Directors right out of film school directing a movie?
09-11-13, 01:20 PM
#1
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Directors right out of film school directing a movie?
Who are some directors who came right from film school, and a directed a major release movie?
Three off hand:
Andrew Fleming/Bad Dreams (1988)
Greg Beeman/License to Drive (1988)
Adam Marcus/Jason Goes to Hell (1993)
Three off hand:
Andrew Fleming/Bad Dreams (1988)
Greg Beeman/License to Drive (1988)
Adam Marcus/Jason Goes to Hell (1993)
09-11-13, 01:26 PM
#2
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Re: Directors right out of film school directing a movie?
Chris Nolan wasn't to far removed from college when he directed Following in 1998, i believe...
09-11-13, 03:44 PM
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Re: Directors right out of film school directing a movie?
I dunno, how far out of school were Darren Aronofsky and Richard Kelley for Pi and Donnie Darko? Though I guess those were both indies. I think a portfolio of work is usually more important for getting studio jobs, not sure.
09-11-13, 03:55 PM
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Re: Directors right out of film school directing a movie?
Richard Kelley was who I first thought of. But not a major film.
THX-1138 was a miniscule budgetted film but was nevertheless a major Warner Bros release. That was Lucas' first feature and he was 4 years out of film school.
Film school really doesn't have anything to do with it because the studios have given directors with no training the reigns of making studio films. The best question would be who is the youngest director to direct a major movie?
Orson Welles?
THX-1138 was a miniscule budgetted film but was nevertheless a major Warner Bros release. That was Lucas' first feature and he was 4 years out of film school.
Film school really doesn't have anything to do with it because the studios have given directors with no training the reigns of making studio films. The best question would be who is the youngest director to direct a major movie?
Orson Welles?
Last edited by Mabuse; 09-11-13 at 04:02 PM.
09-11-13, 03:57 PM
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Re: Directors right out of film school directing a movie?
So did it flop back then or was $2.4m considered good?
09-11-13, 04:11 PM
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Re: Directors right out of film school directing a movie?
Are you asking about THX? I think it only cost $1 million to make, so it did turn a small proffit.
John Singleton is probably the winner. I'm not precisely sure how far out of film school he was in 1990-1991 but he was 24...and got nominated for best director...WOW!
John Singleton is probably the winner. I'm not precisely sure how far out of film school he was in 1990-1991 but he was 24...and got nominated for best director...WOW!
09-11-13, 04:20 PM
#11
Re: Directors right out of film school directing a movie?
Spielberg got hired by Universal at 22. He started off directing TV stuff but he was the youngest person with such a contract at the time. Probably still is.
09-11-13, 06:43 PM
#12
Re: Directors right out of film school directing a movie?
Most indie movies today look like they were directed by people still in film school.
09-11-13, 10:00 PM
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Re: Directors right out of film school directing a movie?
On the Pee Wee's Big Adventure commentary Paul Reubens said he found Tim Burtons by a short he did for CalArts but I think he's been graduated for a a couple years.
Ben Stiller had some connections but he directed Reality Bites not far out of UCLA.
Ben Stiller had some connections but he directed Reality Bites not far out of UCLA.
09-11-13, 10:49 PM
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Re: Directors right out of film school directing a movie?
Yeah he'd also been a featured member of the SNL cast, had two television shows named after him and been raised by two famous comedians.
09-11-13, 11:47 PM
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Re: Directors right out of film school directing a movie?
09-11-13, 11:49 PM
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09-12-13, 02:17 PM
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Re: Directors right out of film school directing a movie?
Burton graduated from CalArts and worked as a Disney animator for several years before leaving and eventually making Pee Wee
09-13-13, 01:27 PM
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Re: Directors right out of film school directing a movie?
Steven Paul directed/produced/wrote/acted in Falling in Love Again at age 20. The movie had a $3.2 million budget and starred Elliot Gould and Susannah York. Paul later produced the Baby Geniuses movies.
08-31-15, 01:08 PM
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09-01-15, 02:11 PM
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Re: Directors right out of film school directing a movie?
John Carpenter's Dark Star was a senior student film by he and Dan O'Bannon while they were in USC film school. It ended up getting released in theatres though I'm not sure how wide the release was. I would guess mostly drive ins and mom and pop theatres. I remember seeing an ad for it in an old Tennessee newspaper so it did seem to go national.
09-02-15, 08:19 AM
#24
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Re: Directors right out of film school directing a movie?
Dark Star was originally a student film with a running time of only 68 minutes. But for the theatrical release, the producer had them film some additional footage to get the running time up to a feature film length. So the original student film + extra padding is what was released.
09-02-15, 03:26 PM
#25
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