Brian Duffield

{{Infobox person

| name = Brian Duffield

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1985|11|5}}

| occupation = Filmmaker

| years_active = 2010–present

| website = {{Official URL}}

}}

Brian Duffield (born November 5, 1985) is an American filmmaker. He wrote and directed the 2023 sci-fi horror film No One Will Save You and the 2020 dark comedy coming-of-age film Spontaneous. His previous writing credits include Love and Monsters (2020), Underwater (2020), The Babysitter (2017) and Insurgent (2015). He is known for having multiple spec scripts featured in The Black List, an industry log of highly regarded but unproduced screenplays, including his scripts for Jane Got a Gun (2015) and Your Bridesmaid is a Bitch.{{Cite web |url=https://www.finaldraft.com/learn/final-draft-blog/broke-brian-duffield/ |title=How I Broke In: Brian Duffield |date=2015-06-01 |publisher=Final Draft |language=en-US |access-date=2019-12-29 |archive-date=December 29, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191229062431/https://www.finaldraft.com/learn/final-draft-blog/broke-brian-duffield/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |url=https://www.indiewire.com/2013/03/on-the-rise-10-screenwriters-to-watch-in-2013-100489/ |title=On The Rise: 10 Screenwriters To Watch In 2013 |last=Lyttelton |first=Oliver |date=2013-03-20 |website=IndieWire |language=en |access-date=2020-02-23 |archive-date=February 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200224000613/https://www.indiewire.com/2013/03/on-the-rise-10-screenwriters-to-watch-in-2013-100489/ |url-status=live }}

Early life

Duffield was born on November 5, 1985,{{Cite web |url=https://twitter.com/movieguy34/status/530208522504392704 |title=Birthday boy! @BrianDuffield |last=Iannazzo |first=Lonnie II |date=2014-11-05 |website=@movieguy34 |language=en |access-date=2020-02-24 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/brian_duffield |title=Brian Duffield |website=Rotten Tomatoes |publisher=Fandango Media |access-date=4 Jan 2024}} the son of Brenda and Brian Duffield. He has two sisters and spent the first nine years of his life in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.{{Cite web|url=https://gointothestory.blcklst.com/interview-part-1-brian-duffield-3f35f8c621a0|title=Interview [Part 1]: Brian Duffield|last=Myers|first=Scott|date=2016-10-27|website=Medium|language=en|access-date=2019-12-31|archive-date=November 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110230415/https://gointothestory.blcklst.com/interview-part-1-brian-duffield-3f35f8c621a0|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://blog.finaldraft.com/insurgent-screenwriter-brian-duffield-talks-writing-hit-franchise|title='Insurgent' Screenwriter Brian Duffield talks writing for the hit franchise|date=2015-12-30|website=Final Draft|language=en|access-date=2021-12-21|archive-date=October 2, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231002182101/https://blog.finaldraft.com/insurgent-screenwriter-brian-duffield-talks-writing-hit-franchise|url-status=live}} In 1995, he moved with his family to rural Ireland when his parents decided to become evangelical missionaries.{{Cite web|url=http://scriptshadow.net/screenwriter-interview-brian-duffield/|title=Screenwriter Interview - Brian Duffield|last=|date=2012-02-09|website=ScriptShadow|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-31|archive-date=December 31, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191231230608/http://scriptshadow.net/screenwriter-interview-brian-duffield/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://brianduffield.com/post/82401577029/the-inferior-bio-i-went-with|title=The Inferior Bio I Went With|website=Your Spontaneous Screenwriter|access-date=2020-01-05|archive-date=May 12, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220512125600/https://brianduffield.com/post/82401577029/the-inferior-bio-i-went-with|url-status=live}} He later described the surroundings of the area in which they settled as being completely remote and lacking in popular culture. He attended school in County Kildare; in one classroom, three separate grades were being taught by one teacher, which he described as "very Little House on the Prairie-esque". He moved back to the U.S. upon graduating from high school in 2004.

