Ted Hope
Encyclopedia
Ted Hope is an American independent film
producer based in New York City.
As the American Indie wave hit in the early 90’s, Ted was among the first producers to emerge from the pack, and today remains one of the few consistently delivering vital and exciting new work. As times, platforms, and tastes change, Ted’s work continues to break new ground, reach new audiences, and redefine the term “Independent”.
Hope has produced the first films of such notable filmmakers as Ang Lee
, Hal Hartley
, Nicole Holofcener
, Todd Field
, Michel Gondry
, Moises Kaufman
, Bob Pulcini, and Shari Berman, among others. In the early 1990s, Hope co-founded with James Schamus
the production/sales company Good Machine
, which he and his partners sold to Universal in 2002. That same year he co-founded This is that corporation
with his current partner Anne Carey
, Good Machine's Head of Business Affairs Diana Victor, and his former assistant, Anthony Bregman.
Among Ted’s twenty-three Sundance
entries, are three Grand Jury Prize winners: American Splendor
(2003), The Brothers McMullen
(1995) and What Happened Was...
(1994). American Splendor also won the FIPRESCI Award at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival
, the Critics prize at the 2003 Deauville Film Festival and was nominated for five Spirit Awards and one Academy Award. Hope has also produced two Sundance Opening Night selections: Nicole Holofcener's Friends with Money
(2006) and Moises Kaufman's The Laramie Project
(2002), which was nominated for five Emmys.
The Hollywood Reporter recently cited Hope and his partners at This is that among the twenty-five most powerful people in the Independent Film business.
. He met his business partner Anne Carey on his first day there. After graduating, Hope worked as a production assistant for approximately three years, while also working as a script reader for numerous companies including New Line and MGM.
Hope advanced from work as a Production Assistant to Assistant Directing and Production Management. During that time he started to identify projects and filmmakers he wanted to work with. Most notably Hope started working with Hal Hartley
in the years prior to their first production. Hope’s first productions were Hartley’s The Unbelievable Truth
and Trust, on which he is credited as First Assistant Director and First Assistant Director & Line Producer
, respectively.
, an independent film production company based in New York. They started doing line production for hire for various international auteurs, including Claire Denis
, Danny Levy, and Jan Schutte
.
At Good Machine, Hope and James Schamus
produced Ang Lee
's early films including Pushing Hands
, The Wedding Banquet
and Eat Drink Man Woman
(both Academy Award nominees), The Ice Storm
, and Ride with the Devil.
Hope produced Todd Solondz
's Cannes Critics' Prize-winning Happiness, which Hope and his partners at Good Machine released themselves when its distributor dropped the film. Hope also executive produced In the Bedroom
, which earned five Academy Award nominations for Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Hope and Schamus brought David Linde in as a partner to Good Machine, in order to start their foreign sales arm, Good Machine International. In 2001, the partners sold the company to Universal
. Schamus and Linde stayed on and merged the international sales company with USA Films to create Focus Features
.
and Anthony Bregman, and Head of Business Affairs Diana Victor, Hope co-founded New York production company This is that corporation
in 2002. This is that specializes in unique content and innovative storytelling. This is that has produced seventeen films in the six years since its inception.
This is that's first release, 21 Grams
, received two Academy Award nominations and five BAFTA nominations. The company's second release, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
, won an Oscar for best screenplay.
, written/directed by Greg Mottola
and starring Jesse Eisenberg
and Kristen Stewart
.
Hope’s production of Oscar-winner Alan Ball
’s feature film directorial debut Towelhead
, starring Aaron Eckhart
, Toni Collette
, and Maria Bello
, opened nationwide in September 2008. Towelhead is Hope’s 18th production of a first time feature film director.
Ted had four features released in 2007. One of them, The Savages
, directed by Tamara Jenkins
and starring Laura Linney
and Philip Seymour Hoffman
was nominated for two Academy Awards
including Best Actress
and Best Screenplay. The three other releases include Hal Hartley’s Fay Grim
, The Ex written by David Guion & Michael Handelman and directed by Jesse Peretz
, and 'The Hawk is Dying
starring Paul Giamatti
and directed by Julian Goldberger
.
and Karlovy Vary Film Festival. Prior to that in 2004, he acted as a jury member at Sundance
, the Miami Film Festival, and the Bahamas International Film Festival
. In 2011, Ted served as a jury member for the Disposable Film Festival
in San Francisco.
