James McTeigue
Encyclopedia
James McTeigue is an Australian film director. He has been an assistant director
on many films, including No Escape
(1994), the Matrix
trilogy (1999–2003) and Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
(2002), and made his directorial debut in the 2006 film V for Vendetta
.
Born on Sydney's North Shore
, he grew up in Collaroy Plateau, a suburb on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, Australia. McTeigue attended Marist Brothers North Sydney then Cromer High School
, in Cromer
, a northern beach suburb of Sydney. He completed tertiary study in film at Charles Sturt University
, Wagga Wagga Campus.
, being the third assistant director in another Australian film, titled The Girl Who Came Late
.
In 1994 he was the second assistant director in Country Life
, a film adaptation based on Michael Blakemore's National Theatre production of Uncle Vanya, which had a much wider audience than his previous affairs. He also acted again as second assistant director in a small Australian television film.
It was however, later in the year of 1994 the McTeigue broke into mainstream Hollywood, being the second assistant director for No Escape
, and the big budget Street Fighter
. In 1996, McTeigue again assumed the role of second assistant director, with an American television film and a small Australian film being completed that year.
In 1997 he was the second assistant director for WWII film, Paradise Road, as well as The Well
, that year he also became first assistant director for a television series, Big Sky. The following year he was the second assistant director for the American science-fiction film, Dark City as well as Australian film, The Sugar Factory.
It was the following year, 1999, that McTeigue really came to prominence. McTeigue was apparently going to act as second assistant director for The Matrix film, that is, until the first assistant director, a friend of McTeigue who told him about the project had to drop out, which saw The Wachowski Brothers
make McTeigue first assistant. The film was released in 1999 and became a huge success.
The following year he acted as first assistant director on the massively popular Australian film, Looking for Alibrandi
. He was also involved in The Monkey's Mask
that year, again as first assistant director.
In 2002 McTeigue worked with George Lucas
, as he became the first assistant director for Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
. The following year he was also the first assistant director for both Matrix sequels, The Matrix Reloaded
and The Matrix Revolutions
.
In 2006 McTeigue made his directorial debut, directing the Wachowski brothers' produced film, V for Vendetta
. After spending so much time on The Matrix
film series, the brothers gave the opportunity to McTeigue to direct, first showing him a copy of the Vendetta graphic novel
during post-production of The Matrix Revolutions
. McTeigue has been highly praised since the film's release in March 2006.
He directed the Wachowski brothers-produced film Ninja Assassin
which was out in 2009.
McTeigue is currently in talks to direct Osiris Release and is stated to direct the adaptation of Richard K. Morgan's Altered Carbon
in 2009. That same year, he expressed interest in directing a reboot of the Superman film series.
Assistant director
The role of an Assistant director include tracking daily progress against the filming production schedule, arranging logistics, preparing daily call sheets, checking cast and crew, maintaining order on the set. They also have to take care of health and safety of the crew...
on many films, including No Escape
No Escape
No Escape, released in some territories as Escape from Absolom is a 1994 action/science fiction film shot in Queensland starring Ray Liotta, Lance Henriksen, Stuart Wilson and Kevin Dillon....
(1994), the Matrix
The Matrix
The Matrix is a 1999 science fiction-action film written and directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, and Hugo Weaving...
trilogy (1999–2003) and Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones is a 2002 American epic space opera film directed by George Lucas and written by Lucas and Jonathan Hales. It is the fifth film to be released in the Star Wars saga and the second in terms of the series' internal chronology...
(2002), and made his directorial debut in the 2006 film V for Vendetta
V for Vendetta (film)
V for Vendetta is a 2005 dystopian thriller film directed by James McTeigue and produced by Joel Silver and the Wachowski brothers, who also wrote the screenplay. It is an adaptation of the V for Vendetta comic book by Alan Moore and David Lloyd...
.
Born on Sydney's North Shore
North Shore (Sydney)
The North Shore is an informal term used to describe the primarily residential area of northern metropolitan Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The term usually refers to the suburbs located on the north shore of Sydney Harbour between Middle Harbour and the Lane Cove River, up to...
