Al Pacino

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Born

Alfredo James Pacino April 25, 1940 (age 68) Manhattan, New York, U.S.

Occupation Actor, director, screenwriter, producer Years active 1968present

Awards won Academy Awards Best Actor 1992 Scent of a Woman BAFTA Awards Best Actor in a Leading Role 1974 The Godfather Part II 1975 Dog Day Afternoon Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actor - Miniseries or a Movie 2004 Angels in America Golden Globe Awards Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama

1974 Serpico 1993 Scent of a Woman Cecil B. DeMille Award 2001 Lifetime Achievement Best Actor - Mini-series 2004 Angels in America Screen Actors Guild Awards Best Actor - Miniseries/TV Movie 2003 Angels in America Tony Awards Best Featured Actor in a Play 1969 Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie? Best Leading Actor in a Play 1977 The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel Other awards BSFC Award for Best Actor' 1997 Donnie Brasco KCFCC Award for Best Actor 1975 Dog Day Afternoon LAFCA Award for Best Actor 1975 Dog Day Afternoon NSFC Award for Best Actor 1972 The Godfather NBR Award for Best Supporting Actor 1972 The Godfather NBR Award for Best Actor 1973 Serpico Career Golden Lion 1994 Lifetime Achievement AFI Life Achievement Award 2007 Lifetime Achievement Alfredo James "Al" Pacino (born April 25, 1940) is an American film and stage actor and director, widely considered to be one of the most notable and influential actors of his time.[1][2] He is best known for his roles as Michael Corleone in The Godfather trilogy, Sonny Wortzik in Dog Day Afternoon, Tony Montana in Scarface, Carlito Brigante in the 1993 film Carlito's Way, Frank Serpico in Serpico, Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade in Scent of a Woman, and Roy Cohn in Angels in America. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1992 for his role in Scent of a Woman after being nominated seven times for various roles.

Contents

1 Early life and education 2 Career o 2.1 1960s o 2.2 1970s o 2.3 1980s o 2.4 1990s o 2.5 2000s 3 Personal life 4 Filmography 5 Awards and nominations 6 References 7 External links

[edit] Early life and education

Pacino was born in East Harlem, Manhattan, the son of Italian-American parents Rose (ne Gerardi) and Salvatore Alfred Pacino, who divorced when he was two years old.[3][4] His mother subsequently moved to the South Bronx, to live with her parents, Kate and James Gerardi, who originated from Corleone, Sicily.[5][6][7] His father moved to Covina, California, working as an insurance salesman and owner of his own restaurant called Pacino's Lounge, which closed down in 1992. Pacino attended a school officially named The School of Performing Arts: A Division of the Fiorello H La Guardia High School of Music and the Arts in New York City, the main school of which was attended by fellow Godfather II actor Robert De Niro.[8] But, he flunked nearly all of his classes except English and he dropped out of school at the age of seventeen. His mother disagreed on his decision, they had an argument and he left home. He worked at a string of low-grade jobs, including messenger boy, busboy, janitor and postal clerk, in order to finance his acting studies.[9] He gained valuable experience by acting in basement plays in New York's theatrical underground, and then joined the Herbert Berghof Studio(HB Studio), where he met acting teacher Charlie Laughton who became his mentor and best friend. During this period he was most of the time out of work and homeless, and sometime he had to sleep on the street, in theaters or at friends' houses.[10] In 1962, his mother died at age 43. The following year, his grandfather, James Gerardi, one of the most influential people in his life, also passed away.[9]

[edit] Career
[edit] 1960s
In 1966, after many previous unsuccessful attempts, he auditioned at The Actors Studio and got accepted. He studied under legendary acting coach Lee Strasberg (who later portrayed the character Hyman Roth in scenes with Pacino in the 1974 film The Godfather Part II).[8] Pacino

found acting to be enjoyable and realized he had a gift for it. However, it did put him in financial straits[8] until the end of the decade. In 1967, Pacino spent a season at the Charles Playhouse in Boston, performing in Clifford Odets' Awake and Sing! (his first major paycheck: $125 a week); and in Jean-Claude Van Itallie's America, Hurrah, where he met actress Jill Clayburgh while working on this play. They went on to have a five-year romance. At the end of 1967, they moved together back to New York City.[10] In 1968, Pacino starred in Israel Horovitz's The Indian Wants the Bronx at the Astor Place Theater, playing Murph, a street punk. The play opened January 17, 1968, and ran for 177 performances; it was staged in a double bill with Horovitz's [[It's Called the Sugar Plum]], starring Clayburgh. Pacino won an Obie Award for Best Actor for his role, with John Cazale winning for Best Supporting actor and Horowitz for Best New Play. Martin Bregman saw the play and offered to be Pacino's manager, a partnership that became fruitful in the years to come.[10] Pacino and this production of The Indian Wants the Bronx traveled to Italy for a performance at the Spoleto's Festival dei Due Mondi. It was Pacino's first journey to Italy; he later recalled that "performing for an Italian audience was a marvelous experience".[10] Pacino and Clayburgh were cast in the "Deadly Circle of Violence" episode of the ABC television series N.Y.P.D., premiering November 12, 1968. Clayburgh at the time was also appearing on the soap opera Search for Tomorrow, playing the role of Grace Bolton. Her father would send the couple money each month to help.[11] On February 25, 1969, Pacino made his Broadway theatre debut in Don Petersen's Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie? at the Belasco Theater. It closed after 39 performances on March 29, 1969, but Pacino received rave reviews and won the Tony Award on April 20, 1969.[10] That same year he made his movie debut with a brief screen appearance in Me, Natalie, an independent film starring Patty Duke, released July 1969. In 1970, Pacino signed with the talent agency Creative Management Associates (CMA).[10]

[edit] 1970s

With Robert Duvall in The Godfather. It was the 1971 film The Panic in Needle Park, in which he played a heroin addict, that would bring Pacino to the attention of director Francis Ford Coppola. Pacino's rise to fame subsequently came after portraying Michael Corleone in Coppola's blockbuster 1972 Mafia film The Godfather and Frank Serpico in the eponymous 1973 movie.[8] Although several established

actors, including Robert Redford, Warren Beatty, and a little-known Robert De Niro also wanted to portray Michael Corleone, director Coppola selected the relatively unknown Pacino, much to the dismay of studio executives.[8] Pacino's performance earned him an Academy Award nomination, and offered one of the finest examples of his early acting style, described by Halliwell's Film Guide as "intense" and "tightly clenched". In 1973, Pacino starred in the popular Serpico and the less commercially successful Scarecrow; the latter, in which he co-starred with Gene Hackman, nonetheless won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. In 1974, Pacino reprised his role as Michael Corleone in the successful sequel The Godfather Part II, acclaimed as being comparable to the original. In 1975, he enjoyed further success with the release of Dog Day Afternoon, based on the true story of bank robber John Wojtowicz.[8] In 1977, Pacino starred as a race-car driver in Bobby Deerfield, directed by Sydney Pollack, and received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Motion Picture Actor Drama for his portrayal of the title role, losing out to Richard Burton, who won for Equus. During the 1970s, Pacino had four Oscar nominations for Best Actor, for his performances in Serpico, The Godfather Part II, Dog Day Afternoon, and ...And Justice for All.[8] He continued his dedication to the stage, winning a second Tony Award for The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel and performing the title role in Richard III for a record run on Broadway, despite poor notices from critics.

[edit] 1980s
Pacino's career slumped in the early 1980s, and his appearances in the controversial Cruising and the comedy-drama Author! Author! were critically panned. However, 1983's Scarface, directed by Brian DePalma, proved to be a career highlight and a defining role.[8] Upon its initial release, the film was critically panned but did well at the box office, grossing over US$45 million domestically.[12] Pacino earned a Golden Globe nomination for his role as Cuban drug dealer, Tony Montana. In 1985, Pacino worked on his most personal project, The Local Stigmatic, a 1969 Off Broadway play by the English writer Heathcote Williams. He starred in the play, remounting it with director David Wheeler and the Theater Company of Boston in a 50-minute film version. It was later released as part of the Pacino: An Actor's Vision box set in 2007.[8] 1985's film Revolution was a commercial and critical failure, resulting in a four year hiatus from films, during which Pacino returned to the stage. He mounted workshop productions of Crystal Clear, National Anthems and other plays; he appeared in Julius Caesar in 1988 in producer Joseph Papp's New York Shakespeare Festival. Pacino remarked on his hiatus from film: "I remember back when everything was happening, '74, '75, doing The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui on stage and reading that the reason I'd gone back to the stage was that my movie career was waning! That's been the kind of ethos, the way in which theater's perceived, unfortunately."[13] Pacino returned to film in 1989's Sea of Love.[8] His greatest stage success of the decade was David Mamet's American Buffalo, for which Pacino was nominated for a Drama Desk Award.

