David A. Weiner

{{Short description|American filmmaker, magazine editor, and journalist}}

{{Infobox person

| name = David A. Weiner

| image = David A. Weiner photograph.jpg

| caption =

| birth_name =

| birth_date =

| birth_place =

| nationality = American

| citizenship =

| alma_mater = Ithaca College

| occupation = {{hlist|Filmmaker|magazine editor|journalist}}

| known_for =

| years_active = 1990–present

| spouse =

| website =

}}

David A. Weiner (pronounced Why-ner) is an American filmmaker, magazine editor, and journalist.

He wrote and directed the In Search of Darkness '80s trilogy, which explores the decade of 1980s horror cinema over the course of 14-plus hours:{{Cite web |title=forbes weiner darkness - Google Search |url=https://www.google.com/search?q=forbes+weiner+darkness |access-date=2023-03-01 |website=www.google.com}} the long-form 2019 documentary film In Search of Darkness,{{cite web |last=Taylor |first=Nick |date=March 27, 2019 |title=Horror Business: David Weiner, Director of In Search of Darkness, The Definitive 80's Horror Documentary |url=https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/291563/horror-business-david-weiner-director-of-in-search-of-darkness-the-definitive-80s-horror-documentary/ |access-date=May 29, 2019 |website=Dread Central}} and its sequels In Search of Darkness: Part II (2020) and In Search of Darkness: Part III (2022).{{Cite web |last=Clark |first=Brandy |date=2022-10-08 |title='In Search of Darkness Part III' Trailer Explores the Best of 80s Horror |url=https://collider.com/in-search-of-darkness-part-3-robert-englund-elvira/ |access-date=2023-03-01 |website=Collider |language=en}}

In 2024, he wrote and directed In Search of Darkness: 1990-1994, a six-hour documentary examining early ‘90s horror films and television,{{Cite web |last=McAndrews |first=Mary Beth |date=2024-10-30 |title='In Search of Darkness' Director David Weiner On The Underrated Power of 90s Horror |url=https://www.dreadcentral.com/interviews/515201/in-search-of-darkness-director-david-weiner-on-the-underrated-power-of-90s-horror/ |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=Dread Central |language=en-US}} part one of a planned two-part series of '90s horror documentaries.{{Cite web |last=InSearchOfDarkness |date=2024-10-14 |title=Hey /r/movies! I'm writer/director David Weiner. My new documentary 'In Search of Darkness: 1990-1994' is a curation/celebration of early '90s horror movies & TV featuring interviews with icons of the era. Ask me anything! |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/1g3fa21/hey_rmovies_im_writerdirector_david_weiner_my_new/?rdt=47099 |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=r/movies}}

Weiner also wrote and directed the five-hour 2022 documentary on '80s Sci-Fi cinema, In Search of Tomorrow,{{Cite web |title=In search of tomorrows director dishes on what will be the ultimate documentary for 1980s sci fi fans |url=https://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2020/05/in-search-of-tomorrows-director-dishes-on-what-will-be-the-ultimate-documentary-for-1980s-sci-fi-fans/}} and executive produced Aliens Expanded (2024), a four-hour doc featuring new interviews with director James Cameron{{Cite web |last=Squires |first=John |date=2024-04-09 |title=Exclusive Trailer: James Cameron Joins 'Aliens Expanded' Documentary With Exclusive New Interview! |url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/exclusives/3807868/exclusive-trailer-james-cameron-joins-aliens-expanded-documentary-with-exclusive-new-interview/ |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=Bloody Disgusting! |language=en-US}} and the cast & crew of Aliens.

Weiner was a writer for The Hollywood Reporter's Heat Vision{{Cite web |last=Weiner |first=David |title=David Weiner |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/author/david-weiner/ |access-date=2023-03-01 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}} and LA Weekly,{{Cite web |title=David Weiner |url=https://www.laweekly.com/guest-author/david-weiner/ |access-date=2023-03-01 |website=LA Weekly |language=en-US}} and was a senior editor for Entertainment Tonight Online{{cite web|last=Couch|first=Aaron|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/search-darkness-trailer-is-a-dive-80s-horror-watch-video-1194143|title='In Search of Darkness' Trailer Is a Dive Into '80s Horror|date=March 12, 2019|work=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=May 29, 2019}} from 2001 to 2014.