, he grew up in Collaroy Plateau, a suburb on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, Australia. McTeigue attended Marist Brothers North Sydney then Cromer High School
Cromer High School
Cromer High School and Sports College is a British state school in Cromer, Norfolk. It has around 517 pupils aged 11-16, a drop in numbers from 715 in March 2006 and has had the specialist school status of a Sports College since July, 2010. Having been a Language College from July 2001 until July...
, in Cromer
Cromer, New South Wales
Cromer is a suburb of northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Cromer is located 20 kilometres north-east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Warringah Council and is part of the Northern Beaches region. Its lush bushland setting is highly...
, a northern beach suburb of Sydney. He completed tertiary study in film at Charles Sturt University
Charles Sturt University
Charles Sturt University is an Australian multi-campus university located in New South Wales, Victoria, and the Australian Capital Territory. It has campuses at Bathurst, Canberra, Albury-Wodonga, Dubbo, Goulburn, Orange, Wagga Wagga and Burlington, Ontario...
, Wagga Wagga Campus.
Career
He first became involved in the film industry in the late 1980s, acting as production runner or production assistant in a number of small Australian films. In 1991 his role became assistant directorAssistant director
The role of an Assistant director include tracking daily progress against the filming production schedule, arranging logistics, preparing daily call sheets, checking cast and crew, maintaining order on the set. They also have to take care of health and safety of the crew...
, being the third assistant director in another Australian film, titled The Girl Who Came Late
The Girl Who Came Late
The Girl Who Came Late aka Daydream Believer is a 1991 Australian romantic comedy film starring Miranda Otto, Martin Kemp and Gia Carides; and directed by Kathy Mueller. Otto was nominated for an Australian Film Institute Award for "Best Actress in a Lead Role"...
.
In 1994 he was the second assistant director in Country Life
Country Life (film)
Country Life is an Australian film made in 1994, adapted from the play Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekhov.The film was directed by Michael Blakemore. Actors appearing included Sam Neill and Googie Withers....
, a film adaptation based on Michael Blakemore's National Theatre production of Uncle Vanya, which had a much wider audience than his previous affairs. He also acted again as second assistant director in a small Australian television film.
It was however, later in the year of 1994 the McTeigue broke into mainstream Hollywood, being the second assistant director for No Escape
No Escape
No Escape, released in some territories as Escape from Absolom is a 1994 action/science fiction film shot in Queensland starring Ray Liotta, Lance Henriksen, Stuart Wilson and Kevin Dillon....
, and the big budget Street Fighter
Street Fighter (film)
Street Fighter is a 1994 American action film written and directed by Steven E. de Souza. It is based loosely on the same-titled video games produced by Capcom, and stars Jean-Claude Van Damme, and Raul Julia, along with supporting performances by Byron Mann, Damian Chapa, Kylie Minogue, Ming-Na...
. In 1996, McTeigue again assumed the role of second assistant director, with an American television film and a small Australian film being completed that year.
In 1997 he was the second assistant director for WWII film, Paradise Road, as well as The Well
The Well (1997 film)
The Well is a 1997 Australian film, based on the novel by Elizabeth Jolley.-Synopsis:The film is about a young girl named Katherine and her older friend Hester who live on an isolated farm run by Hester and her father Francis. Katherine works as a maid and wants to leave because there's too much work...
, that year he also became first assistant director for a television series, Big Sky. The following year he was the second assistant director for the American science-fiction film, Dark City as well as Australian film, The Sugar Factory.
It was the following year, 1999, that McTeigue really came to prominence. McTeigue was apparently going to act as second assistant director for The Matrix film, that is, until the first assistant director, a friend of McTeigue who told him about the project had to drop out, which saw The Wachowski Brothers
The Wachowski brothers
Larry Wachowski and Andrew Paul "Andy" Wachowski , siblings collectively known as The Wachowskis , are American film directors, writers and producers, most famous for creating The Matrix series...
make McTeigue first assistant. The film was released in 1999 and became a huge success.
The following year he acted as first assistant director on the massively popular Australian film, Looking for Alibrandi
Looking for Alibrandi
Looking for Alibrandi is a 1999 Australian film written by Melina Marchetta based on the novel of the same name. The film sets in the 1990s Sydney, New South Wales and starring Australian actors, including Pia Miranda as Josephine Alibrandi, the film's main character, Anthony LaPaglia as her...