[edit] 1990s
Pacino received an Oscar nomination for playing Big Boy Caprice in the box office hit Dick Tracy (1990), followed by a return to arguably his most famous character, Michael Corleone, in The Godfather Part III (1990).[8] In 1991, Pacino starred in Frankie and Johnny with Michelle Pfeiffer, who co-starred with Pacino in Scarface. He would finally win an Oscar for Best Actor, for his portrayal of the depressed, irascible, and retired blind Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade in Martin Brest's Scent of a Woman (1992).[8] That year, he was also nominated for the supporting actor award for Glengarry Glen Ross, making Pacino the first male actor ever to receive two acting nominations for two different movies in the same year, and to win for the lead role (as did Jamie Foxx in 2004).[8] Also in 1990, Pacino was offered to voice Batman villain Two-Face in the hugely successful Batman The Animated Series but turned down the role. During the 1990s, Pacino had acclaimed performances in such crime dramas as Carlito's Way (1993), Donnie Brasco (1997), and the multi-Oscar nominated The Insider (1999).In 1995, Pacino starred in Michael Mann's Heat, in which he and fellow film icon Robert De Niro appeared onscreen together for the first time (though both Pacino and De Niro starred in The Godfather Part II, they did not share any scenes. The pairing drew much attention as the two actors have long been compared).[8] In 1996, Pacino starred in his theatrical feature Looking for Richard, and was lauded for his role as Satan in the supernatural drama The Devil's Advocate in 1997. Pacino also starred in Oliver Stone's critically acclaimed Any Given Sunday in 1999, playing the team coach. Pacino's performances in Scent of a Woman, Heat and The Devil's Advocate during the '90s arguably best demonstrate the shift in his acting from "intense" and "tightly clenched" to a more open, flamboyant style with an increased fondness for loud, volcanic tirades. Pacino has not received another nomination from the Academy since Scent of a Woman, but has won two Golden Globes during the last decade, the first being the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2001 for lifetime achievement in motion pictures, and the second for his role in the highly praised HBO miniseries Angels in America in 2004. Pacino's stage work during this period include revivals of Eugene O'Neill's Hughie and Oscar Wilde's Salome.

[edit] 2000s

Pacino as Dr. Jack Gramm in 88 Minutes, 2008 Pacino turned down an offer to reprise his role as Michael Corleone in The Godfather: The Game, ostensibly because his voice had changed dramatically since playing Michael in the first two Godfather films. As a result, Electronic Arts was not permitted to use Pacino's likeness or voice in the game, although his character does appear in it. It is rumored Pacino actually declined the role due to a conflict with Electronic Arts' rival, Vivendi Universal, which launched a competing game adaptation of the remake of 1983's Scarface, titled Scarface: The World is Yours. However, Pacino did not voice his character in this game for the same given reason, though he allowed his likeness to be used for it.[14] Rising director Christopher Nolan worked with Pacino for Insomnia, a remake of the Norwegian Film of the same name. The film and Pacino's performance were critically lauded and the film did moderately well at the box office. Pacino next starred as lawyer Roy Cohn in the 2003 HBO miniseries of Tony Kushner's play Angels in America.[8] Pacino still acts on stage and has dabbled in film directing. His film festival-screened Chinese Coffee has earned good notices. On the AFI's 100 Years... 100 Heroes and Villains, he is one of only two actors to appear on both lists: on the "heroes list" as Frank Serpico and on the "villains list" as Michael Corleone (the other being Arnold Schwarzenegger, for his roles as the Terminator). Pacino starred as Shylock in Michael Radford's 2004 film The Merchant of Venice. On October 20, 2006, the American Film Institute named Pacino the recipient of the 35th AFI Life Achievement Award.[15] On November 22, 2006, the University Philosophical Society of Trinity College, Dublin awarded Pacino the Honorary Patronage of the Society.[16] With his box office earnings relatively modest of late, Pacino looks to be gearing up with several new projects. He starred in Steven Soderberghs Ocean's Thirteen alongside George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and Andy Garcia as the villain Willy Bank, a casino tycoon who is targeted out of revenge by Danny Ocean and his crew. The film received generally favorable reviews. On June 19, 2007, a boxed set titled Pacino: An Actor's Vision was released, containing three rare Al Pacino films: The Local Stigmatic, Looking For Richard and Chinese Coffee, as well as a documentary, Babbleonia. Al Pacino produced prologues and epilogues for the discs containing the films.

88 Minutes was released on April 18, 2008 in the United States, having already been released in various other countries in 2007. The film was critically panned, although critics found the fault to be in the plot instead of Pacino's acting.[17] In Righteous Kill, Pacino's next scheduled film, Pacino and Robert De Niro co-star as New York detectives searching for a serial killer. Rapper 50 Cent also stars in it as well as professional skateboarder Rob Dyrdek. The film was released to theaters on September 12, 2008. In Rififi, a remake of the 1955 French original based on the novel by Auguste Le Breton, Pacino plays a career thief just out of prison who finds his wife (Lynne Hume[citation needed]) has left him; in his anger, he starts planning a heist.[18] Also Pacino is set to play surrealist Salvador Dal in the film Dali & I: The Surreal Story.[19][20] Pacino also won several awards during this time including one for being named the greatest actor of all time in Channel 4's poll of the greatest actors.

[edit] Personal life

On January 7, 1961, Pacino and two others were seen by police circling in their vehicle in a suspicious manner, and wearing black masks and gloves. When police pulled them over, Pacino was found to be carrying a concealed weapon and was arrested. Pacino, who was living in New York City, stayed in the Rhode Island ACI for three days before being released when it was found that the weapons were, in fact, props from a movie set.[21] While Pacino has never married, he has three children. The first, Julie Marie (b. 1989), is his daughter with acting coach Jan Tarrant. He also has twins, Anton James and Olivia Rose (b. January 25, 2001), with ex-girlfriend Beverly D'Angelo, whom he dated from 1996 until 2003.[citation needed] Pacino also had a relationship with Diane Keaton, his co-star in the Godfather Trilogy. The on-again, off-again relationship ended following the filming of The Godfather Part III.[22]

[edit] Filmography
Year Film Role Other notes

1969 Me, Natalie

Tony

Film debut

1971

The Panic in Needle Park

Bobby

1972 The Godfather

Michael Corleone

Nominated - Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated - BAFTA Award for Best Newcomer Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best

Actor - Motion Picture Drama Salary: US$35,000

Scarecrow

Francis Lionel 'Lion' Delbuchi

1973 Serpico Frank Serpico

Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama Nominated - Academy Award for Best Actor Nominated - BAFTA Award for Best Actor Salary: US$15,000

1974

The Godfather Part II

Michael Corleone

BAFTA Award for Best Actor Nominated - Academy Award for Best Actor Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama Salary: US$500,000 + 10% profit

1975

Dog Day Afternoon

Sonny

BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role Nominated - Academy Award for Best Actor Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama

1977 Bobby Deerfield

Bobby Deerfield

Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama

And Justice for 1979 All

Arthur Kirkland

Nominated - Academy Award for Best Actor Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama

1980 Cruising

Steve Burns

1982 Author! Author!

Ivan Travalian

Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy

1983 Scarface

Tony Montana

Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama

1985 Revolution

Tom Dobb

Nominated - Razzie Award for Worst Actor

1989 Sea of Love

Frank Keller

Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama

The Local Stigmatic

Graham

Filmed in 1985

1990

Dick Tracy

Big Boy Caprice

Nominated - Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated - BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture Salary: US$4,500,000

The Godfather Part III

Michael Corleone

Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama Salary: US$5,000,000

1991

Frankie and Johnny

Johnny

Glengarry Glen Ross 1992

Ricky Roma

Nominated - Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture

Scent of a Woman

Frank Slade

Academy Award for Best Actor Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama

1993 Carlito's Way

Carlito 'Charlie' Brigante

Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama

Two Bits 1995 Heat

Gitano Sabatoni

Lt. Vincent Hanna

Looking for Richard 1996 City Hall

Director/Narrator/Richard III

Directors Guild Award - Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary

John Pappas

Donnie Brasco 1997 The Devil's Advocate

Benjamin 'Lefty' Ruggiero

John Milton

The Insider 1999

Lowell Bergman

Any Given Sunday Tony D'Amato

2000 Chinese Coffee

Harry Levine

Also director; filmed in 1997

Insomnia

Will Dormer

2002 S1m0ne

Viktor Taransky

Salary: US$11,000,000

People I Know

Eli Wurman

2003 The Recruit

Walter Burke

Gigli

Starkman

Nominated - Razzie Award for Worst Supporting Actor

Angels in America Roy Cohn

Emmy Award for Best Lead Actor Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a MiniSeries or Motion Picture Screen Actors Guild Award - Best Actor in A Mini-Series or Television Movie

2004

The Merchant of Venice

Shylock

2005 Two for the Money Walter Abrams

Ocean's Thirteen 2007 88 Minutes

Willie Bank

Dr. Jack Gramm

2008 Righteous Kill

Detective David "Rooster" Fisk

Salomaybe?

Director; Post-production

2009

Rififi

Not yet known

Pre-production

Dali & I: The Surreal Story

Salvador Dal

Pre-production

[edit] Awards and nominations

For more details on this topic, see List of Al Pacino awards.

