Here is the biography of Bryan Barber:
Bryan Barber was born on December 20, 1970, and is a music video and motion picture director. He took inspiration from various sources and credits his upbringing in Silicon Valley, California, with shaping his vision. Growing up in the heart of the city, Barber viewed life as a teenager from the streets of East Palo Alto, California, only two miles from where Steve Jobs was building Apple.
Barber moved to Sacramento at the age of 16 and began working at Tower Records video distribution center and Tower Video during high school. He learned early on that storytelling would be his way to bridge the gap between economic and racial divides. His family was involved in art and activism, so it was natural for Barber to follow suit.
Despite facing challenges, Barber studied film at Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia, and eventually won a trip to the Tel Aviv International Student Film Festival sponsored by the United Negro College Fund. This experience solidified his place as a filmmaker.
After graduating college, Barber worked as a production assistant on the feature Black Dog and later as an assistant editor and telecine film-processing lab worker in Atlanta. He eventually saved enough money to buy his 16mm camera with the help of his grandparents, which allowed him to focus on directing.
Barber directed his first music video, Skew It on the Bar-B, in 1998 for Outkast and soon became known for his original, left-of-center narrative video scripts and visual directing style. He went on to direct over 200 music videos, 40 commercials, and various television and film projects, working with stars like Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, and Kanye West.
Throughout his career, Barber has received numerous awards and nominations, including a Grammy nomination for Best Music Video, Short Form for directing Outkast's "Hey Ya!". He has also directed commercials for clients like Pepsi, Target, and Chevrolet, and has worked on several television projects, including the Nickelodeon sitcom Instant Mom.
