Fireside Chat Speaker

Philip Andelman '95
Visual Artist

Thursday, November 29, 2007

Born in Thailand, Philip Andelman went on to live in Belgrade and Paris before moving to New York at the age of eleven. Heading off to Phillips Exeter Academy for high school, he spent most of his free time in the darkroom when he wasn't shooting his friends' band rehearsals or directing short one-act plays. In his junior year he began working for photographer Annie Leibovitz during his school breaks, a job which lasted through his sophomore year of college and led him to his next job, Grateful Dead photographer. Beginning senior year of high school, Philip traveled everywhere from Oakland to Philadelphia, shooting the Grateful Dead during their last three tours. His photographs went on to be published in several periodicals and books.

After graduating Exeter with an award for excellence in the arts, Philip came back to New York to study film at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. In his senior year, he wrote, edited, and directed Looking for Actionman, a fifteen minute comedy which went on to win a grant from Martin Scorsese.

After graduation Philip moved to Los Angeles and in the summer of 2000 he began working with music video director Joseph Kahn as 2nd Unit director and cinematographer. He spent two years with Kahn, shooting numerous videos such as U2's Elevation and Moby's Southside. Meanwhile, he began collaborating with photographer Mark Seliger on several short films, including work with Lenny Kravitz, Perry Farrell and Willie Nelson. Through the spring and summer of 2002, he followed Lenny Kravitz on tour through Europe and North America, shooting a feature documentary/concert film with Seliger.

In 2002 Philip began shooting and directing his own music videos, signing with French-based production company Partizan. Since then he has directed over thirty music videos for Lenny Kravitz, John Mayer, Ludacris, Kelly Rowland, Melissa Etheridge, Daniel Powter, Fort Minor, Keren Ann, Ryan Adams, and Handsome Boy Modeling School, amongst others. In the summer of 2007, Philip started directing commercials, beginning with a spot for American Express. He still continues his still photography, his work appearing in Rolling Stone, Nylon, and Black Book.

Philip has been nominated for numerous MVPA awards including Director of the Year in 2007, and in 2005 was named one of Paper Magazine's Beautiful People.

back to top

back to list of speakers