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Tim Sullivan (director)
Encyclopedia
Tim Sullivan is an American film director
, producer
, actor, and screenwriter
.
on the 1983 cult horror film Return of the Aliens: The Deadly Spawn
. Sullivan majored in film studies at New York University
, and his first writer/director/producer credit was the short A Christmas Treat (1985), for which he won Fangoria
magazine's Short Film Search Award. While attending NYU, Sulivan wrote the music news for MTV
. After graduating, he worked as a production assistant on such award winning films as Three Men and a Baby
, Cocktail
, Coming To America
, and The Godfather III.
and M. Night Shyamalan
, he has cast himself for roles in his own films. He was production manager for the independent films If Looks Could Kill
(1986) and America Exposed, (1990) and produced New Line Cinema's Detroit Rock City
which starred Edward Furlong
and James DeBello
. After working in development at New Line Cinema
for five years, Sullivan formed his own production company, New Rebellion Entertainment.
Sullivan's mainstream
directorial debut was the well-received Lion's Gate's horror-comedy, 2001 Maniacs
(2005) starring Robert Englund
and Lin Shaye
. This was followed by Snoop Dogg
's Hood of Horror (2005) (as co-writer and producer) and Driftwood
(2006), a supernatural thriller about troubled youths at a reform camp, starring Raviv Ullman and Talan Torriero.
Having released the long awaited Maniacs sequel 2001 Maniacs: Field of Screams, Sullivan gained additional notoriety as celebrity director of Vh1's hit series Scream Queens (2010), as well as creator and host of “Shock N Roll”, his weekly talk and video blog on leading web network Fearnet
.
Recently joining forces with fellow monster kids Adam Green
, Joe Lynch
and Adam Rifkin
for the comedy/horror anthology Chillerama (2011), Sullivan contributed the musical segment I Was a Teenage Werebear, embracing his passion for camp and rock and roll.
Set to follow Chillerama, a variety of projects produced through Sullivan’s new production entity, The Clubhouse; teen comedy Battle of the Bands
, Stephen King
short "One for the Road", and The Poet in Exile, a stirring drama based on The Doors
co-founder Ray Manzarek
’s bestselling novel about his life with Jim Morrison
.
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:...
, producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
, actor, and 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:...
.
Early career
His interest in film began as a teenager when he landed a job as a production assistantProduction assistant
A production assistant, also known as a PA, is a job title used in filmmaking and television for a person responsible for various aspects of a production...
on the 1983 cult horror film Return of the Aliens: The Deadly Spawn
The Deadly Spawn
The Deadly Spawn is a 1983 horror film directed by Douglas McKeown and starring Charles George Hildebrandt.It follows the story of a crash-landed alien that finds refuge in the basement of a house and grows to monstrous proportions, eating those unlucky enough to venture down...
. Sullivan majored in film studies at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
, and his first writer/director/producer credit was the short A Christmas Treat (1985), for which he won Fangoria
Fangoria
Fangoria is an American magazine devoted to horror and exploitation films, which has a number of associated brands:* Fangoria Comics* Fangoria Films* Fangoria RadioFangoria may also refer to:* Fangoria , a Spanish electro pop band...
magazine's Short Film Search Award. While attending NYU, Sulivan wrote the music news for MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
. After graduating, he worked as a production assistant on such award winning films as Three Men and a Baby
Three Men and a Baby
Three Men and a Baby is a 1987 comedy film starring Tom Selleck, Steve Guttenberg, Nancy Travis , and Ted Danson, and directed by Leonard Nimoy, in his first non-Star Trek movie directorial role. It follows the mishaps and adventures of three bachelors as they attempt to adapt their lives to...
, Cocktail
Cocktail
A cocktail is an alcoholic mixed drink that contains two or more ingredients—at least one of the ingredients must be a spirit.Cocktails were originally a mixture of spirits, sugar, water, and bitters. The word has come to mean almost any mixed drink that contains alcohol...
, Coming To America
Coming to America
Coming to America is a 1988 comedy film directed by John Landis. The screenplay was written by David Sheffield and Barry W. Blaustein, from a story by Eddie Murphy, who also stars in the film. Murphy plays an African prince, who heads to the United States in hopes of finding a woman he can marry...
