McG

Born: 1969
Where: Kalamazoo, Michigan

Joseph McGinty Nichol, known in the industry as McG, began his career in the music business by taking pictures of friends' bands.

He started out with a psychology degree from the University of California but soon turned to photography.

In 1993 he formed the record label and production company G Recordings.

His company eventually joined forces with California pop-punk act Sugar Ray, and McG's career was sealed as a highly successful music video director, helming such high profile clips as Sugar Ray's Fly, and top rated videos from Cypress Hill, Korn, Sublime, Imani Coppola, Fastball, Wyclef Jean, and Barenaked Ladies.

All of his videos were marked with bright beachy colours and a serene but energetic mood.

In 1991 McG directed a memorable and successful advertising campaign for GAP in the form of khaki-wearing line dancers dancing to the tune of Dwight Yoakam's cover of the Queen hit Crazy Little Thing Called Love.

This campaign won him many honours at the London International Film Festival.

His next project was to direct adverts for large American companies such as Major League Baseball and Coca-Cola.

McG's feature directorial debut came in the year 2000 with the hugely successful Charlie's Angels, an updated take on the popular 1970s TV show starring Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu.