Peter Ramsey

{{short description|American illustrator, storyboard artist, and filmmaker}}

{{About|the American film director|the New Zealand academic|Peter Ramsay}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Peter Ramsey

| image = Peter Ramsey by Gage Skidmore.jpg

| caption = Ramsey at the 2018 San Diego Comic-Con

| birthname = Peter A. Ramsey

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1962|12|23}}

| birth_place = Crenshaw, California, U.S.

| occupation = {{hlist|Illustrator|storyboard artist|filmmaker}}

| alma_mater = University of California, Los Angeles
Los Angeles City College

| years_active = 1988–present

| known_for = Rise of the Guardians
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

| spouse =

| website =

}}

Peter A. Ramsey (born December 23, 1962) is an American illustrator, storyboard artist, and filmmaker. He is best known for directing DreamWorks Animation's Rise of the Guardians (2012), becoming the first African American to direct a computer-animated film and the second to direct a major American animated film (Bruce W. Smith was the first African-American director with Paramount Pictures' Bebe's Kids [1992]), and co-directing Sony Pictures Animation's Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018). For Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, he became the first African American to be nominated for and win an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

Early life

Ramsey grew up in the Crenshaw District of South Los Angeles, and graduated in 1980 from Palisades High School. He studied painting at University of California, Los Angeles for two years before enrolling in film classes at Los Angeles City College.{{cite web|last=McDonald|first=Pamela Mays|title=Another "First" in Artistic Achievement: Director Peter Ramsey|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/peter-ramsey-artist_b_1964661|work=Black Voices|date=24 October 2012|publisher=HuffPost|access-date=April 22, 2022}} He was raised Catholic.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2012-12-10 |title=A Chat with Director Peter Ramsey |url=https://katychristianmagazine.com/2012/12/09/a-chat-with-director-peter-ramsey/ |access-date=2023-06-03 |website=Katy Christian Magazine |language=en-US}}

Career

His first job in Hollywood was painting a mural, but soon he was working as a storyboard artist and production illustrator on 26 films including Predator 2, Backdraft, Independence Day, Fight Club and A.I. Artificial Intelligence. He was a second unit director for Poetic Justice, Higher Learning, Tank Girl and Godzilla. Aron Warner, the producer of Tank Girl, suggested he join DreamWorks Animation.{{cite news|last=Cavna|first=Michael|title='RISE OF THE GUARDIANS': 'The Obama of animation'? Director Peter Ramsey deflects the comparison — but not the responsibility|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/rise-of-the-guardians-the-obama-of-animation-director-peter-ramsey-deflects-the-comparison--but-not-the-responsibility/2012/11/30/b2dac3c0-3aa7-11e2-a263-f0ebffed2f15_blog.html|newspaper=Washington Post|date=30 November 2012|access-date=23 January 2013}} After initially being uninterested, Ramsey joined DreamWorks as a story artist for Shrek the Third and Shrek the Halls.

In 2012, he directed Rise of the Guardians, based on William Joyce's The Guardians of Childhood books, making him the first African-American to direct a big-budget animated feature.{{cite news | last =Tulich | first = Katherine | title = 'Rise of the Guardians' director a self-taught success | url = https://www.latimes.com/socal/glendale-news-press/entertainment/tn-gnp-xpm-2012-07-21-tn-gnp-0722-dreamworks-story.html | access-date = April 22, 2022 | newspaper = Los Angeles Times | date = July 21, 2012}} In 2018, he co-directed Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which won the 2019 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.{{cite web |title=Oscar Nominations 2019: The Complete List |url=https://variety.com/2019/film/news/oscar-nominations-2019-list-1203112405/ |website=Variety |date=22 January 2019 |access-date=14 February 2019}} He is set to write and direct Blood Count, a period vampire thriller distributed by Paramount Pictures, as well as the Robert Johnson movie Love is Vain.{{Cite web |date=2022-02-13 |title=Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Co-Director to Helm Vampire Thriller Blood Count |url=https://movieweb.com/peter-ramsey-paramount-supernatural-thriller-blood-count/ |access-date=2022-03-15 |website=MovieWeb |language=en-US}}{{cite web|last=D’Allessandro|first=Anthony|title=Paramount Buys 'Love In Vain' Pitch About Blues Pioneer Robert Johnson, 'Spider-Verse's Peter Ramsey Directing|url=https://deadline.com/2019/11/spider-man-into-the-spider-verse-peter-ramsey-robert-johnson-blue-biopic-paramount-lionel-richie-love-in-vain-1202778313/|date=November 5, 2019|website=Deadline Hollywood|access-date=August 25, 2022}} On April 16, 2021, he was set to direct the film adaptation of the Matthew Quick novel Boy21.{{cite web|last=Breznican|first=Anthony|title=Oscar-Winner Peter Ramsey's Life Story Could Be Its Own Movie|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2021/04/peter-ramsey-spider-man-into-the-spider-verse-oscars|date=April 16, 2021|website=Vanity Fair|access-date=August 25, 2022}}