[edit] References

1. ^ "100 Greatest Movie Stars: Channel 4 Film". http://www.channel4.com/film/newsfeatures/microsites/M/moviestars/results/results_05_01.jsp. Retrieved on 2008-02-20. 2. ^ "Premiere-The 50 Greatest Movie Stars of All Time". http://www.premiere.com/features/2395/the-50-greatest-movie-stars-of-all-time-page12.html. 3. ^ "Al Pacino Biography (1940-)". filmreference.com. http://www.filmreference.com/film/33/AlPacino.html. Retrieved on 2007-12-25. 4. ^ "Al Pacino Biography". salpacino.com. http://www.salpacino.com/biography.htm. 5. ^ "Al Pacino Biography". Yahoo! Movies. http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800017701/bio. Retrieved on 2007-12-25. 6. ^ Ken Burns (January 26, 2003). "Al Pacino Interview". USA Weekend. http://www.usaweekend.com/03_issues/030126/030126pacino.html. 7. ^ "Al Pacino". Inside the Actors Studio. Bravo. 2006-10-02. No. 1201, season 12. 8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Stated in interview on Inside the Actors Studio, 2006 9. ^ a b The Biography Channel (UK): "Al Pacino" 10. ^ a b c d e f Yule, A. Al Pacino: Life on the Wire, Time Warner Paperbacks (1992) 11. ^ Smith, Kyle. "Scent of a Winner", People Weekly, December 13, 1999 12. ^ "Scarface (1983) Box Office". boxofficemojo.com. http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=scarface.htm. Retrieved on 2007-12-25. 13. ^ Frank Lovece (September 17, 1989). "Pacino re-focuses on film career; after five-year absence, actor returns to the big screen". Los Angeles Times. http://franklovece.com/subpage.html#pacino. 14. ^ Robert Howarth (April 21, 2005). "Pacino Lends Likeness, Not Voice, To Scarface Game". http://ve3d.ign.com/articles/news/10397/Pacino-Lends-Likeness-Not-Voice-To-Scarface-Game. 15. ^ "AFI Lifetime Achievement Award: Al Pacino". http://www.afi.com/tvevents/laa/laa07.aspx. "Al Pacino is an icon of American film. He has created some of the great characters in the movies from Michael Corleone to Tony Montana to Roy Cohn. His career inspires audiences and artists alike, with each new performance a master class for a generation of actors to follow. AFI is proud to present him with its 35th Life Achievement Award." 16. ^ "Award Winning Actor, Al Pacino Visits Trinity College". Trinity College Dublin. November 22, 2006. http://www.tcd.ie/Communications/news/news.php?headerID=476&vs_date=2006-1101. 17. ^ "88 Minutes". http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/88minutes. Retrieved on 2007-07-19. 18. ^ "Wippit Featured Artists: Al Pacino". wippit.com. Archived from the original on 2007-12-24. http://web.archive.org/web/20071224003755/http://wippit.com/artists/Al_Pacino/index.html. Retrieved on 2007-12-25. 19. ^ "Pacino to play Dal". Empire.com. 19 January 2007. http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=20265. 20. ^ Borys Kit (January 19, 2007). "Surreal life: Pacino plays Dali in biopic". The Hollywood Reporter. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3i34f42e1d7ddfde742e9a0806 06b2cccf. 21. ^ "Al Pacino Mugshot". Mugshots.org. http://www.mugshots.org/hollywood/al-pacino.html. Retrieved on 2008-10-27. 22. ^ The Barbara Walters Special, February 29, 2004

[edit] External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Al Pacino

Al Pacino official website Al Pacino at the Internet Broadway Database Al Pacino at the Internet Movie Database Al Pacino at the TCM Movie Database Al Pacino at TV.com Al Pacino Photo Essay at AMCtv.com
Awards and achievements Golden Globe - Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture Drama 1974 for Serpico BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role 1975 for The Godfather Part II and Dog Day Afternoon Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play 1976-1977 for The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel Golden Globe - Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture Drama 1992 for Scent of a Woman Donostia Award, San Sebastian International Film Festival 1996 Cecil B. DeMille Award 2001 Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actor - Miniseries or Television Movie 2003 for Angels in America

Preceded by Marlon Brando for The Godfather

Succeeded by Jack Nicholson for Chinatown

Preceded by Jack Nicholson for Chinatown and The Last Detail

Succeeded by Jack Nicholson for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Preceded by John Wood for Travesties

Succeeded by Barnard Hughes for Da

Preceded by Nick Nolte for The Prince of Tides

Succeeded by Tom Hanks for Philadelphia (film)

Preceded by Lana Turner Anthony Quinn Preceded by Barbra Streisand

Succeeded by Michael Douglas Jeremy Irons Succeeded by Harrison Ford Succeeded by Geoffrey Rush for The Life and Death of Peter Sellers

Preceded by William H. Macy for Door to Door

Preceded by Albert Finney for The Gathering Storm

Golden Globe - Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television 2004 for Angels in America AFI Life Achievement Award 2007 Co-President of the Actors Studio along with Harvey Keitel and Ellen Burstyn

Succeeded by Geoffrey Rush for The Life and Death of Peter Sellers Succeeded by Warren Beatty Succeeded by Incumbent

Preceded by Sean Connery Preceded by '

vde

Academy Award for Best Actor

Henry Fonda (1981) Ben Kingsley (1982) Robert Duvall (1983) F. Murray Abraham (1984) William Hurt (1985) Paul Newman (1986) Michael Douglas (1987) Dustin Hoffman (1988) Daniel Day-Lewis (1989) Jeremy Irons (1990) Anthony Hopkins (1991) Al Pacino (1992) Tom Hanks (1993) Tom Hanks (1994) Nicolas Cage (1995) Geoffrey Rush (1996) Jack Nicholson (1997) Roberto Benigni (1998) Kevin Spacey (1999) Russell Crowe (2000)

Complete List (19281940) (19411960) (19611980) (19812000) (2001-present)

vde

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor - Miniseries or a Movie

Kenneth Branagh (2001) Albert Finney (2002) William H. Macy (2003) Al Pacino (2004) Geoffrey Rush (2005) Andre Braugher (2006) Robert Duvall (2007) Paul Giamatti (2008) Complete list: (1952-1975) (1976-2000) (2001-present)
vde

Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play

Arthur Kennedy (1949) Eli Wallach (1951) John Cromwell (1952) John Williams (1953) John Kerr (1954) Francis L. Sullivan (1955) Ed Begley (1956) Frank Conroy (1957) Henry Jones (1958) Charlie Ruggles (1959) Roddy McDowall (1960) Martin Gabel (1961) Walter Matthau (1962) Alan Arkin (1963) Hume Cronyn (1964) Jack Albertson (1965) Patrick Magee (1966) Ian Holm (1967) James Patterson (1968) Al Pacino (1969) Ken Howard (1970) Paul Sand (1971) Vincent Gardenia (1972) John Lithgow (1973) Ed Flanders (1974) Frank Langella (1975) Complete list: (1947-1975) (1976-2000) (2001-present)
vde

Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play

John Wood (1976) Al Pacino (1977) Barnard Hughes (1978) Tom Conti (1979) John

Rubinstein (1980) Ian McKellen (1981) Roger Rees (1982) Harvey Fierstein (1983) Jeremy Irons (1984) Derek Jacobi (1985) Judd Hirsch (1986) James Earl Jones (1987) Ron Silver (1988) Philip Bosco (1989) Robert Morse (1990) Nigel Hawthorne (1991) Judd Hirsch (1992) Ron Leibman (1993) Stephen Spinella (1994) Ralph Fiennes (1995) George Grizzard (1996) Christopher Plummer (1997) Anthony LaPaglia (1998) Brian Dennehy (1999) Stephen Dillane (2000) Complete list: (1947-1975) (1976-2000) (2001-present)
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Scarface
Films Games Music Characters
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Scarface (1932) Scarface (1983) The World Is Yours Money. Power. Respect. Scarface (soundtrack) Music Inspired by Scarface "Scarface (Push It to the Limit)" "Rush Rush" Tony Montana Tony Camonte Other characters

The Godfather series

Films Novels Video Games Corleone family The Godfather The Godfather Part II The Godfather Part III The Godfather The Sicilian The Godfather Returns The Godfather's Revenge The Godfather The Godfather: The Game The Godfather II Vito Corleone Carmella Corleone Tom Hagen Sonny Corleone Fredo Corleone Michael Corleone Connie Corleone-Rizzi Apollonia Vitelli-Corleone Kay Adams-Corleone Anthony Corleone Mary Corleone Vincent Mancini-Corleone Sandra Corleone Ozzie Altobello Emilio Barzini Ottilio Cuneo Sam Drago Frankie Falcone Vincent Forlenza Paulie Fortunato Tony Molinari Louie Russo Anthony Stracci Bruno Tattaglia Philip Tattaglia Rico Tattaglia Carlo Tramonti Joe Zaluchi Momo Barone Luca Brasi Willi Cicci Peter Clemenza Don Fanucci Johnny Fontane Senator Pat Geary Nick Geraci Archbishop Gilday Moe Greene Jaggy Jovino Frederick Keinszig Cardinal Lamberto Rocco Lampone Joe Lucadello Monk Malone Lucy Mancini Carmine Marino Sal Narducci Al Neri Tommy Neri Ritchie Nobilio Johnny Ola Eddie Paradise Bud Payton Frank Pentangeli Hyman Roth Carlo Rizzi Amerigo Bonasera Danny Shea James Shea Mickey Shea Virgil Sollozzo Salvatore Tessio Don Tommasino Aldo Trapani Billy Van Arsdale Jack Woltz Joey Zasa The Godfather (soundtrack) The Godfather Part II (soundtrack) The Godfather Part III (soundtrack) Speak Softly Love (Love Theme From The Godfather) Promise Me You'll Remember (Love Theme from The Godfather Part III)

Other families

Other characters

Music

Related

Francis Ford Coppola Mario Puzo Albert S. Ruddy Nino Rota Crime film Organized crime Mafia Five Families Five Families (The Godfather) Sicily Corleone Mark Winegardner The Sicilian The Freshman The Godfather Saga The Godfather Academy Awards

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Peter Jackson

Personal Info - Awards - Film Credits - Biography

Personal Info
Born: 31 October 1961, Pukerua Bay, North Island, New Zealand Birth Name: Peter Jackson Salary King Kong (2005): $20,000,000 + 20% of the gross (to be shared with co-writer/producer Fran Walsh & co-writer Philippa Boyens) The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001): $10,000,000 + gross points (this salary is for all 3 films) Companies WingNut Films Representation International Creative Management Nelson Felker Levine and Dern (legal)

