Susan Montford
Encyclopedia
Susan Montford is a Scottish
film director, screenwriter, and producer. She is related to the Scottish football commentator Arthur Montford
.
A film fan as a child, she studied at the Glasgow School of Art
where she made short films including Hairpin and Strangers. Her work was shown at the 2000 Toronto International Film Festival
. She moved to Los Angeles
to work on her first feature film, The Family Jam, a drama about the early days of the Charles Manson
Family based on the book by Ed Sanders
, but switched to producing rather than directing when funding dried up in 2001.
Her first major hit was the 2007 film Shoot 'Em Up
, on which she played a "really hands on [role] ... from the casting to the music, and it was a great feeling to have it come together." Following the success of that film she wrote and directed the thriller While She Was Out
starring Kim Basinger
and Lukas Haas
which was released in December 2008.
She is married to Don Murphy
, the American producer of Natural Born Killers
and the Transformers films.
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
film director, screenwriter, and producer. She is related to the Scottish football commentator Arthur Montford
Arthur Montford
Arthur Montford is a former Scottish television sports journalist, best known for his 32 year tenure as the presenter of Scotsport. Although he was most associated with football, he covered a number of other sports for ITV, notably Golf.Montford was raised in Greenock...
.
A film fan as a child, she studied at the Glasgow School of Art
Glasgow School of Art
Glasgow School of Art is one of only two independent art schools in Scotland, situated in the Garnethill area of Glasgow.-History:It was founded in 1845 as the Glasgow Government School of Design. In 1853, it changed its name to The Glasgow School of Art. Initially it was located at 12 Ingram...
where she made short films including Hairpin and Strangers. Her work was shown at the 2000 Toronto International Film Festival
Toronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival is a publicly-attended film festival held each September in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In 2010, 339 films from 59 countries were screened at 32 screens in downtown Toronto venues...
. She moved to 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...
to work on her first feature film, The Family Jam, a drama about the early days of the Charles Manson
Charles Manson
Charles Milles Manson is an American criminal who led what became known as the Manson Family, a quasi-commune that arose in California in the late 1960s. He was found guilty of conspiracy to commit the Tate/LaBianca murders carried out by members of the group at his instruction...
Family based on the book by Ed Sanders
Ed Sanders
Ed Sanders is an American poet, singer, social activist, environmentalist, author and publisher and has been a longtime member of the band The Fugs. He has been called a bridge between the Beat and Hippie generations.-Biography:...
, but switched to producing rather than directing when funding dried up in 2001.
Her first major hit was the 2007 film Shoot 'Em Up
Shoot 'em up
Shoot 'em up is a subgenre of shooter video games. In a shoot 'em up, the player controls a lone character, often in a spacecraft or aircraft, shooting large numbers of enemies while dodging their attacks. The genre in turn encompasses various types or subgenres and critics differ on exactly what...
, on which she played a "really hands on [role] ... from the casting to the music, and it was a great feeling to have it come together." Following the success of that film she wrote and directed the thriller While She Was Out
While She Was Out
While She Was Out is a 2008 American thriller film starring Kim Basinger and Lukas Haas. Basinger plays a suburban housewife who is forced to fend for herself when she becomes stranded in a desolate forest with four murderous thugs. It was written and directed by film producer Susan Montford...
starring Kim Basinger
Kim Basinger
Kimila Ann "Kim" Basinger is an American actress and former fashion model.She is known for her portrayals of Domino Petachi, the Bond girl in Never Say Never Again , and Vicki Vale, the female lead in Batman . Basinger received a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture...
and Lukas Haas
Lukas Haas
Lukas Daniel Haas is an American actor, known for roles both as a child and as an adult. His career has spanned more than 25 years during which time he has appeared in more than 36 feature films, as well as a number of television shows and theater productions.-Early life and career:Haas was born...
which was released in December 2008.
She is married to Don Murphy
Don Murphy
Don Murphy is an American film producer who produced Natural Born Killers and many other films, including Transformers and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.-Personal background:...
, the American producer of Natural Born Killers
Natural Born Killers
Natural Born Killers is a 1994 crime/black comedy film directed by Oliver Stone about two victims of traumatic childhoods who became lovers and psychopathic serial killers, and are irresponsibly glorified by the mass media...
and the Transformers films.