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Thomas Mignone | |
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![]() Mignone on the set of feature film On the Doll | |
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Years active | 2000–present |
Thomas Mignone is an American feature film, streaming media, commercial, and music video director, and screenwriter. He is best known for directing and writing the dark dramas On the Doll and Queen Of Manhattan and for directing conceptual music videos and live concerts for various hard rock and heavy metal artists.
Throughout 2024 Mignone directed and wrote Queen Of Manhattan, a feature film based on the life of Vanessa Del Rio as the World's First Latina adult film star and featuring actors Esai Morales, Drea de Matteo, Taryn Manning, David Proval, Elizabeth Rodriguez. Shane West, Josh Malina, Jesse Metcalfe and Dita Von Teese. [1] It was selected as the Opening Night Film at the Portland Film Festival and won the Best Director Award.
In 2007, Mignone directed and wrote the feature film On the Doll [2] starring Brittany Snow, Angela Sarafyan, Josh Janowicz, Candice Accola, Clayne Crawford, Shanna Collins, James Russo and Theresa Russell. The title refers to the phrase "Show me on the doll where he touched you", which is often asked of children who have been victimized by molesters. On The Doll premiered at the Austin Film Festival [3] and was selected to screen at the 25th Anniversary of the Avignon Film Festival in France, [4] Cinequest in San Jose, Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival, and the 15th Annual Oldenburg International Film Festival [5] in Germany. The film's soundtrack features new music from The Crystal Method, and an original score from founding Tool band member and bassist Paul D'Amour.
In October 2012, Mignone was one of several international filmmakers selected by the Cinequest Film Festival to direct and produce a film in concurrence with their partnership with The Tech Museum of Innovation. [6] Additional feature film projects include Otep: Live Confrontation Concert Documentary, Slipknot: Welcome To Our Neighborhood, Satanika, a live-action version of the comic-book female anti-hero created by multi-platinum rock musician Glenn Danzig, [7] and Ursa Minor. Mignone also helped develop the TV series The Deuce , which revolves around organized crime-controlled Times Square during the '70s and '80s. Upcoming film and streaming series projects for Mignone include The Last Fabulist In Brooklyn and The Dissident's Dream based on the extraordinary life of scientist and physicist Hrachya Hovsepyan who founded Nairi the first computer company in Armenia.
Mignone's music video for Mudvayne's hit song "Dig" won the first MTV2 Award [8] and was the first music video to feature heavy metal artists with vibrant, brightly lit and color-saturated images, in sharp contrast to the dark, shadowy videos typical of the genre.
Mignone directed several hit videos for multi-platinum artist Slipknot including Wait & Bleed which received a Grammy nomination. [9] He directed the band's Spit It Out and paid homage to Stanley Kubrick's feature film The Shining. The video consists of conceptual imagery with band members portraying characters enacting iconic scenes from the film, with Joey Jordison as Danny Torrance; Shawn Crahan and Chris Fehn as the Grady sisters; Corey Taylor as Jack Torrance; Mick Thomson as Lloyd the Bartender; Craig Jones as Dick Hallorann; James Root as Wendy Torrance; Paul Gray as Harry Derwent; and Sid Wilson as the corpse in the bathtub. The video was initially banned from MTV for overtly graphic and violent depictions, including Corey Taylor's smashing through a door with an axe and the scene wherein James Root viciously assaults Corey Taylor with a baseball bat. Mignone and the band eventually re-edited a less violent version, which was subsequently aired on MTV. [10] [11]
Mignone's video for Sepultura's "Roots Bloody Roots" received the Video Of The Year Award from Kerrang! Magazine. [12] It was filmed in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and was the first music video to contrast the hard rock group's intense performance with images of capoiera dancers, timbalada musicians, and other traditional Brazilian scenes.
In 1993 Mignone directed the band New Order in a live performance of their song Regret for Top of the Pops in Venice Beach, California. It was broadcast via satellite to the United Kingdom as part of an episode of the hit TV series Baywatch, featuring David Hasselhoff and various background actors and bikini-clad actresses dancing and playing on the beach. [13]
In addition to hard rock and heavy metal artists, Mignone has also directed hit videos for alternative music artists such as Toadies, Tonic, Concrete Blonde, Lit, and others. He has directed hip hop and urban music videos for artists such as Kool Keith, Digable Planets, and Rahsaan Patterson. Mignone's videos are characterized by strong narrative conceptual storylines, elaborate and distinct color-correction palettes, and many times include feature film actors in lead roles, including Vincent Gallo, Denise Richards, Michael Rooker from the cult film Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, Peter Stormare, and Navi Rawat. Mignone lives and works in Los Angeles, and continues directing feature films and music videos. Recent videos include Existo Vulgore for Morbid Angel, [14] Bullet Proof Heart for Miss Derringer featuring vocalist and acclaimed Los Angeles artist Elizabeth McGrath, [15] the MTV #1 Buzz Clip video Lay Me Down for the Dirty Heads featuring vocalist Rome from the band Sublime With Rome, [16] and Wings Of Feathers And Wax for American heavy metal supergroup Killer Be Killed featuring Soulfly/ex-Sepultura vocalist and guitarist Max Cavalera, the Dillinger Escape Plan co-vocalist and guitarist Greg Puciato, Mastodon bassist and co-vocalist Troy Sanders and former The Mars Volta drummer Dave Elitch. Mignone has also directed numerous artists during live concerts such as MTV's Rock Am Ring, Ozzfest, Vans Warped Tour, Tattoo The Earth, and Dynamo Open Air festivals.