, and The Godfather III.
Career
Throughout his career Sullivan has worn many hats, including acting. Much like Alfred HitchcockAlfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...
and M. Night Shyamalan
M. Night Shyamalan
Manoj Nelliyattu Shyamalan,known professionally as M. Night Shyamalan, is an Indian-born American screenwriter, film director, and producer known for making movies with contemporary supernatural plots that climax with a twist ending. He is also known for filming his movies in and around...
, he has cast himself for roles in his own films. He was production manager for the independent films If Looks Could Kill
If Looks Could Kill
"If Looks Could Kill" is the name of a song recorded by rock band Heart. It was released as the fifth and final single from the band's self-titled 1985 album Heart. Musically the song is similar to early Heart tunes, as it is an aggressive, hard rock number...
(1986) and America Exposed, (1990) and produced New Line Cinema's Detroit Rock City
Detroit Rock City (film)
Detroit Rock City is a 1999 film about four teenagers in a Kiss cover band who try to see their idols in Detroit in 1978. Comparable to Rock 'n' Roll High School, Dazed and Confused, The Stöned Age, and I Wanna Hold Your Hand, Detroit Rock City tells a coming of age story through a filter of 1970s...
which starred Edward Furlong
Edward Furlong
Edward Walter Furlong is an American actor whose best known film roles are John Connor in Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Daniel Vinyard in American History X. He is a two-time Saturn Award nominee, winning the 1992 Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor for his performance in...
and James DeBello
James DeBello
-Filmography:*Transylmania *Ghouls *After Sex *National Lampoon's Dorm Daze 2 *Steel City *National Lampoon's Adam & Eve *The Hillz *National Lampoon Presents Dorm Daze...
. After working in development at New Line Cinema
New Line Cinema
New Line Cinema, often simply referred to as New Line, is an American film studio. It was founded in 1967 by Robert Shaye and Michael Lynne as a film distributor, later becoming an independent film studio. It became a subsidiary of Time Warner in 1996 and was merged with larger sister studio Warner...
for five years, Sullivan formed his own production company, New Rebellion Entertainment.
Sullivan's mainstream
Mainstream
Mainstream is, generally, the common current thought of the majority. However, the mainstream is far from cohesive; rather the concept is often considered a cultural construct....
directorial debut was the well-received Lion's Gate's horror-comedy, 2001 Maniacs
2001 Maniacs
2001 Maniacs is a 2005 American comedy horror film directed by Tim Sullivan, starring Robert Englund, Jay Gillespie, Dylan Edrington, and Matthew Carey. It is a remake of the 1964 film Two Thousand Maniacs! written and directed by Herschell Gordon Lewis. The film is distributed by Lions Gate...
(2005) starring Robert Englund
Robert Englund
Robert Barton Englund is an American actor, voice-actor and director, best known for playing the fictional serial killer Freddy Krueger, in the Nightmare on Elm Street film series. He received a Saturn Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors in...
and Lin Shaye
Lin Shaye
Linda "Lin" Shaye is an American film, theatre and television actress.-Early life:Born in Detroit, Michigan, Shaye is the daughter of Dorothy , a homemaker, and Max Mendle Shaye, a painter and supermarket owner. Her brother is film executive Robert Shaye...
. This was followed by Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
's Hood of Horror (2005) (as co-writer and producer) and Driftwood
Driftwood (film)
Driftwood is a 2007 horror film that was shown at the Screamfest LA International Horror Film Festival on October 20, 2006. The film was released on DVD on November 13, 2007...
(2006), a supernatural thriller about troubled youths at a reform camp, starring Raviv Ullman and Talan Torriero.
Having released the long awaited Maniacs sequel 2001 Maniacs: Field of Screams, Sullivan gained additional notoriety as celebrity director of Vh1's hit series Scream Queens (2010), as well as creator and host of “Shock N Roll”, his weekly talk and video blog on leading web network Fearnet
FEARnet
Fearnet is a cable channel, website and Video on Demand television service owned by Horror Entertainment LLC, a joint venture between Comcast, Lions Gate Entertainment, and Sony Pictures Entertainment...
