Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg was born in Cincinnati on December 18 1946, and his family
moved from New Jersey to Scottsdale AZ (near Phoenix) while Steven was still
young. His father (Arnold) was an electric engineer, and his mother (Leah) a concert
pianist. His sister, Anne Spielberg, became a screen writer (who was to be nominated
for an Oscar for writing Big).
Already at the age of 13 he won a contest with his 40 minute film, 'Escape to
Nowhere', and at the age of 16, Spielberg produced the movie 'Firelight' (which would
later inspire 'Close Encounters'). The movie made a $100 profit at the local movie
theater.
Although Spielberg attended California State University in Long Beach studying
English, he couldn't get into a traditional film school. As with anything, Spielberg
wasn't going to let that stop him.
How did Spielberg burst into the movie industry? He disappeared into the Universal
lot while on a tour, and apparently found an abandoned janitors closet, cleaned it up,
and turned it into a presentable office. Every day Spielberg would walk right past the
security guards at the gate, wearing a suit and tie.
While on the inside, Spielberg started production on 'Amblin', a 24 minute movie
about a pair of hitchhikers. The budget ($15,000) came from a friend of his, who was
also trying to break into the movie business. 'Amblin' won several film festival
awards, but more importantly, it got him the attention of Universal Studios.
Spielberg got himself a 7 years contract with the Television Division, and started
directed shows such as 'The Night Gallery', 'Marcus Welby MD', 'The Name of the
Game' and the first episode of 'Columbo'. The contract allowed him to show off the
diversity of his talents. He got to direct TV movies such as 'Duel and Something Evil'.
Duel was so good, it was later moved to foreign theaters.
Spielberg's first feature film was in 1974 and was called 'The Sugarland Express',
which was a comedy/drama based on the true story. It won critical acclaim including
a Cannes Film Festival Award in 1974 for Best screenplay.
In 1975, Spielberg directed 'Jaws'. Only his second feature film, Jaws was a huge
success and was nominated for best film at the 1976 Academy Awards. It won 3
Oscars for Editing, sound and original score. 'Jaws' would later be named as one of
the 100 best films of all time by the American Film Institute and more importantly, it
would open up the doors for Spielberg to work on many more great projects.
Spielberg would go on to create films such as 'E.T.', a story of a group of alien
botanists that while visiting the Earth at Night is discovered and disturbed by an
approaching human task force. Because of the more than hasty take-off, one of the
visitors is left behind. The little alien finds himself all alone on a very strange planet.
Fortunately, the extra-terrestrial soon finds a friend and emotional companion in 10year-old Elliot, who discovered him looking for food in his family's garden shed.
While E.T. slowly gets acquainted with Elliot's brother Michael, his sister Gertie as
well as with Earth customs, members of the task force work day and night to track
down the whereabouts of Earth's first visitor from Outer Space. The wish to go home
again is strong in E.T., and after being able to communicate with Elliot and the others,
E.T. starts building an improvised device to send a message home for his folks to
come and pick him up. But before long, E.T. gets seriously sick, and because of his
special connection to Elliot, the young boy suffers, too. The situation gets critical
when the task force finally intervenes. By then, all help may already be too late, and
there's no alien spaceship in sight.
Another great movie of Spielberg's, 'Schindler's List', was made because Spielberg
was tired of making blockbuster movies and not getting the credit he deserves from
the Acadamy. "Schindler's List" is the based-on-truth story of Nazi Czech business
man Oskar Schindler, who uses Jewish labor to start a factory in occupied Poland. As
World War II progresses, and the fate of the Jews becomes more and more clear,
Schindler's motivations switch from profit to human sympathy and he is able to save
over 1100 Jews from death in the gas chambers.
Another blockbuster hit is 'Jurassic Park', based on the famous story Michael
Crichton. On a remote island, a wealthy entrepreneur secretly creates a theme park
featuring living dinosaurs drawn from prehistoric DNA. Before opening the attraction
to the public, he invites a top paleontologist, a paleobotanist, a
mathematician/theorist, and his two eager grandchildren to experience the park -- and
help calm anxious investors. However, their park visit is anything but tranquil as the
park's security system breaks down, the prehistoric creatures break out, and the
excitement builds to surprising results.
Spielberg didn't stop there, and in addition to directing he became an entrepreneur.
The year 1982 was big for Steven Spielberg because 'E.T.' became the first movie to
be produced by 'Amblin Entertainment'. Spielberg founded the company, using the
name of his first professional film and the popular logo from the movie 'E.T'.
'Amblin' was only a production studio, and never distributed its own movies. It
worked with other studios such as Universal Pictures, Columbia Pictures and Warner
Brother Studios, but its films were an immediate success. While some movies were
not received well, many Amblin movies became American icons. Movies produced or
directed by Spielberg would usually have an Amblin logo on the poster. But as
always, for Spielberg, great was not enough.
In 1994 Dreamworks SKG became the first new movie studio in Hollywood in over
75 years. The partnership between Steven Spielberg, Jeffery Katzenberg, and David
Geffen formed a media company that would reach into the fields of live action and
animated movies (both traditional and CGI), music, computer games, arcades,
television production and movie distribution. Unlike Amblin, which Spielberg owns
100% of, Dreamworks is only 22% owned by Spielberg. Other investors include
Katzenberg, Geffen, Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and a few of their closest
friends.
By 1997, Spielberg's annual income had reached $283 million which means he was
the highest paid entertainment figure of that year. This money comes from a variety of
investments:
*Amblin (100% ownership) $400 million value.
* Dreamworks (22% ownership) $550 million.
* Dive! (Restaurant chain) (50% ownership) $6 million.
* idealab! (Internet content) (15% ownership) $7.5 million.
These figures are accurate as of June 1998 according to Business Week, and they give
Spielberg an estimated value of $1 billion.
Business week also had a break down of how Spielberg collects his money from a
movie. "Anatomy of a Spielberg Hit" shows how much of Jurassic Park's box office
will be taken home by Spielberg, and how.
Spielberg is also a very dedicated family man and telling about this grate man without
mentioning his family would be just wrong.
If you have ever heard Spielberg being interviewed, you know that he can't say 3
things without slipping his children into the conversation. Spielberg is also spending
time with hospitalized children
Spielberg's wife is Kate Capshaw, and they met in auditions for Indiana Jones and the
Temple of Doom. Capshaw was cast the leading role. She would marry the director 7
years later in 1991.
His ex-wife is Amy Irving and they were married from 1979 till 1989. They had one
son (Max).
Spielberg loves children and for him having them is like keeping apart of his inner
child alive inside himself. He has seven children: Max Spielberg (from his first
marriage), Theo Spielberg (adopted), Sasha Spielberg, Sawyer Spielberg, Jessica
Capshaw, Mikaela George Spielberg (adopted) and Destry Allyn.
Spielberg, as all directors, has his own trademarks, for example, the uses of powerful
flashlights in dark scenes and the frequent uses of music by John Williams. He often
shows shooting stars and often portrays fathers as reluctant, absent, or irresponsible.
The onscreen performers are usually staring at something off camera and he often
uses images of the sun. His films often show children in some sort of danger, and
there are consistent references to World War II, frequent references to Disney
(movies, films, music, or theme parks) and frequent uses of a piano as an element in
key scenes.
Important images, or characters, are often seen through the rear-view mirror of a car
and he frequently casts Tom Hanks.
Protagonists in his films often come from families with divorced parents. This reflects
Spielberg's own experience as a youth with his parents breaking up.