Duffield graduated from both Temple University and Messiah College in 2008.{{Cite web|url=http://aspiringtvwriter.blogspot.com/2014/02/la-firsts-brian-duffield.html|title=The Aspiring TV Writer & Screenwriter Blog: LA FIRSTS: Brian Duffield|last=Amanda|date=2014-02-27|website=The Aspiring TV Writer & Screenwriter Blog|access-date=2020-01-05|archive-date=October 12, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141012072054/http://aspiringtvwriter.blogspot.com/2014/02/la-firsts-brian-duffield.html|url-status=dead}} After graduation, he moved to Universal City, California for a summer internship through Temple University at the Oakwoods apartments prior to the 2007–08 Writers Guild of America strike and at the beginning of the Great Recession.{{Cite web|url=http://www.screenwritersutopia.com/article/dcd9cb48|title=10 Questions with INSURGENT & JANE GOT A GUN Screenwriter Brian Duffield|website=Screenwriter's Utopia|language=en|access-date=2019-12-31|archive-date=December 31, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191231235400/http://www.screenwritersutopia.com/article/dcd9cb48|url-status=live}} From there, he worked various jobs before becoming a professional screenwriter. His first job in Los Angeles was at the now defunct Storyopolis, a children's book store/art gallery, in Studio City, where he worked with writer Blake Harris. He has also worked as an assistant and script reader within the film industry for several years. Prior to selling his first spec screenplay, Duffield was a temporary employee at the Lucky Brand Jeans factory in nearby Vernon, California.{{Cite web|url=https://gointothestory.blcklst.com/interview-part-3-brian-duffield-beed0983903b|title=Interview [Part 3]: Brian Duffield|last=Myers|first=Scott|date=2016-10-27|website=Medium|language=en|access-date=2019-12-31|archive-date=October 2, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231002181523/https://gointothestory.blcklst.com/interview-part-3-brian-duffield-beed0983903b|url-status=live}}

Career

Duffield's first spec sale was for Your Bridesmaid is a Bitch to Skydance Media. The story is partially based on his personal experience with his friends' weddings and a slew of failed relationships. His friend from college had sent a copy to a contact at Circle of Confusion management company, who later offered to be Duffield's manager.{{Cite web|url=https://gointothestory.blcklst.com/interview-part-6-brian-duffield-91d0cfd44921|title=Interview [Part 6]: Brian Duffield|last=Myers|first=Scott|date=2016-10-27|website=Medium|language=en|access-date=2019-12-31|archive-date=October 18, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231018052941/https://gointothestory.blcklst.com/interview-part-6-brian-duffield-91d0cfd44921?gi=5fadb2803caf|url-status=live}} Several days later, they got a meeting with Skydance, who bought the script. Eli Craig was last attached to direct and rewrite the film in May 2015.{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2012/05/tucker-dale-vs-evil-helmer-eli-craig-takes-on-your-bridesmaids-a-bitch-270789/|title='Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil' Helmer Eli Craig Takes On 'Your Bridesmaid's A Bitch'|last=Fleming|first=Mike Jr.|date=2012-05-11|website=Deadline|language=en|access-date=2019-12-29|archive-date=December 29, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191229062428/https://deadline.com/2012/05/tucker-dale-vs-evil-helmer-eli-craig-takes-on-your-bridesmaids-a-bitch-270789/|url-status=dead}} Black List Live!, a live monthly stage reading of scripts featured on the Black List, did a performance of Your Bridesmaid is a Bitch in 2014.{{Cite web|url=https://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/11/13/the-black-list-live-screenplays-los-angeles/|title=In L.A., Unproduced Film Scripts Find New Life Onstage|last=Gluck|first=Marissa|date=2014-11-13|website=T Magazine|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-01|archive-date=January 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200101000814/https://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/11/13/the-black-list-live-screenplays-los-angeles/|url-status=live}}