.
Recently joining forces with fellow monster kids Adam Green
Adam Green (filmmaker)
- Background :Adam Green was raised in Holliston, Massachusetts and after finishing high school he graduated from Hofstra University in New York.Green’s very first job out of college was producing and directing local commercials for cable in the Boston area....
, Joe Lynch
Joe Lynch (director)
Joe Lynch is an American film director and music video director, cinematographer, and film actor.-Life and career:His directorial debut in feature film was 2007's Wrong Turn 2: Dead End, which starred Henry Rollins, Erica Leerhsen, and Texas Battle....
and Adam Rifkin
Adam Rifkin
Adam Rifkin sometimes credited as Rif Coogan, is an American film director, producer, actor and writer. Rifkin is claimed to belong to a rare breed of film directors that transited from public-access television cable TV to Hollywood.His eclectic career ranges from broad family comedies to cult...
for the comedy/horror anthology Chillerama (2011), Sullivan contributed the musical segment I Was a Teenage Werebear, embracing his passion for camp and rock and roll.
Set to follow Chillerama, a variety of projects produced through Sullivan’s new production entity, The Clubhouse; teen comedy Battle of the Bands
Battle of the Bands
Battle of Bands is a contest in which two or more bands compete for the title of "best band". The winner is determined by a panel of judges, the general response of the audience, or a combination. The winning band usually receives a prize in addition to bragging rights. Traditionally, battles of...
, Stephen King
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
short "One for the Road", and The Poet in Exile, a stirring drama based on The Doors
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
co-founder Ray Manzarek
Ray Manzarek
Raymond Daniel Manzarek, Jr., better known as Ray Manzarek , is an American musician, singer, producer, film director, writer, co-founder and keyboardist of The Doors from 1965 to 1973, Nite City from 1977–1978 and Manzarek-Krieger since 2001.Manzarek is listed #4 on Digital Dreamdoor's "100...
’s bestselling novel about his life with Jim Morrison
Jim Morrison
James Douglas "Jim" Morrison was an American musician, singer, and poet, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band The Doors...
.
Production assistant
- The Deadly SpawnThe Deadly SpawnThe Deadly Spawn is a 1983 horror film directed by Douglas McKeown and starring Charles George Hildebrandt.It follows the story of a crash-landed alien that finds refuge in the basement of a house and grows to monstrous proportions, eating those unlucky enough to venture down...
(1983) - Hello AgainHello Again (film)Hello Again is a 1987 romantic fantasy-comedy film, directed and produced by Frank Perry, written by Susan Isaacs and starring Shelley Long, Judith Ivey, Gabriel Byrne, Corbin Bernsen, Sela Ward, Austin Pendleton, Carrie Nye, Robert Lewis, Madeleine Potter, Thor Fields and Illeana...
(1987) - 3 Men and a Baby (1987)
- CocktailCocktailA cocktail is an alcoholic mixed drink that contains two or more ingredients—at least one of the ingredients must be a spirit.Cocktails were originally a mixture of spirits, sugar, water, and bitters. The word has come to mean almost any mixed drink that contains alcohol...
(1988) - ScroogedScroogedScrooged is a 1988 American comedy film, a modernization of Charles Dickens' novella, A Christmas Carol. The film was produced and directed by Richard Donner, and the cinematography was by Michael Chapman. The screenplay was written by Mitch Glazer and Michael O'Donoghue...
(1988) - 3 Men and a Little Lady3 Men and a Little LadyThree Men and a Little Lady is a 1990 American comedy film, and a sequel to Three Men and a Baby . Tom Selleck, Steve Guttenberg and Ted Danson reprise the leading roles.-Plot:...
(1990) - The Godfather: Part III (1990)
- Regarding HenryRegarding HenryRegarding Henry is a 1991 American film drama starring Harrison Ford and Annette Bening, directed by Mike Nichols.The screenplay by J. J. Abrams focuses on a New York City lawyer who struggles to regain his memory and recover his speech and mobility after he survives a shooting.-Plot:Ambitious,...