In April 2022, Ramsey had been hired to direct an episode each of the Star Wars streaming series The Mandalorian season 3, which was released in March 2023, and Ahsoka, which was released in August 2023.{{Cite web |last=Couch |first=Aaron |date=January 16, 2023 |title='The Mandalorian' Reveals Season 3 Trailer, New Directors |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/the-mandalorian-season-3-trailer-1235301198/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230117043723/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/the-mandalorian-season-3-trailer-1235301198/ |archive-date=January 17, 2023 |access-date=January 17, 2023 |website=The Hollywood Reporter}}{{Cite web |last=Kit |first=Borys |date=April 8, 2022 |title=Peter Ramsey Tapped as a Director of 'Ahsoka', the Latest 'Star Wars' Series (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/ahsoka-peter-ramsey-director-star-wars-series-1235127443/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220408205348/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/ahsoka-peter-ramsey-director-star-wars-series-1235127443/ |archive-date=April 8, 2022 |access-date=April 8, 2022 |website=The Hollywood Reporter}}

Ramsey is a member of AMPAS, the Directors Guild of America and The Animation Guild.{{cite web |title=Careers In Film Summit - Biographies |date=7 October 2016 |url=https://www.oscars.org/calendar/careers-film-summit-2016-biographies |publisher=Oscars.org |access-date=14 February 2019}}

Filmography

=Director=

Monsters vs. Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space (2009)
Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) (co-director with Bob Persichetti and Rodney Rothman){{cite web|last1=Grobar|first1=Matt|title=Sony's Untitled 'Spider-Man' Animated Film To Feature Miles Morales As Lead Character|url=https://deadline.com/2017/01/sony-reveals-miles-morales-as-animated-spider-man-pic-main-character-1201889037/|publisher=Deadline|access-date=January 22, 2017|date=January 18, 2017}}
We the People (2021) (Segment: Active Citizenship)
Lost Ollie (2022)
The Mandalorian (2023) (Episode: "Chapter 21: The Pirate")
Ahsoka (2023) (Episode: "Part Four: Fallen Jedi")
Blood Count (TBA)

=Second unit director=

class="wikitable"
Year !Title !Director
1993 \|Poetic Justice \| rowspan="2" \| John Singleton
rowspan="2" \| 1995 \| Higher Learning
Tank Girl \| Rachel Talalay
1998 \| Godzilla \| Roland Emmerich

class="wikitable"

Year

!Title

!Director

1993

|Poetic Justice

| rowspan="2" | John Singleton

rowspan="2" | 1995

| Higher Learning

Tank Girl

| Rachel Talalay

1998

| Godzilla

| Roland Emmerich

=Storyboard artist=

A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child (1989)
Predator 2 (1990)
Tank Girl (1995)
Mortal Kombat (1995)
Eye for an Eye (1996)
Independence Day (1996)
Men in Black (1997)
Godzilla (1998)
Being John Malkovich (1999)
Fight Club (1999)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
Cast Away (2000)
A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)
The Affair of the Necklace (2001)
Panic Room (2002)
Minority Report (2002)
Adaptation. (2002)
The Core (2003)
Spartan (2004)
Shark Tale (2004) (additional)
Shrek the Third (2007)
Shrek the Halls (2007)
Penguins of Madagascar (2014) (additional)
Sausage Party (2016) (additional)
Duck Duck Goose (2018) (additional)
A Wrinkle in Time (2018)

=Illustrator=

Backdraft (1991)
Far and Away (1992)
Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)
The Shadow (1994)
Batman Forever (1995)
EDtv (1999)

=Other=

Almost an Angel (1990) (continuity artist)
Monsters vs. Aliens (2009) (head of story)
Puss in Boots (2011) (creative consultant)
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) (head of story)

