Studio Feature Director

[Landon D. Parks]

You know, I have an interesting question. Does anyone know how old the youngest person to ever direct a studio feature was (In recent years)? That's always puzzeled me.

 

Dont know if anyone actually knows, but it would be somthing cool to know. Dont ask why, I guess it's just always puzzeled me. :rolleyes:

[David Mullen ASC]

I guess it would be Matty Rich, who was 22 when he was making "The Inkwell" for Touchstone Pictures? If you're talking about indie features, you can probably find younger directors...

[Landon D. Parks]

If you're talking about indie features

Well, No. When I say studio I mean pictures produced with studio funds.

[DavidSloan]

While definitely not studio directors, Samira and Hana Makmahlbaf, the daughters of the Iranian auteur - Mohsen, have both made films that have toured the world. Samira won the grand Jury prize at Cannes, a prize that's usually reserved for people like Bergman and Tarkovsky, while still a teenager. Her films: Blackboard, and Apple are simply amazing works of art; she is WAY beyond her years.

 

Blackboard

 

 

Samira

[David Mullen ASC]

It's just in today's world, with all the studios owning an indie division, it's hard to define a studio versus an indie film anymore. Some guy makes a 3 mil feature for Lion's Gate, is that an indie film or a studio film?

[Landon D. Parks]

It's just in today's world, with all the studios owning an indie division, it's hard to define a studio versus an indie film anymore. Some guy makes a 3 mil feature for Lion's Gate, is that an indie film or a studio film?

Good point David. I would say Studio, because it is affiliated with Lions gate, which may not be large, but its still a semi-hollywood studio.

[Phil Rhodes]

Hi,

 

I believe Chris Jones and Genevieve Jolliffe hold the record for the youngest production team in the UK, for their absolutely awful production "The Runner".

 

"Blackboards" is possibly the most skull-crushingly dull movie I've ever projected. Why is it such an unwritten rule that hopefully-meaningful films have to be long, poorly-cut and boring?

 

Phil

[David Mullen ASC]

I remember one of the 100 Rules for Students posted on index cards running along the ceiling in Alexander Mackendrick's office at CalArts, where he taught directing...

 

Rule #1: Student films comes in three lengths: Too Long... Really Too Long... and Really, Really Too Long.

[J. Lamar King IMPOSTOR]

I don't remember how old he was but Phil Joanou got press for being hired by Spielberg right out of USC to direct some episodes of "Amazing Stories." He then directed "3 O'Clock High" which I think was also for Amblin.

[Landon D. Parks]

I don't remember how old he was but Phil Joanou got press for being hired by Spielberg right out of USC to direct some episodes of "Amazing Stories." He then directed "3 O'Clock High" which I think was also for Amblin.

He was 24 according to IMDb. He was born 1961 and the date for "Amazing Stories" was 1985.

[DavidSloan]

@Phil: I found nothing about blackboards to be boring. It's a beautiful, humanist story, shot in a hostile place, under dire circumstances, with little to no money and to top it all off, directed by a teenage girl! Thank goodness for directors like Samira that keep cinema interesting. I assume you have no interest in directors like Bergman, Tarkovsky, Tarr, Ackerman, Denis, Dumont, Hou Hsiao Hsien, etc...which is fine, by to call it a skull-crushingly dull film is way off.

[Phil Rhodes]

Hi,

 

I feel that it's a story that could have been told in about ten minutes. Repetition has a place but eventually it just becomes boring, which is inversely effective because it switches people off of the subject. I don't need a full half of a film to be images of people walking through deserts with blackboards to understand the situation they're in.

 

Phil

[DavidSloan]

Fair enough. I personally enjoy a thinner plot, and a minimalist approach. Dense, linear films don't excite me that much. To each, his own.

[Landon D. Parks]

I have a stupid question I guess: Its weird how studios choose directors for films. For instance, Mira Nair was approach to direct HP 5... Now I personally have never heard of her. Alfonso Cuaron was approached to direct HP 3, and i didnt here much from him in the past either. Hell, Some Frence Director (Forgot his name) was offered the job of HP 5 too, and he has mostly done foreign films.

 

Do these little directors secretly black mail the Producers or somthing?

[David Mullen ASC]

Just because you personally haven't heard of Mira Nair or Alfonso Cuaron doesn't mean they aren't well-known directors in Hollywood. You seem to be confusing "well-known" with "big-budget" directors; they are VERY well-known for their films. I saw "Little Princess" and "Great Expectations" in the theaters originally and "Y Tu Mama Tambien" caused quite a stir when it was released. I've seen a couple of Mira Nair's films in the theater too.

 

It's like saying "I've never heard of Elvis Costello or Randy Newman, who are they?" Well, they aren't as famous as Britney Spears but you could hardly call them unknown singers.

