wanted to direct again," he says. "I was a little fed up with my artistry and being an artist and all that. In October ’98, I did a pop video for Baxter, a Swedish band that was signed to the American label, Maverick." Maverick is run by Madonna, who liked the highly stylized Baxter clip, called "Television," and had Renck direct her clip for "Nothing Really Matters." At the same time, he began directing commercials in England and Europe.
"I was doing promos and commercials simultaneously because I think they’re two very different types of work," he says. "If I’ve done many spots, I always feel the urge to do promos, and the opposite."
In addition to the question of spots vs. videos vs. movies that many directors face when contemplating the future, Renck also has his music. "I’m still writing music and am just now completing my third album, which I’m going to put out in April," he says. "Songwriting and directing are very much related. It’s all about expression and conveying stuff to people. It’s about communication."
One clear goal is to do much of his work in the United States. "I really love to work in America," he says. "The teams and the people you work with are amazing. Of course, it’s interesting to work with the most creative agencies in the world. It was great to work with the guys at Wieden + Kennedy. We understood each other. So many times you work with people who don’t understand that they don’t understand. In this case, we were locked on target from the beginning."
focused idea
Although lauded by Palumbo for his collaboration in the creative process during the Nike shoots, Renck says he likes best to be presented with crystal-clear ideas. "Then I can focus on what I’m supposed to be doing in the spot. The worst thing is when agencies come to you and say, ‘Hey, we’ve got these jeans here. Would you help us with an idea for a spot?’"
As a director, Renck hopes to balance music video and commercial work, and would like to try stage directing and feature films. "I always want to try new things," he says. "I love so much what I do. I work seven days a week, fifteen hours a day. I have no friends. My girlfriend almost hates me by now. But I love it."c
