Daniel Waters (writer)
Encyclopedia
Daniel "Dan" Waters is an American
screenwriter
and film director
. He is the older brother of director Mark Waters.
He came to prominence in 1989
for writing the black
comedy
Heathers
, for which he received a 1990 Edgar Award
. "Heathers" was an attempt for him to write of the true nature of teenagers and high-school society.
His later work didn't match the same trendsetting and definition. Over the next four years, he served as co-writer on the comedy The Adventures of Ford Fairlane
, scripted the sequel Batman Returns
, and then wrote the films Hudson Hawk
(for which he re-teamed with Heathers director Michael Lehmann
) and Demolition Man
. He received the "Worst Screenplay" Golden Raspberry Award for both Hudson Hawk and Ford Fairlane.
, Waters made his directorial debut with Happy Campers
, another teen comedy in a black vein that, after a long delay, was released straight to DVD
. His follow-up, Sex and Death 101
, a hybrid of science fiction
, dark comedy, and romantic thriller, won the Golden Space Needle Award for Best Director at the 2007 Seattle International Film Festival
. It was released theatrically on April 4, 2008
in New York and Los Angeles. The film reteamed Waters with Heathers star Winona Ryder
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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 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:...
. He is the older brother of director Mark Waters.
Screenwriting credits
Daniel Waters got his start writing a popular column called "Troubled Waters" for his high school newspaper where he wrote fictitious stories about his real-life classmates, not unlike the writing that appeared in his "Heathers" screenplay. Such made him especially popular. His stories led to a career writing screenplays.He came to prominence in 1989
1989 in film
-Events:* Batman is released on June 23, and goes on to gross over $410 million worldwide.* Actress Kim Basinger and her brother Mick purchase Braselton, Georgia, for $20 million...
for writing the black
Black
Black is the color of objects that do not emit or reflect light in any part of the visible spectrum; they absorb all such frequencies of light...
comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
Heathers
Heathers
Heathers is a 1989 black comedy film starring Winona Ryder, Christian Slater and Shannen Doherty. The film portrays four girls in a trend-setting clique at a fictional Ohio high school...
, for which he received a 1990 Edgar Award
Edgar Award
The Edgar Allan Poe Awards , named after Edgar Allan Poe, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America...
. "Heathers" was an attempt for him to write of the true nature of teenagers and high-school society.
His later work didn't match the same trendsetting and definition. Over the next four years, he served as co-writer on the comedy The Adventures of Ford Fairlane
The Adventures of Ford Fairlane
The Adventures of Ford Fairlane is a 1990 American action/comedy film starring comedian Andrew Dice Clay as Ford Fairlane, a "Rock n' Roll Detective," whose beat is the music industry in Los Angeles. The film was directed by Renny Harlin.-Plot:...
, scripted the sequel Batman Returns
Batman Returns
Batman Returns is a 1992 American superhero film directed by Tim Burton. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, it is the sequel to Burton's Batman , and features Michael Keaton reprising the title role, with Danny DeVito as the Penguin and Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman.Burton originally did not...
, and then wrote the films Hudson Hawk
Hudson Hawk
Hudson Hawk is a 1991 American action comedy film directed by Michael Lehmann. Bruce Willis stars in the title role and also co-wrote the story. Danny Aiello, Andie MacDowell, James Coburn, David Caruso, Lorraine Toussaint, Frank Stallone, Sandra Bernhard, and Richard E...
(for which he re-teamed with Heathers director Michael Lehmann
Michael Lehmann
Michael Stephen Lehmann is an American film and television director.Lehmann attended Columbia University. His first job in the film industry was answering phones at Francis Ford Coppola's American Zoetrope film company. Later he supervised cameras on films that included 1983's The Outsiders...
) and Demolition Man
Demolition Man (film)
Demolition Man is a 1993 American, science fiction action film directed by Marco Brambilla, and starring Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes. Sandra Bullock, Nigel Hawthorne, and Denis Leary co-star....