 

It's actually an encouraging sign when a Hollywood studio considers giving a big-budget franchise to someone known for more artistic, less-mainstream fare.

 

Cuaron's awards & nominations over the years:

http://imdb.com/name/nm0190859/awards

 

Nair's:

http://imdb.com/name/nm0619762/awards

[DavidSloan]

Mira Nair has made many films and worked with Uma Thurman on an HBO film that won a lot of awards...just because you didn't hear of her doesn't mean she's not an industry figure. Alfonso Cuaron has also made a very successful HP type of film in Mexico as well as Y' tu mama tambien, which was a major festival/art house fave.

[Landon D. Parks]

I understand they are well known for there level. It just seems weird that big budget productions are actually opting for lesser known directors.

 

And im not saying its wronge for them to offer the roles to lesser known Directors, I think it wonderfull in fact.

[DavidSloan]

when you say "lesser known" do you mean lesser known to the public at large?

[Landon D. Parks]

when you say "lesser known" do you mean lesser known to the public at large?

Yes.

 

 

It just seems weird to me, for instance hiring Alfonso Cuaron. I can see if he approached them to direct the film, but them approaching him. You would think as many directors there are that are more experianced and well known to the public than alfonso that the studios would AIM for them first. It seems like alfonso would just fall into the crowd of other directors at his experiance level.

Alfonso did a great job on HP though!

Edited December 17, 2004 by Landon D. Parks

[DavidSloan]

Well not many director's names can sell tickets anyway. Speilberg and Lucas are probably the only two right now that can boast that, and even Spielberg I'm not sure about.

[Guest Daniel J. Ashley-Smith]

Lucas and Spielberg are the only two that would work on me.

 

Lucas, because he directed Star Wars and it would be interesting to see some of his other work.

 

And I always look out for Spielberg films, there all great. I went to see "The Terminal", what a great film! I think it's one of the reasons why Jurassic Park was so great, but then on JP3 they changed director and it didn't come out very well. They are planning a Jurassic Park 4, and Spielberg is trying to persuade the director that did JP3 to do it, I think he should do it. Spielberg is by far one of the greatest directors out there.

 

Apart from Lucas and Spielberg I wouldn't say directors attract the audiences. It's the actors that do that.

[David Mullen ASC]

There are lots of directors that attract audiences, just that they are targeted audiences not the general public. An art house distributor who puts out an Almodovar or a David Lynch film knows that a certain audience will probably be there for it.

 

Otherwise, mainstream directors are "sold" by their hits. "From the director of "Titanic" comes...." And speaking of "Titanic", that still being the highest-grossing movie of all time, I'd say James Cameron has some name recognition with the public and you could sell a film based on the fact that he made it.

[David Mullen ASC]

There are lots of directors that attract audiences, just that they are targeted audiences not the general public. An art house distributor who puts out an Almodovar or a David Lynch film knows that a certain audience will probably be there for it.

 

Otherwise, mainstream directors are "sold" by their hits. "From the director of "Titanic" comes...." And speaking of "Titanic", that still being the highest-grossing movie of all time, I'd say James Cameron has some name recognition with the public and you could sell a film based on the fact that he made it. Same with Peter Jackson right now -- you can damn-well be sure that "King Kong" will be heavily advertized as being from the man who made "Lord of the Rings."

[Keith Mottram]

landon your point is interesting and it shows in many ways the effect that Lord of the Rings has had on the mainstream landscape. Outside the world of horror buffs and arthouse fans of 'heavenly creatures' Peter jackson could have been considered an unknown. In Europe and South America I would have thought that Alfonso Cuaron is considered a known director. With the HP films there was always a problem that Rowling had with Columbus and he was always going to leave after establishing the series. Warners are astutely choosing people that will concentrate on the characters and leave the technical responsabilites to the rest of the crew. If you watch Y tu mama tambien (and i strongly recomend that you do, it is a wonderful film- dont let the subtitles put you off) you'll see why he was chosen. Warners needed a director that was respected and highly experienced and more importantly one that could capture fantastic performances from young teenagers.

 

Keith

[Wendell_Greene]

If you make the argument that studios should only hire "well known" directors for their projects then aren't you working against your own interests?

 

As for Mira Nair you only need to look at her work on "Mississippi Masala" [with Denzel Washington] "Kama Sutra" and "Vanity Fair" to see that she can more than handle a film like HP. And if she's the director I hope Declann Quinn works as her DP.

 

It would do you well Landon to expand your horizons to learning about other films and filmmakers. Lucas was influenced greatly by the work of Akira Kurosawa and that director's work on the film "Hidden Fortress" contributed greatly to "Star Wars" . You also appreciate Spielberg's fondness for the work of French New Wave directors and Truffaut in particular, by his casting the director in "Close Encounters".

 

After sampling the cuisine of India, Mexico, China and France, you might decide your still a steak and potatos man, but you'll still be better for the experience.