Ted has lectured throughout the world and speaks at numerous events on issues regarding the film industry, most recently at Forbes Global CEO Conference in Singapore and as the Keynote Speaker at Film Independent's annual Filmmaker Forum in 2008. Ted is also regular panelist for Independent Feature Project.
Ted was honored with the Maverick Award at the 2008 Sarasota Film Festival
. In 2006, the Hamptons International Film Festival
honored Ted with an Industry Toast. Similarly, the Maui Film Festival
also honored Ted with the Trailblazer Award in 2004. In 2001, Ted was awarded the NYC Crystal Apple Award. In the same year, Ted, along with James Schamus, was given the Fimlmakers on the Edge Award by the Provincetown International Film Festival
. In 1996, Ted & James were the recipient of the Gotham Producer of the Year award. Ted and James were also awarded the prestigious Independent Spirit Brian Greenbaum Memorial Award for Producing, 1994.
Ted has also published articles in several periodicals, and consults on independent film and media. He is cited in the following books:
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
producer based in New York City.
As the American Indie wave hit in the early 90’s, Ted was among the first producers to emerge from the pack, and today remains one of the few consistently delivering vital and exciting new work. As times, platforms, and tastes change, Ted’s work continues to break new ground, reach new audiences, and redefine the term “Independent”.
Hope has produced the first films of such notable filmmakers as Ang Lee
Ang Lee
Ang Lee is a Taiwanese film director. Lee has directed a diverse set of films such as Eat Drink Man Woman , Sense and Sensibility , Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon , Hulk , and Brokeback Mountain , for which he won an Academy...
, Hal Hartley
Hal Hartley
Hal Hartley is an American film director, screenwriter, producer composer, who became a key figure in the American independent film movement of the 1980s and 1990s...
, Nicole Holofcener
Nicole Holofcener
Nicole Holofcener is an American film and television director. She has directed four feature films, most recently Please Give.-Career:...
, Todd Field
Todd Field
William Todd Field, known professionally as Todd Field is an American actor and writer/director. He has received three Academy Award nominations.-Background and personal life:...
, Michel Gondry
Michel Gondry
Michel Gondry is an Academy Award winning filmmaker, whose works include being a commercial director, music video director, and a screenwriter. He is noted for his inventive visual style and manipulation of mise en scène. - Life and career :...
, Moises Kaufman
Moisés Kaufman
Moisés Kaufman is a playwright, director and founder of Tectonic Theater Project. He is the author of Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde, 33 Variations and is perhaps best known for writing The Laramie Project with other members of Tectonic Theater Project...
, Bob Pulcini, and Shari Berman, among others. In the early 1990s, Hope co-founded with James Schamus
James Schamus
James Schamus is an award-winning screenwriter The Ice Storm and producer Brokeback Mountain, and is CEO of Focus Features, the motion picture production, financing, and worldwide distribution company whose films have included Lost in Translation, Milk, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The...
the production/sales company Good Machine
Good Machine
Good Machine was an independent film production, film distribution, and foreign sales company started in the early 1990s by its co-founders and producers, Ted Hope and James Schamus. David Linde joined in the late 90s to start the international sales company...
, which he and his partners sold to Universal in 2002. That same year he co-founded This is that corporation
This is that corporation
This is that corporation is one of the leading independent feature film production companies. Established in 2002, and based in New York City, the company was founded by and is fully owned by Anne Carey, Ted Hope, and Diana Victor...
with his current partner Anne Carey
Anne Carey
Anne Carey is an independent film producer based in New York City.Carey began her career working as the head of development for William Morris Agency, serving their top film and television clients. In the early 1990s she began working as both a producer and head of development for production...
, Good Machine's Head of Business Affairs Diana Victor, and his former assistant, Anthony Bregman.
Among Ted’s twenty-three Sundance
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...
entries, are three Grand Jury Prize winners: American Splendor
American Splendor
American Splendor is a series of autobiographical comic books written by the late Harvey Pekar and drawn by a variety of artists. The first issue was published in 1976 and the most recent in September 2008, with publication occurring at irregular intervals...
(2003), The Brothers McMullen
The Brothers McMullen
The Brothers McMullen is a 1995 American comedy-drama film directed, written, produced by, and starring Edward Burns. It deals with the lives of the three Irish Catholic McMullen brothers from Long Island, New York, over three months, as they grapple with basic ideas and values — love, sex,...
(1995) and What Happened Was...