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Awards
Academy Awards, USA 2004 Won, Oscar Best Director for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) Won, Oscar Best Picture for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) Shared With: Barrie M. Osborne, Fran Walsh Won, Oscar Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) Shared With: Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens

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2003 Nominated, Oscar Best Picture for The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) Shared With: Barrie M. Osborne, Fran Walsh 2002 Nominated, Oscar Best Director for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) Nominated, Oscar Best Picture for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) Shared With: Barrie M. Osborne, Fran Walsh Nominated, Oscar Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) Shared With: Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens 1995 Nominated, Oscar Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen for Heavenly Creatures (1994) Shared With: Fran Walsh Another 73 wins & 58 nominations

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Film Credits
King Kong - Producer, Director, Writer (screenplay), Gunner 2005 The Lost Spider Pit Sequence (video short) - Director 2005 Hostel - Very Special Thanks 2005 The World's Fastest Indian - Thanks 2005 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King - Producer, Director, Executive Soundtrack Producer (uncredited), Writer (screenplay), Mercenary On Boat (uncredited) 2003 The Long and Short of It (short) - Executive Producer, Bus Driver 2003 The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - Producer, Director, Writer (screenplay), Rohirrim Warrior (uncredited) 2002 The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - Producer, Director, Writer (screenplay), Albert Dreary (uncredited) 2001 Contact - Additional Visual Effects 1997 The Frighteners - Producer, Director, Writer (written by), Man with Piercings 1996 Heavenly Creatures - Co-producer, Director, Writer, Bum outside theater 1994 Jack Brown Genius - Producer, Writer, Second Unit Director 1994 Dead Alive - Director, Stop Motion Animator, Writer, Undertaker's Assistant, Miniatures 1992 Valley of the Stereos (short) - Co-producer 1992 The Lounge Bar (short) - Special Effects 1989 Just the Feebles - Producer, Director, Camera Operator, Puppet Maker, Writer 1989 Bad Taste - Producer, Director, Writer, Derek/Robert, Special Effects, Editor, Makeup Effects, Cinematographer The Valley (short) - Director, Actor, Special Effects, Editor, Makeup Designer, Costume

Biography
Peter Jackson is a film writer, director and producer from New Zealand. He was first known for his "splatstick" horror comedies, and came to prominence for his movie Heavenly Creatures, for which he received Oscar nominations. Jackson now is best-known as the director of the epic film trilogy, The Lord of the Rings, based on the books by J. R. R. Tolkien. He is married to Fran Walsh, with whom he has two children. Jackson started his career as a fanatical hobbyist, creating small movies with simple technical means and the help of a couple of friends. When one of his projects, the horror comedy Bad Taste, over a period of four years grew from the originally planned half-hour to a 90 minutes feature film, Jackson and his crew took the end result to the film festival in Cannes, where it

received critical acclaim and was sold to twelve countries. This allowed him to start a professional career as a film director. Unlike other New Zealand film directors, Jackson has remained in New Zealand to make films, preferring to have Hollywood come to him, rather than going to Hollywood to make his films. In the process he has created or acquired a number of local businesses in order to support film production in New Zealand. He was an early user of computer enhancement technology and provided digital special effects to a number of Hollywood films by use of telecommunications and satellite links to transmit raw images and the enhanced results across the Pacific Ocean, making good use of time differences between New Zealand and North America. Although appearing casual and relaxed, inevitably dressing in his trademark baggy shorts without shoes, Jackson is a perfectionist with his film projects. He demands countless takes of every scene, pushes his special effects crew to make their work seamless and invisible, and insists in authenticity in miniatures even on the sides that are never shown in a film. On the other hand, many of his most beautiful scenes result from purely serendipitous shots taken while flying from one location to another. Despite this perfectionism, he is well-known for the fact that he needs significantly less budget than his peers to achieve spectacular results. Peter Jackson has been promised a reported US$20 million fee for his next film, a remake of the 1933 classic King Kong. As of 2004, that made him the highest-paid motion picture director in history. There has been a good deal of speculation as to whether he might direct The Hobbit, predecessor to The Lord of the Rings. His responses to date seem to indicate that he is interested, if the studios can work out the rights. Any such production would need to include scenes set in Bag End and Rivendell and cast younger versions of Gandalf, Bilbo Baggins, Elrond and Gollum, and audiences might find it hard to accept them if they looked too different from the versions in Jackson's trilogy. (Although the immortal Gandalf and Elrond wouldn't look noticably different.)

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Steven Spielberg Personal Info - Awards - Film

Credits - Biography

Personal Info
Born: 18 December 1946, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA Birth Name: Steven Allan Spielberg Salary Jurassic Park III (2001): $72,000,000 Schindler's List (1993): $0 (Asked not to be paid.) Jurassic Park (1993): $250,000,000 (gross and profit participations) Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981): $1,500,000 + % of gross Companies Amblin Entertainment DreamWorks SKG Representation Creative Artists Agency Gang, Tyre, Ramer & Brown Inc. (legal)

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2006 Nominated, Oscar Best Motion Picture of the Year for Munich (2005) Shared With: Kathleen Kennedy, Barry Mendel Nominated, Oscar Best Achievement in Directing for Munich (2005) 1999 Won, Oscar Best Director for Saving Private Ryan (1998) Nominated, Oscar Best Picture for Saving Private Ryan (1998) Shared With: Ian Bryce, Mark Gordon, Gary Levinsohn 1994 Won, Oscar

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Best Director for Schindler's List (1993) Won, Oscar Best Picture for Schindler's List (1993) Shared With: Gerald R. Molen, Branko Lustig 1987 Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award 1986 Nominated, Oscar Best Picture for The Color Purple (1985) Shared With: Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, Quincy Jones 1983 Nominated, Oscar Best Director for E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) Nominated, Oscar Best Picture for E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) Shared With: Kathleen Kennedy 1982 Nominated, Oscar Best Director for Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) 1978 Nominated, Oscar Best Director for Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) Another 102 wins & 71 nominations

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Film Credits
Monster House - Executive Producer 2006 Munich - Producer, Director 2005 Memoirs of a Geisha - Producer 2005 The Legend of Zorro - Executive Producer 2005 War of the Worlds - Director 2005 Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith - Assistant Director (action scenes) 2005 The Terminal - Producer, Director 2004 Catch Me If You Can - Producer, Director 2002 Men in Black II - Executive Producer 2002 Minority Report - Director 2002 Price for Peace (documentary) - Executive Producer 2002 Vanilla Sky - Guest at David Aames' Party (uncredited) 2001 Jurassic Park III - Executive Producer 2001 Artificial Intelligence: AI - Producer, Director, Writer (screenplay) 2001 Evolution - Executive Producer (uncredited) 2001 Shrek - Executive Producer (uncredited) 2001 Eyes of the Holocaust (documentary) - Executive Producer 2000 What Lies Beneath - Idea 2000 The Unfinished Journey (documentary short) - Director 1999 Wakko's Wish (video) - Executive Producer (uncredited) 1999 The Haunting - Executive Producer (uncredited), Second Unit Director (uncredited) 1999 The Last Days (documentary) - Executive Producer 1998 Saving Private Ryan - Producer, Director 1998 The Mask of Zorro - Executive Producer 1998 Deep Impact - Executive Producer 1998 Amistad - Producer, Director 1997 Men in Black - Executive Producer 1997

The Lost World: Jurassic Park - Director, Popcorn-Eating Man (uncredited) 1997 The Lost Children of Berlin (documentary) - Executive Producer 1997 Twister - Executive Producer 1996 The Best of Roger Rabbit (video) - Executive Producer 1996 Balto - Executive Producer 1995 Casper - Executive Producer 1995 The Flintstones - Executive Producer (as Steven Spielrock) 1994 I'm Mad (short) - Executive Producer 1994 Yakko's World: An Animaniacs Singalong (video) - Executive Producer 1994 Schindler's List - Producer, Director 1993 We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story - Executive Producer 1993 Jurassic Park - Director 1993 Trail Mix-Up (short) - Executive Producer 1993 Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation (video) - Executive Producer 1992 Hook - Director 1991 An American Tail: Fievel Goes West - Producer 1991 Cape Fear - Executive Producer (uncredited) 1991 A Brief History of Time (documentary) - Executive Producer (uncredited) 1991 Arachnophobia - Executive Producer, Second Unit Director (uncredited) 1990 Gremlins 2: The New Batch - Executive Producer 1990 Roller Coaster Rabbit (short) - Executive Producer 1990 Back to the Future Part III - Executive Producer 1990 Yume - Executive Producer (international version) 1990 Joe Versus the Volcano - Executive Producer 1990 Always - Producer, Director 1989 Back to the Future Part II - Executive Producer 1989 Dad - Executive Producer 1989 Tummy Trouble (short) - Executive Producer 1989 Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade - Director 1989 The Land Before Time - Executive Producer 1988 Who Framed Roger Rabbit - Executive Producer 1988 *batteries not included - Executive Producer 1987 Empire of the Sun - Producer, Director 1987 Three O'Clock High - Executive Producer (uncredited) 1987 Innerspace - Executive Producer 1987 Harry and the Hendersons - Executive Producer (uncredited) 1987 An American Tail - Executive Producer 1986 The Money Pit - Executive Producer, Presenter 1986 The Color Purple - Producer, Director 1985 Young Sherlock Holmes - Executive Producer 1985 Back to the Future - Executive Producer 1985 The Goonies - Executive Producer, Writer (story) 1985 Fandango - Executive Producer (uncredited) 1985 Gremlins - Executive Producer, Presenter, Man in Electric Wheelchair (uncredited) 1984 Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom - Director, Tourist at Airport (uncredited) 1984 Twilight Zone: The Movie - Producer, Director (segment 2) 1983 Poltergeist - Producer, Writer (screenplay) (story), Editor (uncredited) 1982 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial - Producer, Director 1982 Continental Divide - Executive Producer 1981 Raiders of the Lost Ark - Director 1981 Used Cars - Executive Producer 1980 The Blues Brothers - Cook County Assessor's Office Clerk 1980 1941 - Director 1979 I Wanna Hold Your Hand - Executive Producer 1978 Close Encounters of the Third Kind - Director, Writer (written by) 1977 Taxi Driver - Supervising Editor (uncredited) 1976 Jaws - Director, Musician (uncredited), Lifestation Worker (voice) (uncredited) 1975 The Sugarland Express - Director, Writer (story) 1974 Ace Eli and Rodger of the Skies - Writer (story) 1973 Amblin' (short) - Director, Writer, Editor (uncredited) 1968 Faces - Production Assistant (uncredited) 1968 11,763

