Anton Corbijn facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Anton Corbijn
Corbijn in 2012
Born	Anton Johannes Gerrit Corbijn van Willenswaard (1955-05-20) 20 May 1955 (age 70) Strijen, Netherlands
Occupation	Photographer music video director film director
Years active	1975–present

Anton Corbijn (born 20 May 1955) is a famous Dutch photographer and film director. He is well-known for his amazing photos and music videos for bands like Depeche Mode and U2. For over 30 years, he has helped create the look and feel for these bands.

Corbijn has directed many popular music videos. Some of these include "Enjoy the Silence" by Depeche Mode and "One" by U2. He also directed "Heart-Shaped Box" for Nirvana. Besides music videos, he has directed several films. These include Control (about Ian Curtis), The American (starring George Clooney), and Life (about James Dean).

Anton Corbijn's Early Life

Anton Johannes Gerrit Corbijn van Willenswaard was born on May 20, 1955. His birthplace was Strijen, a town in the Netherlands. His father was a parson (a type of church minister). His family moved several times because of his father's work. His mother was a nurse. Anton has a younger brother, Maarten Corbijn, who is also a photographer and director.

Becoming a Photographer

Corbijn started his career as a music photographer around 1975. He began by taking pictures of a Dutch musician named Herman Brood. These photos helped both Brood and Corbijn become more famous.

Corbijn's official portrait of Beatrix of the Netherlands in 2008

In the late 1970s, Corbijn's photos were often featured in New Musical Express (NME). This was a popular weekly music paper in London. He often had his photos on the front page. For example, he took a famous picture of David Bowie backstage. Corbijn was also a regular contributor to The Face magazine. He became known for his black-and-white photography. In 1989, he started taking pictures in color, using special filters.

Working with Famous Musicians

Corbijn has photographed many well-known artists. These include Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Bruce Springsteen, and Kate Bush. His longest and most famous partnerships are with Depeche Mode and U2.

His work with Depeche Mode began in 1986. He directed a music video for their song "A Question of Time". Corbijn felt that his visual style matched their music very well. Since 1993, he has designed their entire live show sets. He has directed over 20 of their music videos. He also designed most of their album and single covers.

Corbijn also worked closely with U2. He took pictures of the band on their first US tour. He also took photos for their famous albums The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby. He directed many of their music videos too.

Directing Films and Music Videos

Corbijn started directing music videos when the band Palais Schaumburg asked him to make a video for them. After that, he directed videos for many other artists. These included David Sylvian, Echo & the Bunnymen, and U2. His first color video was for U2's song "Pride (In the Name of Love)" in 1984.

Philip Seymour Hoffman, Anton Corbijn, and Grigoriy Dobrygin at the premiere of A Most Wanted Man in 2014

In 1994, Corbijn directed a short film for the BBC. It was about the musician Don Van Vliet, also known as Captain Beefheart. His first full-length movie was Control in 2007. This film tells the story of Ian Curtis, the lead singer of the band Joy Division. The movie was highly praised at the Cannes Film Festival.

In 2010, Corbijn directed the thriller The American. This film starred the famous actor George Clooney. In 2014, he released A Most Wanted Man. This movie was based on a novel by John le Carré. In 2015, he directed Life. This film was about the friendship between photographer Dennis Stock and actor James Dean.

In 2018, Corbijn filmed the last two concerts of Depeche Mode's Global Spirit Tour in Berlin. This footage, combined with stories from six fans, became the film Spirits in the Forest. It was released in theaters worldwide in 2019. Corbijn explained that he wanted to show why Depeche Mode is still so popular. He said their strong connection with their fans is "unbelievable."

Other Projects and Recognition

Anton Corbijn has also been featured in other projects. Author William Gibson mentioned a fictional portrait by Corbijn in his novel Spook Country. Corbijn's photos have also been used as author portraits on many of Gibson's books.

In 2009, a documentary film was made about Corbijn called Shadow Play: The Making of Anton Corbijn. In 2011, he created an artwork called Mandela Landscape. It was a portrait of Nelson Mandela made with textiles. This artwork helped raise money for ZAM Magazine, which supports African talent. In 2012, Corbijn was a judge at the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival. A documentary about him, Anton Corbijn Inside Out, was also shown there.

Filmography

Music videos

Films

See Also

In Spanish: Anton Corbijn para niños