Michael Paxton
Michael Paxton | |
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 | |
| Born | March 29, 1957 |
| Alma mater | University at Albany, SUNY (BA) New York University (MFA) |
| Occupation(s) | Film director, film producer, screenwriter, playwright |
Michael Paxton (born March 29, 1957) is an American filmmaker and writer.[1] He has directed, produced, and written several films, both live action and animated, as well as plays and books. His feature documentary Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life[2] received an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Feature and a Golden Satellite Award for Best Documentary film in 1997. Paxton currently works as Multimedia Producer for the Ayn Rand Institute.[3]
Early life and education
[edit]Michael Paxton was born Michael Anthony Palumbo on March 29, 1957, in Kingston, New York.
In 1975, Paxton began attending the University at Albany, SUNY, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy in 1979.
He then attended the New York University Tisch School of the Arts, where he received a Master of Fine Arts in for Film & Television in 1988. Paxton's graduate thesis film, Forbidden Fruit, won awards for Best Screenplay and Best Editing at the 1988 NYU Film Festival.[4]
Career
[edit]In 1989, Paxton co-produced and directed the world premiere of Ayn Rand's play Ideal at the Melrose Theater in Hollywood, and in 1991, he adapted and directed a dramatic presentation of Rand's futuristic novella Anthem.[4] In 1995, he was the assistant director on the live-action/animated feature The Pagemaster for Turner Pictures.
In November 1996, Paxton released the feature documentary Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life. The documentary takes its name from the concept of a sense of life, a concept that Ayn Rand developed and defined as a "pre-conceptual equivalent of metaphysics, an emotional, subconsciously integrated appraisal of man and of existence. It sets the nature of a man’s emotional responses and the essence of his character."[5] In 1997, Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life was nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the 69th Academy Awards. It also won the Golden Satellite Award for Best Feature Documentary of 1997.
Paxton also co-produced the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life and was Visual Effects Supervisor on Stuart Little 2. He was the Associate Producer on The Lion King 1½ for Disney, Bionicle 3: Web of Shadows for Miramax, and Smallville Legends: Kara and the Chronicles of Krypton for The CW.
In addition to his film and theater work, Paxton has written four books: Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life (The Companion Book) and three children's books for Disney based on classic animated features: Cinderella, The Rescuers Down Under, and The Aristocats.
Works
[edit]Films
[edit]- Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life (1996), writer/director/producer
- A Place in the Circle (2000), co-director/co-producer
- Stuart Little 2 (2002), visual effects coordinator
- Ideal (2004) (V), writer/director/producer
- Bionicle 3: Web of Shadows (2005), associate producer
- Smallville Legends: Kara and the Chronicles of Krypton (2008) (V), line producer
Animation projects
[edit]- Rover Dangerfield (1991), production coordinator
- The Pagemaster (1994), assistant director
- The Lion King 1½ (2004), producer
- Roxy Hunter and the Mystery of the Moody Ghost (2007) (TV), associate producer
- Roxy Hunter and the Myth of the Mermaid (2008) (TV), associate producer
- Roxy Hunter and the Secret of the Shaman (2008) (TV), associate producer
- Roxy Hunter and the Horrific Halloween (2008) (TV), associate producer
Plays
[edit]Books
[edit]- Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life, The Companion Book, writer (1998)
- The Aristocats, writer (1999)
- Cinderella, writer (1999)
- The Rescuers Down Under, writer (1999)
References
[edit]- ^ "Index to Motion Picture Credits – Paxton, Michael". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved January 25, 2010.
- ^ "Index to Motion Picture Credits – Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved January 25, 2010.
- ^ "Michael Paxton (Director)". AynRandASenseofLife.com. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
- ^ a b Sutton, Larry. "A Payoff for Patience: NYU Film Maker Bides Time, Wins Chance for Oscar". NYDailyNews.com. Retrieved November 14, 2017.
- ^ Rand, Ayn (1971). The Romantic Manifesto (paperback ed.). New York: Signet. OCLC 733753672.
External links
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