Tim Burton

Timothy William "Tim" Burton was born on August 25th, 1958 in Burbank, California, U.S. He is known worldwide for making dark and "quirky-themed" films. As a youngster he would enjoy watching horror films, painting, drawing; he did not quite fit in with children his age. After finished High School he went to study Character Animation at the California Institute of the Arts. After finishing he was hired by Walt Disney's Production, but his "style" wasn't exactly what the studio wanted. Luckily, it was not long before he was able to make films of his own taste. Having made Vincent (1982) and Frankenweenie (1984) he soon got public attention, specially, after launching Beetlejuice (1988); but the film that truly got him "out there" was Batman (1989). He won an Academy Award for Best Art Direction. Along the way he made great friends and co-workers, such as Johnny Depp and Danny Elfman.

Tim Burton is also known for his highly sentimental and romantic themes in his creations. Usually, it is love that moves the main character to achieve his or her obstacles. It is in Big Fish (2003)
where we find ourselves with a "human" creation of Tim Burton's. It is set in real life with no fantastic qualities and if any are shown it is clear that it was only in the main character's imagination. The movie still holds the Tim Burton "seal" but it is quite different from the rest; it doesn't quite focus on death and such things, though death is found, but it focuses on the life of an extraordinary man and the people who he loved.

Some of his creations are:

* Vincent (1982)
* Frankenweenie (1984)
* Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985)
* Beetlejuice (1988)
* Batman (1989)
* Edward Scissorhands (1990)
* Batman Returns (1992)
* Ed Wood (1994)
* Mars Attacks! (1996)
* Sleepy Hollow (1999)
* Planet of the Apes (2001)
* Big Fish (2003)
* Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)
* Corpse Bride (2005)
* Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) - Golden Globe Award for Best Director
* Alice in Wonderland (2010)

Edward Scissorhands Trailer (1990)


Information obtained from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Burton

Quentin Tarantino

Quentin Tarantino was born in March 27, 1963; in Knoxville, Tennessee in the United States. Since he was a little kid, he was influenced by his mother in going to the movies and listening to rock music. While in his adolescence he dropped out school and began to work as an usher in a porn cinema.

In the 1990s Tarantino met Lawrence Bender, who liked the script from Reservoir Dogs. Then, Bender gave the script to the actor Harvey Keitel, who finally made possible to make the film. It was released in 1992, being a great success.
In 1994, Pulp Fiction was released and it consolidated his career. This film revitalized John Travolta's career, and the film won the best original screenplay. From that on, Tarantino became one of the greatest film director, considered as that because of his particular way of portraying fiction on the screen.


Some of his movies are:

Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Jackie Brown (1997)
Kill Bill, Vol.1 (2003)
Kill Bill, Vol.2 (2004)
Inglourious Basterds (2009)

If I've made it a little easier for artists to work in violence, great! I've accomplished something.

Inglourious Basterds (2009) Trailer:

David Fincher

David Fincher was born in August 29, 1962; in Denver, Colorado in the United States. While he was still in the Ashland Institute in Oregon, he began to make movies in 8mm. In the 1980s he began to work in Industrial Light & Magic, which belonged to George Lucas. There he could participate in special effects in the movie Return of the Jedi.

Fincher also worked in video music productions, for example, he worked with Madonna, Michael Jackson, Sting and Aerosmith.Fincher became famous in 1995 thanks to Seven, a crime film. Starring Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt and Kevin Spacey. He worked again with Brad Pitt in the Fight Club and in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

Some of his remarkable movies are:

Se7en (1995)
Fight Club (1999)
Zodiac (2007)
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)

I don't know how much movies should entertain. To me, I'm always interested in movies that scar. The thing I love about Jaws (1975) is the fact that I've never gone swimming in the ocean again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8FRBYOFu2w

George Lucas

George Lucas was born in May 14, 1944; in Modesto, California in the United States. Before wanting to become a film director, he wanted to be a race-car driver, but a car accident stopped those dreams.

