Aaron and Adam Nee

{{Short description|American filmmakers}}

{{Use American English|date=October 2022}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2022}}

Aaron and Adam Nee, sometimes referred to as the Nee brothers, are an American filmmaking duo best known for their feature films The Last Romantic (2006), Band of Robbers (2015), and The Lost City (2022).

Collaborative history

Although the brothers work separately at times – Adam acts and writes solo or with other writing partners, and Aaron directs documentary projects and commercials – their collaboration on short and feature films, music videos for bands including A Fine Frenzy{{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCeS-yorGtc |title=A Fine Frenzy - Almost Lover (brothers NEE version) |website=YouTube |access-date=2016-11-27 |quote=This is the new Almost Lover video directed by the brothers Nee. |archive-date=2016-04-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417170225/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCeS-yorGtc |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|url=https://www.mtv.com/videos/a-fine-frenzy/166427/almost-lover-version-2.jhtml|title=A Fine Frenzy | Almost Lover (Version 2) | Music Video|date=May 1, 2012|website=MTV|access-date=March 25, 2022|quote=Director The Brothers Nee|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161030142145/https://www.mtv.com/videos/a-fine-frenzy/166427/almost-lover-version-2.jhtml|archive-date=October 30, 2016}} and Terrene,{{cite web|url=http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=1246551|title=Terrene - "Unwelcome" (Music Video)|last=Mulhausen|first=John|date=October 5, 2007|website=Yahoo! Video|access-date=March 25, 2022|quote=Music video for the song "Unwelcome," by Seattle band Terrene. Directed by The Nee Brothers.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071015090523/http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=1246551|archive-date=October 15, 2007}} garnered them recognition as a filmmaking team. Their feature film The Last Romantic made Aaron and Adam Nee the winners of the Emerging Filmmakers Award at the 29th Starz Denver Film Festival.{{cite web |url=http://www.denverfilm.org/filmcenter/detail.aspx?id=21317 |title=The Last Romantic | Starz Denver Film Festival 2007 | Aaron Nee | Adam Nee | USA |access-date=2007-12-09 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071015050602/http://denverfilm.org/filmcenter/detail.aspx?id=21317 |archive-date=2007-10-15 }} The festival described it as: "Ambitious in its narrative and visual aesthetics, this film is also the rare work by a first-time filmmaker that is both very funny and very smart," and "buoyed by an impressive and charming central performance as well as an eccentric and hilarious supporting cast."{{cite web|url=http://www.indiewire.com/article/beauty_in_trouble_and_kurt_cobain_about_a_son_take_top_denver_fest_prizes|title="Beauty in Trouble" and "Kurt Cobain: About a Son" Take Top Denver Fest Prizes|author=|work=Indiewire|date=2006-11-21|access-date=2016-04-28}}

They were also featured in Filmmaker{{'}}s "25 New Faces of Independent Film 2006".{{Cite web|url=https://www.filmmakermagazine.com/archives/issues/summer2006/features/25_faces16-20.php|title=25 NEW FACES OF INDEPENDENT FILM 2006 - Filmmaker Magazine - Summer 2006|website=Filmmakermagazine.com|access-date=27 October 2021}}

An earlier collaborative work of Aaron and Adam Nee was the music of ru(ok). Both brothers still create music separately, and Aaron scores many of the projects he has produced.[http://www.augustfilms.tv/adnee/music.html] {{dead link|date=April 2016}}

In April 2018, it was announced that Aaron and Adam Nee would be directing a reboot of Masters of the Universe.{{Cite web|last=Kroll|first=Justin|date=2018-04-19|title='Masters of the Universe': Nee Brothers to Direct He-Man Movie (EXCLUSIVE)|url=https://variety.com/2018/film/news/he-man-movie-director-masters-of-the-universe-1202763492/|access-date=2022-01-28|website=Variety|language=en-US}} The duo would also be co-writing the screenplay with David Callaham.{{Cite web|last=Donnelly|first=Matt|date=2022-01-28|title='Masters of the Universe' Movie Finds Its He-Man: 'West Side Story' Star Kyle Allen|url=https://variety.com/2022/film/news/masters-of-the-universe-movie-kyle-allen-he-man-1235166315/|access-date=2022-01-28|website=Variety|language=en-US}} The film was set to be released on Netflix, with production set to begin in 2023.{{Cite web |first=Erick |last=Massoto |date=2022-03-22 |title=Exclusive: 'Masters of the Universe' Directors Tease a "Colorful, Fun, and Irreverent" Live-Action Movie |url=https://collider.com/masters-universe-movie-director-comments-tone-filming-window/ |access-date=2022-03-23 |website=Collider |language=en-US}} On July 18, 2023, it was announced that Netflix has canceled the film but Mattel Films was looking for a new studio to buy the project. Aaron and Adam Nee went on to direct a Lego film instead.{{Cite web |last=Donnelly|first=Matt |date=July 18, 2023 |title='Masters of the Universe' Movie Dead at Netflix After at Least $30 Million in Development; Mattel Shopping for New Buyer (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2023/film/news/masters-of-the-universe-movie-dead-netflix-1235673281/ |access-date=July 18, 2023|website=Variety |language=en-US}} On May 1, 2024 it was confirmed that the Masters of the Universe film would be released on June 5, 2026 by Amazon MGM Studios and Mattel Films with Travis Knight directing and Chris Butler would write the screenplay based on initial drafts written by Aaron and Adam Nee and David Callaham.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2024/film/news/masters-of-the-universe-movie-amazon-mgm-travis-knight-release-date-1235989182/|title=Mattel's 'Masters of the Universe' Moves From Netflix to Amazon for Summer 2026 Release, Travis Knight to Direct|website=Variety|date=May 1, 2024|access-date=May 1, 2024}}

