Michel Gondry has directed music videos for the likes of Bjork, the Rolling Stones and Chemical Brothers, as well as spots for Nike, Coca-Cola and Levi's. Represented by European/bicoastal Partizan Entertainment and based in LA, Gondry is preparing to film his first feature, Human Nature.

The film, which Gondry describes as a bizarre comedy, was written by Charlie Kaufman, who also scripted Spike Jonze's feature debut, Being John Malkovitch. Gondry plans to begin filming early next year. The feature will be produced by Good Machine and financed by Studio Canal.

Gondry is still directing commercials, including three upcoming "Holiday" spots for Gap, as well as more work for Nike. Earlier this year, he directed the Chemical Brothers video "Let Forever Be" (winner of the 1999 MuchMusic award for best international video), which blends narrative, choreography and imagery that fragments into geometric patterns. Gondry says this fusion is central to his work.

"I like the principle of fractals, the idea of finding geometry in nature or in stories," says Gondry. "The effect (in the Chemical Brothers video) is a combination of morphing and CGI. The idea is to make the viewer believe it's just an old-fashioned kaleidoscope effect, then realize that we've been transported to a new reality."

Effects are integral to much of Gondry's work, but he says he never relies on them exclusively. "When I use special effects, I know what I am doing and I shoot exactly what is needed," says Gondry. "In general, I create the effects or work very closely with the people who do." His geometric approach goes beyond mere technical tricks. It can be seen in the layered timing and robotic choreography in Daft Punks' "Around the World" video, as well as in the circular narrative of the Levi's spot "Drugstore." In "Drugstore," a Depression-era pharmacist sells condoms to a young man wearing Levi's. Later, the young man arrives at the pharmacist's house to pick up his daughter for a date. Gondry says working in this way allows him to better communicate with the audience.

"I always hated pretentious commercials and videos before I started directing, not following the typical and saying that people are all fashion," says Gondry. "It has always been my goal to make people feel alright when they watch my work."

A native of Versailles, France, Gondry began his directing career by shooting music videos for French punk rock band Oui Oui, of which he was a member. He started directing commercials for other French groups and eventually moved to England, where he met Bjork. He directed her video for "Human Behavior" and went on to lens several more of her videos.

Bjork's "Bachelorette" is based on Gondry's geometric concept. The narrative consists of Bjork finding a self-writing book, which turns into a phenomenal literary success. It becomes a play that retells the story, and the story gets told again in smaller and less precise versions. "I wanted to have her in a very common context," he says, "starting with real life and then the first interpretation and then interpretations within interpretations."

Gondry's list of commercial credits also includes Polaroid, Citibank, Adidas and Volvo.