When attending junior college, Lucas took liberal arts, there he began to take an interest in cinematography. He studied in University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts, where he graduated with a Bachelor on Fine Arts in 1967.
He has been always connected with Steven Spielberg, which has worked as a plus in their careers.

In 1971 George Lucas founded his own production company, Lucasfilm Ltd. In which is included the Pixar animation studio, that is very well-known for its cartoon films. In 1977 he began to make all the Stars Wars episodes, which was a complete success in his career.


Most important movies:

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)

A special effect is a tool, a means of telling a story. A special effect without a story is a pretty boring thing.

Peter Jackson

Peter Robert Jackson was born on October 31st, 1961 in Pukerua Bay, New Zealand. He is a world famous Film Director, Producer and Screenwriter. He's best known for directing The Lord of the Rings and later for directing a remake of King Kong.

However, Jackson has been in the filming industry way before J.R.R. Tolkien's adaptation. He used to film horror comedies and did not go unrecognized, but it was when he directed Heavenly Creatures that he took another step towards becoming a well-known director.

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy was, entirely, what rocketed Jackson into fame as a Director. Not only did the costumes, special effects and cast play a wonderful role in the making of this film, but he, and his wife Fran Walsh, stayed very true to the story itself, making a wonderful script and story to narrate through film. We can be assured that Jackson will continue to deliver, as he did on 2009 with The Lovely Bones.

His works are:
-The Valley (1976)
-Bad Taste (1987)
-Meet the Feebles (1989)
-Braindead (1992)
-Heavenly Creatures (1994)
-The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001 - 2003)
-King Kong (2005) -The Lovely Bones (2009)

Information obtained: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Jackson

Hayao Miyazaki

Hayao Miyazaki was born on January 5th, 1941, native of Tokyo, Japan. He is quite known for directing anime/animated movies that reflect how human kind is in constant destruction of nature and how that generates problems to our kind; he's also very connected to the Shintoism, which concentrates in the acknowledgement and respect for the spiritual world; and last, but not least, Miyazaki is also well known for his strong use of Feminism in his films, portraying women of independece and strong character. Some believe that he reflects his mother's spirit with his feminine characters, for she was quite a reader and who often questioned the way of life, norms.

In Princess Mononoke, his heroine is a strong woman, independent, just the type of women that inspire his creations. This movie caused sensation when it was shown in Japan and was only defeated afters Titanic came out to theaters a few months later, but it won a Japanese Academy Award for Best Picture. Though, he is still not very well known to the Occidental culture, his film Spirited Away gave the world something to talk about. He won an Oscar for this film.

Among his works, we can find:
-Future Boy Conan (1978); the animated series
-My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
-Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)
-Princess Mononoke (1997)
-Spirited Away (2001)
-Howl's Moving Castle (2004)
-Ponyo (2008)

Ponyo (2008)


Information obtained from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hayao_Miyazaki

Wes Anderson

Wesley Mortimer Wales "Wes" Anderson, was born on May 1st, 1969, in Houston, Texas, U.S.; Wes Anderson is known as one of today's most popular Auteur, in other words, all his films reflect his artistic vision. He is also well known for using primary colors in his films and shooting in a way that the actors can look directly into the camera. Wes Anderson studied philosophy at the University of Texas, where he met his future co-writer and friend, Owen Wilson. Together they wrote and prepared a short version on Bottle Rocket to present at the Sundance Festival and were later able to film the full length version of it.

His inspiration is drawn from places of his youth, like his old school, St. John's School, which was used as the setting for his movie Rushmore. Others, such as his mother inspired him for the role of Etheline Tenenbaum in The Royal Tenebaums. One of his other particular 'trademarks' is the use of contraste between rich and poor; and the display of disfunctional families who usually solve their problems. Though, not many viewers are used to his style of filmography and may not be considered as the usual for a Box Office hit, his movies are very admired and enjoyed by viewers around the globe.

His movies are:
-Bottle Rocket (1996)
-Rushmore (1998)
-The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
-The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)
-The Darjeeling Limited (2007) -Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)

Trailer: The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)


Information obtained from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wes_Anderson