Slipstream (short) - Director (unfinished), Writer 1967 Firelight - Director, Writer (as Steve Spielberg), Editor 1964 Escape to Nowhere (short) - Director, Writer (as Steve Spielberg), Editor 1961 Fighter Squad (short) - Director, Writer, Editor 1961 The Last Gun (short) - Director, Actor, Editor 1959

Biography
Without a doubt one of the most influential film personalities in the history of film, Steven Spielberg is perhaps Hollywood's best known director and one of the wealthiest filmmakers in the world. Spielberg has countless big grossing critically acclaimed credits to his name, both as producer, director and writer. Spielberg was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1946. He went to Long Beach University, but dropped out to pursue his entertainment career. He gained notoriety as an uncredited assistant editor on the classic western Wagon Train. Among his early directing efforts were Battle Squad (1961), which combined World War Two Footage with footage of an airplane that is on the ground he makes you believe is moving. He also directed Escape to Nowhere, which featured kids as World War Two soldiers, including his sister Anne Spielberg. (1961) And Last Gun, The (1959), a western. All of these were short films. The next couple of years Spielberg directed a couple of movies that would be foretelling to his future career in movies. In 1964 he directed Firelight a movie about aliens invading a small town. In 1967 he directed the movie Slipstream which was unfinished. But in 1968 he directed the movie, Amblin which featured the desert prominently, and not the first Spielberg movie the desert would be so prominent in. Amblin would also become the production company he would produce many films with, including the classic E.T. Spielberg had a unique and classic early directing project, Duel (1971) (TV), with Dennis Weaver. The film is considered a unique classic that still baffles some. In the early 1970s Spielberg was working on TV, in Rod Serling's "Night Gallery" (1970), "Marcus Welby, MD" (1969) and Columbo, to name a few. All of his works in television and short films, as well as his directing projects were just the beginning of the gathering storm of talent that would become the Spielberg that made the brilliant films he would later become known for internationally. As an undoubted rising star, his major directorial effort was the Sugarland Express, The (1974), with Goldie Hawn. It was his next directorial effort that made Spielberg an international superstar among directors: Jaws (1975). This classic shark attack tale started the tradition of the summer blockbuster, or at least he was credited with starting the tradition. His next effort was the classic Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), a unique and very original UFO story that remains a cult classic. In 1978 Spielberg produced his first film, the forgettable I Wanna Hold Your Hand (1978), and followed his first effort with Used Cars (1980), a critically acclaimed, but mostly forgotten Kurt Russell\Jack Warden comedy. Spielberg hit gold again directing Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), with Harrison Ford taking the part of Indiana Jones. Spielberg produced and directed two films in 1982. The first one was Poltergeist (1982), but the highest grossing movie of all time up to that point was the alien story, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982). Spielberg also made money a major part of the film industry, or at least a bigger part of the industry than it was before. He was the first producer to use product placement in his films, with the infamous placement of Reeses Pieces in 'E.T.'. Spielberg was also one of the pioneers of the big grossing special effects movies, like E.T., and 'Close Encounters', where a very strong emphasis on special effects was placed for the first time on such a large scale. In 1984 Spielberg followed up 'Raiders' with Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), which was a commercial success but critically did not live up to its predecessor. As a producer Spielberg took on many projects in the 1980s, such as the silly Goonies, and was the brains behind the little monsters in Gremlins (1984). Spielberg also produced the cartoon American Tail, An (1986) (qv), a quaint little animated classic. But his biggest effort as producer in 1985 was the blockbuster Back to the Future (1985), which made 'Michael J. Fox' an instant superstar. As director, Spielberg took on the book Color Purple, The (1985), with Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey, with great success. In the latter half of the 1980s he also directed Empire of the Sun (1987), which was a mixed success for the occasionally erratic Spielberg. But success would not escape him for long. The late eighties found Spielberg's projects at the center of pop culture, yet again. In 1988 he produced the landmark

animation/live action film Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988). But 1989 proved to be another big year for Spielberg, as he produced and directed Always (1989), as well as Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), and Back to the Future Part II (1989). All three of the movies were box office and critical successes. Also in 1989 Steven Spielberg produced the little known comedy drama Dad, with Jack Lemmon and Ted Danson, which gave mostly mixed results. Spielberg has also had an affinity for animation and has been a strong voice in animation in the nineties.Aside from producing the landmark Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Steven Spielberg produced the TV show Tiny Toon Adventures, Animaniacs, Pinky and the Brain, Freakazoid, Pinky Elmira and The Brain,Family Dog, and Toonsylvania. Spielberg also produced other cartoons such as the Land Before Time, We're back, a Dinosaur Story, Balto, Casper (the live action version) as well as the live action version of the Flintstones, where Steven Spielberg was credited as Steven Spielrock.Spielberg also produced many Roger Rabbit seperate cartoons, and many Pinky and the Brain, Animaniacs and Tiny Toons specials. Spielberg was very active in the early nineties, as he directed Hook (1991) , and produced such films as the cute fantasy Joe Versus the Volcano (1990) and American Tail: Fivel Goes West, An (1991) . He also produced the unusual comedy thriller Arachnophobia (1990), Back to the Future Part III (1990), and Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990). While the movies were big successes in their own right, they did not quite bring in the box office or appeal as previous efforts. In 1993 Spielberg directed Jurassic Park (1993) which would go on to be the highest grossing movie of all time, for a short time. While the movie was a top grosser at the box office, the movie did not have the universal appeal of his previous efforts. But big box office spectacles were not his only line of business. He produced and directed Schindler's List (1993) (a stirring film about the Holocaust. He won best director at the Oscars, and also got best picture. In the mid-nineties Spielberg founded the production company Dreamworks, responsible for many box office successes in the nineties and the new century. Spielberg as a producer was very active in the late nineties spearheading such films as Mask of Zorro, The (1998), Men in Black (1997), and Deep Impact (1998). But on the directing front Spielberg was in top form in the late nineties. Spielberg directed and produced the epic, Amistad (1997), a spectacular film that was shorted at the Oscars and in release due to the fact that its release date was moved around so much in late 1997. But 1998 found one of Spielberg's best films in years come to the theaters: Saving Private Ryan (1998). This movie was an almost perfect film about World War Two that is spectacular in almost every respect. The movie was stiffed at the Oscars, losing best picture to 'Shakespeare in Love'. In the nineties Spielberg produced a series of films, including Evolution (2001), Haunting, The (1999), and Shrek (2001). Spielberg also produced two sequels to Jurassic Park, which met with big box office but an increasingly critical crowd of movie-goers. In 2001 he produced the mini-series about World War Two entitled "Band of Brothers" (2001) (mini). Also in that year, Spielberg was back in the directors chair for Artificial Intelligence: AI (2001), a movie with a message and a huge budget. The movie did reasonably at the box office and received mixed signals from critics. As of right now Steven Spielberg is teaming up with Tom Cruise for the expected box office hit Minority Report (2002). While the movie is showing off good special effects and a stellar pairing of two titans of the silver screen the critics have not all been too friendly. Perhaps this is a further sign that Spielberg's days of big box office are on the decline. As well as producing Men in Black II (2002), Spielberg's next two projects are producing and directing Catch Me If You Can (2002), with Tom Hanks and Leonardo DiCaprio, and Indiana Jones 4 (2005) . While Spielberg has proven a brilliant filmmaker in the past his latest efforts have been mixed, but only the future will tell how he is looked upon as a presence in film. And while Spielberg has been extremely active in films there are many other things he has done as well. Spielberg produced the short lived TV series Seaquest DSV, an anthology series

entitled Amazing Stories, created the video game series Medal of Honor set during World War Two, and was a starting producer of E.R. Spielberg if you haven't noticed has a great interest in World War Two. Recently he produced the mini series Band of Brothers, which was based on true events of a rifle company that parachuted into France. Him and Tom Hanks collaborated on The Shooting War, about World War Two combat footage, and produced a documentary about the Holocaust called A Holocaust szemei. With everything to Spielberg's credit it is no wonder that he is looked at as one of the greatest ever figures in entertainment. Spielberg is a great filmmaker without a doubt, and it does not seem he is anywhere near done making films, and with all of the money he has he probably could do anything he wanted to. And recently Spielberg graduated from Long Beach State University with a degree in filmmaking. His possibilities are still limitless.

