Michael Paxton
Michael Paxton | |
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File:Michael Paxton.jpg | |
Born | |
Alma mater | University at Albany, SUNY (BA) New York University (MFA) |
Occupation(s) | Film director, film producer, screenwriter |
Michael Paxton (born March 29, 1957) is an American filmmaker.[1] He has directed, produced, and written several films, as well as plays and books. His feature documentary Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life,[2] received an Academy Award nomination and a Golden Satellite Award for Best Feature Documentary of 1997. Paxton currently works as Multimedia Producer for the Ayn Rand Institute.[3]
Early life and education
Michael Paxton was born Michael Anthony Palumbo on March 29, 1957 in Kingston, New York.
In 1975, Paxton began attending the University at Albany, SUNY. He graduated in 1979 with a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy.
After graduating from college, he attended the Graduate Institute of Film and Television at New York University, where he received a Master of Fine Arts degree. Ang Lee also attended the Institute at the time, making the two graduate school classmates. Paxton's graduate thesis film, Forbidden Fruit, won awards for Best Screenplay and Best Editing at the 1988 NYU Film Festival.[4]
Career
In 1989, Paxton co-produced and directed the world premiere of Ayn Rand's play Ideal at the Melrose Theater in Hollywood, and in 1991, he adapted and directed a dramatic presentation of Rand's futuristic novella, Anthem.[4] In 1995, he was the Assistant Director on the live-action/animated feature The Pagemaster for Turner Pictures.
In November 1996, Paxton released the feature documentary Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life. The documentary takes its name from a concept that Ayn Rand developed—sense of life—which is a "pre-conceptual equivalent of metaphysics, an emotional, subconsciously integrated appraisal of man and of existence. It sets the nature of a man’s emotional responses and the essence of his character."[5] In 1997, Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life was nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the 69th Academy Awards. It also won the Golden Satellite Award for Best Feature Documentary of 1997.
Paxton also co-produced the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life and was Visual Effects Supervisor on Stuart Little 2. He was the Associate Producer on The Lion King 1½ for Disney, Bionicle 3: Web of Shadows for Miramax, and Smallville Legends: Kara and the Chronicles of Krypton for The CW.
In addition to his film and theater work, Paxton has written four books: Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life (The Companion Book) and three children's books for Disney based on classic animated features (Cinderella, The Rescuers Down Under, and The Aristocats).
Works
- Films
- Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life (1996), writer/director/producer
- A Place in the Circle (2000), co-director/co-producer
- Stuart Little 2 (2002), visual effects coordinator
- Ideal (2004) (V), writer/director/producer
- Bionicle 3: Web of Shadows (2005), associate producer
- Smallville Legends: Kara and the Chronicles of Krypton (2008) (V), line producer
- Animation projects
- Rover Dangerfield (1991), production coordinator
- The Pagemaster (1994), assistant director
- The Lion King 1½ (2004), producer
- Roxy Hunter and the Mystery of the Moody Ghost (2007) (TV), associate producer
- Roxy Hunter and the Myth of the Mermaid (2008) (TV), associate producer
- Roxy Hunter and the Secret of the Shaman (2008) (TV), associate producer
- Roxy Hunter and the Horrific Halloween (2008) (TV), associate producer
- Plays
- Books
- Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life, The Companion Book, writer (1998)
- The Aristocats, writer (1999)
- Cinderella, writer (1999)
- The Rescuers Down Under, writer (1999)
References
- ^ "Index to Motion Picture Credits – Paxton, Michael". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved January 25, 2010.
- ^ "Index to Motion Picture Credits – Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved January 25, 2010.
- ^ "Michael Paxton (Director)". AynRandASenseofLife.com. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
- ^ a b Sutton, Larry (March 21, 1998). "A Payoff for Patience: NYU Film Maker Bides Time, Wins Chance for Oscar". Daily News. New York. Retrieved January 25, 2010.
- ^ Rand, Ayn (1971). The Romantic Manifesto (paperback ed.). New York: Signet. OCLC 733753672.
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