came very early in my life. Once I learned how to use the tools, I needed a medium to express myself. Creating a motion picture is an education in photography, lighting, electricity, acting, psychology, etc. I love the challenge of filmmaking and the multitasking that’s involved is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before. Over the years I’ve learned that after the production is done, after shooting, editing, parties and screenings are all accounted for, the things that always stick to me are the projects that involve the depiction of true human emotions. It’s something magical that has to be discovered mutually. It’s the reason why I love my job.

What were you doing before you got into making videos, how did you get into it, and what kind of formal training have you received?

I went to the New York Institute of Technology for Computer Graphics and got a Bachelors in Fine Arts. So after college, I was freelancing and working at various production houses in New York City. But I’ve always been making videos since I was a kid. Most of them were horror movies or parody videos for Hip Hop songs I’d make with my friends. Around 2004 is when I started taking it more seriously and started directing videos for New York based indie bands and rappers. I never went to film school, everything I learned was through trial and error.

Recently I’ve noticed that quite a few other directors (major and independent) have released videos that seem… umm… a bit “influenced” by your style; do you notice this too? is imitation really the best form of flattery?

Haha, I don’t know if they were “influenced” by my style. I’d like to think my contribution to the Hip Hop game is the “by any means necessary” attitude of video production. In that sense, imitation is the best form of flattery. I think I’ve always been comfortable with the kind of artist I want to be and that just became conducive to these videos. There are far too many elements involved with video production to think there’s only a few ways to get from point A to B. We’re all human here and our tastes change drastically every day and that dictates my style. I like to keep the audience on their toes right up until the last frame. If I’m not captivated until the end, neither will the viewers. I see some visuals that downright insult the viewers intelligence. Kids nowadays are too smart and too tech savvy to believe in smoke and mirrors.

What are the biggest problems you runs into when filming a video and working with artists?

I’d call them “discoveries” rather than “problems”. It’s always Murphy’s Law in this business and you have to mentally prepare yourself to execute a video by any means necessary every single time. You can’t always throw money around when a problem arises. Sometimes you need creative solutions and a talented support system that bands together and turns a problem into a discovery. And the discovery is almost always a really dope part of the video. I’m blessed to be surrounded by a very supportive crew with multiple talents and odd personalities. We’re the outcasts who everyone said “no” to for years until the artists gave us their trust. And that’s the best way to describe how we work with artists. Loads of trust and respect for the artist and their music and less bullshit and politics and delegating.

Who are some of the actors and directors you respect and draw inspiration from?

Oh man, there are way too many to list but I’ll try. I think my work is heavily influenced by Spike Jonze, Spike Lee, Robert Rodriguez, Steven Soderbergh, etc. I’m always inspired by the directors who are very hands on like Rodriguez or Soderbergh who often do their own camera operating, lighting and editing. I’m a fan of any actor who takes their craft seriously. I’m good friends with a majority of the actors from The Wire and these guys are some of the best in the business. Seeking out work by talented individuals is a great motivation for me to challenge myself with every opportunity I get.

How do you prepare prior to filming a video?

I try to relax the night before a video but I’m usually doing some last minute organization of some sort. I go over the treatment and speak with the cast and crew to gather thoughts, suggestions and ideas. Other than that I walk into a shoot with positive yet straight faced confidence. I love having a positive and fun vibe but at the same time I’m at service to the treatment so I’ll do everything I can to get the shots I need for the day. After we’re done shooting I head into editing mode and feed off the inspiration I got from shooting. We have a reputation for our quick turnaround time so it’s my job to maintain that.

Not many people realize that you’re not just a hip-hop director, but rather someone who has done everything from feature films to cooperate projects. Does the misconception about you only doing hip-hop help or hurt with getting clients outside of that genre?

I think our demographic has supported our movement in the Hip Hop genre so that’s something that I hold close to me with respect and admiration. I think the reason we’ve been able to stand out is because of our interest in the narrative film world and commercials. My first serious project was a feature film titled “Mend” in 2004 (mendmovie.com). I knew nothing about directing actors, how to hold a camera or lighting. But it was my film school and the trials and tribulations of working on an independent feature makes music videos a piece of cake to me. My heart lies in long form narrative storytelling which has led to my second feature film which we wrapped in April titled “Inside A Change” (insideachange.com). It’s a coming of age story about a kid who is about to go to jail for six months but before he leaves, he has to throw his mom a surprise birthday party while bringing his brothers together to be a family. It’s a really heartfelt story made with some truly gifted actors and an amazing crew. We were really a family during the 3 weeks we shot it and I remain close friends with everyone involved. With this movie, I have a chance to say what I have to say as a filmmaker and not just a music video director. I’m really proud of it.

Out of all the projects you’ve done, what has been your personal favorite? why?

That’s like asking me who my favorite child is haha. There was a video I directed in 2006 for an indie band Plus/Minus called “I’ve Been Lost”. It was a video which really made me realize that directing was something that I would have to dedicate my life to. It’s a voyeuristic journey with me playing a character behind the camera and the lead was my partner Nancy Mitchell, a talented actress and director under Three/21. It was one of those things that could have easily been cheesy but we had to push the envelope and develop a trust to push the boundaries of a music video. I tried my hardest to bring the best out of my actress and realized that she was the one who brought the best out of me. It ended up winning several music awards and gave me the confidence to push forward into the Hip Hop landscape. You can check out the video here: http://www.three21media.com/content/?page_id=85

Since this is the first segment of 10 questions, I figured I’d cap it off with something real cliché… What can we expect from Rik Cordero and Three21 in the future?

Three/21 will continue to be a band of misfits and outcasts who have to tell their stories by any means necessary. We will create without rules and without the stranglehold of politics and technology. We will continue to respect the craft and slowly make a mark in the feature film game while creating emotionally resonant music videos. Stay tuned…

Top 3 Staff Favorite Rik Cordero Videos

Nas – Be a Nigger Too
Download

The Roots – Get Busy
Download

Consequence Uncle Rahiem
Download

Editorial Note:
I realize that hip-hop is famous for “borrowing” and reinventing, and biting is somehow tolerated and even cool now but… directors, please, stop biting the shooting and editing steez’ of Rik & Three/21. It’s pretty similar to how Miami Kaos came from left field and established himself as a person of actual artistic worth in the seemingly stale “graphic design” field of hip-hop (excluding og’s like Nojo, and the likes, who actually have a clue about what they’re doing and color theory, perspective, and all that) and every would be designer ran with the “toon” idea. Well, the case is almost exactly the same with videos. I can’t begin to think how many videos I’ve seen recently from “directors” and I’ve thought to myself “yo! This looks like some Cordero shit” and instead it ends up being some flick by a shitty rapper directed by his cousin who just got off work release. I guess what I’m trying to say is… directors, make your own lane like Rik has, instead of trying to drive in his; and artists, if you can’t afford a Cordero video just save up till you can, don’t come out of left field with some lookalike bullshit.

and, please hit up the official Three/21 site to get familiar with the videos, YouTube is cool but it doesn’t come anywhere near close to displaying the quality of Rik’s work, Oh Yea, shouts to Rik and Three21 for letting me directly link to the videos for y’all instead of pulling the shitty quality joints off of YouTube!