What Happened Was
What Happened Was... is a 1994 independent film written, directed by and starring Tom Noonan. It is an adaptation of Noonan's original play of the same name.-Plot:...
(1994). American Splendor also won the FIPRESCI Award at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
, the Critics prize at the 2003 Deauville Film Festival and was nominated for five Spirit Awards and one Academy Award. Hope has also produced two Sundance Opening Night selections: Nicole Holofcener's Friends with Money
Friends with Money
Friends with Money is a 2006 film written and directed by Nicole Holofcener. It opened the 2006 Sundance Film Festival on January 19, 2006 and went into limited release in North America on April 7, 2006.-Plot:...
(2006) and Moises Kaufman's The Laramie Project
The Laramie Project
The Laramie Project is a play by Moisés Kaufman and members of the Tectonic Theater Project about the reaction to the 1998 murder of University of Wyoming gay student Matthew Shepard in Laramie,...
(2002), which was nominated for five Emmys.
The Hollywood Reporter recently cited Hope and his partners at This is that among the twenty-five most powerful people in the Independent Film business.
The Early Film Years
Hope transferred into the undergraduate film program at New York UniversityNew York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
. He met his business partner Anne Carey on his first day there. After graduating, Hope worked as a production assistant for approximately three years, while also working as a script reader for numerous companies including New Line and MGM.
Hope advanced from work as a Production Assistant to Assistant Directing and Production Management. During that time he started to identify projects and filmmakers he wanted to work with. Most notably Hope started working with Hal Hartley
Hal Hartley
Hal Hartley is an American film director, screenwriter, producer composer, who became a key figure in the American independent film movement of the 1980s and 1990s...
in the years prior to their first production. Hope’s first productions were Hartley’s The Unbelievable Truth
The Unbelievable Truth
The Unbelievable Truth is a BBC radio comedy panel game made by Random Entertainment, devised by Graeme Garden and Jon Naismith. It is very similar to the occasional I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue game "Lies, All Lies", which was first played in 1985...
and Trust, on which he is credited as First Assistant Director and First Assistant Director & Line Producer
Line producer
A line producer is the key manager during the daily operations of a motion picture production.The line producer supports the vision given by the director but does not have direct influence on the creative expression or narrative of the film....
, respectively.
The Good Machine Years
In 1990, Hope and James Schamus founded Good MachineGood Machine
Good Machine was an independent film production, film distribution, and foreign sales company started in the early 1990s by its co-founders and producers, Ted Hope and James Schamus. David Linde joined in the late 90s to start the international sales company...
, an independent film production company based in New York. They started doing line production for hire for various international auteurs, including Claire Denis
Claire Denis
Claire Denis is a French film director and Professor of Film at the European Graduate School in Saas-Fee, Switzerland.-Early life:...
, Danny Levy, and Jan Schutte
Jan Schütte
Jan Schütte is a German film director and screenwriter. He has directed twelve films since 1982. His film Abschied - Brechts letzter Sommer was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival.-Filmography:...
.
At Good Machine, Hope and James Schamus
James Schamus
James Schamus is an award-winning screenwriter The Ice Storm and producer Brokeback Mountain, and is CEO of Focus Features, the motion picture production, financing, and worldwide distribution company whose films have included Lost in Translation, Milk, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The...
produced Ang Lee
Ang Lee
Ang Lee is a Taiwanese film director. Lee has directed a diverse set of films such as Eat Drink Man Woman , Sense and Sensibility , Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon , Hulk , and Brokeback Mountain , for which he won an Academy...
's early films including Pushing Hands
Pushing Hands (film)
Pushing Hands is a film directed by Ang Lee. Released in 1992, it was his first feature film.- Plot :The story is about an elderly Chinese t'ai chi ch'uan teacher and grandfather who emigrates from Beijing to live with his son, American daughter-in-law, and grandson in a New York City suburb...
, The Wedding Banquet
The Wedding Banquet
The Wedding Banquet is a 1993 film about a gay Taiwanese immigrant man who marries a mainland Chinese woman to placate his parents and get her a green card. His plan backfires when his parents arrive in the United States to plan his wedding banquet....
and Eat Drink Man Woman
Eat Drink Man Woman
Eat Drink Man Woman is a Taiwanese film directed by Ang Lee and starring Sihung Lung, Yu-wen Wang, Chien-lien Wu, Kuei-mei Yang. Many of the cast had starred in Ang Lee's previous film, The Wedding Banquet with Sihung Lung and Ah Lei Gua once more playing central elderly figures, and Winston Chao...