Duffield sold his script for Monster Problems to Paramount Pictures in 2012.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/paramount-shawn-levy-brian-duffield-337848|title=Paramount Developing Post-Apocalyptic Road Movie with Shawn Levy (Exclusive)|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=June 15, 2012 |language=en|access-date=2019-12-31|archive-date=January 5, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200105201928/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/paramount-shawn-levy-brian-duffield-337848|url-status=live}} The film underwent some rewrites by Matthew Robinson and was renamed Love and Monsters before being released in October 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/10/monster-problems-release-date-dylan-obrien-jessica-henwick-paramount-1202766999/|title='Monster Problems': Paramount Moves Dylan O'Brien Pic To Pre-Summer Slot|last=Pedersen|first=Erik|date=2019-10-23|website=Deadline|language=en|access-date=2019-12-31|archive-date=September 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917011737/https://deadline.com/2019/10/monster-problems-release-date-dylan-obrien-jessica-henwick-paramount-1202766999/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|last=DeFore|first=John|date=2020-10-15|title='Love and Monsters': Film Review|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/love-and-monsters-film-review-4076851/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-07-26|website=The Hollywood Reporter|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210726174025/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/love-and-monsters-film-review-4076851/ |archive-date=July 26, 2021 }}

Duffield's first writing assignment was for the film adaptation of the second book in the Divergent trilogy, Insurgent (2015), in 2013.{{Cite web|url=https://collider.com/divergent-sequel-insurgent-brian-duffield/|title=Summit Sets Brian Duffield to Pen DIVERGENT Sequel, INSURGENT|last=Trumbore|first=Dave|date=2013-05-07|website=Collider|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-29|archive-date=August 12, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130812154218/http://collider.com/divergent-sequel-insurgent-brian-duffield/|url-status=live}}

The script for The Babysitter (2017) was sold to McG's company, Wonderland Sound and Vision, at auction. McG also directed the film, which later premiered on Netflix in October 2017.{{Citation|title=The Babysitter Review - IGN|date=October 13, 2017 |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2017/10/13/the-babysitter-review|language=en|access-date=2019-12-29|archive-date=February 15, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190215215902/https://www.ign.com/articles/2017/10/13/the-babysitter-review|url-status=live}}

In 2020, the thriller Underwater starring Kristen Stewart was released. The screenplay was by Duffield and revised by Adam Cozad.{{Cite web|last=Busch|first=Anita|date=2017-02-22|title=Kristen Stewart In Final Negotiations To Star In Fox Movie 'Underwater'|url=https://deadline.com/2017/02/kristen-stewart-fox-underwater-chernin-entertainment-1201942715/|url-status=dead|access-date=2021-10-23|website=Deadline|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170223005144/http://deadline.com/2017/02/kristen-stewart-fox-underwater-chernin-entertainment-1201942715/ |archive-date=February 23, 2017 }} Duffield made his writer-director debut with the dark comedy Spontaneous later that year.{{Cite web|last=Kornits|first=Dov|date=2020-10-28|title=Brian Duffield's Spontaneously Explosive Debut|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/brian-duffields-spontaneously-explosive-debut/|access-date=2021-10-23|website=FilmInk|language=en-AU|archive-date=October 2, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231002181446/https://www.filmink.com.au/brian-duffields-spontaneously-explosive-debut/|url-status=live}} His next film as a writer-director, No One Will Save You, was released in 2023.{{Cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2021/04/20th-century-no-one-will-save-you-kaitlyn-dever-attached-to-star-1234739719/ |title=20th Century Lands Spec Script 'No One Will Save You' With Kaitlyn Dever Attached To Star; Brian Duffield Writing And Directing |last=Kroll |first=Justin |date=2021-05-19 |website=Deadline Hollywood |language=en |access-date=2021-12-22 |archive-date=April 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210419223028/https://deadline.com/2021/04/20th-century-no-one-will-save-you-kaitlyn-dever-attached-to-star-1234739719/ |url-status=live }}