Shane Atkinson (director)
{{Short description|American director and screenwriter}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Shane Atkinson
| birth_place = Northern California, US
| alma_mater = Columbia University
| occupation = Director
Screenwriter
| years_active = 2010-present
| notable_works = LaRoy, Texas
}}
Shane Atkinson is an American screenwriter and film director, best known for his first feature film LaRoy, Texas, which was awarded three prizes at the 49th Deauville American Film Festival.
Biography
= Early life and education =
File:Bambi Meets Godzilla 1969.webm (1969)]]
Shane Atkinson was born and raised in Northern California, where he is the eldest of six children.{{Cite web |title=Fema La Rochelle {{!}} Shane Atkinson, cinéaste |url=https://festival-larochelle.org/cineaste/shane-atkinson/ |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=festival-larochelle.org |language=fr-FR}} At a very young age, his father showed him the animated short film Bambi Meets Godzilla by Marv Newland. According to Atkinson, this was his first lesson in writing, because despite the apparent simplicity of the film, it turned out to be funny and effective for him. "Probably the most perfect film I have ever seen," he said during the promotion of LaRoy, Texas.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm-304290/secrets-tournage/ |title=Les secrets de tournage du film LaRoy |last=AlloCine |language=fr |access-date=2024-07-30 |via=www.allocine.fr}}
At Columbia University in New York, he wrote his first screenplays, which earned him a scholarship, and he obtained a Master's degree in Directing and Screenwriting.{{Cite web |title=Shane Atkinson |url=https://www.festival-deauville.com/artistes/shane-atkinson/ |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=Festival du Cinéma Américain de Deauville |language=fr-FR}} In 2010, he was selected for the Nickelodeon Writing Fellowship. Two years later, he won the Columbia University Screenwriting Competition.{{Cite web |title=Shane Atkinson {{!}} Mormon Literature & Creative Arts Database {{!}} HBLL |url=https://mormonarts.lib.byu.edu/people/shane-atkinson/ |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=mormonarts.lib.byu.edu}}
Shane Atkinson appeared in 2012 on The Tracking Board's list of the top 100 emerging screenwriters of the year. The same year his thesis screenplay Penny Dreadful{{Cite web |title=Court metrage:penny dreadful/critique/interview du realisateur shane atkinson |url=https://www.paperblog.fr/7030482/court-metragepenny-dreadfulcritiqueinterview-du-realisateur-shane-atkinson/ |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=Paperblog |language=fr}} appeared on The Black List, a list that highlights the best unproduced screenplays.{{Cite web |last=Finke |first=Nikki |date=2012-12-17 |title=The Black List 2012: Screenplay Roster |url=https://deadline.com/2012/12/black-list-2012-winners-390080/ |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}
= Career beginnings and initial successes =
File:Hotel Royal-Westminster (Menton).jpg]]
Upon graduating from university, Shane Atkinson decided to make a short film based on his screenplay Penny Dreadful. The shooting lasted six days in November 2012, and the film premiered at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival in February 2013. There, the film won the Audience Award,{{Cite web |date=2013-09-02 |title=Palmarès complet du festival du court-métrage de Clermont-Ferrand 2013 |url=https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/auvergne-rhone-alpes/2013/02/09/palmares-complet-du-festival-du-court-metrage-de-clermont-ferrand-2013-197085.html |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=France 3 Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes |language=fr-FR}} and Atkinson met Sebastien Aubert from the French production company Adastra Films, with whom he would go on to make his next films. In May 2014, Penny Dreadful won the Best Crime Fiction by SNCF {{Cite web |date=2014-09-25 |title=Ceux qui aiment les polars prendront le train vendredi |url=https://www.francetvinfo.fr/culture/livres/ceux-qui-aiment-les-polars-prendront-le-train-vendredi_3370293.html |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=Franceinfo |language=fr-FR}} and was later broadcast on France Télévisions.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.programme-tv.net/programme/culture-infos/r5485-histoires-courtes/6115342-cycle-faites-mijoter-le-suspect/ |title=Cycle "Faites mijoter le suspect" - Histoires courtes - Télé-Loisirs |language=fr |access-date=2024-07-30 |via=www.programme-tv.net}}