(both Academy Award nominees), The Ice Storm
The Ice Storm (film)
The Ice Storm is a 1997 drama film directed by Ang Lee, based on the 1994 novel of the same name by Rick Moody.The film features an ensemble cast of Kevin Kline, Joan Allen, Tobey Maguire, Christina Ricci, Elijah Wood, and Sigourney Weaver...
, and Ride with the Devil.
Hope produced Todd Solondz
Todd Solondz
Todd Solondz is an American independent film screenwriter and director known for his style of dark, thought-provoking, socially conscious satire. Solondz has been critically acclaimed for his examination of the "dark underbelly of middle class American suburbia", a reflection of his own background...
's Cannes Critics' Prize-winning Happiness, which Hope and his partners at Good Machine released themselves when its distributor dropped the film. Hope also executive produced In the Bedroom
In the Bedroom
In the Bedroom is a 2001 American crime drama film directed by Todd Field, and dedicated to Andre Dubus, whose short story Killings is the source material on which the screenplay, by Field and Robert Festinger, is based...
, which earned five Academy Award nominations for Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Hope and Schamus brought David Linde in as a partner to Good Machine, in order to start their foreign sales arm, Good Machine International. In 2001, the partners sold the company to Universal
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
. Schamus and Linde stayed on and merged the international sales company with USA Films to create Focus Features
Focus Features
Focus Features is the art house films division of NBC Universal's Universal Pictures, and acts as both a producer and distributor for its own films and a distributor for foreign films....
.
This is that
With fellow Good Machine producers Anne CareyAnne Carey
Anne Carey is an independent film producer based in New York City.Carey began her career working as the head of development for William Morris Agency, serving their top film and television clients. In the early 1990s she began working as both a producer and head of development for production...
and Anthony Bregman, and Head of Business Affairs Diana Victor, Hope co-founded New York production company This is that corporation
This is that corporation
This is that corporation is one of the leading independent feature film production companies. Established in 2002, and based in New York City, the company was founded by and is fully owned by Anne Carey, Ted Hope, and Diana Victor...
in 2002. This is that specializes in unique content and innovative storytelling. This is that has produced seventeen films in the six years since its inception.
This is that's first release, 21 Grams
21 Grams
21 Grams is a 2003 American drama film directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu and written by Guillermo Arriaga. It stars Sean Penn, Naomi Watts, Danny Huston, and Benicio del Toro....
, received two Academy Award nominations and five BAFTA nominations. The company's second release, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a 2004 American romantic science fiction film about an estranged couple who have each other erased from their memories, scripted by Charlie Kaufman and directed by the French director, Michel Gondry. The film uses elements of science fiction, psychological...
, won an Oscar for best screenplay.
Recent and Upcoming Productions
Hope is currently in post-production on SUPER, written and directed by James Gunn, and starring Rainn Wilson, Ellen Page and Liv Tyler. In 2009 he produced AdventurelandAdventureland (film)
Adventureland is a 2009 Retro comedy-drama film written and directed by Greg Mottola. The film stars Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Margarita Levieva, Ryan Reynolds, Martin Starr, Bill Hader, and Kristen Wiig.-Plot:...
, written/directed by Greg Mottola
Greg Mottola
Gregory J. "Greg" Mottola is an American filmmaker, screenwriter and television director. Mottola wrote and directed the 1996 independent film The Daytrippers, then concentrated for several years on directing in television for series such as Undeclared and Arrested Development...
and starring Jesse Eisenberg
Jesse Eisenberg
Jesse Adam Eisenberg is an American actor. He made his screen debut with the comedy-drama television series Get Real from 1999 to 2000...
and Kristen Stewart
Kristen Stewart
Kristen Jaymes Stewart is an American actress. She is best known for playing Bella Swan in The Twilight Saga. She has also starred in films including Panic Room , Zathura , In the Land of Women , The Messengers , Adventureland and The Runaways .- Early life :Stewart was born and raised in Los...
.
Hope’s production of Oscar-winner Alan Ball
Alan Ball (screenwriter)
Alan E. Ball is an American writer, director, actor and producer for film, theatre and television.-Early life:Ball was born in Atlanta, Georgia, to Frank and Mary Ball, an aircraft inspector and a homemaker...
’s feature film directorial debut Towelhead
Towelhead (film)
Towelhead is a 2007 black comedy film written and directed by Alan Ball and based on Alicia Erian's novel of the same name. The film made its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival on September 8, 2007 under the name Nothing is Private...