. He received the "Worst Screenplay" Golden Raspberry Award for both Hudson Hawk and Ford Fairlane.
Turn as a director
In 20012001 in film
The year 2001 in film involved some significant events, including the first of the Harry Potter series and also the first of The Lord of the Rings trilogy...
, Waters made his directorial debut with Happy Campers
Happy Campers (film)
Happy Campers is a 2001 comedy film from New Line Cinema about college freshman and summer camp and is directed and written by Heathers writer Daniel Waters.-Plot:...
, another teen comedy in a black vein that, after a long delay, was released straight to DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
. His follow-up, Sex and Death 101
Sex and Death 101
Sex and Death 101 is a 2007 dark comedy science fiction film written and directed by Daniel Waters released in the United States on April 4, 2008...
, a hybrid of science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
, dark comedy, and romantic thriller, won the Golden Space Needle Award for Best Director at the 2007 Seattle International Film Festival
Seattle International Film Festival
The Seattle International Film Festival , held annually in Seattle, Washington since 1976, is among the top film festivals in North America. Audiences have grown steadily; the 2006 festival had 160,000 attendees...
. It was released theatrically on April 4, 2008
2008 in film
This is a list of all major films made in 2008.-Highest-grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2008...
in New York and Los Angeles. The film reteamed Waters with Heathers star Winona Ryder
Winona Ryder
Winona Ryder is an American actress. She made her film debut in the 1986 film Lucas. Ryder's first significant role came in Tim Burton's Beetlejuice as a goth teenager, which won her critical and commercial recognition...
.
Filmography
- HeathersHeathersHeathers is a 1989 black comedy film starring Winona Ryder, Christian Slater and Shannen Doherty. The film portrays four girls in a trend-setting clique at a fictional Ohio high school...
(1989) - The Adventures of Ford FairlaneThe Adventures of Ford FairlaneThe Adventures of Ford Fairlane is a 1990 American action/comedy film starring comedian Andrew Dice Clay as Ford Fairlane, a "Rock n' Roll Detective," whose beat is the music industry in Los Angeles. The film was directed by Renny Harlin.-Plot:...
(with James Cappe and David ArnottDavid arnottDavid Arnott is an American actor, screenwriter and musical composer living in Southern California. Among his credits, Arnott co-wrote The Last Action Hero, and starred in The Last Man with Jeri Ryan. David is a member of the legendary "Pad O' Guys" screenwriting group, including Shane Black and...
) (1990) - Hudson HawkHudson HawkHudson Hawk is a 1991 American action comedy film directed by Michael Lehmann. Bruce Willis stars in the title role and also co-wrote the story. Danny Aiello, Andie MacDowell, James Coburn, David Caruso, Lorraine Toussaint, Frank Stallone, Sandra Bernhard, and Richard E...
(with Steven E. de SouzaSteven E. de SouzaSteven E. de Souza is an American producer, director and screenwriter. He is among a handful of screenwriters whose films have earned over two billion dollars at the worldwide box office.-Life and career:...
) (1991) - Batman ReturnsBatman ReturnsBatman Returns is a 1992 American superhero film directed by Tim Burton. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, it is the sequel to Burton's Batman , and features Michael Keaton reprising the title role, with Danny DeVito as the Penguin and Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman.Burton originally did not...
(1992) - Demolition ManDemolition Man (film)Demolition Man is a 1993 American, science fiction action film directed by Marco Brambilla, and starring Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes. Sandra Bullock, Nigel Hawthorne, and Denis Leary co-star....
(with Robert Reneau and Peter M. Lenkov) (1993) - Happy Campers (2001) (also Director)
- Sex and Death 101Sex and Death 101Sex and Death 101 is a 2007 dark comedy science fiction film written and directed by Daniel Waters released in the United States on April 4, 2008...
(2007) (also Director)