. He was also involved in The Monkey's Mask
The Monkey's Mask
The Monkey's Mask is a 2000 thriller film directed by Samantha Lang. It stars Susie Porter and Kelly McGillis. Porter plays a lesbian private detective who falls in love with a suspect in the disappearance of a young woman...
that year, again as first assistant director.
In 2002 McTeigue worked with George Lucas
George Lucas
George Walton Lucas, Jr. is an American film producer, screenwriter, and director, and entrepreneur. He is the founder, chairman and chief executive of Lucasfilm. He is best known as the creator of the space opera franchise Star Wars and the archaeologist-adventurer character Indiana Jones...
, as he became the first assistant director for Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones is a 2002 American epic space opera film directed by George Lucas and written by Lucas and Jonathan Hales. It is the fifth film to be released in the Star Wars saga and the second in terms of the series' internal chronology...
. The following year he was also the first assistant director for both Matrix sequels, The Matrix Reloaded
The Matrix Reloaded
The Matrix Reloaded is a 2003 American science fiction film and the second installment in The Matrix trilogy, written and directed by the Wachowskis. It premiered on May 7, 2003, in Westwood, Los Angeles, California, and went on general release by Warner Bros. in North American theaters on May 15,...
and The Matrix Revolutions
The Matrix Revolutions
The Matrix Revolutions is a 2003 American science fiction film and the third installment of The Matrix trilogy. The film was released six months following The Matrix Reloaded. The film was written and directed by the Wachowski brothers and released simultaneously in sixty countries on November 5,...
.
In 2006 McTeigue made his directorial debut, directing the Wachowski brothers' produced film, V for Vendetta
V for Vendetta (film)
V for Vendetta is a 2005 dystopian thriller film directed by James McTeigue and produced by Joel Silver and the Wachowski brothers, who also wrote the screenplay. It is an adaptation of the V for Vendetta comic book by Alan Moore and David Lloyd...
. After spending so much time on The Matrix
The Matrix
The Matrix is a 1999 science fiction-action film written and directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, and Hugo Weaving...
film series, the brothers gave the opportunity to McTeigue to direct, first showing him a copy of the Vendetta graphic novel
V for Vendetta
V for Vendetta is a ten-issue comic book series written by Alan Moore and illustrated mostly by David Lloyd, set in a dystopian future United Kingdom imagined from the 1980s to about the 1990s. A mysterious masked revolutionary who calls himself "V" works to destroy the totalitarian government,...
during post-production of The Matrix Revolutions
The Matrix Revolutions
The Matrix Revolutions is a 2003 American science fiction film and the third installment of The Matrix trilogy. The film was released six months following The Matrix Reloaded. The film was written and directed by the Wachowski brothers and released simultaneously in sixty countries on November 5,...
. McTeigue has been highly praised since the film's release in March 2006.
He directed the Wachowski brothers-produced film Ninja Assassin
Ninja Assassin
Ninja Assassin is a 2009 American martial arts film directed by James McTeigue. The story was written by Matthew Sand, with a screenplay penned by J. Michael Straczynski of Babylon 5. The film stars South Korean pop musician Rain as a disillusioned assassin looking for retribution against his...
which was out in 2009.
McTeigue is currently in talks to direct Osiris Release and is stated to direct the adaptation of Richard K. Morgan's Altered Carbon
Altered Carbon
Altered Carbon is a hardboiled science fiction novel by Richard K. Morgan. Set some five hundred years in the future in a universe in which the United Nations Protectorate oversees a number of extrasolar planets settled by human beings, it features protagonist Takeshi Kovacs...
in 2009. That same year, he expressed interest in directing a reboot of the Superman film series.
Director
- V for VendettaV for Vendetta (film)V for Vendetta is a 2005 dystopian thriller film directed by James McTeigue and produced by Joel Silver and the Wachowski brothers, who also wrote the screenplay. It is an adaptation of the V for Vendetta comic book by Alan Moore and David Lloyd...
(2006) Director - Ninja AssassinNinja AssassinNinja Assassin is a 2009 American martial arts film directed by James McTeigue. The story was written by Matthew Sand, with a screenplay penned by J. Michael Straczynski of Babylon 5. The film stars South Korean pop musician Rain as a disillusioned assassin looking for retribution against his...
(2009) Director - The Raven (2012) Director