Jimmy The Exploder

The Exploder{{Cite web |title=The Exploder? |url=https://www.jimmytheexploder.com/theexploder |website=Jimmy The Exploder}} was born in Melbourne, Victoria. He grew up in Perth, Western Australia and was educated at the University of Western Australia.{{Cite web |title=Jimmy The Exploder: Screenwriter, director and producer working in feature film |url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmytheexploder/ |website=LinkedIn}}

The Exploder (credited at the time as Jimmy Jack) began his career acting-in, writing and producing short films in Perth, Western Australia. Under the banner of Placebo Pictures he and director Elissa Down collaborated on the award-winning shorts HMAS Unicorn, Pink Pajamas, The Bathers and The Cherry Orchard.{{Cite web |title=Elissa Down |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1171959/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1 |website=IMDB}} The Exploder also produced a Screenwest-funded short Phaid with director Christopher Frey which won Best Film at the Dubrovnik Film Festival and the Jury Award at the Winnipeg International Film Festival.{{Cite web |title=Screenwest Annual Report 2004-05 |url=https://www.screenwest.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Screenwest-Annual-Report-2004-05.pdf |website=Screenwest}}File:Jimmy The Exploder holding the Crystal Bear at the 58th Berlin Film Festival.jpg

The Exploder wrote and co-produced the Australian feature film The Black Balloon directed and co-written by Elissa Down. The duo recruited Strictly Ballroom producer Tristram Miall as head producer. The narrative is semi-autobiographical, mostly drawn from Down's childhood experiences, but she asked The Exploder to join her in writing the screenplay.{{cite web|url=https://www.fti.asn.au/article/interview-jimmy-jack|title=INTERVIEW: JIMMY JACK|date=11 May 2008|publisher=Film and Television Institute|accessdate=5 November 2016}}{{cite news| url = http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23091032-15803,00.html| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080129073952/http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23091032-15803,00.html| url-status = dead| archive-date = 29 January 2008| title = Mirth and melancholy| accessdate = 14 August 2008| date = 26 January 2008| newspaper = The Australian| first = Barber| last = Lynden}}

The Exploder and Down won Best Original Screenplay for the script at the 2008 Australian Film Institute Awards.{{Cite web|url=https://www.aacta.org/aacta-awards/past-awards/|title=Past Awards|website=www.aacta.org|language=en-AU|access-date=2019-03-22}} The Exploder caused a minor controversy when, accepting his award, he read out a negative review of the film and uttered an expletive to the critic, for which he received a standing ovation.{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/id-just-like-to-spank-my-critics-20081208-gdt5qt.html|title=I'd just like to spank my critics|last=Maddox|first=Emily Dunn and Garry|date=2008-12-08|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|language=en|access-date=2020-03-17}}{{Citation|title=Jimmy The Exploder banned AFI speech|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AFspmRD324 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/0AFspmRD324 |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|language=en|access-date=2020-03-17}}{{cbignore}} The film picked up a total of six awards including Best Film.{{Cite news |title=The Black Balloon rises above the rest at Australian AFI awards |url=https://www.screendaily.com/the-black-balloon-rises-above-the-rest-at-australian-afi-awards/4042270.article |work=Screen Daily}}

The Exploder also shared with Down the 2007 Western Australian Premier's Book Award{{Citation|title=Leake, George, (1856–24 June 1902), Premier and Attorney-General of Western Australia|date=2007-12-01|work=Who Was Who|publisher=Oxford University Press|doi=10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u188069}} and the 2008 Australian Writer's Guild AWGIE Award{{Cite web|url=https://www.if.com.au/in-the-underbelly-of-the-awgies/|title=In the Underbelly of the AWGIEs|date=2008-08-16|website=IF Magazine|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-17}} for the screenplay.

In 2009 it was reported that model Gemma Ward (who acted in The Black Balloon) would be starring in The Exploder's next feature film Sex, Brains & Rock 'n' Roll.{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/gemma-ward-set-to-star-in-jacks-zombie-movie-20090512-b1n3.html|title=Gemma Ward set to star in Jack's zombie movie|last=Pepper|first=Daile|date=2009-05-12|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|language=en|access-date=2020-03-18}} He described it as a 'zombie rockumentary' and told reporters that he was looking at Macaulay Culkin to play the other lead role. The film is yet to be made.

According to IMDB, The Exploder directed and produced a yet-to-be-released Smashing Pumpkins documentary titled The Arising and is developing a feature film called Luka Magic.{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1625165/|title=Jimmy the Exploder|website=imdb.com|language=en|access-date=2023-02-14}}

The Exploder has contributed to publications including The Guardian. His more notable publications have been social commentary on his hometown of Perth,{{Cite news|last=Exploder|first=Jimmy The|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/05/mate-perth-is-not-a-hipster-city|title=Mate, Perth is not a hipster city {{!}} Jimmy The Exploder|date=2014-03-04|work=The Guardian|access-date=2020-03-18|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}} and an obituary for his friend artist Matt Doust.{{Cite news|last=Exploder|first=Jimmy The|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/australia-culture-blog/2013/sep/04/art-matt-doust-death-tribute|title=Matt Doust: a tribute|date=2013-09-04|work=The Guardian|access-date=2020-03-18|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}