He was the executive editor of Famous Monsters of Filmland from 2015 to 2016, which resulted in him winning the Rondo Hatton Award for Best Interview of the Year in 2015 (for his interview with Mel Brooks for the 40th anniversary of Young Frankenstein),{{Cite web|url=https://www.famousmonsters.com/famous-monsters-is-honored-with-3-rondo-awards/|title=Famous Monsters is Honored with 3 Rondo Awards!|last1=Apr 15|last2=Magazine {{!}}|first2=2016 {{!}} FM|date=2016-04-15|website=Famous Monsters of Filmland|language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-09}} as well as winning the award for Best Classic Magazine (for Famous Monsters of Filmland) two years in a row.{{cite web|url=https://meetdavidweiner.wordpress.com/about/|title=ABOUT DAVID WEINER|website=WordPress|date=20 September 2017|access-date=May 29, 2019}}{{cite web|last=Leighton|first=Susan|url=https://1428elm.com/2019/03/25/david-weiner-in-search-of-darkness/|title=David Weiner: The Nostalgia Curator goes In Search of Darkness|date=March 25, 2019|website=1428Elm.com|publisher=FanSided|access-date=May 29, 2019}}

After graduating from film school at New York's Ithaca College{{Cite web |last=Swope |first=Michelle |date=2019-10-09 |title=Interview: Director David A. Weiner Talks Creating IN SEARCH OF DARKNESS: THE DEFINITIVE '80S HORROR DOCUMENTARY, A Film For the Fans by the Fans |url=https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/311702/interview-director-david-a-weiner-talks-creating-in-search-of-darkness-the-definitive-80s-horror-documentary-a-film-for-the-fans-by-the-fans/ |access-date=2023-03-01 |website=Dread Central |language=en-US}} in 1990, Weiner started his entertainment career in Los Angeles working in various on-set production capacities{{Cite web |title=David A. Weiner |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0918211/ |access-date=2023-03-01 |website=IMDb |language=en-US}} in film, television, commercials, and music videos. He moved on to film development and script coverage/story analyst jobs, and navigated the dot-com boom and bust in the mid-to-late '90s at AOL's Entertainment Asylum,{{Cite magazine |last=Brown |first=Janelle |title=AOL Lays Off Content Staff With Lightspeed |url=https://www.wired.com/1998/02/aol-lays-off-content-staff-with-lightspeed/ |access-date=2024-05-06 |magazine=Wired |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028}} Scour.com, and Hollywood.com before spending over a decade covering film, television, music, and breaking celebrity news at Entertainment Tonight.{{Cite magazine |last=Brown |first=Janelle |title=AOL Spends Like Crazy on Asylum |language=en-US |magazine=Wired |url=https://www.wired.com/1997/08/aol-spends-like-crazy-on-asylum/ |access-date=2023-03-01 |issn=1059-1028}}{{Cite web |title=Interview with David Weiner {{!}} Muck Rack |url=https://muckrack.com/tikiambassador/interview |access-date=2023-03-01 |website=muckrack.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=News Post |url=https://www.berkshireschool.org/cf_news/view.cfm?newsid=1099 |access-date=2023-03-01 |website=www.berkshireschool.org}}

On creating long-form genre documentaries:

“These films are like the nostalgia of a sense memory, or an unexpected song that takes you back to one of the best times in your life. Revisiting, discussing, and celebrating these films in a long-form documentary time-capsule format is one of the greatest ways to keep the spark alive for so many beloved films.”

- David Weiner, Forbes,{{Cite web |last=Weiss |first=Josh |title='In Search Of Darkness Part III' Closes Out David Weiner's Multi-Year Journey Through '80s Horror |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/joshweiss/2022/10/12/in-search-of-darkness-part-iii-closes-out-david-weiners-multi-year-journey-through-80s-horror/ |access-date=2023-02-27 |website=Forbes |language=en}} October 12, 2022