Horizontal movement within the entertainment industry is pretty common these days. There are actors who become directors, directors who get in front of the camera, actors who pick up instruments, musicians who decide to act and more.
While a number of musicians have successfully made the jump from stage talent to screen talent, we’re dedicating this post to those artists who chose to work behind the camera—the directors, producers, scriptwriters and editors. Here are 15 musicians who have gone on to become filmmakers.
1. Frank Sinatra
In terms of film, the classic crooner himself might be most recognized for composing the score to Scarface. However, Ol’ Blue Eyes did actually take to the director’s chair for 1965?s World War II drama None But the Brave. Sinatra also produced seven other movies between 1956-1981.
2. The Cult’s Ian Astbury
When The Cult’s frontman chatted with Paste back in March, he professed his love of film and subsequent involvement in that industry. “I’ve…been building a small film company [Nous Defions Films] for the past three years,” said Astbury. “I directed one film called A Prelude to Ruins, I’m producing a documentary called Conquest and currently have another film with the working title of Tania right now, which is kind of in development.”
Conquest, as Astbury referred to it, is actually Conquest: Sexual Violence and American Indian Genocide, based on a book by Andrea Smith of the same title. More information can be found here.
3. Nick Cave
This Aussie singer/songwriter has had quite a successful film career, in fact. He produced the short film The Cat Piano in 2009 and directed the documentary The Work of Jonathan Glazer in 2005. However, Cave garnered the most attention from his original screenplay for The Proposition in 2005.
4. Jason Schwartzman
The oft-mustachioed actor was actually the original drummer for California rock band Phantom Planet and has long recorded music under the moniker Coconut Records. And while he’s probably best known as the star actor in many a Wes Anderson film, he’s also listed as the executive producer for the Jon Savage-penned documentary Teenage, which is currently in pre-production.
5. Wayne Coyne
The eccentric-yet-ingenious Flaming Lips frontman directed and acted in his band’s insane home movie of sorts, Christmas on Mars, released in 2008.
6. David Bowie
Bowie’s mastery of melding filmic and music elements truly shone through his album-to-album characters like Ziggy Stardust and The Thin White Duke. However, the British performers also has directing credits in both of his two video collections and producing credits in three titles—2006’s Scott Walker: 30th Century Man, 1998’s Passage to Paradise and 1994’s Magic Hunter.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
