Glenn Standring
Encyclopedia
Glenn Standring is a New Zealand scriptwriter and movie director, working in the horror and fantasy genres.
Standring studied film at the Ilam School of Fine Arts, and completed a first class honours degree in Archaeology from The University of Otago in Dunedin. Later he moved to Wellington
and began to direct comedy for television.
(2000), which was nominated for best film awards at fantasy film festivals in Portugal and Spain. The movie was retitled simply The Truth about Demons in many countries. Set largely after dark, Demons follows a rationalist university lecturer (played by New Zealand actor Karl Urban
) as he attempts to escape the attentions of a satanic cult.
Standring's second film remains one of the most expensive New Zealand films set on its home turf (as opposed to being filmed there, but set in another locale, a la The Lord of the Rings
). Perfect Creature
, released in 2007, is an ambitious horror/thriller set in an alternative universe New Zealand that incorporates elements of past history and fantasy. In this world vampires are protectors of mankind, rather than the enemy. Though many New Zealand actors appear in the cast, most of Perfect Creatures lead actors are from Great Britain, including Dougray Scott
and Saffron Burrows
. In 2005 key theatrical rights to the film sold to distributors 20th Century Fox
at a reportedly record price for a New Zealand film, creating expectations it might join the relatively small list of Kiwi movies to get wide release in North American cinemas. Perfect Creature
later saw a theatrical release in some countries, but in the United States was ultimately released direct to video in 2007.
Standring studied film at the Ilam School of Fine Arts, and completed a first class honours degree in Archaeology from The University of Otago in Dunedin. Later he moved to Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
and began to direct comedy for television.
Career
His first feature film as writer/director was the low-budget success The Irrefutable Truth about DemonsThe Irrefutable Truth about Demons
The Irrefutable Truth about Demons is a New Zealand horror film released in 2000. It was directed by Glenn Standing and stars Karl Urban, Katie Wolfe, Jonathon Hendry....
(2000), which was nominated for best film awards at fantasy film festivals in Portugal and Spain. The movie was retitled simply The Truth about Demons in many countries. Set largely after dark, Demons follows a rationalist university lecturer (played by New Zealand actor Karl Urban
Karl Urban
Karl-Heinz Urban is a New Zealand actor.He is known for playing Éomer in the second and third installments of Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy in the 2009 film Star Trek and Julius Caesar on Xena: Warrior Princess...
) as he attempts to escape the attentions of a satanic cult.
Standring's second film remains one of the most expensive New Zealand films set on its home turf (as opposed to being filmed there, but set in another locale, a la The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a high fantasy epic written by English philologist and University of Oxford professor J. R. R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier, less complex children's fantasy novel The Hobbit , but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in...
). Perfect Creature
Perfect Creature
Perfect Creature is a New Zealand made horror/thriller film written and directed by Glenn Standring and starring Saffron Burrows and Dougray Scott, set in an alternate universe New Zealand. The New Zealand release date was 18 October 2007...
, released in 2007, is an ambitious horror/thriller set in an alternative universe New Zealand that incorporates elements of past history and fantasy. In this world vampires are protectors of mankind, rather than the enemy. Though many New Zealand actors appear in the cast, most of Perfect Creatures lead actors are from Great Britain, including Dougray Scott
Dougray Scott
-Early life:The son of Elma, a nurse, and Alan Scott, an actor and salesperson, Stephen Dougray Scott was born in Glenrothes, Fife and attended Auchmuty High School...
and Saffron Burrows
Saffron Burrows
Saffron Dominique Burrows is an English actress and former fashion model, who starred as Det. Serena Stevens on Law & Order: Criminal Intent and Lorraine Weller on Boston Legal.-Early life:...
. In 2005 key theatrical rights to the film sold to distributors 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
at a reportedly record price for a New Zealand film, creating expectations it might join the relatively small list of Kiwi movies to get wide release in North American cinemas. Perfect Creature
Perfect Creature
Perfect Creature is a New Zealand made horror/thriller film written and directed by Glenn Standring and starring Saffron Burrows and Dougray Scott, set in an alternate universe New Zealand. The New Zealand release date was 18 October 2007...
later saw a theatrical release in some countries, but in the United States was ultimately released direct to video in 2007.