made in atlantis - filmmakers biographies
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Directors, producers, editors, composers, executive producers, writer/co-producers, directors of photography, production designers, costume designers, screenwriters, cnematographers, animal trainers, visual effects supervisors, special effects supervisors and more.
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ROGER BIRNBAUM (Executive Producer) founded the production and finance company, Spyglass Entertainment, with partner Gary Barber, where they share the title of Co-Chairman and CEO. The company develops and finances all of its projects independently.
The company's box office hits range from �The Sixth Sense� with Bruce Willis, which earned $661 million in worldwide box-office, to the box office smash �Bruce Almighty� starring Jim Carrey, which earned $485 million. Also included in the Spyglass library are Oscar-nominated favorites such as �Seabiscuit,� with Tobey Maguire, and the �Insider,� with Russell Crowe and Al Pacino.
In total, Spyglass has cumed over 20 Oscar nominations, including seven nods each for �Seabiscuit� and �The Insider,� while garnering six nominations for �The Sixth Sense.� Other company successes include �The Count of Monte Cristo� with Jim Caviezel and Guy Pearce, �Keeping the Faith� with Ben Stiller and Edward Norton, the dual hits �Shanghai Noon� and its sequel �Shanghai Knights� with Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson, and �The Recruit� with Al Pacino and Colin Farrell.
Spyglass had consecutive hits in the first part of 2005 with the release of �The Pacifier� and �The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.� �The Pacifier,� a family comedy starring Vin Diesel, crossed the $100 million mark within four weeks of its U.S. debut, while �The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy,� an adaptation to the Douglas Adams' best seller, was number one at the box office its opening weekend with a stellar 21.1 million dollar gross in the U.S., as well as number one openings in the U.K., Australia, and New Zealand.
Most recently, Spyglass co-financed and executive produced �Memoirs of a Geisha,� the adaptation of the best-selling novel directed by Rob Marshall (�Chicago�) and �The Legend of Zorro,� the sequel to �The Mask of Zorro,� the 1998 smash hit with Catherine Zeta-Jones, Antonio Banderas, and director Martin Campbell. Both films released in the fourth quarter of 2005.
This year Spyglass produced and financed �The Invisible,� a psychological thriller helmed by acclaimed writer turned director David Goyer which wrapped recently. Spyglass is also in pre-production on the live-action feature of the beloved classic cartoon series, �Underdog� with Walt Disney Pictures, as well as the drama �The Lookout� with Oscar®-nominated writer Scott Frank directing.
Spyglass recently created Spyglass Entertainment Television. Spyglass has produced �Miracles,� a series that aired on ABC, starring Skeet Ulrich and Angus MacFadyen, and is currently developing several new pilots.
Prior to founding Spyglass Entertainment, Mr. Birnbaum, co-founded Caravan Pictures, where he was responsible for such box office hits as �Rush Hour,� �Six Days/Seven Nights,� �Inspector Gadget,� �Gross Pointe Blank,� �The Three Musketeers,� �Angels In The Outfield,� and �While You Were Sleeping.�
Before joining Caravan, Mr. Birnbaum held the title of President of Worldwide Production and Executive Vice President of Twentieth Century Fox, where he developed such films as �Home Alone,� �Sleeping With The Enemy,� �Edward Scissorhands,� �Hot Shots,� �My Cousin Vinny,� �The Last Of The Mohicans,� �Die Hard 2� and �Mrs. Doubtfire,� among others. Prior to that, Mr. Birnbaum was President of Production for United Artists where he developed the Oscar winning film and all-time cinema favorite �Rain Man.�
Earlier in his career, he produced �The Sure Thing,� directed by Rob Reiner and �Young Sherlock Holmes,� which were presented in association with Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment. For television, he executive produced the telefilms �Scandal Sheet,� �Happily Ever After,� �When Your Lover Leaves� and the award winning �All The Kids Do It.�
Born in Teaneck, New Jersey and educated at the University of Denver, Mr. Birnbaum built a successful career as Vice President of A&M Records and Arista Records before entering the film business to produce motion pictures.
He is currently Co-Artistic Director of the AFI conservatory, and serves on the Advisory Board for UCSB at the Center for Film, Television, and New Media. He is also a mentor to the USC Peter Stark Producing Program, as well as the UCLA Graduate Film program.
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