The Twilight Saga: New Moon

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Director

Chris Weitz

Bio

CHRIS WEITZ most recently adapted, and directed, the Oscar-winning epic fantasy adventure The Golden Compass starring Oscar® winner Nicole Kidman (The Hours), newcomer Dakota Blue Richards, Sam Elliott (We Were Soldiers), Eva Green (Casino Royale) and Daniel Craig (Casino Royale). Based on Philip Pullman’s best-selling and award-winning first novel in the His Dark Materials trilogy, The Golden Compass was released by New Line Cinema and has grossed over $350 million worldwide.

Weitz previously co-directed, with his brother, Paul, the award-winning hit film About a Boy, adapting the screenplay from the Nick Hornby novel. The screenplay received an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay, as well as similar nominations from BAFTA, Writers Guild, Chicago Film Critics and Humanitas; the film was named one of AFI's Movies of the Year and was nominated for the Golden Globe award for Best Comedy, winning Best Studio Comedy Feature at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival.

Weitz's first directorial collaboration with Paul was on American Pie, the phenomenally successful first installment of the PIE franchise, which was followed by American Pie 2 and the final installment, American Wedding, both of which he also executive produced.

Prior to their screenwriting work on About a Boy, the brothers collaborated on several screenplays, including Antz and Madeline (adapting the popular children's book).

In 1999, Weitz and his brother formed Depth of Field, their Los Angeles-based production company through which he and Paul produced the critically acclaimed film, In Good Company, directed by Paul; the comedy American Dreamz, starring Hugh Grant and Dennis Quaid, also directed by Paul; and the hit romantic comedy, Nick & Norah’s Playlist, starring Michael Cera and Kat Dennings. Depth of Field's diverse slate of upcoming projects include: Tom Ford’s drama A Single Man, starring Julianne Moore and Colin Firth; The Game, based on Neil Strauss' dating tome which Dan Weiss will adapt; and the feature adaptation of Michael Moorcock's fantasy epic The Elric Saga.

Weitz also made his acting debut in the Sundance Film Festival hit Chuck & Buck.

Director- Job Description

The principal creative artist on a movie set. A director is usually (but not always) the driving artistic source behind the filming process, and communicates to actors the way that he/she would like a particular scene played. A director's duties might also include casting, script editing, shot selection, shot composition, and editing. Typically, a director has complete artistic control over all aspects of the movie, but it is not uncommon for the director to be bound by agreements with either a producer or a studio. In some large productions, a director will delegate less important scenes to a second unit director 2UD.