Neill Blomkamp
Encyclopedia
Neill Blomkamp is an Afrikaner-Canadian film and advertisement writer and director
. Blomkamp employs a documentary-style, hand-held
, cinéma vérité
technique, blending naturalistic and photo-realistic computer-generated
effects. He is best known as the co-writer and director of critically acclaimed District 9
, his only feature film to date. He is based out of Vancouver, British Columbia.
Time
named Blomkamp as one of the 100 Most Influential People of 2009.
, South Africa. At 16, he met Sharlto Copley
who had also attended Redhill High School in Johannesburg. Copley provided Blomkamp with the use of computers at his production company in order to pursue his passion and talent for 3D animation and design - in return, Blomkamp assisted Copley in creating 3D work for pitches on various projects. His family moved to Vancouver
when Blomkamp was 18, where he enrolled in Vancouver Film School
. In 2003, Blomkamp was hired to illustrate photo-real future aircraft for Popular Science
's "Next century in Aviation" and in 2004 was hired to illustrate "The Future of the Automobile". Blomkamp worked as a visual effects artist at The Embassy Visual Effects
in Vancouver as well as Rainmaker Digital Effects
.
In 2007, Blomkamp directed a trilogy of live-action short films (known collectively as Landfall) set in the Halo
universe, to promote the release of Halo 3
. In 2008, Halo: Combat Evolved, the first of the three installments, won the Cannes Lions 2008 – Film Lions Grand Prix.
Blomkamp was then slated to direct his first feature-length film, an adaptation of the Halo series of video games, produced by Peter Jackson. Peter Jackson had come to know about Blomkamp after viewing a reel of his commercial work and shorts shot in his off time. The four shorts that got him noticed included Tetra Vaal, a faux advertisement for a third-world robotic police that established Neill Blomkamp's signature style of mixing lo-fi production with seamless CGI; Alive in Joburg
, a gritty "documentary" about extraterrestrials marooned in Johannesburg; Tempbot, an Office Space
-esque spoof; and Yellow
, a short film based on the colour yellow for Adidas' "Adicolor" campaign, which portrays a globe-trotting AI gone rogue.
When funding for the Halo film collapsed, Peter Jackson
decided to produce District 9
instead, an adaptation of Blomkamp's earlier short film Alive in Joburg, which had been produced by Hansen and Copley. The film, directed by Blomkamp and starring Copley, was released in mid-August 2009, to rave reviews.
On October 2010, a video was released on the iPad
version of the Wired Magazine, credited to Neill Blomkamp, which shows an amateur recording of two young men who find a dead mutated creature in a puddle of mud while driving down a countryside road. The creature, a dog-sized mix between a pig and a lizard, presents a tattooed seal on its side that reads "18.12 AGM Heartland Pat. Pend. USA". Also, "AGM Heartland" was trademarked for its use in an entertainment-oriented website. It is yet unknown whether this video holds any relation to Blomkamp's current project, Elysium.
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:...
. Blomkamp employs a documentary-style, hand-held
Hand-held camera
Hand-held camera or hand-held shooting is a filmmaking and video production technique in which a camera is held in the camera operator's hands as opposed to being mounted on a tripod or other base. Hand-held cameras are used because they are conveniently sized for travel and because they allow...
, 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...
technique, blending naturalistic and photo-realistic computer-generated
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
effects. He is best known as the co-writer and director of critically acclaimed District 9
District 9
District 9 is a 2009 South African science fiction thriller film directed by Neill Blomkamp. It was written by Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell, and produced by Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham. The film stars Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, and David James...
, his only feature film to date. He is based out of Vancouver, British Columbia.
Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
named Blomkamp as one of the 100 Most Influential People of 2009.
Early life and career
Blomkamp was born in JohannesburgJohannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, South Africa. At 16, he met Sharlto Copley
Sharlto Copley
Sharlto Copley is a South African producer, actor, and director who has produced and co-directed short films which have appeared at the Cannes Film Festival, as well as commercials and music videos...
who had also attended Redhill High School in Johannesburg. Copley provided Blomkamp with the use of computers at his production company in order to pursue his passion and talent for 3D animation and design - in return, Blomkamp assisted Copley in creating 3D work for pitches on various projects. His family moved to Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
when Blomkamp was 18, where he enrolled in Vancouver Film School
Vancouver Film School
Vancouver Film School is a private entertainment arts school located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Founded in 1987, it has achieved international recognition. The Vancouver Film School has campus locations around Downtown Vancouver and comprises six buildings...
