Kirby Dick
Encyclopedia
Kirby Dick is an American
film director
, producer
, screenwriter
, and editor
. He is best known for directing documentary films. He received an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Feature for directing Twist of Faith
(2005). He has also received numerous awards from film festivals, including the Sundance Film Festival
and Los Angeles Film Festival
.
, and the American Film Institute
. His first documentary feature, Private Practices: The Story of a Sex Surrogate
(1986), enjoyed a successful festival run, and Dick spent the following decade pursuing a variety of projects before completing Sick: The Life and Death of Bob Flanagan, Supermasochist (1997). Sick examined the life of performance artist Bob Flanagan
, who utilized sadomasochism as a therapeutic device to help cope with cystic fibrosis. The film was an international festival hit, winning a Special Jury Prize at the 1997 Sundance Film Festival and helping to establish Dick's position in the world of independent filmmaking.
Dick's next film, Chain Camera
(2001), was made entirely with footage shot on consumer digital video cameras by students at John Marshall High School, located near Dick's home in Los Angeles
. Many critics saw Chain Camera as an American response to Michael Apted's
Up series. Dick has welcomed these comparisons and has indicated that he would like to eventually direct a sequel that follows up on the same characters as adults.
In 2002, Dick co-directed Derrida
with Amy Ziering Kofman. The film, about the French philosopher Jacques Derrida
, again performed well at festivals. His next project, Twist of Faith
(2005), followed a man who decides to speak out about his childhood sexual abuse at the hands of a Catholic
priest. The film garnered widespread attention, as it was released during the midst of the Catholic sex abuse scandal. It was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.
Twist of Faith marked the beginning of a politicization of Dick's work, as his next two films would similarly expose the hypocrisy of powerful organizations. This Film Is Not Yet Rated
(2006) investigated the Motion Picture Association of America
and its secretive ratings board. The film argues that the MPAA serves the interests of the major Hollywood studios at the expense of independent filmmakers and also that the organization often turns a blind eye to violence while working to effectively censor sexual content, especially when it involves homosexuality
or female sexual empowerment.
Dick's most recent film, Outrage
(2009), discusses politicians, predominantly Republican
, who vote against gay rights – some of whom, Dick alleges, are themselves closeted
gays. The film also criticizes the mainstream media's
reluctance to report on this subject.
, sadomasochism, and sexual abuse
. Ryan Stewart of Cinematical notes that, "Kirby Dick has been compared to photographer Diane Arbus
in the way he prefers to open the camera lens to the pained, the freakish and the inexplicable that exists on the margins of everyday life".
Aesthetically, Dick often employs intricately edited montages that blend together television news clips, archival footage, music videos, documentary interviews, and other sources. Beginning with This Film Is Not Yet Rated, he has also pioneered applying the "fair use
" doctrine to appropriate copyrighted footage without the need to obtain licenses or compensate rights holders.
Dick employs a cinéma vérité
style of filmmaking. He has said that he prefers to work this way because it allows for a more complex relationship with his subjects. In many cases, Dick has also encouraged his subjects to record their own footage, which is then incorporated into the finished film.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
, screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, and editor
Film editing
Film editing is part of the creative post-production process of filmmaking. It involves the selection and combining of shots into sequences, and ultimately creating a finished motion picture. It is an art of storytelling...
. He is best known for directing documentary films. He received an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Feature for directing Twist of Faith
Twist of Faith
Twist of Faith is a 2004 American documentary film directed by Kirby Dick about a man who confronts the Catholic Church about the abuse he suffered as a teenager. The film was produced for the cable network HBO and screened at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival...
(2005). He has also received numerous awards from film festivals, including the Sundance Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
and Los Angeles Film Festival
Los Angeles Film Festival
The Los Angeles Film Festival, presented by the Los Angeles Times is an event held annually in June in downtown Los Angeles, California. The Los Angeles Film Festival began as the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival in 1995. The first LAIFF took place over the course of five days in a single...
.
Life and career
Dick studied at Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, California Institute of the ArtsCalifornia Institute of the Arts
The California Institute of the Arts, commonly referred to as CalArts, is located in Valencia, in Los Angeles County, California. It was incorporated in 1961 as the first degree-granting institution of higher learning in the United States created specifically for students of both the visual and the...
