David LaChapelle explains how he Hung Up on Madonna

[groovyguy 63,869]

http://www.madonnatribe.com/news/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=8950

... the name of director David LaChapelle was originally attached to Madonna's "Hung Up" video. On this week's episode of the "Yann Calls..." webseries, LaChapelle finally talks about what happened on the shoot and why the project didn't go ahead - and explains how the Queen of Pop taught him a life lesson after all.

 

"You know, I gotta thank her because honestly I've never said no to a job before." he explains. "We were in pre-production for the video 'Hung Up' when she was screaming at me. (...) I had just finished the documentary 'Rise' and I had really worked so hard. That film opened theatrically all over the world and I had just come from that junket. I was tired."

 

"I wanted all my life to do a Madonna video. When she was screaming at me on the phone, I couldn't take it. (...) The song was good and everything was in place. We were doing the job and I remember that being so mean. The shoots were always so stressful with her, when we did photoshoots. I thought God I can't go through this. I just hung up the phone. I got very quiet because she was yelling at me. I put the phone down. I hung it up. It was a cellphone actually. My agent was sitting beside me and you know, Macaulay Culkin in 'Home Alone'? She's like 'You hung up on Madonna?' and the funny thing was the song was 'Hung Up'. (...)"

 

"I'm not here to judge her. Everything in life is a lesson to me. That's how I look at it. Honestly, it was the first time I said no. She gave me a gift, in a sense, because from that moment on I realized I didn't have to do everything. I was working all my life out of fear because I didn't finish High School. I didn't have a diploma. My mom said I was going to be homeless when I was a kid and I believed her. I thought so too. (...) I finally said no and nothing bad happened. So I started saying no more and more which led me to stopping all together working for magazines and celebrities. I still shoot celebrities, but it's rare. When it happens is for a reason. Right now I'm focusing on the fine art work. In a way, Madonna, that experience with her was kind of a catalyst. So I should be grateful."

 

"Yann Calls..." is a webseries where Brazilian artist Yann video-chats with different artists. Some of the guests have been Dita Von Teese, Kathy Griffin and Adore Delano, Bianca Del Rio & Courtney Act from RuPaul's Drag Race.

 

In the video below, LaChapelle also talks about working with Andy Warhol, the reason why he decided to drop everything and move to Hawaii, and also how was working with artists such as Michael Jackson, Britney Spears and Whitney Houston.

 

[Fighter 28,888]

that's nice.......

 

Maybe I'm wrong but I think she's softened up a bit in recent years. 

[Guest]

His loss. Though, I'm curious what she was yelling at him about? I'm not doubting it happened, but he seems to be all over the place with the story. Seems a bit peculiar.

[groovyguy 63,869]

that's nice.......

 

Maybe I'm wrong but I think she's softened up a bit in recent years. 

Just the day before I was re watching I'm Going to Tell You a Secret and in the Kaballah part Madonna said she wasn't very nice to people in the past before and she didn't miss being an idiot.

[unapologeticheart 872]

But Hung up was after the I'm going to tell you a secret and the AL era ^^

I remember in an interview with the guys who did her GMAYL video that after 3 days of shooting, she left the video set and never came back . They had to find a way to complete the video without her lol

[Fighter 28,888]

I'm surprised they had her for 3 days, when was the last time she was on a music video set for that long? 

[unapologeticheart 872]

I'm surprised they had her for 3 days, when was the last time she was on a music video set for that long? 

Lol, I made a mistake . I went back to the article, she actually left the second day of  , she had the album photoshoot to do. They also said that they didn't even have the song, they could only hear it in Martin Solveig's studio, no recording!

But they state it clearly that she is not capricious -they expected that- she's professional.

[Fighter 28,888]

Lol, I made a mistake . I went back to the article, she actually left the second day of  , she had the album photoshoot to do. They also said that they didn't even have the song, they could only hear it in Martin Solveig's studio, no recording!

But they state it clearly that she is not capricious -they expected that- she's professional.

 

that makes more sense 

 

wtf, how did they make the video without the song? im so confused 

[unapologeticheart 872]

that makes more sense 

 

wtf, how did they make the video without the song? im so confused 

They were happy when the song leaked

oh, and they said that she is really really involved in what she does: it's almost HER video not theirs ^^. She wanted to look beautiful and to keep the focus on her: for example the part when she's dancing against the wall was her idea.

[Fighter 28,888]

for example the part when she's dancing against the wall was her idea.

 

why am I not surprised?     

[Guest]

Sorry, but I am not sure where you got that hugely fabricated story behind the GMAYL video, but I don't believe a word of it.  Sounds like something you would read from a tabloid.  Also, there is no way they didn't have the music available while filming. There's too much going on in that video with other singing along, they would need the music.

[unapologeticheart 872]

Sorry, but I am not sure where you got that hugely fabricated story behind the GMAYL video, but I don't believe a word of it.  Sounds like something you would read from a tabloid.  Also, there is no way they didn't have the music available while filming. There's too much going on in that video with other singing along, they would need the music.

It's an interview of the guys that did her video, Megaforce

http://www.chartsinfrance.net/Madonna/news-78179.html (french)

Why would they fabricate it?

At first they didn't have the song, they went to Solveig's studio to hear it, but then it leaked and ade things easier

[Fighter 28,888]

So even though no one had access to it, it still leaked. 

 

I bet not even Madonna is allowed to have a copy this time around.