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Directors
A film director is a person who directs the making of a film. Generally, a film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects, and visualizes the script while guiding the technical crew and actors in the fulfillment of that vision. It is the director's sense of drama, along with the creative visualization of the script that transforms a screenplay into a well-made motion picture. However, the director doesn't always have absolute artistic control. The director is usually selected by the producer, whose job it is to make the decisions that are in the best interests of the Production Company or studio or network. As such, the producers have veto power over everything from the script itself to the final cut of the film, often in anywhere from slight to extreme opposition to the director's vision. Responsibilities The role of a film director in the creation of a movie is a large one, and typically includes completion of the following tasks:

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Hollywood film directors will typica receive 10% of a film's total gross salary.

Sam Raimi
Movie: Spider-Man 2 Gross: $783,000,000+ 10%: $78,300,000+ (aprox)

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Realize the overall artistic vision of the film. Control the content and flow of the film's plot. Direct the performances of actors, both by putting them in certain positions and by eliciting the required range of emotions. Organizing and selecting the locations in which the film will be shot. Manage technical details such as the positioning of cameras, the use of lighting, and the timing and content of the film's soundtrack.

Steven Spielberg
Movie: War of the Worlds Gross: $591,000,000+ 10%: $59,100,000+ (aprox)

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Often directors choose to delegate many of these responsibilities to other members of their film crews. For example, the director may describe the mood he wants from a scene, then leave it to other members of the film crew to find a suitable location and/or to set up the appropriate lighting. Methods of film directing How much control a director exerts over a film varies greatly. Many directors are under the control of the studio and producer. This was true from the 1930s through the 1950s, when studios had many directors, actors and writers under contract. Meanwhile, other directors have far more control and bring their artistic vision to the pictures they make. Their methods range from those who:

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Gore Verbinski Movie: Dead Man's Chest Gross: $962,000,000+ 10%: $96,200,000+ (aprox)

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Outline a general plot line and let the actors improvise dialogue. Control every aspect, and demand that the actors and crew follow instructions precisely. Write their own scripts. (Such as Quentin Tarantino, Hayao Miyazaki or Jason Norman) Collaborate on screenplays with long-standing writing partners. Act as their own cinematographers and editors. Star (often in leading roles) in their films, such as Orson Wells, Woody Allen or even Ed Wood, Jr.

Bryan Singer Movie: Superman Returns Gross: $368,000,000+ 10%: $36,800,000+ (aprox)

Peter Jackson Movie: King Kong Gross: $547,000,000+ 10%: $54,700,000+ (aprox)

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Directors work closely with film producers, who are usually responsible for the non-artistic

elements of the film, such as financing, contract negotiation and marketing. Some directors will often take on some of the responsibilities of the producer for their films. Steven Spielberg is known for doing precisely that, and the early silent film director Alice Guy Blach not only produced her own pictures but actually created her own highly successful studio.

Hire Movie Producers | Hire Movie Directors | Hire Movie Crew | Hire Movie Cast | Hire Screenwriters | Forums | Classifieds | Magazines | Film vie Crew | Movie Equipment | Movie Production | Movie Sets | Media Relations | Special Services | Film Festivals | Film Schools | Film Worksh Movie Studios | Film Networks | Unions | Unions List | Shop | New Productions | Film Resources | Movie News | Site Directory Submit to MovieStaff.com | Contact Us | About Us | Advertise | Login

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Movie Director Job Description The Job It's a non-stop, stressful job description. From the finalization of the script to the finalization of the star cast, coordinating their schedules with his own unit's shooting schedules and choice of locations, are some of the complex issues he/she has to take into consideration. Throw into that the rehearsing actors have to do under his supervision before the camera rolls, and the number of times the camera rolls before he is satisfied, and you have a potentially explosive and even mind-numbing situation. The 'movie' image of the director is very powerful and attractive, sitting imperiously on the hot seat with 'DIRECTOR' printed behind the seat, and holding a megaphone in his hand, shouting instructions to the light boys and cameraman, and the sound engineer. Apart from all this he's got to get the actors to emote wellto reach out and touch the audience. Being the nucleus of the Unit, everything and everyone revolves around him. A philosophical Director would probably make highly thought provoking art movies, some make commercial movies, some director's shuttle between both genres. Qualities of an Ideal Director Being creative oneself and bringing out the creativity in another is a rare mix of talent. That 's what a director does all the time (with his actors). An actor, however talented is always apprehensive about a new role. An actor is like an uncut diamondit's the director who has to round of the rough edges and bring out a polished and shiny gem. Renowned French filmmaker Jean Renoir once stated, "One category is the directors for whom the work starts from the camera. I am the opposite. I like to start with the actors." It is important for a director to know the strengths and limitations of an actor. Identifying these traits helps the director to bring out the best in an actor. A mediocre performance can be expected if a director is not able to guide individual actors to assess themselves and motivate them to bring out the best in them. Some directors are very strong willed and do not compromise with actors. It only helps to lend a listening ear to the actors' views, as it can only enhance one's performance levels. The need to make sudden changes during filming is another task a director has to shoulder. This is where the spontaneity of a director comes in handy. Changes also bring along with it a huge element of risk. Mistakes can prove costly, whereas a successful venture will bring in rich dividends. The Director - Producer relationship assumes an importance of very high proportions. There should be an instant chemistry between them. Their interactions should be as smooth and contribute to the venture. The focus of their relationship should be to live a common dreamMake a good movie and believe in it. A Director also needs to have a great inclination towards the technical aspects. He should have a clear idea in his mind about the position and the angle of the camera for each shot, the sets that have to be erected and the location for shooting. A Director should be able to create a clear and entertaining mental picture of the scene that's going to be shot. How to Become a Movie Director? Steps: Brainstorm to come up with any potential contacts in the film industry. Work as an apprentice under anyone currently directing student films, TV commercials, music videos or feature films.

Hollywood film directors will typica receive 10% of a film's total gross salary.

Sam Raimi
Movie: Spider-Man 2 Gross: $783,000,000+ 10%: $78,300,000+ (aprox)

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Steven Spielberg
Movie: War of the Worlds Gross: $591,000,000+ 10%: $59,100,000+ (aprox)

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Gore Verbinski Movie: Dead Man's Chest Gross: $962,000,000+ 10%: $96,200,000+ (aprox)

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Bryan Singer Movie: Superman Returns Gross: $368,000,000+ 10%: $36,800,000+ (aprox)

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Peter Jackson Movie: King Kong Gross: $547,000,000+ 10%: $54,700,000+ (aprox)

Consider applying to film school to gain both knowledge and industry contacts. Some top film schools can be found at New York University, the University of Southern California, the American Film Institute in Los Angeles, California Institute of the Arts and the University of California at Los Angeles. Apply for work on movie sets, in entry-level jobs such as production assistant or as anyone's assistant. If you work hard and make friends, you can move up the ladder. Target jobs directing TV commercials or music videos, where many film directors get their start. Develop a reel. Make sure it is of professional quality. Shoot films on your own; to start, they can be short (10 minutes long) and in black and white. If necessary, cast and write your films by yourself to build your experience and resume. Send postcards and updates regularly to industry contacts you have made, including directors, producers and actors. Constant networking leads to opportunities. Tips: Be creative and persistent, and understand that there isn't one right way to become a film director. Read "The Hollywood Reporter" and "Variety" to find out about upcoming productions and possible job openings. Network, network, network Famous Movie Directors

Michael Moore
Author, filmmaker, and political activist Michael Moore has developed a trademark style of tackling major issues with a sharp sense of humor while maintaining a regular-guy attitude, an approach that has helped him secure a reputation as both a razor-sharp humorist and one of America's most fearless political commentators. Michael Moore was born in 1954 in Davison, MI, a suburb of Flint. Show more

Quentin Tarantino
Director/screenwriter/actor/producer Quentin Tarantino was perhaps the most distinctive and volatile talent to emerge in American film in the early '90s. Unlike the previous generation of American filmmakers, Tarantino learned his craft from his days as a video clerk, rather than as a film school student. Consequently, he developed an audacious fusion of pop culture and independent art house cinema. Show more

Peter Jackson
Peter Jackson was born in New Zealand on Halloween 1961. He was raised in Pukerua Bay, a little town west of Wellington by his parents Bill and Joan Jackson. Being the only child, Peter was forced to come up with games, ideas and things to keep himself occupied. On Christmas 1969, Peter's parents got an 8mm camera and his life was forever changed. It didn't take long for Peter to get his hands on the camera.

Show more

Tim Burton
It should come as no shock to the fans of director Tim Burton that he spent his formative years glued to the tube, watching old cartoons and horror flicks. Such early influences no doubt helped to form the deliciously ghoulish and artfully warped sensibility of a director who was to become known for his forays into the bizarre outer regions of mainstream celluloid.

Show

more John Woo

The bread-and-butter of the film industry is the action movie. Each summer, audiences can expect to see car chases, gunfights and explosions, and studios can expect to see millions and millions of dollars in return. Though most viewers and critics see these movies as "fluff" entertainment (and rightfully so), there is one director that puts as much heart and soul into his "fluff" as any number of talented directors put into their "serious" movies. His name is John Woo. Show more

Robert Zemeckis
Robert Zemeckis began making home movies as a child in Chicago. He eventually attended the University of Southern California's School of Cinema-Television where he befriended budding filmmakers like George Lucas and John Milius. Zemeckis directed a pair of well received student films while at USC (The Lift and A Field of Honor). He soon met a man who would change his life, a burgeoning young star director named Steven Spielberg who was then based at Universal Pictures. Show more

Kevin Smith
One of the most unique voices to emerge during the American independent filmmaking renaissance of the 1990s, Kevin Smith was born in New Jersey on August 2, 1970. Smith later attended the New School for Social Research's creative writing program, dropping out after administrators contacted his parents to report that their son had been caught launching water balloons out of his dormitory window.

