Draft:Howard Suber

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{{Infobox person

|name=Howard Suber

|image=

|caption=

|birth_date={{birth date and age|1938|7|21}}

|birth_place=Owosso, Mich.

|occupation=Professor, Author, Expert Witness

|children=2

|spouse=(1958—present)
Roberta (Soffin) Suber

}}

Howard Suber, Ph.D. (born July 21, 1938) is an American author, educator, and film scholar, known for his contributions to the study and teaching of film history, theory, and production. He was a longtime faculty member at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Theater, Film and Television (TFT), where he played a pivotal role in developing film education programs and mentoring generations of filmmakers.{{Cite web |title=Howard Suber |url=https://www.tft.ucla.edu/faculty/howard-suber/ |access-date=2025-02-28 |website=UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television |language=en-US}} Geoffrey Gilmore, director of the Tribeca Film Festival and former director of the Sundance Film Festival, praised Suber’s influence on film education, stating, "Howard Suber is one of the foremost teachers of film in the world."{{Cite web |date=2023-12-28 |title=Secrets, unveiled: UCLA legend Howard Suber on what makes stories work |url=https://www.orangecountycoast.com/secrets-unveiled-ucla-legend-howard-suber-on-what-makes-stories-work/ |access-date=2025-02-28 |website=Orange County Coast |language=en-US}}

Academic Career

Suber was a faculty member at UCLA from 1965 to 1994, during which he taught more than 65 courses related to film and television. He was instrumental in shaping the academic structure of UCLA's film studies programs and served in multiple leadership roles. As the founding chair of the Film and Television Producers Program (1987–1994), he established and led a program designed to educate students about the realities of working in the film and television industries, with courses taught by active industry professionals including Peter Guber, Arnold Rifkin, and David Puttnam. From 1970 to 1975, he served as a founding director of the UCLA Film and Television Archive, expanding its collection from 30 to more than 3,000 prints, making it one of the largest film collections outside the Library of Congress.{{Cite web |title=The Past Is Present |url=https://newsroom.ucla.edu/magazine/preservation-culture-film-television-languages-music |access-date=2025-03-01 |website=UCLA |language=en-us}} Additionally, as the founding chair of the Film History, Theory, and Criticism Program (1970–1978), he designed and led the Ph.D. program in film and television studies. He was also associate dean of the UCLA TFT (1989–1990), serving as a key administrator in the newly formed school.{{Cite web |title=Teacher, mentor and master of making things happen |url=https://newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/screenwriter-teacher-and-master-of-making-things-happen |access-date=2025-02-28 |website=UCLA |language=en-us}}

Other Work

In addition to his academic contributions, Suber has worked as a consultant and expert witness for more than 35 years on issues related to copyright, creative control, film production, writing, and fair use.{{cite web |title=Media Guide to UCLA Experts |url=https://newsroom.ucla.edu/experts/preview/54d11d42299b503bb100472e/ |website=UCLA Newsroom}}

Publications

Suber has written several books focusing on the principles of filmmaking, creativity, and copyright issues in the film industry. His works include The Power of Film,{{cite book |last1=Suber |first1=Howard |title=The Power of Film |date=2006 |publisher=Michael Wiese Productions |isbn=1932907173 |url=https://mwp.com/product/the-power-of-film/}} which analyzes the structures, psychology, and philosophies underlying popular films. Francis Ford Coppola called this book "wise...liberating. Howard Suber's understanding of film storytelling is surprisingly contrary to what everyone knows. A remarkable work."{{Cite web |title=The Power of Film – Michael Wiese Productions |url=https://mwp.com/product/the-power-of-film/ |access-date=2025-02-28 |language=en-US}} The book was adapted into a 6-part TV series on TCM.{{Cite web |title=TCM Special Theme: The Power of Film |url=https://www.tcm.com/articles/Programming%20Article/021873/tcm-special-theme-the-power-of-film/ |access-date=2025-02-28 |website=prod.tcm.com |language=en}} Suber's other books are Letters to Young Filmmakers: Creativity and Getting Your Films Made, {{cite book |last1=Suber |first1=Howard |title=Letters to Young Filmmakers: Creativity and Getting Your Films Made |date=2012|publisher=Michael Wiese Productions |isbn=978-1615930630 |url=https://mwp.com/product/letters-to-young-filmmakers-creativity-getting-your-films-made/}} offering insights and advice on overcoming industry challenges; and Creativity and Copyright: Legal Essentials for Screenwriters and Creative Artists,{{cite book |last1=Suber |first1=Howard |last2=Geiger |first2=John L. |title=Creativity and Copyright Legal Essentials for Screenwriters and Creative Artists |date=2019 |publisher=University of California Press |isbn=978-0520303539 |url=https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520303539/creativity-and-copyright}} with John Geiger, LLD., which explores the intersection of creativity and copyright law.

Television

Suber was creator, writer, and narrator of the 2024 6-part television series, The Power of Film,{{cite web |title=The Power of Film |url=https://www.thepoweroffilm.com |website=thepoweroffilm.com}} exploring the art of storytelling through the defining principles and inner workings of the most popular and memorable American films. The series was executive produced by two of Suber's former students and teaching assistants, filmmakers Doug Pray{{Cite web |last=Media |first=Helium Digital |title=Doug Pray Director. |url=https://dougpray.com/ |access-date=2025-03-01 |website=dougpray.com |language=en}} and Laura Gabbert.{{cite web |title=Laura Gabbert Films |url=https://lauragabbertfilms.com}} Director Alexander Payne praised the series. "By connecting us to what makes our stories powerful," he said, "Howard Suber connects us to who we are as human beings. An extraordinary and essential series.”{{Cite web |title=Reviews & Quotes {{!}} THE POWER OF FILM |url=https://gooddocs.net/pages/reviews-quotes-tpof |access-date=2025-02-28 |website=GOOD DOCS |language=en}}

Honors and Recognition

Suber has received multiple awards recognizing his impact on film education and scholarship. In 1987, he was honored with the Distinguished Teaching Award by the UCLA Academic Senate.{{cite web |title=Howard Suber, M.A. '66, Ph.D. '68, Associate Professor of Theater, Film and Television |url=https://alumni.ucla.edu/awards/howard-suber-m-a-66-ph-d-68-associate-professor-of-theater-film-and-television}} In 2003, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Temecula Valley International Film Festival. He was also presented with a Life Achievement Award in 2007 by the Kansas City Film Jubilee for his contributions to independent film.{{cite web |title=Kansas City Film Fest |url=https://kcfilmfest.org |website=KC Film Fest}} In 2014, he was awarded the Dickson Emeritus Professorship Award, the highest honor for retired faculty at UCLA.{{cite web |title=ARTS + CULTURE Teacher, mentor and master of making things happen |url=https://newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/screenwriter-teacher-and-master-of-making-things-happen |website=newsroom.ucla.edu}} A year later, in 2015, a "Celebration of 50 Years of Teaching at UCLA" was held in his honor, during which a scholarship in his name was established through student donations.{{Cite web |last=Lang |first=Brent |date=2015-09-30 |title=UCLA Honors Legendary Film Professor Howard Suber for 50 Years of Teaching |url=https://variety.com/2015/film/news/ucla-film-professor-howard-suber-50-years-teaching-1201606096/ |access-date=2025-02-28 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}