Steven Cantor
Encyclopedia
Steven Cantor is an American film
/television director
and film
/television producer
. Notable works include the films “What Remains
”(2006), “loudQUIETloud”(2006), "Devil's Playground (2002)" and “Blood Ties
”(1994). Cantor has also directed and executive produced the HBO series “Family Bonds”(2003), and has executive produced "Amish in the City
" (2005 UPN), “#1 Single”(2006 E! Network), and “Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane
”(2007 Style Channel). He is a founding partner in Stick Figure Productions.
What Remains (2005) Director/Producer: Studies a further project of Mann’s, a provocative photo series exploring the way in which nature assimilates the body once life has left it, directly confronting American attitudes towards death
. The film screened first at The Sundance Film Festival
in 2006 before premiering on HBO. In her New York Times review, Ginia Bellafante
wrote of the film, "It is one of the most exquisitely intimate portraits not only of an artist’s process, but also of a marriage and a life, to appear on television in recent memory."
Devil’s Playground (2002) Director/Producer: Nominated for an Emmy; explores the supposed tradition in Amish
culture called Rumspringa
; the film follows several Amish teenagers who leave their communities to explore the non-Amish world (widely but erroneously believed a normative practice among the Amish). At some point they must decide whether to commit to the strict rules of the Amish Church, or leave their families behind to join "English" society. The film spawned a reality series, "Amish in the City
", which Cantor's Stick Figure banner executive produced, as well as a non-fiction book, "Rumspringa" by Tom Shachtman (Farrar, Straus and Giroux
, 2007).
loudQUIETloud (2006) Director/Producer: follows the ups and downs of alternative music group The Pixies in their unexpected reformation and the reunion tour. In a Rolling Stone
interview, Radiohead cited the film as one of their secret influences.
#1 Single (2006) Executive Producer: documents the dating life of singer Lisa Loeb
.
Kimora Life in the Fab Lane (2007–2008) Executive Producer: Documents the life and Baby Phat
fashion empire of former model Kimora Lee Simmons
.
Skin to the Max (2011-) Executive Producer, Director: After Dark series for Cinemax and HBO
s for such clients as Porsche
, NFL/United Way, Dasani
, and David Barton Gym.
2) I am an Animal: The Story of Ingrid Newkirk and PETA: 2007 (producer)
3) James Blunt in Kosovo: 2007 (director/producer)
4) loudQUIETloud: A film about the Pixies: 2006 (director/producer)
5) #1 Single: 2006 (executive producer)
6) The Biz: 2005 (executive producer)
7) What Remains: 2005 (director/producer)
8) Family Bonds: 2004 (executive producer)
9) Amish in the City: 2004 (executive producer)
10) Slasher: 2004 (producer)
11) The AMC Project: 2003 (executive producer)
12) Willie Nelson: Still is Still Moving: 2002 (director/producer)
13) Devil’s Playground: 2002 (producer)
14) Crossover: 2001 (producer)
15) Bounce: Behind the Velvet Rope: 2000 (director/producer)
16) Recon: 1996 (director/producer)
17) Blood Ties: The Life and Work of Sally Mann
: 1994 (director/producer)
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:...
/television director
Television director
A television director directs the activities involved in making a television program and is part of a television crew.-Duties:The duties of a television director vary depending on whether the production is live or recorded to video tape or video server .In both types of productions, the...
and film
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:...
/television producer
Television producer
The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
. Notable works include the films “What Remains
What Remains: The Life and Work of Sally Mann
What Remains: The Life and Work of Sally Mann is a 1994 film directed and produced by Steven Cantor, which documents the photography and story of photographer Sally Mann at her Virginia farm home...
”(2006), “loudQUIETloud”(2006), "Devil's Playground (2002)" and “Blood Ties
Blood Ties: The Life and Work of Sally Mann
Blood Ties: The Life and Work of Sally Mann is a 1994 short documentary film directed by Steven Cantor and Peter Spirer. It was premiered at the 1994 Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Short....
”(1994). Cantor has also directed and executive produced the HBO series “Family Bonds”(2003), and has executive produced "Amish in the City
Amish in the City
Amish in the City is an American reality television series by Stick Figure Productions and UPN...
" (2005 UPN), “#1 Single”(2006 E! Network), and “Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane
Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane
Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane is an American reality series that airs on the Style Network. The show premiered on the Style Network on August 5, 2007...
”(2007 Style Channel). He is a founding partner in Stick Figure Productions.