, starring Aaron Eckhart
Aaron Eckhart
Aaron Edward Eckhart is an American film and stage actor. Born in California, he moved to England at the age of 13, when his father relocated the family. Several years later, he began his acting career by performing in school plays, before moving to Sydney, Australia, for his high school senior year...
, Toni Collette
Toni Collette
Antonia "Toni" Collette is an Australian actress and musician, known for her acting work on stage, television and film as well as a secondary career as the lead singer of the band Toni Collette & the Finish....
, and Maria Bello
Maria Bello
Maria Elena Bello is an American actress and singer known for her appearances in the movies Coyote Ugly, The Jane Austen Book Club, Permanent Midnight, Thank You for Smoking, A History of Violence, Payback, and The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. For television she is known for her role as Dr...
, opened nationwide in September 2008. Towelhead is Hope’s 18th production of a first time feature film director.
Ted had four features released in 2007. One of them, The Savages
The Savages (film)
The Savages is a 2007 American comedy-drama film, written and directed by Tamara Jenkins. It stars Philip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney and premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.-Plot:...
, directed by Tamara Jenkins
Tamara Jenkins
Tamara Jenkins is an American screenwriter, actress and director. She is best known for her two feature films, Slums of Beverly Hills and The Savages .-Early life:...
and starring Laura Linney
Laura Linney
Laura Leggett Linney is an American actress of film, television, and theatre. Linney has won three Emmy Awards, two Golden Globes, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. She has been nominated for three times for an Academy Award and once for a BAFTA Award...
and Philip Seymour Hoffman
Philip Seymour Hoffman
Philip Seymour Hoffman is an American actor and director. Hoffman began acting in television in 1991, and the following year started to appear in films...
was nominated for two Academy Awards
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
including Best Actress
Academy Award for Best Actress
Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry...
and Best Screenplay. The three other releases include Hal Hartley’s Fay Grim
Fay Grim
Fay Grim is a 2006 film written and directed by Hal Hartley. The film is a sequel to Hartley's 1997 film Henry Fool, and revolves around the title character, played by Parker Posey, the sister of Simon Grim . The plot revolves around Fay's attempt to unravel an increasingly violent mystery in Europe...
, The Ex written by David Guion & Michael Handelman and directed by Jesse Peretz
Jesse Peretz
Jesse Peretz is an American bass guitar player, feature film director, and Grammy-Award winning music video director.-Life and career:...
, and 'The Hawk is Dying
The Hawk is Dying
The Hawk Is Dying is a 2006 film based on the book by Harry Crews. It was accepted to the 2006 Director's Fortnight Competition at the Cannes Film Festival...
starring Paul Giamatti
Paul Giamatti
Paul Edward Valentine Giamatti is an American actor. Giamatti began his career as a supporting actor in several films produced during the 1990s including Private Parts, The Truman Show, Saving Private Ryan, The Negotiator, and Man on the Moon, before earning lead roles in several projects in the...
and directed by Julian Goldberger
Julian Goldberger
Julian Goldberger is an independent film director based in Los Angeles.Julian studied acting and directing at Florida State University's School of Theatre, afterwords completing New York University's Intensive Film Program and The AFI Conservatory's Directing Program.His critically acclaimed...
.
Filmography
- AdventurelandAdventureland (film)Adventureland is a 2009 Retro comedy-drama film written and directed by Greg Mottola. The film stars Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Margarita Levieva, Ryan Reynolds, Martin Starr, Bill Hader, and Kristen Wiig.-Plot:...
(2009) - The SavagesThe Savages (film)The Savages is a 2007 American comedy-drama film, written and directed by Tamara Jenkins. It stars Philip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney and premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.-Plot:...
(2007) - TowelheadTowelhead (film)Towelhead is a 2007 black comedy film written and directed by Alan Ball and based on Alicia Erian's novel of the same name. The film made its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival on September 8, 2007 under the name Nothing is Private...
(2007) - The Ex (2006)
- Fay GrimFay GrimFay Grim is a 2006 film written and directed by Hal Hartley. The film is a sequel to Hartley's 1997 film Henry Fool, and revolves around the title character, played by Parker Posey, the sister of Simon Grim . The plot revolves around Fay's attempt to unravel an increasingly violent mystery in Europe...