. In 2003, Blomkamp was hired to illustrate photo-real future aircraft for Popular Science
Popular Science
Popular Science is an American monthly magazine founded in 1872 carrying articles for the general reader on science and technology subjects. Popular Science has won over 58 awards, including the ASME awards for its journalistic excellence in both 2003 and 2004...
's "Next century in Aviation" and in 2004 was hired to illustrate "The Future of the Automobile". Blomkamp worked as a visual effects artist at The Embassy Visual Effects
The Embassy Visual Effects
The Embassy is a visual effects studio located in Vancouver, Canada. The Embassy is known for its photo-realistic visual effects work on commercials and more recently, features....
in Vancouver as well as Rainmaker Digital Effects
Rainmaker Digital Effects
Rainmaker, headquartered in Vancouver, Canada and maintaining an office in Los Angeles, California, is an award-winning visual effects, 3D animation and post-production company with a 28 year history in feature film, television, commercials, and games...
.
In 2007, Blomkamp directed a trilogy of live-action short films (known collectively as Landfall) set in the Halo
Halo (series)
Halo is a multi-million dollar science fiction video game franchise created by Bungie and now managed by 343 Industries and owned by Microsoft Studios. The series centers on an interstellar war between humanity and a theocratic alliance of aliens known as the Covenant...
universe, to promote the release of Halo 3
Halo 3
Halo 3 is a first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie for the Xbox 360 console. The third installment in the Halo franchise, the game concludes the story arc begun in Halo: Combat Evolved and continued in Halo 2...
. In 2008, Halo: Combat Evolved, the first of the three installments, won the Cannes Lions 2008 – Film Lions Grand Prix.
Blomkamp was then slated to direct his first feature-length film, an adaptation of the Halo series of video games, produced by Peter Jackson. Peter Jackson had come to know about Blomkamp after viewing a reel of his commercial work and shorts shot in his off time. The four shorts that got him noticed included Tetra Vaal, a faux advertisement for a third-world robotic police that established Neill Blomkamp's signature style of mixing lo-fi production with seamless CGI; Alive in Joburg
Alive in Joburg
"Alive in Joburg" is a 2005 science fiction short film directed by Neill Blomkamp, produced by Simon Hansen and Sharlto Copley in Canada, and released by Spy Films. It runs approximately six minutes long and was filmed in Johannesburg, South Africa with soundtrack featuring composer sound designer...
, a gritty "documentary" about extraterrestrials marooned in Johannesburg; Tempbot, an Office Space
Office Space
Office Space is a 1999 American comedy film satirizing work life in a typical 1990s software company. Written and directed by Mike Judge, it focuses on a handful of individuals fed up with their jobs portrayed by Ron Livingston, Jennifer Aniston, Gary Cole, David Herman, Ajay Naidu, and Diedrich...
-esque spoof; and Yellow
Yellow (2006 short film)
Yellow is the name of a 2006 futuristic dystopian short film by director Neill Blomkamp, written by Terri Tatchell and Blomkamp. It was produced at the request of sportswear maker Adidas as a part of its "Adicolor" viral ads campaign, in which advertising agency Idealogue gathered seven directors...
, a short film based on the colour yellow for Adidas' "Adicolor" campaign, which portrays a globe-trotting AI gone rogue.
When funding for the Halo film collapsed, Peter Jackson
Peter Jackson
Sir Peter Robert Jackson, KNZM is a New Zealand film director, producer, actor, and screenwriter, known for his The Lord of the Rings film trilogy , adapted from the novel by J. R. R...
decided to produce District 9
District 9
District 9 is a 2009 South African science fiction thriller film directed by Neill Blomkamp. It was written by Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell, and produced by Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham. The film stars Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, and David James...
instead, an adaptation of Blomkamp's earlier short film Alive in Joburg, which had been produced by Hansen and Copley. The film, directed by Blomkamp and starring Copley, was released in mid-August 2009, to rave reviews.