, and the American Film Institute
AFI Conservatory
The AFI Conservatory is a division of the American Film Institute founded in 1969, located in Hollywood's Griffith Park. The school is the only existing Master of Fine Arts conservatory in advanced film education...
. His first documentary feature, Private Practices: The Story of a Sex Surrogate
Private Practices: The Story of a Sex Surrogate
Private Practices: The Story of a Sex Surrogate is a 1985 American documentary film directed by Kirby Dick about the interaction between a sex surrogate and her clients. It is Dick's first documentary film.-Synopsis:...
(1986), enjoyed a successful festival run, and Dick spent the following decade pursuing a variety of projects before completing Sick: The Life and Death of Bob Flanagan, Supermasochist (1997). Sick examined the life of performance artist Bob Flanagan
Bob Flanagan
Bob Flanagan was an American performance artist, comic, writer, poet, and musician.-Early life:...
, who utilized sadomasochism as a therapeutic device to help cope with cystic fibrosis. The film was an international festival hit, winning a Special Jury Prize at the 1997 Sundance Film Festival and helping to establish Dick's position in the world of independent filmmaking.
Dick's next film, Chain Camera
Chain Camera (film)
Chain Camera is a 2001 American documentary film directed by Kirby Dick about the lives of Los Angeles high school students. It premiered at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival.-Summary:...
(2001), was made entirely with footage shot on consumer digital video cameras by students at John Marshall High School, located near Dick's home in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Many critics saw Chain Camera as an American response to Michael Apted's
Michael Apted
Michael David Apted, CMG is an English director, producer, writer and actor. He is one of the most prolific British film directors of his generation but is best known for his work on the Up Series of documentaries and the James Bond film The World Is Not Enough.On 29 June 2003 he was elected...
Up series. Dick has welcomed these comparisons and has indicated that he would like to eventually direct a sequel that follows up on the same characters as adults.
In 2002, Dick co-directed Derrida
Derrida (film)
Derrida is a 2002 American documentary film directed by Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering Kofman about the French philosopher Jacques Derrida. It premiered at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival before being released theatrically on October 23, 2002.-Synopsis:...
with Amy Ziering Kofman. The film, about the French philosopher Jacques Derrida
Jacques Derrida
Jacques Derrida was a French philosopher, born in French Algeria. He developed the critical theory known as deconstruction and his work has been labeled as post-structuralism and associated with postmodern philosophy...
, again performed well at festivals. His next project, Twist of Faith
Twist of Faith
Twist of Faith is a 2004 American documentary film directed by Kirby Dick about a man who confronts the Catholic Church about the abuse he suffered as a teenager. The film was produced for the cable network HBO and screened at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival...
(2005), followed a man who decides to speak out about his childhood sexual abuse at the hands of a Catholic
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
priest. The film garnered widespread attention, as it was released during the midst of the Catholic sex abuse scandal. It was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.
Twist of Faith marked the beginning of a politicization of Dick's work, as his next two films would similarly expose the hypocrisy of powerful organizations. This Film Is Not Yet Rated
This Film Is Not Yet Rated
This Film is Not Yet Rated is a 2006 independent documentary film about the Motion Picture Association of America's rating system and its effect on American culture, directed by Kirby Dick and produced by Eddie Schmidt. It premiered at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival and was released limited on...
(2006) investigated the Motion Picture Association of America
Motion Picture Association of America
The Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. , originally the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America , was founded in 1922 and is designed to advance the business interests of its members...
and its secretive ratings board. The film argues that the MPAA serves the interests of the major Hollywood studios at the expense of independent filmmakers and also that the organization often turns a blind eye to violence while working to effectively censor sexual content, especially when it involves homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
or female sexual empowerment.
Dick's most recent film, Outrage
Outrage (2009 film)
Outrage is a 2009 Emmy Award-nominated American documentary film written and directed by Kirby Dick. The film presents a narrative discussing the hypocrisy of individuals purported in the documentary to be closeted politicians who promote anti-gay legislation...
