Melina Matsoukas facts for kids

Melina Matsoukas (born January 14, 1981) is an American director who creates music videos, films, and TV shows. She is famous for directing music videos for stars like Beyoncé and Rihanna.

Matsoukas has won two Grammy Awards and four MTV Video Music Awards. Her award-winning videos include "We Found Love" and "Formation". In 2019, she directed her first movie, Queen & Slim. She has also directed episodes for the popular TV show Insecure.

Early Life and School

Melina Matsoukas was born in New York City. She grew up in the Bronx. Her father was a builder, and her mother was a high school math teacher. Her family has Greek, Jewish, Afro-Cuban, and Afro-Jamaican roots.

When she was eight, her family moved to New Jersey. After high school, Matsoukas went to New York University's famous Tisch School of the Arts. She later earned a master's degree in cinematography (the art of making movies) from the AFI Conservatory. For her final school project, she focused on music videos.

Career as a Director

Matsoukas began her career directing music videos right after finishing school in 2006. She has worked with many famous artists, including Jennifer Lopez, Lady Gaga, and Katy Perry. She is best known for her work with Beyoncé and Rihanna.

Famous Music Videos

In 2016, Matsoukas directed the music video for Beyoncé's song "Formation". The video was a huge success. It won major awards, including the top prize at the Cannes Lion Awards and the MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year.

Matsoukas is known for her unique visual style. Her videos are often filled with bright, bold colors or sharp black-and-white images. She believes that a good story and creative ideas are more important than expensive cameras. "A good video has the right visuals, a well-conceptualized story and should be exciting," she once said.

Television and Film

Matsoukas has also directed for television. She worked on the TV shows Master of None and Insecure. For Insecure, she was also an executive producer, which means she helped manage the show's production. Her work on the show earned her an Emmy nomination.

In 2019, Matsoukas directed her first feature film, Queen & Slim. The movie, starring Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Turner-Smith, was written by her friend Lena Waithe. The film was a success with both critics and audiences. It earned Matsoukas several awards for her directing.

In 2020, she directed a commercial for Beats by Dre called You Love Me. This ad won her a Directors Guild of America Award, a very important honor for directors.

Selected Works

Here are some of the famous projects Melina Matsoukas has directed.

Music Videos

• 2007: "Because of You" by Ne-Yo
• 2007: "Green Light" by Beyoncé
• 2007: "Bleeding Love" by Leona Lewis
• 2008: "Just Dance" by Lady Gaga
• 2008: "Thinking of You" by Katy Perry
• 2009: "Hard" by Rihanna
• 2010: "Rude Boy" by Rihanna
• 2011: "We Found Love" by Rihanna
• 2012: "Losing You" by Solange
• 2013: "Pretty Hurts" by Beyoncé
• 2016: "Formation" by Beyoncé

Television

• Insecure (2016–2021)
• Master of None (2017)
• The Changeling (2023)

Film

• Queen & Slim (2019)

Major Awards

Matsoukas has won many awards for her work. Here are some of the most important ones.

See also

In Spanish: Melina Matsoukas para niños