On October 2010, a video was released on the iPad
IPad
The iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc., primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. The iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010 by Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs. Its size and...
version of the Wired Magazine, credited to Neill Blomkamp, which shows an amateur recording of two young men who find a dead mutated creature in a puddle of mud while driving down a countryside road. The creature, a dog-sized mix between a pig and a lizard, presents a tattooed seal on its side that reads "18.12 AGM Heartland Pat. Pend. USA". Also, "AGM Heartland" was trademarked for its use in an entertainment-oriented website. It is yet unknown whether this video holds any relation to Blomkamp's current project, Elysium.
Feature films
- District 9District 9District 9 is a 2009 South African science fiction thriller film directed by Neill Blomkamp. It was written by Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell, and produced by Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham. The film stars Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, and David James...
(2009) (co-writer, director) - ElysiumElysium (film)Elysium is an upcoming 2013 American science fiction film written and directed by Neill Blomkamp. The film stars Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, and Wagner Moura. Elysium is scheduled to be released on , 2013.-Premise:...
(2013) (writer, director) - ChappieChappie-Nickname or given name:* Charles Coventry , nicknamed Chappie* Chappie Dwyer , Australian cricketer* Chappie Fox , American circus historian and philanthropist...
(N/A)
Short films
- Tetra Vaal (2004) (director, visual FX)
- Alive in JoburgAlive in Joburg"Alive in Joburg" is a 2005 science fiction short film directed by Neill Blomkamp, produced by Simon Hansen and Sharlto Copley in Canada, and released by Spy Films. It runs approximately six minutes long and was filmed in Johannesburg, South Africa with soundtrack featuring composer sound designer...
(2005) (director, writer, visual FX) - YellowYellow (2006 short film)Yellow is the name of a 2006 futuristic dystopian short film by director Neill Blomkamp, written by Terri Tatchell and Blomkamp. It was produced at the request of sportswear maker Adidas as a part of its "Adicolor" viral ads campaign, in which advertising agency Idealogue gathered seven directors...
(2006) (director, visual FX) - Tempbot (2006) (director)
- Halo: Landfall (2007) (director)
Commercials
- NikeNike, Inc.Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
- Crab (2003) / Evolution (2004) - CitroënCitroënCitroën is a major French automobile manufacturer, part of the PSA Peugeot Citroën group.Founded in 1919 by French industrialist André-Gustave Citroën , Citroën was the first mass-production car company outside the USA and pioneered the modern concept of creating a sales and services network that...
C4Citroën C4The Citroën C4 is a small family car produced by French automaker Citroën since autumn 2004. The C4 was designed to be the successor to the Citroën Xsara. It is mechanically similar to the Peugeot 308, which was launched in 2007. A revised version with new front end, reverse light and dashboard...
- Alive with technology (2004) - GatoradeGatoradeGatorade is a brand of sports-themed food and beverage products, built around its signature product: a line of sports drinks. Gatorade is currently manufactured by PepsiCo, distributed in over 80 countries...
- Rain (2006)
Other credits
- Stargate SG-1Stargate SG-1Stargate SG-1 is a Canadian-American adventure and military science fiction television series and part of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Stargate franchise. The show, created by Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner, is based on the 1994 feature film Stargate by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich...
(1998) (3D animator) - First Wave (1998) (3D animator)
- Mercy PointMercy PointMercy Point was a science fiction series that ran from the fall of 1998 to the midsummer of 1999 on UPN. The series, set in the mid-23rd century, took place on a deep-space medical space station that catered to the medical needs of both humans and aliens, and served as a crossroads for both human...
(1998) (3D animator) - Aftershock: Earthquake in New YorkAftershock: Earthquake in New YorkAftershock: Earthquake in New York is a 1999 four-hour disaster miniseries that was broadcast in the United States on CBS in two parts, with the first part aired on November 14 and the second on November 16. It was released to VHS in 2000, and on DVD in 2001. It is based on a book written by Chuck...
(1999) (3D animator) - Dark AngelDark Angel (TV series)Dark Angel is an American biopunk/cyberpunk science fiction television series created by James Cameron and Charles H. Eglee. The show premiered in the United States on the Fox network on October 3, 2000, and was canceled after two seasons...
