Dan Trachtenberg
{{Short description|American filmmaker and podcast host (born 1981)}}
{{Infobox person
|name = Dan Trachtenberg
|image = Dan Trachtenberg, 2007.jpg
|caption = Trachtenberg shooting The Totally Rad Show in 2007
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1981|5|11}}
|birth_place = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
|occupation = Director, writer, podcast host
|yearsactive = 1998–present
|networth =
|spouse = {{marriage|Priscilla Hernandez|2011}}
|alma_mater = Temple University
|children = 1{{cite web | url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CUUD0L3gDRk/?hl=en | title=Instagram }}
|website = {{URL|http://dantrachtenberg.com/}}
|footnotes =
}}
Dan Trachtenberg (born May 11, 1981) is an American filmmaker and podcast host.Rachel Kurland, [http://jewishexponent.com/2016/03/14/scare-tactics-pay-off-for-cheltenhams-dan-trachtenberg/ Scare Tactics Pay off for Cheltenham's Dan Trachtenberg]. The Jewish Exponent. March 14, 2016. Retrieved October 6, 2017.
He is best known for directing the films 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) and Prey (2022), the former earning him a Directors Guild of America Award nomination for Outstanding Directing – First-Time Feature Film.{{cite web|url=https://www.dga.org/Awards/History/2010s/2016.aspx?value=2016|title=69th Annual DGA Awards|publisher=dga.org|accessdate=February 24, 2019}} For television, he directed the pilot episodes of The Boys (2019) and The Lost Symbol (2021), the latter on which he also served as an executive producer.
Trachtenberg was one of three hosts of The Totally Rad Show podcast and a former co-host of the Geekdrome podcast. He also directed episodes for the Ctrl+Alt+Chicken podcast. All three programs were hosted at Revision3. He also directed the 2011 short film Portal: No Escape, an episode of Black Mirror entitled "Playtest", and various television commercials and public service announcements. He is currently developing a TV series adaptation of the 1995 film Waterworld.
Directing
File:Dane DiLiegro and Dan Trachtenberg shooting Prey (2022).jpg and Dan Trachtenberg discuss a scene while shooting Prey (2022)]]
Trachtenberg has directed commercials for Lexus, Nike, and Coca-Cola. In 2003, he directed the short film Kickin{{'}}. In April 2008, he joined Tight Films,{{cite web|url=http://www.shootonline.com/go/index.php?name=Articles&op=view&id=rs-web1-1048233-1208977396-2 |title= Danny T, Russell Make tight Connection |publisher=SHOOTonline.com |accessdate=7 February 2016 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020035619/http://www.shootonline.com/go/index.php?name=Articles&op=view&id=rs-web1-1048233-1208977396-2 |archivedate=October 20, 2013 }} for which he collaborated with Matt Wolf on an alternate reality game for Hellboy II: The Golden Army.
He directed the internet show, Ctrl+Alt+Chicken.
In March 2011, Trachtenberg released a short film for BlackBoxTV titled More Than You Can Chew, starring J. Kristopher, Skye Marshall and Ian Hamrick. Trachtenberg co-wrote the story with Mark D. Walker.
On August 23, 2011, Trachtenberg released the short film Portal: No Escape,{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/DannyTRS/status/106106905033850880 |title=Dan Trachtenberg on Twitter |work=Twitter |accessdate=7 February 2016 }} based on the video game Portal, which has since garnered more than twenty-eight million views on YouTube.{{cite web |url=https://www.wired.com/2013/01/y-last-man-movie/ |title=Portal: No Escape Director Snags Y: The Last Man Movie |last1=Hart |first1=Hugh |date=10 January 2013 |website=Wired |accessdate=21 July 2014 }}
On October 13, 2011, /Film announced that Trachtenberg would be directing a science fiction action heist film for Universal Pictures with writer Chris Morgan.{{cite web |url=https://www.slashfilm.com/portal-escape-helmer-dan-trachtenberg-direct-scifi-heist-movie-crime-century-universal/ |title=Portal: No Escape Helmer Dan Trachtenberg To Direct Sci-fi Heist Movie 'Crime of the Century' For Universal |work=/Film |date=13 October 2011 |accessdate=7 February 2016 }}
In January 2013, iFanboy broke the news that Trachtenberg would direct the film adaptation of Y: The Last Man.{{cite web |work=iFanboy |title=Breaking: Dan Trachtenberg To Direct Y: The Last Man |url=http://ifanboy.com/articles/breaking-dan-trachtenberg-to-direct-y-the-last-man |date=January 9, 2013 |accessdate=January 10, 2013}} However, on September 25, 2014, /Film announced that the film had been cancelled.{{cite web |work=/Film |title=The Y: The Last Man Movie Is Dead Again; Dan Trachtenberg Talks About the Adaptation |url=https://www.slashfilm.com/y-the-last-man-movie-dead/#.VCR76G2hdzU.twitter |date=September 25, 2014 |accessdate=September 25, 2014 }}
