Ballerific Woman: Melina Matsoukas, The Creative Mind Behind Beyoncé’s ‘Formation,’ ‘Master of None’ & More

– Blogged By @Climb_This_Hill

In a perfect world, people of color would be presented the same opportunities as their white counterparts. Unfortunately, this world is far from perfect, however, there are people, more specifically women, who have dedicated their time, money and education to make a positive change. They’ve used their experiences and their encounters with injustices to fight and/or create more opportunities for their children and their children’s children, in an effort to make the world a better place. This is #BlackExcellence. These are #BallerificWomen.
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One of those special individuals is Melina Matsoukas, the creative mind behind Beyoncé’s ‘Formation,’ ‘Master of None’ & More.
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This goddess is best known for her vision and execution of top-notch music videos, hit television shows, and major commercials.
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Ms. Melina has over 50 self-directed visuals under her belt while working with big stars such as — Rihanna, J.Lo, Leona Lewis, Robin Thicke, Snoop Dogg, Mario, Ludacris, Keri Hilson, and Katy Perry, just to name a few.
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She has been singlehandedly picked by Beyoncé to direct 10 of her music videos, including her very popular and powerful video for her hit single, “Formation.”
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Melina Matsoukas’ work has earned her 7 notable awards for her directorial work, with two of them being Grammy’s.
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Ms. Melina first started studying film in college, and by the time she was getting her masters, she started to heavily focus on the art of music videos.
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She has also directed episodes for hit TV shows such as, ‘Insecure,’ and ‘Master of None’, and commercials for Nike, Target, Lexus, and more.
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The eccentric, yet soulful director finds the beauty in pretty much everything and prides herself on knowing how to show her black community in a light that they’re usually not given. She’s always researching historic concepts and meanings and finding ways to express them visually, as she makes it her mission to make valid and noteworthy points with her visual work.
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At only 37-years-old, and a powerhouse director still on the rise, Ms. Melina Matsoukas is here to stay, prosper, and bless us with her creative visual mind for years to come.