Show more

Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick was born in New York, and was considered intelligent despite poor grades at school. Hoping that a change of scenery would produce better academic performance, Kubrick's father Jack (a physician) sent him in 1940 to Pasadena, California, to stay with his uncle Martin Perveler. Returning to the Bronx in 1941 for his last year of grammar school, there seemed to be little change in his attitude or his results. Show more

Spike Lee
Spike Lee was born Shelton Lee in 1957, in Atlanta Georgia. At a very young age he moved from pre-civil rights Georgia, to Brooklyn, New York. Lee came from a proud and intelligent background. His father was a jazz musician, and his mother a school teacher. His mother dubbed him Spike, due to his tough nature. He attended school in Morehouse College in Atlanta, where he developed his film making skills.

Show more

Martin Scorcese
The most renowned filmmaker of his era, Martin Scorsese virtually defined the state of modern American cinema during the 1970s and '80s. A consummate storyteller and visual stylist who lived and breathed movies, he won fame translating his passion and energy into a brand of

filmmaking that crackled with kinetic excitement.

Show more

Hire Movie Producers | Hire Movie Directors | Hire Movie Crew | Hire Movie Cast | Hire Screenwriters | Forums | Classifieds | Magazines | Film vie Crew | Movie Equipment | Movie Production | Movie Sets | Media Relations | Special Services | Film Festivals | Film Schools | Film Worksh Movie Studios | Film Networks | Unions | Unions List | Shop | New Productions | Film Resources | Movie News | Site Directory Submit to MovieStaff.com | Contact Us | About Us | Advertise | Login

Copyright 2008 MovieStaff.com Privacy policy | Terms of use

PRODUCERS

DIRECTORS

MOVIE STUDIOS

CAST

CREW

WRITERS

FO

Movie Directors

Director Links

Become A Movie Director

How to Become a Movie Director? Steps: Brainstorm to come up with any potential contacts in the film industry. Work as an apprentice under anyone currently directing student films, TV commercials, music videos or feature films. Consider applying to film school to gain both knowledge and industry contacts. Some top film schools can be found at New York University, the University of Southern California, the American Film Institute in Los Angeles, California Institute of the Arts and the University of California at Los Angeles. Apply for work on movie sets, in entry-level jobs such as production assistant or as anyone's assistant. If you work hard and make friends, you can move up the ladder. Target jobs directing TV commercials or music videos, where many film directors get their start. Develop a reel. Make sure it is of professional quality. Shoot films on your own; to start, they can be short (10 minutes long) and in black and white. If necessary, cast and write your films by yourself to build your experience and resume.

Famous Movie Directors Director's Job Description Hire A Movie Director

Top Movie Directors

als

ls

Hollywood film directors will typica receive 10% of a film's total gross salary.

Sam Raimi
Movie: Spider-Man 2 Gross: $783,000,000+ 10%: $78,300,000+ (aprox)

ations

Steven Spielberg
Send postcards and updates regularly to industry contacts you have made, including directors, producers and actors. Constant networking leads to opportunities. Tips: Be creative and persistent, and understand that there isn't one right way to become a film director. Read "The Hollywood Reporter" and "Variety" to find out about upcoming productions and possible job openings. Network, network, network Movie Director Job Description The Job It's a non-stop, stressful job description. From the finalization of the script to the finalization of the star cast, coordinating their schedules with his own unit's shooting schedules and choice of locations, are some of the complex issues he/she has to take into consideration. Throw into that the rehearsing actors have to do under his supervision before the camera rolls, and the number of times the camera rolls before he is satisfied, and you have a potentially explosive and even mind-numbing situation. The 'movie' image of the director is very powerful and attractive, sitting imperiously on the hot seat with 'DIRECTOR' printed behind the seat, and holding a megaphone in his hand, shouting instructions to the light boys and cameraman, and the sound engineer. Apart from all this he's got to get the actors to emote wellto reach out and touch the audience. Being the nucleus of the Unit, everything and everyone revolves around him. A philosophical Director would probably make highly thought provoking art movies, some make commercial movies, some director's shuttle between both genres. Qualities of an Ideal Director Being creative oneself and bringing out the creativity in another is a rare mix of talent. That 's Bryan Singer Movie: Superman Returns Gross: $368,000,000+ 10%: $36,800,000+ (aprox) Movie: War of the Worlds Gross: $591,000,000+ 10%: $59,100,000+ (aprox)

ipment

duction

Gore Verbinski Movie: Dead Man's Chest Gross: $962,000,000+ 10%: $96,200,000+ (aprox)

dios

uctions

ers

vices

Peter Jackson Movie: King Kong Gross: $547,000,000+ 10%: $54,700,000+ (aprox)

what a director does all the time (with his actors). An actor, however talented is always apprehensive about a new role. An actor is like an uncut diamondit's the director who has to round of the rough edges and bring out a polished and shiny gem. Renowned French filmmaker Jean Renoir once stated, "One category is the directors for whom the work starts from the camera. I am the opposite. I like to start with the actors." It is important for a director to know the strengths and limitations of an actor. Identifying these traits helps the director to bring out the best in an actor. A mediocre performance can be expected if a director is not able to guide individual actors to assess themselves and motivate them to bring out the best in them. Some directors are very strong willed and do not compromise with actors. It only helps to lend a listening ear to the actors' views, as it can only enhance one's performance levels. The need to make sudden changes during filming is another task a director has to shoulder. This is where the spontaneity of a director comes in handy. Changes also bring along with it a huge element of risk. Mistakes can prove costly, whereas a successful venture will bring in rich dividends. The Director - Producer relationship assumes an importance of very high proportions. There should be an instant chemistry between them. Their interactions should be as smooth and contribute to the venture. The focus of their relationship should be to live a common dreamMake a good movie and believe in it. A Director also needs to have a great inclination towards the technical aspects. He should have a clear idea in his mind about the position and the angle of the camera for each shot, the sets that have to be erected and the location for shooting. A Director should be able to create a clear and entertaining mental picture of the scene that's going to be shot. Famous Movie Directors

Michael Moore
Author, filmmaker, and political activist Michael Moore has developed a trademark style of tackling major issues with a sharp sense of humor while maintaining a regular-guy attitude, an approach that has helped him secure a reputation as both a razor-sharp humorist and one of America's most fearless political commentators. Michael Moore was born in 1954 in Davison, MI, a suburb of Flint. Show more

Quentin Tarantino
Director/screenwriter/actor/producer Quentin Tarantino was perhaps the most distinctive and volatile talent to emerge in American film in the early '90s. Unlike the previous generation of American filmmakers, Tarantino learned his craft from his days as a video clerk, rather than as a film school student. Consequently, he developed an audacious fusion of pop culture and independent art house cinema. Show more

Peter Jackson
Peter Jackson was born in New Zealand on Halloween 1961. He was raised in Pukerua Bay, a little town west of Wellington by his parents Bill and Joan Jackson. Being the only child, Peter was forced to come up with games, ideas and things to keep himself occupied. On Christmas 1969, Peter's parents got an 8mm camera and his life was forever changed. It didn't take long for Peter to get his hands on the camera. Show more

Tim Burton
It should come as no shock to the fans of director Tim Burton that he spent his formative years glued to the tube, watching old cartoons and horror flicks. Such early influences no doubt helped to form the deliciously ghoulish and artfully warped sensibility of a director who was to

become known for his forays into the bizarre outer regions of mainstream celluloid.

Show

more John Woo

The bread-and-butter of the film industry is the action movie. Each summer, audiences can expect to see car chases, gunfights and explosions, and studios can expect to see millions and millions of dollars in return. Though most viewers and critics see these movies as "fluff" entertainment (and rightfully so), there is one director that puts as much heart and soul into his "fluff" as any number of talented directors put into their "serious" movies. His name is John Woo. Show more

Robert Zemeckis
Robert Zemeckis began making home movies as a child in Chicago. He eventually attended the University of Southern California's School of Cinema-Television where he befriended budding filmmakers like George Lucas and John Milius. Zemeckis directed a pair of well received student films while at USC (The Lift and A Field of Honor). He soon met a man who would change his life, a burgeoning young star director named Steven Spielberg who was then based at Universal Pictures. Show more

Kevin Smith
One of the most unique voices to emerge during the American independent filmmaking renaissance of the 1990s, Kevin Smith was born in New Jersey on August 2, 1970. Smith later attended the New School for Social Research's creative writing program, dropping out after administrators contacted his parents to report that their son had been caught launching water balloons out of his dormitory window. Show more

Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick was born in New York, and was considered intelligent despite poor grades at school. Hoping that a change of scenery would produce better academic performance, Kubrick's father Jack (a physician) sent him in 1940 to Pasadena, California, to stay with his uncle Martin Perveler. Returning to the Bronx in 1941 for his last year of grammar school, there seemed to be little change in his attitude or his results. Show more

Spike Lee
Spike Lee was born Shelton Lee in 1957, in Atlanta Georgia. At a very young age he moved from pre-civil rights Georgia, to Brooklyn, New York. Lee came from a proud and intelligent background. His father was a jazz musician, and his mother a school teacher. His mother dubbed him Spike, due to his tough nature. He attended school in Morehouse College in Atlanta, where he developed his film making skills. Show more

