The Auteur Theory

The Auteur theory is a term used in film criticism to reflect the directors creative vision. The theory can be used in analysing music videos too. To become an Auteur is to be individually recognised throughout the film industry by having definitive and unique work.

The Main features of the Auteur theory include: The features of individual style, how texts are determined by artists creativity and how texts emerge as part of an artists bodywork.

Recognisable parts of the Auteur theory are Colour, Transition, Location, Actors and Use of absence of narrative.

Spike Jonze

Jonze is a well known Auteur within the music video industry and has worked on massive music videos such as OTIS, by Jay-Z and Kanye West, Weapon of Choice by FatBoy Slim, and Sabotage by the Beastie Boys.

Take Sabotage by the Beastie Boys, he makes the video as a parody of a 1970's cop show. With lots of fast cuts and different camera shots he manages to emulate the video in such a way that works with the music, as opposed to OTIS, it still continues with a theme which isn't a serious one. However, his style has evidently changed over the course of time between these two videos. As he has become a more distinguished Auteur he has obviously been used by World Famous artists more often, and for OTIS, the high amount of pyrotechnics as well as the modified car it shows he had a higher budget to work with.
You can see the difference in the two videos below, with the Beastie Boys evidently being shot on a lower budget, and OTIS being shot on a higher budget. His style in general is one that isn't that serious in his videos and allows the artists to have fun in what they're shooting.