(2009), discusses politicians, predominantly Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, who vote against gay rights – some of whom, Dick alleges, are themselves closeted
Closeted
Closeted and in the closet are metaphors used to describe lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning and intersex people who have not disclosed their sexual orientation or gender identity and aspects thereof, including sexual identity and sexual behavior.-Background:In late 20th...
gays. The film also criticizes the mainstream media's
Mainstream media
Mainstream media are those media disseminated via the largest distribution channels, which therefore represent what the majority of media consumers are likely to encounter...
reluctance to report on this subject.
Themes
Dick's work often focuses on issues of secrecy, hypocrisy, and human sexuality. Many of his films explore subjects and issues that have traditionally been taboo, such as homosexualityHomosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
, sadomasochism, and sexual abuse
Sexual abuse
Sexual abuse, also referred to as molestation, is the forcing of undesired sexual behavior by one person upon another. When that force is immediate, of short duration, or infrequent, it is called sexual assault. The offender is referred to as a sexual abuser or molester...
. Ryan Stewart of Cinematical notes that, "Kirby Dick has been compared to photographer Diane Arbus
Diane Arbus
Diane Arbus March 14, 1923 – July 26, 1971) was an American photographer and writer noted for black-and-white square photographs of "deviant and marginal people or of people whose normality seems ugly or surreal." A friend said that Arbus said that she was "afraid.....
in the way he prefers to open the camera lens to the pained, the freakish and the inexplicable that exists on the margins of everyday life".
Aesthetically, Dick often employs intricately edited montages that blend together television news clips, archival footage, music videos, documentary interviews, and other sources. Beginning with This Film Is Not Yet Rated, he has also pioneered applying the "fair use
Fair use
Fair use is a limitation and exception to the exclusive right granted by copyright law to the author of a creative work. In United States copyright law, fair use is a doctrine that permits limited use of copyrighted material without acquiring permission from the rights holders...
" doctrine to appropriate copyrighted footage without the need to obtain licenses or compensate rights holders.
Dick employs a cinéma vérité
Cinéma vérité
Cinéma vérité is a style of documentary filmmaking, combining naturalistic techniques with stylized cinematic devices of editing and camerawork, staged set-ups, and the use of the camera to provoke subjects. It is also known for taking a provocative stance toward its topics.There are subtle yet...
style of filmmaking. He has said that he prefers to work this way because it allows for a more complex relationship with his subjects. In many cases, Dick has also encouraged his subjects to record their own footage, which is then incorporated into the finished film.
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Organization | Work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Special Jury Prize Special Jury Prize Several awards ceremonies have a Special Jury Prize# Jury Prize # Special Jury Prize... |
Sundance Film Festival Sundance Film Festival The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new... |
SICK: The Life & Death of Bob Flanagan, Supermasochist SICK: The Life & Death of Bob Flanagan, Supermasochist SICK: The Life & Death of Bob Flanagan, Supermasochist is a 1997 documentary film directed by Kirby Dick about Bob Flanagan, a Los Angeles writer, poet, performance artist, comic, and BDSM celebrity, who suffered from and later died of cystic fibrosis... |
Documentary Feature | Won |
| Grand Prize | Los Angeles Film Festival Los Angeles Film Festival The Los Angeles Film Festival, presented by the Los Angeles Times is an event held annually in June in downtown Los Angeles, California. The Los Angeles Film Festival began as the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival in 1995. The first LAIFF took place over the course of five days in a single... |
Documentary Feature | Won | ||
| 2001 | Grand Jury Prize | Sundance Film Festival Sundance Film Festival The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new... |
Chain Camera Chain Camera (film) Chain Camera is a 2001 American documentary film directed by Kirby Dick about the lives of Los Angeles high school students. It premiered at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival.-Summary:... |
Documentary | Nominated |
| 2002 | Golden Gate Award Golden Gate Award Golden Gate Award may refer to:* A film award at the San Francisco International Film Festival* An award part of the GLAAD Media Awards... |
San Francisco Film Festival | Derrida Derrida (film) Derrida is a 2002 American documentary film directed by Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering Kofman about the French philosopher Jacques Derrida. It premiered at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival before being released theatrically on October 23, 2002.-Synopsis:... |
