
When speaking of Director/Photographer Dean Karr, the one thing that
people seem to agree about is that he is a true original. His signature
style, often copied but never duplicated, has gained him international
recognition. He is clearly a man to watch if one is interested in
knowing which way the wind will be blowing. His work interprets and
defines our time. ..
Mr. Karr’s prolific work as a music video/commercial director has
brought him to the forefront of his craft. His music videos are
constantly found at the top of MTV play lists, and have been nominated
for major MTV, Billboard, and MVPA Video Awards. He has worked with
artists such as Marilyn Manson, the Dave Matthews Band (4x), Tommy Lee,
Ozzy Osbourne (2x), Cypress Hill (3x), Stevie Nicks, Everlast, Dr. Dre,
The Distillers, Queens of the Stone Age, Godsmack (2x) and Damian
Marley. His TV commercial projects combine his distinctive bold imagery
with strong product recognition, and include work for clients such as:
Mazda( Foote, Cone & Belding), Woolrich (Siquis, Ltd.), Mortal
Kombat (DDB Needham) and Universal Orlando/Coke (David & Goliath).
..
His visuals reveal a highly tuned sense of style, fashion, art, and
storytelling. Dean Karr’s photography has been the subject of numerous
shows at galleries ranging from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art to
the prestigious Merry Karnowsky Gallery where his art pieces are in
great demand. His striking album and print work Includes artists such
as AC/DC, Slayer, Tool, A Perfect Circle, Marilyn Manson, Seether,
Lenny Kravitz, Busta Rhymes, Chris Rock, Iron Maiden and Pantera. His
numerous institutional print campaigns include Universal Studios, HBO,
Tommy Hilfiger and the National Ad Council. ..
A native of Seattle, Washington, Karr received a Bachelor of Fine Arts
from Washington State University. The excitement of the emerging
Seattle rock scene provided him with early photographic subject matter,
while working many years at Evergreen Washelli Cemetery doing burials
and landscaping. Moving to Los Angeles to attend the Art Centre School
of Design in Pasadena, Karr found himself drawn away from the academic
world by the reality of the extraordinary and malformed characters that
he encountered in the depths of the city. ..
Gaining their trust, he passionately captured their uniqueness on film.
The technique was highly original; the work was shockingly beautiful -
an important new artist burst upon the photographic scene. Intrigued by
the potential of the moving image, Karr ventured into music videos. The
promise of his early work led to Karr being asked to direct Marilyn
Manson's "Sweet Dreams." The resulting piece was a shocker, drawing
immediate and broad commercial attention. It served to propel both
Manson and Karr into the forefront of the visual rock world. ..
Work with other top artists soon followed. "I have been a top photographer for 15 years, capturing moods nonverbally and placing them in a single frame of film,"
says Karr, "Working in moving images provided me with an even more
varied and exciting palette with which to express myself. Commercially,
I love the challenges involved in visually conveying the essence of a
product to a target audience." Always finding inspiration from reality,
Karr has developed a sense of adventure in seeking out unique settings
for his projects. ..
Recent ventures have taken him to such varied locations as the Amazon
Rain Forests, and the chilled waters of South Australia and Mexico to
film the Great White Shark.