In 2010 The Exploder curated the John Hughes Retrospective at the Northbridge Piazza, funded by the City of Perth.{{Cite web|url=http://cutandpastedvd.com/blog/john-hughes-retrospective-science-under-the-stars|title=JOHN HUGHES RETROSPECTIVE // SCIENCE UNDER THE STARS // CUT & PASTE DVD|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-31}}

In 2013 The Exploder founded the film sales and distribution company Video Archives. The company was named after the video store Quentin Tarantino worked at in Los Angeles before his career took off.{{Cite web|url=https://www.if.com.au/perth-film-distributor-video-archives-to-release-australian-horror-film-jugular/|title=Perth film distributor Video Archives to release Australian horror film Jugular.|date=2014-02-27|website=IF Magazine|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-17}}

The Exploder was one of the founders of the Perth Underground Film Festival (PUFF) which was part of the Perth Fringe Festival in 2015.{{Cite web|url=https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/perth-film-buffs-get-a-timely-dose-of-puff-20150212-13d584.html|title=Perth film buffs get a timely dose of PUFF|date=2015-02-12|website=WAtoday|language=en|access-date=2020-03-31}}

In 2015 The Exploder worked together with a group of prominent Western Australians to found the Museum of Perth. Jack owned Henry Saw cafe which was neighbours with the museum and named after the grocer who first roasted coffee beans in Perth.{{Cite web|url=https://thewest.com.au/news/history-in-making-for-museum-team-ng-ya-125494|title=History in making for museum|date=2015-07-08|website=The West Australian|language=en|access-date=2020-03-18}}

In December 2018 The Exploder (under his birth name Daniel Houghton) appeared in Perth Magistrates Court on various charges related to a domestic incident with his then 21-year-old girlfriend, for which The Exploder was later convicted.{{Cite web|url=https://thewest.com.au/news/court-justice/perth-filmmaker-jimmy-the-exploder-facing-jail-time-over-disgraceful-rampage-ng-b881091530z|title=Perth filmmaker Jimmy the Exploder facing jail time|date=2019-02-01|website=The West Australian|language=en|access-date=2019-03-06}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-02-01/film-producer-daniel-houghton-jimmy-jack-girlfriend-attack/10771902|title=A decade after his award-winning film The Black Balloon, Jimmy Jack faces jail for abusing girlfriend|last=Menagh|first=Joanna|date=2019-02-01|website=ABC News|language=en-AU|access-date=2019-03-06}} He was also convicted in a district court on another count related to the same incident. In March 2019, Judge Ronald Birmingham issued a fully suspended custodial sentence to The Exploder. However, he was issued with a lifetime restraining order and fined a total of $5000.{{Cite web|url=https://www.news.com.au/national/western-australia/perth-filmmaker-jimmy-the-exploder-facing-jail-time-over-disgraceful-rampage/news-story/51426ec121bc298a111806d3a3cf277e|title=Perth filmmaker 'Jimmy the Exploder' facing jail time over 'disgraceful' rampage|website=www.news.com.au|access-date=2019-03-22}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-29/jimmy-the-exploder-danny-houghton-sentenced-for-girlfriend-abuse/10952852|title=Award-winning Australian filmmaker walks free after 'terrifying, deplorable' treatment of girlfriend|last=Menagh|first=Joanna|date=2019-03-29|website=ABC News|language=en-AU|access-date=2019-03-30}} Judge Birmingham also described The Exploder as "a very capable and successful person".{{Cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-29/jimmy-the-exploder-danny-houghton-sentenced-for-girlfriend-abuse/10952852|title=Filmmaker Daniel Houghton receives 18-month suspended jail sentence for abusing girlfriend|website=www.abc.net.au|access-date=2019-03-26}}

The Exploder was allegedly spoofed by Australian filmmakers Henry and Aaron in Henry & Aaron's 7 Steps to Superstardom{{Citation|title=Henry & Aaron's 7 Steps - Episode 1 - Adopt Foreign Orphans|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnFvHOYn7Wk |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/mnFvHOYn7Wk |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|language=en|access-date=2020-03-18}}{{cbignore}}, The Ballad of Danny Danielson{{Citation|title=The Ballad of Danny Danielson - PART 1|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-cM6M9GyB0 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/X-cM6M9GyB0 |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|language=en|access-date=2020-03-18}}{{cbignore}} and Henry & Aaron’s ABC2 Xmas Quickie. Their main character Danny "The Dynamite" Danielson was based on The Exploder, and their experiences working with him. Perth actor James Helm plays Danny Danielson.{{Cite web|url=https://thewest.com.au/entertainment/tv/wa-comic-duo-celebrate-xmas-quickie-ng-ya-362365|title=WA comic duo Henry and Aaron celebrate Xmas Quickie|date=2013-12-09|website=The West Australian|language=en|access-date=2020-03-18}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{imdb name|1625165|name=Jimmy The Exploder}}
• [https://www.jimmytheexploder.com/ Jimmy The Exploder] Official Site

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Category:Living people

Category:Australian screenwriters

Category:Entertainers from Perth, Western Australia

Category:1978 births