On April 3, 2014, Ain't It Cool News announced that Trachtenberg would direct a film for Bad Robot titled Valencia, which was later revealed to be a code name for 10 Cloverfield Lane.{{cite web |work=Ain't It Cool News |title=Dan Trachtenberg will no longer be making his debut with Y:The Last Man and will instead direct Valencia for Bad Robot!|url=https://www.aintitcool.com/node/66808 |date=April 3, 2014 |accessdate=September 15, 2014}}{{cite web |url=https://collider.com/cloverfield-2-secret-movie-10-cloverfield-lane/ |title=10 Cloverfield Lane Is the Title of J.J. Abrams' Secret Bad Robot Movie |first=Adam |last=Chitwood |work=Collider.com |date=January 14, 2016 |accessdate=January 14, 2016}} On January 15, 2016, the trailer for 10 Cloverfield Lane was released. Producer J. J. Abrams said about the film, "The idea came up a long time ago during production. We wanted to make it a blood relative of Cloverfield. The idea was developed over time. We wanted to hold back the title for as long as possible."{{cite web |url=https://www.slashfilm.com/10-cloverfield-lane-trailer-cloverfield-2/ |title=Bad Robot's 10 Cloverfield Lane Trailer: Is This Cloverfield 2? |first=Peter |last=Sciretta |work=/Film |date=January 14, 2016 |accessdate=January 14, 2016 }}
On April 30, 2018, it was announced that Dan Trachtenberg would direct the first episode of the Amazon series The Boys, replacing Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, who dropped out due to scheduling conflicts.{{cite web|last1=Petski|first1=Denise|title='The Boys': Dan Trachtenberg To Direct First Episode Of Superhero Drama Series For Amazon|url=https://deadline.com/2018/04/the-boys-dan-trachtenberg-direct-first-episode-superhero-drama-series-amazon-seth-rogen-evan-goldberg-1202378652/|website=Deadline|accessdate=April 30, 2018|date=April 30, 2018}}
On January 14, 2019, Trachtenberg was announced to be directing a live action film adaptation of the video game series Uncharted.{{cite web |work=Variety |title='10 Cloverfield Lane' Director Boards 'Uncharted' Movie (EXCLUSIVE)!|url=https://variety.com/2019/film/news/10-cloverfield-lane-uncharted-sony-1203104743/ |date=January 14, 2019 |accessdate=January 14, 2019}} However on August 22, 2019, it was announced he had exited the film.{{cite web |work=Deadline |title=PlayStation Boards Sony Pic 'Uncharted' With Tom Holland; Studio Closing In On Director After Dan Trachtenberg Exits|url=https://deadline.com/2019/08/uncharted-tom-holland-movie-dan-trachtenberg-exit-playstation-producing-sony-pictures-1202701962/ |date=August 22, 2019 |accessdate=August 22, 2019}}
On November 20, 2020, it was announced that Trachtenberg had been engaged by 20th Century Studios to direct the fifth installment in the Predator film series, titled Prey.{{cite news |last=Fleming |first=Mike |url=https://deadline.com/2020/11/predator-movie-dan-trachenberg-20th-century-studios-1234619728/ |title='Predator' Returning With '10 Cloverfield Lane' Helmer Dan Trachtenberg At 20th Century Studios |website=Deadline Hollywood |date=November 20, 2020 |access-date=February 23, 2021 }} For his work on the film, Trachtenberg received two nominations at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards.{{cite news |last=Sherman |first=Rachel
|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/12/arts/television/emmy-nominees-list-2023.html | title= Emmy Nominees 2023: The Complete List |website=The New York Times |date=July 12, 2023 }}
On June 28 2023 it was announced that Trachtenberg will direct at least one episode in the final season of the Netflix series Stranger Things.{{Cite web |title=Dan Trachtenberg Is Headed to the Upside Down |url=https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/stranger-things-season-5-director-dan-trachtenberg |access-date=2023-07-07 |website=Netflix Tudum |language=en}}
As of February 2024, Trachtenberg is developing the film Badlands. It is another spinoff from the Predator series and separate from his film Prey.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2024/02/dan-trachtenberg-predator-movie-badlands-1235820417/|title=Dan Trachtenberg To Direct New Standalone 'Predator' Movie 'Badlands' As 20th Century Expands On Universe|last=Kroll|first=Justin|website=Deadline|date=February 9, 2024|access-date=February 9, 2024|language=en}}
Personal life
Trachtenberg married Priscilla Hernandez in 2011.{{cite web |url=http://www.davechen.net/2011/11/dan-and-priscillas-wedding.html |title=Dan and Priscilla's Wedding |first=David |last=Chen |date=November 1, 2011 |website=www.davechen.net}}
Trachtenberg attended Temple University graduating in 2003. https://news.temple.edu/news/2024-01-24/temple-stars-shine-bright-film-and-television-awards
Filmography
Short film
- Kickin' (2003)
- Portal: No Escape (2011)
- More Than You Can Chew (2012)
- Warframe (2019)
Feature film
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Title ! Director ! Story ! Producer |
|---|
| 2016
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} |
| 2022
| Prey | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} |
| rowspan=2|2025
| {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} |
| Predator: Badlands
| {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} |
Television
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Title ! Notes |
|---|
| 2016
| Episode "Playtest" |
| 2019
| The Boys | Episode "The Name of the Game" |
| 2021
| Episode "As Above, So Below"; |
| 2025 |
Awards and nominations
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://dantrachtenberg.com/}}
- {{IMDb name|0870469}}
{{Dan Trachtenberg}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Trachtenberg, Dan}}
Category:Artists from Philadelphia
Category:American Internet celebrities
Category:Film directors from Pennsylvania
Category:Jewish American screenwriters