Documentary Feature | Won |
| Grand Jury Prize | Sundance Film Festival Sundance Film Festival The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new... |
Documentary | Nominated | ||
| 2005 | Academy Award | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a professional honorary organization dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of motion pictures... |
Twist of Faith Twist of Faith Twist of Faith is a 2004 American documentary film directed by Kirby Dick about a man who confronts the Catholic Church about the abuse he suffered as a teenager. The film was produced for the cable network HBO and screened at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival... |
Best Documentary | Nominated |
| Grand Jury Prize | Sundance Film Festival Sundance Film Festival The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new... |
Documentary | Nominated | ||
| 2009 | Jury Award | Miami Gay and Lesbian Film Festival | Outrage Outrage (2009 film) Outrage is a 2009 Emmy Award-nominated American documentary film written and directed by Kirby Dick. The film presents a narrative discussing the hypocrisy of individuals purported in the documentary to be closeted politicians who promote anti-gay legislation... |
Best Documentary | Won |
| 2010 | Emmy Award Emmy Award An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various... |
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences or NATAS was created in 1955 to advance the arts and sciences of television. Headquartered in New York, NATAS's membership is national and the organization has local chapters around the country.... |
Outstanding Investigative Journalism: Long Form | Nominated |
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Men Who Are Men | Director, Producer |
| 1986 | Private Practices: The Story of a Sex Surrogate Private Practices: The Story of a Sex Surrogate Private Practices: The Story of a Sex Surrogate is a 1985 American documentary film directed by Kirby Dick about the interaction between a sex surrogate and her clients. It is Dick's first documentary film.-Synopsis:... |
Director, Producer |
| 1987 | I am Not a Freak | Writer, Editor |
| 1988 | Patti Rocks | First assistant director |
| 1993 | America Undercover America Undercover America Undercover is a television series of documentaries that airs on the cable television network HBO. Within the series are several sub-series, such as "Autopsy", "Real Sex" and "Taxicab Confessions". The series began in 1983 and, after a brief time being broadcast weekly in 2001, is now... |
Director |
| 1997 | Sick: The Life and Death of Bob Flanagan, Supermasochist | Director, Producer, Editor, Cinematographer |
| Guy | Writer | |
| 2001 | Chain Camera Chain Camera (film) Chain Camera is a 2001 American documentary film directed by Kirby Dick about the lives of Los Angeles high school students. It premiered at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival.-Summary:... |
Director |
| 2002 | Derrida Derrida (film) Derrida is a 2002 American documentary film directed by Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering Kofman about the French philosopher Jacques Derrida. It premiered at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival before being released theatrically on October 23, 2002.-Synopsis:... |
Director, Editor |
| 2003 | Showgirls: Glitz & Angst | Director, Executive producer |
| 2004 | The End | Director |
| 2005 | Twist of Faith Twist of Faith Twist of Faith is a 2004 American documentary film directed by Kirby Dick about a man who confronts the Catholic Church about the abuse he suffered as a teenager. The film was produced for the cable network HBO and screened at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival... |
Director, Executive producer |
| 2006 | This Film is Not Yet Rated This Film Is Not Yet Rated This Film is Not Yet Rated is a 2006 independent documentary film about the Motion Picture Association of America's rating system and its effect on American culture, directed by Kirby Dick and produced by Eddie Schmidt. It premiered at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival and was released limited on... |
Director, Writer, Camera |
| 2009 | Outrage Outrage (2009 film) Outrage is a 2009 Emmy Award-nominated American documentary film written and directed by Kirby Dick. The film presents a narrative discussing the hypocrisy of individuals purported in the documentary to be closeted politicians who promote anti-gay legislation... |
Director, Writer, Camera, Interviewer |
External links
- Dick's bio on the Derrida page
- Kirby Dick's filmography at his production company's website Chain Camera Pictures
- Interview with Kirby Dick at SuicideGirls.com
- Interview regarding BBC FourBBC FourBBC Four is a British television network operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation and available to digital television viewers on Freeview, IPTV, satellite and cable....
's Storyville documentary Chain CameraChain Camera (film)Chain Camera is a 2001 American documentary film directed by Kirby Dick about the lives of Los Angeles high school students. It premiered at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival.-Summary:...