(1991) - SlasherSlasher (film)Slasher is a 2004 documentary film directed by John Landis for the Independent Film Channel. The film was produced by Chris Kobin, Stephen Cantor, and Daniel Laikand....
(2004)
Actor
- If Looks Could Kill (1986) as Groom (uncredited)
- Detroit Rock CityDetroit Rock City"Detroit Rock City" is a song by the American hard rock group Kiss featured on their 1976 album, Destroyer. The song was written by Paul Stanley and Bob Ezrin and is about a real Kiss fan who was killed in a car accident on his way to a Kiss concert...
(1999) as KISS Concert Audience Member (uncredited) - 2001 Maniacs2001 Maniacs2001 Maniacs is a 2005 American comedy horror film directed by Tim Sullivan, starring Robert Englund, Jay Gillespie, Dylan Edrington, and Matthew Carey. It is a remake of the 1964 film Two Thousand Maniacs! written and directed by Herschell Gordon Lewis. The film is distributed by Lions Gate...
(2005) as Coffin Harry - DriftwoodDriftwoodDriftwood is wood that has been washed onto a shore or beach of a sea or river by the action of winds, tides, waves or man. It is a form of marine debris or tidewrack....
(2006) as Van Driver (uncredited) - The War PrayerThe War Prayer"The War Prayer," a short story or prose poem by Mark Twain, is a scathing indictment of war, and particularly of blind patriotic and religious fervor as motivations for war....
(2007) as The Preacher - Whore (2008) as Man in Black (uncredited)
- 2001 Maniacs: Field of Screams (2010) as Road Rascals Narrator (as Marc Ambrose)
- Bloody Bloody Bible Camp (2011) as Sister Mary Chopper/Eugene
- Chillerama (2011)as Coach Tuffman
Producer
- A Christmas Treat (1985)
- Detroit Rock CityDetroit Rock City"Detroit Rock City" is a song by the American hard rock group Kiss featured on their 1976 album, Destroyer. The song was written by Paul Stanley and Bob Ezrin and is about a real Kiss fan who was killed in a car accident on his way to a Kiss concert...
(1999) as associate producer - Snoop Dogg's Hood of Horror (2006)
- Killed on the Fourth of July (2010)
- Chillerama (2011) as executive producer
- One for the Road (2011) as exectuvee producer
Writer
- The Deadly SpawnThe Deadly SpawnThe Deadly Spawn is a 1983 horror film directed by Douglas McKeown and starring Charles George Hildebrandt.It follows the story of a crash-landed alien that finds refuge in the basement of a house and grows to monstrous proportions, eating those unlucky enough to venture down...
(1983) - A Christmas Treat (1985)
- 2001 Maniacs2001 Maniacs2001 Maniacs is a 2005 American comedy horror film directed by Tim Sullivan, starring Robert Englund, Jay Gillespie, Dylan Edrington, and Matthew Carey. It is a remake of the 1964 film Two Thousand Maniacs! written and directed by Herschell Gordon Lewis. The film is distributed by Lions Gate...
(2005) - Snoop Dogg's Hood of Horror (2006)
- DriftwoodDriftwoodDriftwood is wood that has been washed onto a shore or beach of a sea or river by the action of winds, tides, waves or man. It is a form of marine debris or tidewrack....
(2006) - 2001 Maniacs: Field of Screams (2010)
- Chillerama (segment "I was a Teenage Werebear")(2011)
Director
- A Christmas Treat (1985)
- 2001 Maniacs2001 Maniacs2001 Maniacs is a 2005 American comedy horror film directed by Tim Sullivan, starring Robert Englund, Jay Gillespie, Dylan Edrington, and Matthew Carey. It is a remake of the 1964 film Two Thousand Maniacs! written and directed by Herschell Gordon Lewis. The film is distributed by Lions Gate...
(2005) - DriftwoodDriftwoodDriftwood is wood that has been washed onto a shore or beach of a sea or river by the action of winds, tides, waves or man. It is a form of marine debris or tidewrack....
(2006) - 2001 Maniacs: Field of Screams (2010)
- Chillerama (segment "I was a Teenage Werebear") (2011)
External links
- Tim Sullivan at Myspace
- Interview with Tim Sullivan at Behind the Couch