===Producer===

Hair Love (2019) (executive producer){{cite news |last1=McMillan |first1=Graeme |title=Lion Forge Animation Launches With 'Hair Love' Short |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/lion-forge-animation-launches-hair-love-short-1230318 |access-date=August 11, 2019 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=August 9, 2019 |language=en}}
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023) (executive producer){{cite news |last1=B. Vary |first1=Adam |title='Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' Sequel Snares New Directing Trio (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2021/film/news/spider-man-into-the-spider-verse-2-directors-1234951631/ |access-date=April 25, 2021 |work=Variety |date=April 19, 2021}}
Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire (2023) (executive producer){{Cite web |last=Vourlias |first=Christopher |date=2021-06-17 |title=Disney Taps Top African Toon Talents for Animated Anthology 'Kizazi Moto' (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2021/film/global/disney-plus-kizazi-moto-annecy-1234998580/ |access-date=2023-07-05 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}
Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse (2027) (executive producer){{Cite web |date=2022-12-29 |title=Sony Pictures Animation's Bold Past, Present and Future |url=https://www.thewrap.com/sony-pictures-animation-history-movies-spider-verse/ |access-date=2022-12-30 |language=en-US}}

Awards and nominations

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
Year ! Award ! Title ! Category ! Result ! {{Abbr\|Ref(s)\|Reference(s)}}
2023 ! scope="row" rowspan="2"\| Children's and Family Emmy Awards \| Lost Ollie \| Outstanding Directing for a Single Camera Program \| {{won}}
2022 \| We the People \| Outstanding Short Form Program \| {{won}}
2019 ! scope="row"\| Academy Awards \|rowspan=4\| Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse \| Best Animated Feature \| {{won}} \| style="text-align:center;"\| {{cite web\|url=https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2019\|title=2019 \| Oscars.org \| Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences\|website=oscars.org\|date=15 April 2019 \|publisher=Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences\|access-date=September 12, 2021}}
2019 ! scope="row"\| Annie Awards \| Directing in a Feature Production \| {{won}} \| style="text-align:center;"\| {{cite web\|url=https://annieawards.org/legacy/46th-annie-awards\|title=46th Annual Annie Awards\|website=annieawards.org\|publisher=ASIFA-Hollywood\|access-date=September 12, 2021}}
2019 ! scope="row"\| British Academy Film Awards \| Best Animated Film \| {{won}} \| style="text-align:center;"\| {{cite web\|url=https://www.bafta.org/film/awards/ee-british-academy-film-awards-nominees-winners-2019\|title=EE British Academy Film Awards Winners in 2019\|website=bafta.org\|publisher=British Academy of Film and Television Arts\|date=January 9, 2019\|access-date=September 12, 2021}}
2019 ! scope="row"\| Critics' Choice Movie Awards \| Best Animated Feature \| {{won}} \| style="text-align:center;"\| {{cite web\|url=https://variety.com/2019/film/awards/2019-critics-choice-awards-winners-nominees-full-list-1203106702/\|title='Roma,' 'The Americans' and 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' Win Top Critics' Choice Honors\|last=Tapley\|first=Kristopher\|date=January 13, 2019\|website=Variety\|access-date=September 12, 2021}}
2013 ! scope="row" rowspan="2"\| Golden Globe Awards \| Rise of the Guardians \|rowspan=2\| Best Animated Feature Film \| {{nom}} \| style="text-align:center;"\| {{cite web\|url=http://www.goldenglobes.org/2012/12/nominations-2013/\|title=2013 Golden Globe Nominations\|website=goldenglobes.com\|publisher=Hollywood Foreign Press Association\|date=December 13, 2012\|access-date=September 12, 2021\|url-status=dead\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121214105703/http://www.goldenglobes.org/2012/12/nominations-2013/\|archive-date=December 14, 2012}}
2019 \| rowspan=2\| Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse \| {{won}} \| style="text-align:center;"\| {{cite web\|url=https://www.goldenglobes.com/articles/all-winners-76th-golden-globes\|title=All the Winners of the 76th Golden Globes\|website=goldenglobes.com\|publisher=Hollywood Foreign Press Association\|date=January 7, 2019\|access-date=September 12, 2021}}
2019 ! scope="row" \| Hugo Awards \| Best Dramatic Presentation \| {{won}} \| style="text-align:center;"\| {{cite web\|url=http://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history/2019-hugo-awards/\|title=2019 Hugo Awards\|website=thehugoawards.org\|publisher=World Science Fiction Society\|date=August 18, 2019\|access-date=September 12, 2021}}
2012 ! scope="row"\| Visual Effects Society Awards \| Rise of the Guardians \| Outstanding Visual Effects in an Animated Feature \| {{nom}} \| style="text-align:center;"\| {{cite web\|url=https://www.visualeffectssociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/11th-annual-ves-awards-nominations-press-release.pdf\|title=Visual Effects Society Announces Nominees for 11th Annual VES Awards\|website=visualeffectssociety.com\|publisher=Visual Effects Society\|access-date=September 12, 2021}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

