Samuel Bayer

Samuel Bayer is an award-winning visual artist, photographer, director, and cinematographer. He launched his directorial career with the decade-defining music video for Nirvana, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” which MTV has consistently lauded as one of the most influential and iconic videos of all time.

Over the last three decades, Bayer has showcased his landmark visual style in music videos for iconic artists like David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, Metallica, and John Lee Hooker. Bayer directed all the music videos for Green Day’s Grammy-winning “American Idiot” album. His videos swept the 2005 MTV Music Video Awards, winning Video of the Year and Best Direction.

Bayer launched his advertising career in the 1990s and worked with a diverse array of clients, creating memorable commercials for Nike, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Pepsi, and Budweiser. He was awarded multiple Clios and Andys Awards for his efforts. Bayer won a Cannes Gold Lion and an Emmy for his 2011 Chrysler Super Bowl spot, “Born of Fire,” featuring Eminem.

His one-man photography exhibit at the Ace Gallery in Los Angeles in 2013 garnered much attention and notoriety. Selections of Bayer’s films are displayed in the permanent video collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. His feature film debut, A Nightmare on Elm Street, grossed over one hundred twenty million dollars worldwide.

Bayer is currently developing numerous film and TV projects, such as the futuristic science fiction epic ICARUS RISING and the emotional coming-of-age drama TRIBE, which follows the rise and fall of a fictitious rock band. He’s also the owner of All Time Comics, the first superhero imprint published by Fantagraphics.

Currently, Bayer works and resides in Los Angeles, California.