(2006) - The Hawk Is DyingThe Hawk is DyingThe Hawk Is Dying is a 2006 film based on the book by Harry Crews. It was accepted to the 2006 Director's Fortnight Competition at the Cannes Film Festival...
(2006) - Friends with MoneyFriends with MoneyFriends with Money is a 2006 film written and directed by Nicole Holofcener. It opened the 2006 Sundance Film Festival on January 19, 2006 and went into limited release in North America on April 7, 2006.-Plot:...
(2006) - ThumbsuckerThumbsucker (film)Thumbsucker is a 2005 American comedy-drama film directed by Mike Mills adapted from the Walter Kirn novel of the same name. The movie focuses on teenager Justin Cobb and how he copes with his thumb sucking problem, and his experiments with hypnosis, sex and drugs.-Plot:Justin Cobb is a shy...
(2005) - The Devil and Daniel JohnstonThe Devil and Daniel JohnstonThe Devil and Daniel Johnston is a 2006 documentary film about the noted American artist Daniel Johnston. It chronicles Johnston's life from childhood up to the present, with an emphasis on his experiences with bipolar disorder, and how it manifested itself in demonic self-obsession. The film was...
(2005) - A Dirty ShameA Dirty ShameA Dirty Shame is a 2004 satirical sex comedy written and directed by John Waters, and starring Tracey Ullman, Selma Blair, Johnny Knoxville, Chris Isaak, Suzanne Shepherd, and Mink Stole.-Plot:...
(2004) - The Door in the FloorThe Door in the FloorThe Door in the Floor is a 2004 American drama film written and directed by Tod Williams. The screenplay is based on the first third of the 1998 novel A Widow for One Year by John Irving.-Plot:...
(2004) - 21 Grams21 Grams21 Grams is a 2003 American drama film directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu and written by Guillermo Arriaga. It stars Sean Penn, Naomi Watts, Danny Huston, and Benicio del Toro....
(2003) - American SplendorAmerican Splendor (film)American Splendor is a 2003 American biographical comedy-drama film about Harvey Pekar, the author of the American Splendor comic book series. The film is also in part an adaptation of the comics, which dramatize Pekar's life...
(2003) - The Laramie ProjectThe Laramie Project (film)The Laramie Project is a 2002 drama film written and directed by Moisés Kaufman. Based on the play of the same name, the film tells the story of the aftermath of the 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyoming...
(2002) - Lovely & AmazingLovely & AmazingLovely & Amazing is a 2001 American dramedy film written and directed by Nicole Holofcener.-Plot:The story focuses on Jane Marks, her adult daughters Michelle and Elizabeth, and her pre-teen adopted African American daughter Annie, each of whom allows her personal insecurities to affect her life...
(2001) - Human NatureHuman Nature (film)Human Nature is a 2001 American comedy film written by Charlie Kaufman and directed by Michel Gondry. The film stars Tim Robbins, Rhys Ifans, Miranda Otto and Patricia Arquette...
(2001) - StorytellingStorytelling (film)Storytelling is a 2001 film, directed by Todd Solondz. It features original music by Belle & Sebastian, later compiled on an album of the same name...
(2001) - In the BedroomIn the BedroomIn the Bedroom is a 2001 American crime drama film directed by Todd Field, and dedicated to Andre Dubus, whose short story Killings is the source material on which the screenplay, by Field and Robert Festinger, is based...
(2001) - The Tao of SteveThe Tao of SteveThe Tao of Steve is a 2000 romantic comedy film written by Duncan North, Greer Goodman, and Jenniphr Goodman. It is directed by Jenniphr Goodman and stars Donal Logue and Greer Goodman....
(2000) - Ride with the Devil (1999)
- The Lifestyle on IMDB (1999)
- Luminous Motion on IMDB (1998)
- Happiness (1998)
- No Looking BackNo Looking BackNo Looking Back is a 1998 American drama-genre film directed, written, produced, and starring Edward Burns. The film centers on the relationship of Charlie and Claudia . The film had a limited theatrical release and grossed less than $250,000 domestically.-Plot:Claudia is a waitress in a seaside...
(1998) - Fuzzy Logic on IMDB (1998)
- Wonderland on IMDB (1997)
- Love God on IMDB (1997)
- The Myth of FingerprintsThe Myth of FingerprintsThe Myth of Fingerprints is a 1997 American drama written and directed by Bart Freundlich and stars his real-life wife Julianne Moore.The film is named after track 11, "All Around the World or the Myth of the Fingerprints" on Paul Simon's Graceland album, released in August 1986...