Film
Blood Ties: The Life and Work of Sally Mann (1994) Director/Producer: Nominated for a 1994 Academy Award in the category of Best Short Subject Documentary; examines the pictures of her children taken by renowned photographer, Sally Mann.What Remains (2005) Director/Producer: Studies a further project of Mann’s, a provocative photo series exploring the way in which nature assimilates the body once life has left it, directly confronting American attitudes towards death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
. The film screened first at The Sundance Film Festival
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...
in 2006 before premiering on HBO. In her New York Times review, Ginia Bellafante
Ginia Bellafante
Ginia Bellafante is an American writer and critic for the New York Times. She has also written for Time magazine....
wrote of the film, "It is one of the most exquisitely intimate portraits not only of an artist’s process, but also of a marriage and a life, to appear on television in recent memory."
Devil’s Playground (2002) Director/Producer: Nominated for an Emmy; explores the supposed tradition in Amish
Amish
The Amish , sometimes referred to as Amish Mennonites, are a group of Christian church fellowships that form a subgroup of the Mennonite churches...
culture called Rumspringa
Rumspringa
Rumspringa Pronounced A- generally refers to a period of adolescence for some members of the Amish, a subsect of the Anabaptist Christian movement, that begins around the...
; the film follows several Amish teenagers who leave their communities to explore the non-Amish world (widely but erroneously believed a normative practice among the Amish). At some point they must decide whether to commit to the strict rules of the Amish Church, or leave their families behind to join "English" society. The film spawned a reality series, "Amish in the City
Amish in the City
Amish in the City is an American reality television series by Stick Figure Productions and UPN...
", which Cantor's Stick Figure banner executive produced, as well as a non-fiction book, "Rumspringa" by Tom Shachtman (Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Farrar, Straus and Giroux is an American book publishing company, founded in 1946 by Roger W. Straus, Jr. and John C. Farrar. Known primarily as Farrar, Straus in its first decade of existence, the company was renamed several times, including Farrar, Straus and Young and Farrar, Straus and Cudahy...
, 2007).
loudQUIETloud (2006) Director/Producer: follows the ups and downs of alternative music group The Pixies in their unexpected reformation and the reunion tour. In a Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
interview, Radiohead cited the film as one of their secret influences.
Television
Family Bonds (2004) Director, Executive Producer: explores the lives of the Evangelistas, a family of bail bondsmen and bounty hunters in Long Isalnd.#1 Single (2006) Executive Producer: documents the dating life of singer Lisa Loeb
Lisa Loeb
Lisa Anne Loeb is an American singer-songwriter and actress. She launched her career in 1994 with the song, "Stay ". She was the first artist to have a number one single in the United States while not signed to a recording contract.Loeb's efforts now include music, film, television, voice-over...
.
Kimora Life in the Fab Lane (2007–2008) Executive Producer: Documents the life and Baby Phat
Baby Phat
Baby Phat is an urban fashion line of clothing and other items for women and girls. Besides clothing, the brand also includes accessories for phones, jewelry, shoes and fragrances. It is the corporate "sibling" of the clothing brand Phat Farm created by Russell Simmons. Baby Phat uses a sleek cat...
fashion empire of former model Kimora Lee Simmons
Kimora Lee Simmons
Kimora Lee Simmons is an American fashion model, and former president and Creative Director for Phat Fashions.-Early life:...
.
Skin to the Max (2011-) Executive Producer, Director: After Dark series for Cinemax and HBO
Other work
Cantor has directed commercialTelevision advertisement
A television advertisement or television commercial, often just commercial, advert, ad, or ad-film – is a span of television programming produced and paid for by an organization that conveys a message, typically one intended to market a product...
s for such clients as Porsche
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
, NFL/United Way, Dasani
Dasani
Dasani is a brand of bottled water from the Coca-Cola company, launched in 1999, after the success of Aquafina . It is one of many brands of Coca-Cola bottled water sold around the world....
, and David Barton Gym.
Filmography
1) Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane: 2007-2008 (executive producer)2) I am an Animal: The Story of Ingrid Newkirk and PETA: 2007 (producer)
3) James Blunt in Kosovo: 2007 (director/producer)
4) loudQUIETloud: A film about the Pixies: 2006 (director/producer)
5) #1 Single: 2006 (executive producer)
6) The Biz: 2005 (executive producer)
7) What Remains: 2005 (director/producer)
8) Family Bonds: 2004 (executive producer)
9) Amish in the City: 2004 (executive producer)
10) Slasher: 2004 (producer)
11) The AMC Project: 2003 (executive producer)
12) Willie Nelson: Still is Still Moving: 2002 (director/producer)
13) Devil’s Playground: 2002 (producer)
14) Crossover: 2001 (producer)
15) Bounce: Behind the Velvet Rope: 2000 (director/producer)
16) Recon: 1996 (director/producer)
17) Blood Ties: The Life and Work of Sally Mann
Blood Ties: The Life and Work of Sally Mann
Blood Ties: The Life and Work of Sally Mann is a 1994 short documentary film directed by Steven Cantor and Peter Spirer. It was premiered at the 1994 Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Short....
: 1994 (director/producer)