Year

! Award

! Title

! Category

! Result

! {{Abbr|Ref(s)|Reference(s)}}

2023

! scope="row" rowspan="2"| Children's and Family Emmy Awards

| Lost Ollie

| Outstanding Directing for a Single Camera Program

| {{won}}

2022

| We the People

| Outstanding Short Form Program

| {{won}}

2019

! scope="row"| Academy Awards

|rowspan=4| Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

| Best Animated Feature

| {{won}}

| style="text-align:center;"| {{cite web|url=https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2019|title=2019 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences|website=oscars.org|date=15 April 2019 |publisher=Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences|access-date=September 12, 2021}}

2019

! scope="row"| Annie Awards

| Directing in a Feature Production

| {{won}}

| style="text-align:center;"| {{cite web|url=https://annieawards.org/legacy/46th-annie-awards|title=46th Annual Annie Awards|website=annieawards.org|publisher=ASIFA-Hollywood|access-date=September 12, 2021}}

2019

! scope="row"| British Academy Film Awards

| Best Animated Film

| {{won}}

| style="text-align:center;"| {{cite web|url=https://www.bafta.org/film/awards/ee-british-academy-film-awards-nominees-winners-2019|title=EE British Academy Film Awards Winners in 2019|website=bafta.org|publisher=British Academy of Film and Television Arts|date=January 9, 2019|access-date=September 12, 2021}}

2019

! scope="row"| Critics' Choice Movie Awards

| Best Animated Feature

| {{won}}

| style="text-align:center;"| {{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2019/film/awards/2019-critics-choice-awards-winners-nominees-full-list-1203106702/|title='Roma,' 'The Americans' and 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' Win Top Critics' Choice Honors|last=Tapley|first=Kristopher|date=January 13, 2019|website=Variety|access-date=September 12, 2021}}

2013

! scope="row" rowspan="2"| Golden Globe Awards

| Rise of the Guardians

|rowspan=2| Best Animated Feature Film

| {{nom}}

| style="text-align:center;"| {{cite web|url=http://www.goldenglobes.org/2012/12/nominations-2013/|title=2013 Golden Globe Nominations|website=goldenglobes.com|publisher=Hollywood Foreign Press Association|date=December 13, 2012|access-date=September 12, 2021|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121214105703/http://www.goldenglobes.org/2012/12/nominations-2013/|archive-date=December 14, 2012}}

2019

| rowspan=2| Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

| {{won}}

| style="text-align:center;"| {{cite web|url=https://www.goldenglobes.com/articles/all-winners-76th-golden-globes|title=All the Winners of the 76th Golden Globes|website=goldenglobes.com|publisher=Hollywood Foreign Press Association|date=January 7, 2019|access-date=September 12, 2021}}

2019

! scope="row" | Hugo Awards

| Best Dramatic Presentation

| {{won}}

| style="text-align:center;"| {{cite web|url=http://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history/2019-hugo-awards/|title=2019 Hugo Awards|website=thehugoawards.org|publisher=World Science Fiction Society|date=August 18, 2019|access-date=September 12, 2021}}

2012

! scope="row"| Visual Effects Society Awards

| Rise of the Guardians

| Outstanding Visual Effects in an Animated Feature

| {{nom}}

| style="text-align:center;"| {{cite web|url=https://www.visualeffectssociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/11th-annual-ves-awards-nominations-press-release.pdf|title=Visual Effects Society Announces Nominees for 11th Annual VES Awards|website=visualeffectssociety.com|publisher=Visual Effects Society|access-date=September 12, 2021}}