In 2018, Shane Atkinson wrote and directed The ambassador, produced by Adastra Films and shot on the French Riviera,{{Cite web |title=Adastra Films en tournage aux Etats-Unis ! |url=https://bastiderouge.com/adastra-en-tournage-aux-etats-unis/ |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=Bastide Rouge |language=fr-FR}} partly at the Royal Westminster Hotel in Menton.{{Cite web |last=rédaction |first=La |date=2017-03-30 |title=Cet hôtel azuréen a servi de décor pour un court-métrage bientôt diffusé sur France 2 |url=https://www.nicematin.com/vie-locale/cet-hotel-azureen-a-servi-de-decor-pour-un-court-metrage-bientot-diffuse-sur-france-2-125642 |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=Nice-Matin |language=fr}} The film was broadcast on France 2 in 2019 during the Histoires Courtes evenings.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.france.tv/france-2/histoires-courtes/855455-soiree-fric-frac.html |title=Histoires courtes Soirée " Fric-frac " |date=2019-01-14 |language=fr |access-date=2024-07-30 |via=www.france.tv}}
In 2019, he began his career as a feature film screenwriter with Poms, directed by Zara Hayes, starring Diane Keaton,{{Cite web |last=Walsh |first=Katie |date=2019-05-09 |title=Review: Diane Keaton-starring 'Poms' lacks the requisite spirit |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-poms-diane-keaton-review-20190509-story.html |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}} Jacki Weaver, and Pam Grier. The film was released in theaters in the United States on May 10, 2019, and in France on Netflix on September 25, 2021.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm_gen_cfilm=249230.html |title=Pom-pom Ladies |last=AlloCine |language=fr |access-date=2024-07-30 |via=www.allocine.fr}}
= Recognition at Deauville =
After The ambassador, Shane Atkinson embarked on his first feature film project. A fan of hardboiled novels and films, he decided to adapt this genre for his movie. He wrote the script in three months,{{Cite web |last=Technikart |date=2024-04-15 |title=Reims Polar : Shane Atkinson |url=https://www.technikart.com/reims-polar-shane-atkinson/ |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=Technikart |language=fr-FR}} and the film began development in 2018. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, pre-production was paused, delaying filming to 2022. Initially cast in the film, Jared Harris was eventually replaced by Dylan Baker, who joined John Magaro and Steve Zahn in the lead roles.{{Cite web |last=Roxborough |first=Scott |date=2022-05-04 |title=Cannes: Steve Zahn, Jared Harris, John Magaro Board 'LaRoy' From 'Poms' Writer (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/cannes-2022-steve-zahn-jared-harris-john-magro-join-laroy-1235140320/ |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}} Filming took place in New Mexico{{Cite web |date=2023-09-09 |title=Le Festival du cinéma américain de Deauville fait un triomphe à la comédie noire LaRoy |url=https://www.lefigaro.fr/cinema/le-festival-du-cinema-americain-de-deauville-fait-un-triomphe-a-la-comedie-noire-laroy-20230909 |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=Le Figaro |language=fr}} over 22 days, with post-production occurring in Cannes{{Cite web |title=Adastra Films triomphe à Deauville avec " Laroy " |url=https://bastiderouge.com/adastra-films-triomphe-a-deauville-avec-laroy/ |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=Bastide Rouge |language=fr-FR}}
LaRoy, Texas premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in June 2023, then triumphed {{Cite web |last=Keslassy |first=Elsa |date=2023-09-09 |title=Shane Atkinson's Dark Comedy 'LaRoy' Wins Top Awards at Deauville Festival |url=https://variety.com/2023/film/global/shane-atkinson-awards-laroy-deauville-festival-1235718860/ |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=Variety |language=en-US}} at the Deauville American Film Festival in September of the same year, winning the Grand Prize, the Audience Award, and the Critics Award
In an interview given in April 2024, during the Reims Polar Festival, Shane Atkinson announced that he is working on his next film, a crime thriller that will be shot in France.
Filmography
= As director =
- 2009 : La Grande Maladie (short film)
- 2013 : Penny Dreadful (short film)
- 2018 : The ambassador (short film)
- 2023 : LaRoy, Texas
= As screenwriter =
- 2009 : La Grande Maladie (short film)
- 2013 : Penny Dreadful (short film)
- 2014 : After We Rest (short film)
- 2015 : All Hail King Julien (S2.E7)
- 2018 : The ambassador (short film)
- 2019 : Poms
- 2023 : LaRoy, Texas
References
External links
- {{imdbname|2107414}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Atkinson, Shane}}
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:21st-century people from California
Category:Screenwriters from California
Category:21st-century American screenwriters
Category:Film directors from California