=Aaron Nee=

Aaron Nee, the elder Nee brother, attended the University of Central Florida.{{Cite web |url=http://www.thefilmlot.com/interviews/INTneebros.php |title=Untitled Document |access-date=2007-06-04 |archive-date=2007-09-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927104547/http://www.thefilmlot.com/interviews/INTneebros.php |url-status=dead }} Aaron's work as a cinematographer in their debut feature has been called some of the most beautiful DV cinematography in independent film to date.{{cite web|url=http://www.augustfilms.com/adnee/movies.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=May 13, 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120211211936/http://www.augustfilms.com/adnee/movies.html |archive-date=February 11, 2012 }} His documentary following convicts released from prison and their journey to rehabilitation and transformation was released at the end of 2008.

Aaron also does motion graphics and visual effects through his company G.R.O.W. LLC.{{Cite web|url=http://www.growmdp.com/|title=g.r.o.w. media design production|website=Growmdp.com|access-date=27 October 2021}}

=Adam Nee=

The younger Nee brother moved to New York City as a young adult to pursue acting, which entailed day work on such television projects as Law & Order and Sex and the City. Adam starred in the 2006 film The Last Romantic, Able Danger,{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/11/movies/11able.html?_r=0|title=A Conspiracy Theorist, Closing in on That Smoking Gun|last=Catsoulis|first=Jeannette|newspaper=The New York Times|date=2008-09-10|access-date=2016-04-28}} and South of Heaven, in which he acted alongside Aaron, playing brothers Roy and Dale Coop.{{Cite web |url=http://www.indiewire.com/movies/movies_050504prod.html |title=Production Report: "American Gothic, "Manhattan, Kansas," "One Last Thing," "South of Heave", "Unknown" |last=Guerrasio |first=Jason |date=May 4, 2005 |website=IndieWire |access-date=2007-12-09 |archive-date=2008-02-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080212003341/http://www.indiewire.com/movies/movies_050504prod.html |url-status=dead }} He currently resides in Los Angeles. He was formerly married to actress Allison Miller.

Filmography

class="wikitable"
Year

! Title

! Directors

! Writers

! Producers

! Editors

! Notes

2006

| The Last Romantic

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| Also cinematographer (Aaron only)

2009

| Clark Kent Has a Dream

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes|Adam Nee}}

| {{yes}}

| TV series

2015

| Band of Robbers

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

|

2016

| You Can Never Really Know Someone

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes|Adam Nee}}

| {{no}}

| Short film

2022

| The Lost City

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

|

2025

| A Minecraft Movie

| {{no}}

| {{partial|uncredited}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| Additional Literary Material{{Cite web |title=Minecraft |url=https://directories.wga.org/project/1235768/minecraft |access-date=February 22, 2025 |website=Writers Guild of America West}}

TBA

| Untitled live-action/animated Lego film

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| Development

Aaron Nee only

class="wikitable"
Year

! Title

! Director

! Writer

! Producer

! Editor

! DoP

! Notes

2009

| Return

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| Documentary film

''The Last Romantic''

The Last Romantic, starring Adam Nee, James Urbaniak and Shalom Harlow, which was shot on DV for under $20,000, opened at the SXSW film festival. The film was selected to play in The New York Times{{'}} and Emerging Pictures' "Undiscovered Gems of 2006",{{cite web|url=http://www.emergingpictures.com/gems_06.htm |title=2006 Gems |access-date=December 9, 2007 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071024182000/http://emergingpictures.com/gems_06.htm |archive-date=October 24, 2007 }} a series of films highlighting some of the best undistributed films of the past year. The film has been labeled as belonging to the Mumblecore movement, although others have argued that its cinematography, story, and use of professional actors excludes it from such a grouping.{{cite web |url=http://blogs.indiewire.com/anthony/archives/012986.html |title=Anthony Kaufman's blog: The SXSW All-Stars: A New Ultra-Indie Movement |access-date=2007-12-09 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071214140331/http://blogs.indiewire.com/anthony/archives/012986.html |archive-date=2007-12-14 }}

References

{{Reflist}}