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Working with Annie Leibovitz and her staff on Vanity Fair’s much-hyped “Young Hollywood” cover was an absolute nightmare says celebrity choreographer John Byrne, who was drafted to choreograph the March cover–which features rising stars Kristen Stewart, Amanda Seyfried, Anna Kendrick, Carey Mulligan and five other promising beauties.
“It was a horrible, horrible experience and the set was an absolutely horrid and repressed place,” he tells TabloidProdigy.com. “I consider myself a professional and have had a great time working with some of the world’s greatest and most demanding choreographers, directors and photographers–but working with Annie Leibovitz’s crew was the most demeaning experience I’ve had.”
Byrne describes the shoot’s environment as hostile and tense, and says that while Annie Leibovitz is a “pleasant” person, her Vanity Fair team and work practices left little a lot to be desired.
“One woman definitely crossed a line with me at one point, and from what I have heard since this experience–from other artists in the industry–is Ms. Leibovitz’s studio and her Vanity Fair producer are commonly considered bullies,” he added.
The 26-year-old, who has a talk show debuting March 21, also took to his blog to blast the magazine–and makes it clear how he feels about working with the Leibovitz/VF brigade : “If You Wanna be Disrespected and Depressed–Work for Vanity Fair.” He added: “Pretty much the looks on the models’ faces sums up the whole experience…lol I am so blessed to have loving and uplifting artists to work with that actually have fun and enjoy the process. Vanity Fair NEVER again!”
Byrne has now found what he considers as more uplifting work in the form of his latest effort, “The John Byrne Show,” airing Sundays at 6:30 p.m. on Manhattan Neighborhood Network (in NYC, channel 56/Time Warner Cable). He describes it as a variety/talk program “kind of like a mash between ‘Mr. Rogers’ and Richard Simmons” that will feature special guests and explore topics like style, fitness, and will “bring inspiration to New York.”
Previously Byrne appeared as the choreographer on Canada’s So You Think You Can Dance, and was a contestant on reality dance competition series Dirty Dancing: The Time of Your Life. His previous choreography credits include working with Elton John, Lady Gaga, Gwen Stefani & Joss Stone.
John Byrne’s vlog:
The John Byrne Show teaser:
Working directly for Annie as part of her staff is no fun either.
I remember when I was at Harvard the Harvard Lampoon ran a spoof based on the experience of Harvard students who worked as unpaid interns for Leibovitz (sp?)
She got on an elevator with one of them after they had been there for months and she was like “who are you” in a rude voice. She also made the interns mop and clean her studio because she was too cheap to pay for cleaning services.
I guess Karma’s a bitch.
[...] Leibovitz’s flirtation with bankruptcy apparently hasn’t made her any easier to work with. Tagged:annie leibovitzdeadbeatsphotographyvanity [...]
I think the air gets thin in the upper creative echelons of some magazines, particularly some of Conde Nast and Hearst’s publications. I’ve worked with producers, photographers and editors of Vanity Fair, Town & Country and W, among others and there’s a certain kind of madness that’s tolerated. It’s a black or white thing with them, either you are in or you are out. If you are in, it’s limousines, Crystal and kisses. Most anyone outside this group is a nobody and treated as such. I am not saying that all are like that, not by any means, but the bad eggs can sour you for life. I can’t look at these magazines without thinking of all the snobbish ugliness and cruelty that took place during production.
Why does a photo shoot need a choreographer? Anyway, as horrendous as this shoot was, it’s probably not the best career move to bash some of the biggies of the industry in public.
[...] Tabloid Prodigy » Blog Archive » Choreographer: Annie Leibovitz … [...]
yeah im wiht niles Why does one need a choreographer for a photo shoot? not like this girls are dancers or dancing on the shoot they are sitting most of the time in the pics
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[...] after blasting Vanity Fair and Annie Leibovitz for a “demeaning” and hellish experience working on the magazine’s Young Hollywood issue, celebrity choreographer John Byrne has [...]
Lolz you lot need to wake up and relies the truth is your going to get treated like sh** no matter WHO you work for. I can imagine if you’re a model or someone training to go into that kind of industry your gonna have a lot of cr** on your plate from everyone. Gotta work your way up and stick it out stop moaning and try and enjoy what you do with the idea it will pay off in the end.
At the end of the day if you did work with her you can put that on your CV and that to me is worth any amount of crap you have to take. Just feel lucky.
And American Dreamer your comment was ignorant and stupid. Karma does not work for individuals to have pre-mature orgasm over it like you are. I would not wish pain or suffering on anyone. And to do so is foolish.
I don’t care what anyone says about Leibovitz… because the media is all fabricated rubbish anyway. We were made to think Michael Jackson was a criminal and then when he died everyone loved him and thought him a hero maybe even an icon!
Even if it is true… I don’t care I see people for their pure talent, Not for they’re behaviour. You can never know someone else’s soul. Not truly.
[...] Byrne is a celebrity choreographer, director, dancer and talk show host who has appeared as the choreographer on Canada’s So You Think You Can Dance, and was a [...]