(1997) - Office KillerOffice KillerOffice Killer is a comedy-horror film directed by Cindy Sherman. It was released in 1997 and stars Carol Kane, Molly Ringwald and David Thornton.- Plot :...
(1997) - The Ice StormThe Ice Storm (film)The Ice Storm is a 1997 drama film directed by Ang Lee, based on the 1994 novel of the same name by Rick Moody.The film features an ensemble cast of Kevin Kline, Joan Allen, Tobey Maguire, Christina Ricci, Elijah Wood, and Sigourney Weaver...
(1997) - Arresting Gena on IMDB (1997)
- Monsters on IMDB (1997)
- She's the OneShe's the OneShe's the One is a 1996 comedy-drama film, and the second feature film to be written and directed by New York actor and director Edward Burns...
(1996) - Greetings from Africa on IMDB (1996)
- Walking and TalkingWalking and TalkingWalking and Talking is a 1996 independent film starring Catherine Keener, Anne Heche, Todd Field, Liev Schreiber and Kevin Corrigan.Walking and Talking is a story about two women best friends and how they deal with their changing relationship as one prepares to get married and the other struggles...
(1996) - What About Me? on IMDB (1996)
- Flirt (1995)
- Safe (1995)
- The Brothers McMullenThe Brothers McMullenThe Brothers McMullen is a 1995 American comedy-drama film directed, written, produced by, and starring Edward Burns. It deals with the lives of the three Irish Catholic McMullen brothers from Long Island, New York, over three months, as they grapple with basic ideas and values — love, sex,...
(1995) - Roy Cohn/Jack Smith on IMDB (1994)
- AmateurAmateur (film)Amateur is a 1994 film written and directed by Hal Hartley starring Isabelle Huppert, Martin Donovan and Elina Löwensohn.-Title:The title is also an acronym, encompassing elements of the film* Accountancy* Murder* Amnesia* Torture* Ecstasy...
(1994) - Eat Drink Man WomanEat Drink Man WomanEat Drink Man Woman is a Taiwanese film directed by Ang Lee and starring Sihung Lung, Yu-wen Wang, Chien-lien Wu, Kuei-mei Yang. Many of the cast had starred in Ang Lee's previous film, The Wedding Banquet with Sihung Lung and Ah Lei Gua once more playing central elderly figures, and Winston Chao...
(1994) - Auf Wiedersehen Amerika on IMDB (1994)
- What Happened Was...What Happened WasWhat Happened Was... is a 1994 independent film written, directed by and starring Tom Noonan. It is an adaptation of Noonan's original play of the same name.-Plot:...
(1994) - The Wedding BanquetThe Wedding BanquetThe Wedding Banquet is a 1993 film about a gay Taiwanese immigrant man who marries a mainland Chinese woman to placate his parents and get her a green card. His plan backfires when his parents arrive in the United States to plan his wedding banquet....
(1993) - Simple MenSimple MenSimple Men is a 1992 American film written and directed by Hal Hartley, starring Robert John Burke, Bill Sage, Karen Sillas and Martin Donovan. It was the debut film of actress Holly Marie Combs in a supporting role...
(1992) - I Was on Mars on IMDB (1992)
- Pushing HandsPushing Hands (film)Pushing Hands is a film directed by Ang Lee. Released in 1992, it was his first feature film.- Plot :The story is about an elderly Chinese t'ai chi ch'uan teacher and grandfather who emigrates from Beijing to live with his son, American daughter-in-law, and grandson in a New York City suburb...
(1992) - Theory of Achievement on IMDB (1991)
- Ambition on IMDB (1991)
- Angry on IMDB (1991)
- Chicken Delight on IMDB (1991)
- Keep It for Yourself on IMDB (1991)
- Surviving DesireSurviving DesireSurviving Desire is a 1991 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Hal Hartley. It stars Martin Donovan, Julie Kessler, Matt Malloy, Merritt Nelson, and Mary B. Ward.-Plot:...
(1991) - Trust (1990)
- The Unbelievable TruthThe Unbelievable Truth (film)The Unbelievable Truth is a 1989 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Hal Hartley, starring Adrienne Shelly and Robert John Burke. It was nominated for a Grand Jury Prize in 1990 at the Sundance Film Festival. The region 1 DVD was released by Anchor Bay Entertainment on March 11,...