Martin Scorcese
The most renowned filmmaker of his era, Martin Scorsese virtually defined the state of modern American cinema during the 1970s and '80s. A consummate storyteller and visual stylist who lived and breathed movies, he won fame translating his passion and energy into a brand of filmmaking that crackled with kinetic excitement. Show more

Hire Movie Producers | Hire Movie Directors | Hire Movie Crew | Hire Movie Cast | Hire Screenwriters | Forums | Classifieds | Magazines | Film vie Crew | Movie Equipment | Movie Production | Movie Sets | Media Relations | Special Services | Film Festivals | Film Schools | Film Worksh Movie Studios | Film Networks | Unions | Unions List | Shop | New Productions | Film Resources | Movie News | Site Directory Submit to MovieStaff.com | Contact Us | About Us | Advertise | Login

Copyright 2008 MovieStaff.com Privacy policy | Terms of use

PRODUCERS

DIRECTORS

MOVIE STUDIOS

CAST

CREW

WRITERS

FO

Movie Directors
Famous Movie Directors

Director Links

Michael Moore
Author, filmmaker, and political activist Michael Moore has developed a trademark style of tackling major issues with a sharp sense of humor while maintaining a regular-guy attitude, an approach that has helped him secure a reputation as both a razor-sharp humorist and one of America's most fearless political commentators. Michael Moore was born in 1954 in Davison, MI, a suburb of Flint. Show more

Become A Movie Director Famous Movie Directors Director's Job Description Hire A Movie Director

als

Top Movie Directors

ls

Quentin Tarantino
Director/screenwriter/actor/producer Quentin Tarantino was perhaps the most distinctive and volatile talent to emerge in American film in the early '90s. Unlike the previous generation of

Hollywood film directors will typica receive 10% of a film's total gross salary.

American filmmakers, Tarantino learned his craft from his days as a video clerk, rather than as a film school student. Consequently, he developed an audacious fusion of pop culture and independent art house cinema. Show more

Sam Raimi
Movie: Spider-Man 2 Gross: $783,000,000+ 10%: $78,300,000+ (aprox)

Peter Jackson
Peter Jackson was born in New Zealand on Halloween 1961. He was raised in Pukerua Bay, a little town west of Wellington by his parents Bill and Joan Jackson. Being the only child, Peter was forced to come up with games, ideas and things to keep himself occupied. On Christmas 1969, Peter's parents got an 8mm camera and his life was forever changed. It didn't take long for Peter to get his hands on the camera.

ations

Steven Spielberg
Movie: War of the Worlds Gross: $591,000,000+ 10%: $59,100,000+ (aprox)

Show more

ipment

Tim Burton
It should come as no shock to the fans of director Tim Burton that he spent his formative years glued to the tube, watching old cartoons and horror flicks. Such early influences no doubt helped to form the deliciously ghoulish and artfully warped sensibility of a director who was to become known for his forays into the bizarre outer regions of mainstream celluloid. Gore Verbinski Movie: Dead Man's Chest Gross: $962,000,000+ 10%: $96,200,000+ (aprox)

duction

Show

dios

more John Woo

The bread-and-butter of the film industry is the action movie. Each summer, audiences can expect to see car chases, gunfights and explosions, and studios can expect to see millions and millions of dollars in return. Though most viewers and critics see these movies as "fluff" entertainment (and rightfully so), there is one director that puts as much heart and soul into his "fluff" as any number of talented directors put into their "serious" movies. His name is John Woo. Show more

uctions

Bryan Singer Movie: Superman Returns Gross: $368,000,000+ 10%: $36,800,000+ (aprox)

ers

vices

Robert Zemeckis
Robert Zemeckis began making home movies as a child in Chicago. He eventually attended the University of Southern California's School of Cinema-Television where he befriended budding filmmakers like George Lucas and John Milius. Zemeckis directed a pair of well received student films while at USC (The Lift and A Field of Honor). He soon met a man who would change his life, a burgeoning young star director named Steven Spielberg who was then based at Universal Pictures. Show more

Peter Jackson Movie: King Kong Gross: $547,000,000+ 10%: $54,700,000+ (aprox)

Kevin Smith
One of the most unique voices to emerge during the American independent filmmaking renaissance of the 1990s, Kevin Smith was born in New Jersey on August 2, 1970. Smith later attended the New School for Social Research's creative writing program, dropping out after administrators contacted his parents to report that their son had been caught launching water balloons out of his dormitory window. Show more

Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick was born in New York, and was considered intelligent despite poor grades at school. Hoping that a change of scenery would produce better academic performance, Kubrick's father Jack (a physician) sent him in 1940 to Pasadena, California, to stay with his uncle Martin Perveler. Returning to the Bronx in 1941 for his last year of grammar school, there seemed to be little change in his attitude or his results. Show more

Spike Lee
Spike Lee was born Shelton Lee in 1957, in Atlanta Georgia. At a very young age he moved from pre-civil rights Georgia, to Brooklyn, New York. Lee came from a proud and intelligent background. His father was a jazz musician, and his mother a school teacher. His mother dubbed him Spike, due to his tough nature. He attended school in Morehouse College in Atlanta, where he developed his film making skills.

Show more

Martin Scorcese
The most renowned filmmaker of his era, Martin Scorsese virtually defined the state of modern American cinema during the 1970s and '80s. A consummate storyteller and visual stylist who lived and breathed movies, he won fame translating his passion and energy into a brand of filmmaking that crackled with kinetic excitement. How to Become a Movie Director? Steps: Brainstorm to come up with any potential contacts in the film industry. Work as an apprentice under anyone currently directing student films, TV commercials, music videos or feature films. Consider applying to film school to gain both knowledge and industry contacts. Some top film schools can be found at New York University, the University of Southern California, the American Film Institute in Los Angeles, California Institute of the Arts and the University of California at Los Angeles. Apply for work on movie sets, in entry-level jobs such as production assistant or as anyone's assistant. If you work hard and make friends, you can move up the ladder. Target jobs directing TV commercials or music videos, where many film directors get their start. Develop a reel. Make sure it is of professional quality. Shoot films on your own; to start, they can be short (10 minutes long) and in black and white. If necessary, cast and write your films by yourself to build your experience and resume. Send postcards and updates regularly to industry contacts you have made, including directors, producers and actors. Constant networking leads to opportunities. Tips: Be creative and persistent, and understand that there isn't one right way to become a film director. Read "The Hollywood Reporter" and "Variety" to find out about upcoming productions and possible job openings. Network, network, network Movie Director Job Description The Job It's a non-stop, stressful job description. From the finalization of the script to the finalization of the star cast, coordinating their schedules with his own unit's shooting schedules and choice of

Show more

locations, are some of the complex issues he/she has to take into consideration. Throw into that the rehearsing actors have to do under his supervision before the camera rolls, and the number of times the camera rolls before he is satisfied, and you have a potentially explosive and even mind-numbing situation. The 'movie' image of the director is very powerful and attractive, sitting imperiously on the hot seat with 'DIRECTOR' printed behind the seat, and holding a megaphone in his hand, shouting instructions to the light boys and cameraman, and the sound engineer. Apart from all this he's got to get the actors to emote wellto reach out and touch the audience. Being the nucleus of the Unit, everything and everyone revolves around him. A philosophical Director would probably make highly thought provoking art movies, some make commercial movies, some director's shuttle between both genres. Qualities of an Ideal Director Being creative oneself and bringing out the creativity in another is a rare mix of talent. That 's what a director does all the time (with his actors). An actor, however talented is always apprehensive about a new role. An actor is like an uncut diamondit's the director who has to round of the rough edges and bring out a polished and shiny gem. Renowned French filmmaker Jean Renoir once stated, "One category is the directors for whom the work starts from the camera. I am the opposite. I like to start with the actors." It is important for a director to know the strengths and limitations of an actor. Identifying these traits helps the director to bring out the best in an actor. A mediocre performance can be expected if a director is not able to guide individual actors to assess themselves and motivate them to bring out the best in them. Some directors are very strong willed and do not compromise with actors. It only helps to lend a listening ear to the actors' views, as it can only enhance one's performance levels. The need to make sudden changes during filming is another task a director has to shoulder. This is where the spontaneity of a director comes in handy. Changes also bring along with it a huge element of risk. Mistakes can prove costly, whereas a successful venture will bring in rich dividends. The Director - Producer relationship assumes an importance of very high proportions. There should be an instant chemistry between them. Their interactions should be as smooth and contribute to the venture. The focus of their relationship should be to live a common dreamMake a good movie and believe in it. A Director also needs to have a great inclination towards the technical aspects. He should have a clear idea in his mind about the position and the angle of the camera for each shot, the sets that have to be erected and the location for shooting. A Director should be able to create a clear and entertaining mental picture of the scene that's going to be shot.

Hire Movie Producers | Hire Movie Directors | Hire Movie Crew | Hire Movie Cast | Hire Screenwriters | Forums | Classifieds | Magazines | Film vie Crew | Movie Equipment | Movie Production | Movie Sets | Media Relations | Special Services | Film Festivals | Film Schools | Film Worksh Movie Studios | Film Networks | Unions | Unions List | Shop | New Productions | Film Resources | Movie News | Site Directory Submit to MovieStaff.com | Contact Us | About Us | Advertise | Login

Copyright 2008 MovieStaff.com Privacy policy | Terms of use