Nu metal is a subgenre of alternative metal that combines elements of heavy metal music with elements of other music genres such as hip hop, funk, industrial, and grunge. Nu metal rarely features guitar solos or other displays of musical technique, and emphasizes rhythm with instrumentation that is heavily syncopated. Nu metal guitarists typically use seven-string guitars that are down-tuned to produce a heavier sound. Vocal styles are often rhythmic and influenced by hip hop, and include singing, rapping, screaming and sometimes growling. DJs are occasionally featured to provide instrumentation such as sampling, turntable scratching and electronic background music. Nu metal is one of the key genres of the new wave of American heavy metal.
Slipknot is an American heavy metal band formed in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1995 by percussionist Shawn Crahan, former vocalist Anders Colsefni and bassist Paul Gray. After several lineup changes in its early years, the band settled on nine members for more than a decade: Crahan, Gray, Joey Jordison, Craig Jones, Mick Thomson, Corey Taylor, Sid Wilson, Chris Fehn, and Jim Root. Slipknot is well known for its attention-grabbing image, aggressive style of music, and energetic and chaotic live shows.
Hanson is an American pop rock band from Tulsa, Oklahoma, formed by brothers Isaac Hanson, Taylor Hanson, and Zac Hanson. Supporting members include Dimitrius Collins (guitar) and Andrew Perusi (bass), who have toured and performed live with the band since 2007.
Otep is an American nu metal band. The band was formed in November 2000 in Los Angeles by frontwoman Otep Shamaya. The band is noted for their style of "art-house nu metal", and their strong political stances. Throughout the course of several lineup changes over the years, Shamaya has remained the only constant member in the band.
Mushroomhead is an American heavy metal band from Cleveland, Ohio. Formed in 1993 in the Cleveland Warehouse District, the band is known for their avant-garde sound and horror film-inspired imagery which features masks and costumes as well as their unique live shows usually performed at smaller venues.
Michael Shawn Crahan, more commonly known by his stage persona "Clown", is an American musician. He is the co-founder and one of the percussionists for heavy metal band Slipknot, in which he is designated #6. Crahan helped form Slipknot in 1995 alongside bassist Paul Gray and former vocalist Anders Colsefni. Crahan is the longest-serving and only remaining original member of Slipknot, and also has extensive involvement with Slipknot's media production and music videos. Outside Slipknot, Crahan had two side project bands called To My Surprise and Dirty Little Rabbits. Aside from his musical activity, he also directed the 2016 action thriller film Officer Downe.
Nathan Jonas "Joey" Jordison was an American musician. He was the original drummer of the heavy metal band Slipknot, in which he was designated #1, and the guitarist for the horror punk supergroup Murderdolls.
Stone Sour is the debut studio album by American rock band Stone Sour. It was recorded and produced by the band and Tom Tatman at Catamount Studios in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and was released on August 27, 2002, through Roadrunner Records.
"Death Blooms" is a song by American heavy metal band Mudvayne and the second single from their debut album, L.D. 50.
"Wait and Bleed" is a 1999 song by American heavy metal band Slipknot, released as the their debut and lead single from their 1999 self-titled debut album. After being remixed to replace the screamed vocals in the verses with more melodic singing, it was released as the lead single from the album in July 1999, and peaked at number 34 on the US Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in February 2000. It remains one of the band's most popular songs.
"Spit It Out" is a song by American heavy metal band Slipknot, released as the second and final single from the band's 1999 self-titled debut album.
"The Nameless" is a song by American heavy metal band Slipknot. The song was released as the only single from their first live album, 9.0: Live, while it is also included on their third studio album, Vol. 3: . A music video was released for the single in late 2005 and also was featured on MTV's Rock Top 10 as number two.
"Everything About You" is the debut single of American heavy metal band Ugly Kid Joe, originally from their 1991 EP, As Ugly as They Wanna Be. The song gained popularity after being featured in the 1992 hit film Wayne's World and was later included on the band's full-length debut album, America's Least Wanted, which was also released in 1992.
On The Doll is a 2008 American drama feature film directed and written by director Thomas Mignone.
"Dead Memories" is a song from American heavy metal band Slipknot's fourth album, All Hope Is Gone. It was released on December 1, 2008.
DOOM Incorporated is an American film production company based in Los Angeles, California. The company was founded by film director and screenwriter Thomas Mignone.
"Custer" is a song by American heavy metal band Slipknot. Released on October 10, 2014, it is the third single from their fifth studio album, .5: The Gray Chapter.
"Left Behind" is a song by American heavy metal band Slipknot. Released as the lead single from the band's second album, Iowa (2001) on October 29, 2001. It was produced by Ross Robinson. The single reached number 30 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, number 24 on the UK Singles Chart and number 5 on the UK Rock & Metal Singles Chart. It was also nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 2002.