(2000) (lead animator) - Art of DyingArt of Dying (band)Art of Dying is a Canadian rock band fronted by Jonny Hetherington. The band has built an international following since 2006 touring with Seether and Disturbed as well as performing at international festivals such as Download and Virginfest alongside artists like Tool, Metallica and...
music video - Day Survive (2001) (director, visual FX) - 3000 Miles to Graceland3000 Miles to Graceland3000 Miles to Graceland is a 2001 American crime film, starring Kurt Russell, Kevin Costner, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Bokeem Woodbine, Christian Slater, and Kevin Pollak. It is a story of theft and betrayal, revolving around a plot to rob the Riviera Casino during a convention of Elvis...
(2001) (lead 3D animator) - SmallvilleSmallvilleSmallville is the hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross...
(2001) (3D animator) - BV-01 (2005) (special thanks)
- Best Ever Ads 2 (2006) (himself)
- Crossing the LineCrossing the Line (short)Crossing the Line is a 2008 short film by Peter Jackson set in World War I. It is the first film made with the Red One camera. The film has no dialog apart from the incidental speech of background characters....
(2008) (additional director)
Recognition
- 2004, First Boards Awards - "One of the top five directors to watch"
- 2004, Cannes Lions International Advertising FestivalCannes Lions International Advertising FestivalThe Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is a global event for those working in advertising and related fields. The seven-day festival, incorporating the awarding of the Lions awards, is held yearly at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès in Cannes, France...
- "Saatchi & Saatchi New Directors Showcase" - 2004, Shark Awards (shortlisted)
- 2005, VES awardsVisual Effects Society Awards 2005The 4th Visual Effects Society Awards, given in Los Angeles on 16 February 2006, honored the best visual effects in film and television. The 2005 VES Awards Premiered on HDNet.-Honorary Awards:George Melies Award for Pioneering:...
"Outstanding VFX in a commercial" for Citroen - Alive with technology - 2008, Cannes Lions 2008 - Film Lions- Grand Prix - Halo: Combat
- 2009, Nominated - Satellite Award for Best DirectorSatellite Award for Best DirectorThe Satellite Award for Best Director is one of the annual Satellite Awards given by the International Press Academy.- 1990s :- 2000s :- 2010s :...
& Satellite Award for Best Adapted ScreenplaySatellite Award for Best Adapted ScreenplayThe Satellite Award for Best Adapted Screenplay is an annual award given by the International Press Academy.- 1990s :- 2000s :- 2010s :...
- District 9District 9District 9 is a 2009 South African science fiction thriller film directed by Neill Blomkamp. It was written by Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell, and produced by Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham. The film stars Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, and David James... - 2009, Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best ScreenplayGolden Globe Award for Best ScreenplayThe Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay - Motion Picture is one of the annual awards given by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association."†" indicates the winner of the Academy Award for Best Writing "‡" indicates the winner of the Academy Award for Best Writing "§" indicates a Golden Globe Award...
- District 9District 9District 9 is a 2009 South African science fiction thriller film directed by Neill Blomkamp. It was written by Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell, and produced by Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham. The film stars Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, and David James... - 2009, Won - Bradbury AwardBradbury AwardThe Ray Bradbury Award is presented by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America to recognize excellence in screenwriting...
from the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of AmericaScience Fiction and Fantasy Writers of AmericaScience Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, or SFWA is a nonprofit association of professional science fiction and fantasy writers. It was founded in 1965 by Damon Knight under the name Science Fiction Writers of America, Inc. and it retains the acronym SFWA after a very brief use of the SFFWA...
- District 9District 9District 9 is a 2009 South African science fiction thriller film directed by Neill Blomkamp. It was written by Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell, and produced by Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham. The film stars Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, and David James... - 2010, Nominated - Academy Award for Writing (Adapted Screenplay), Nomination for Academy Award for Best Picture 2009 - District 9District 9District 9 is a 2009 South African science fiction thriller film directed by Neill Blomkamp. It was written by Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell, and produced by Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham. The film stars Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, and David James...
(Written by Neill Blomkamp and Terri TatchellTerri TatchellTerri Tatchell is a Canadian screenwriter, best known for the co-writing the screenplay of District 9 and was nominated for the Best Adapted Screenplay at the 82nd Academy Awards.-Biography:...
)