(1989) - Tiger Warsaw on IMDB (1988)
Appearances, Jury Participation, and Awards
In 2008, Ted served as a jury member at the Woodstock Film FestivalWoodstock Film Festival
The Woodstock Film Festival is an American film festival that was begun in 1999. The festival was first conceived as a part of the Woodstock '99 Music and Arts Festival, with movies being screened as part of that event.-History:...
and Karlovy Vary Film Festival. Prior to that in 2004, he acted as a jury member at Sundance
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...
, the Miami Film Festival, and the Bahamas International Film Festival
Bahamas International Film Festival
Bahamas International Film Festival is an annual film festival held in early December in the Bahamas, founded in 2004.The Bahamas International Film Festival is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing the local community and international visitors with a diverse presentation of films...
. In 2011, Ted served as a jury member for the Disposable Film Festival
Disposable Film Festival
The Disposable Film Festival is an annual juried international festival of short films made using casual, lo-fi video capture devices like cell phones, point and shoot cameras, webcams, and inexpensive handycams...
in San Francisco.
Ted has lectured throughout the world and speaks at numerous events on issues regarding the film industry, most recently at Forbes Global CEO Conference in Singapore and as the Keynote Speaker at Film Independent's annual Filmmaker Forum in 2008. Ted is also regular panelist for Independent Feature Project.
Ted was honored with the Maverick Award at the 2008 Sarasota Film Festival
Sarasota Film Festival
The Sarasota Film Festival has been held annually since 1999 in Sarasota, Florida. The festival is held in April and has become one of the top ten independent festivals in North America...
. In 2006, the Hamptons International Film Festival
Hamptons International Film Festival
Hamptons International Film Festival was founded to provide a forum for independent filmmakers from around the world to express their vision. The Festival is traditionally held for five days in mid-October in theatre venues from Montauk to Southampton and attracts roughly 15,000 visitors annually...
honored Ted with an Industry Toast. Similarly, the Maui Film Festival
Maui Film Festival
The Maui Film Festival is a film festival held annually on the island of Maui, Hawaii.-External links:*...
also honored Ted with the Trailblazer Award in 2004. In 2001, Ted was awarded the NYC Crystal Apple Award. In the same year, Ted, along with James Schamus, was given the Fimlmakers on the Edge Award by the Provincetown International Film Festival
Provincetown International Film Festival
The Provincetown International Film Festival is an annual film festival founded in 1999 and held in Provincetown, Massachusetts. The festival presents a wide array of American and international narrative features, documentaries and short films for five days in June of each year.With panel...
. In 1996, Ted & James were the recipient of the Gotham Producer of the Year award. Ted and James were also awarded the prestigious Independent Spirit Brian Greenbaum Memorial Award for Producing, 1994.
Beyond Film
Hope maintains several blogs, including Bowl Of Noses (a curated site for children age 6+), These Are Those Things, and Truly Free Film. Consolidated on his website, HopeForFilm, they cover topics including fun things happening in New York City, trends in indie film, and tips for better filmmaking. He also co-founded Hammer To Nail, a film review site focused on Truly Independent Film.- http://hopeforfilm.com/ Collection of Ted Hope's blogs.
- http://www.hammertonail.com/ Building a home for ambitious film, one review at a time.
Ted has also published articles in several periodicals, and consults on independent film and media. He is cited in the following books:
- Rough Guide To American Independent Film by Jessica Winter
- Down & Dirty Pictures by Peter BiskindPeter BiskindPeter Biskind is a journalist, former executive editor of Premiere magazine, and the author of numerous books depicting life in Hollywood, including Seeing Is Believing, Easy Riders, Raging Bulls, Down and Dirty Pictures, and Gods and Monsters...
- Wake up Screening: What to Do Once You've Made That Movie by John Anderson and Laura Kim
- Killer Life by Christine Vachon
- Reel Truth by Reed Martin
External links
- Article from indieWIREIndieWireindieWIRE is a daily news site for the independent film community. It covers indie, documentary and foreign language films, as well industry news, film festival reports, filmmaker interviews and movie reviews...
- Post on Filmmaker Magazine: Blog
- Post on Filmmaker Magazine: Blog
- Post on Filmmaker Magazine: Blog
- Ball and Ted Hope discuss Towelhead on WGBH Boston
- Ted Hope's take on politics and film from The Village Voice
- Ted discusses indie film's current business climate
- HopeForFilm: A collection of Ted Hope's blogs
- Hammer to Nail: Building a home for ambitious film, one review at a time