Shane Carruth#Unrealized or upcoming work
{{Short description|American film producer, actor, screenwriter (born 1972)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Shane Carruth
| image = Shane Carruth (8748841070).jpg
| caption = Carruth at South by Southwest 2013
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1972}}
| birth_place = Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, U.S.
| alma_mater = Stephen F. Austin State University
| years_active = 2004–present
| occupation = {{flatlist|
- Filmmaker
- actor
- composer}}
| partner = Amy Seimetz (2011–2018)
}}
Shane Carruth (born 1972) is an American filmmaker, screenwriter, composer, and actor.{{cite web |last=Murray |first=Rebecca |title=Interview with Shane Carruth |work=About.com |publisher=New York Times |date=October 22, 2004 |url=http://movies.about.com/od/primer/a/primer102104.htm |access-date=May 16, 2008 |archive-date=October 23, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051023023934/http://movies.about.com/od/primer/a/primer102104.htm |url-status=dead }}{{cite news|url=http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/movies/interviews/2004/shanecarruth.html|title=A Primer on Filmmaking|last=Moring|first=Mark|date=October 22, 2004|work=Christianity Today|access-date=November 6, 2009|archive-date=June 5, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605122423/http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/movies/interviews/2004/shanecarruth.html|url-status=live}} He is the writer, director, and co-star of the prize-winning science-fiction film Primer (2004), which was his debut feature. His second film, Upstream Color (2013), was an experimental science-fiction film which he wrote, directed, produced, edited, designed, and starred in. He also composed the scores for both films. In recognition of Carruth's idiosyncratic and, at times, bizarre filmmaking technique, director Steven Soderbergh told Entertainment Weekly, "I view Shane as the illegitimate offspring of David Lynch and James Cameron."{{cite magazine |url= https://ew.com/article/2013/03/29/mysterious-director-returns-living-color/ |last= Maerz |first= Melissa |title= A Mysterious Director Returns, in Living Color |magazine= Entertainment Weekly |issue= 1253 |date= April 5, 2013 |page= 50 |access-date= June 19, 2014 |archive-date= July 2, 2013 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130702153208/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20685815,00.html |url-status= live }}
Early life
Carruth was born in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina in 1972. He attended Stephen F. Austin State University as a mathematics major.{{cite news|url=http://www.reverseshot.org/interviews/entry/227/shane-carruth|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171005004149/http://www.reverseshot.org/interviews/entry/227/shane-carruth|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 5, 2017|title=New Math: A Conversation with Shane Carruth}} Before becoming a filmmaker, he worked as a developer of flight-simulation software.
Career
= ''Primer'' =
{{Main|Primer (film)}}
For his independent film Primer, Carruth wrote, directed, produced, and performed one of the two main roles; he also composed the score. The film was honored at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival with the Grand Jury Prize and the Alfred P. Sloan Award. Carruth, a former software engineer with an undergraduate degree in mathematics, used his technical knowledge extensively on the project.
= ''Upstream Color'' =
{{Main|Upstream Color}}On January 21, 2013, Carruth premiered his film Upstream Color at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival in the U.S. Dramatic Competition category.{{Cite web|url=https://trailers.apple.com/trailers/independent/upstreamcolor/|title=Upstream Color – Movie Trailers – iTunes|website=trailers.apple.com|access-date=December 16, 2020}} Carruth, Johnny Marshall, and Pete Horner won the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Sound Design for the film.{{cite web |title=2013 Sundance Film Festival Announces Feature Film Awards |url=http://www.sundance.org/press-center/release/2013-sundance-film-festival-announces-feature-film-awards/ |work=sundance.org |date=January 26, 2013 |access-date=January 31, 2013 |archive-date=May 11, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511192759/http://www.sundance.org/press-center/release/2013-sundance-film-festival-announces-feature-film-awards/ |url-status=live }} Keith Kimbell wrote that it was the "most anticipated (and most difficult to describe) film in competition", and "most critics couldn't stop talking about it".{{cite web |title=2013 Sundance Film Festival Recap |author=Kimbell, Keith |url=http://www.metacritic.com/feature/sundance-film-festival-reviews-2013 |work=Metacritic |date=January 28, 2013 |access-date=January 31, 2013}} The film was released via VHX on April 5, 2013. Some of Carruth's music from Upstream Color was featured in the 2016 documentary Tickled.
= Unrealized or upcoming work =
In 2009, David Sullivan, one of the leads in Primer, tweeted that "Shane Carruth's next project, A Topiary, is in the early stages of pre-production".{{cite tweet|last=Sullivan|first=David|author-link=David Sullivan (actor)|user=davidsullivan|number=1768428519|date=May 12, 2009|title=Shane Carruth's next project, A Topiary, is in the early stages of pre-production. Let's hope that I can be a part of that one too!|language=en|access-date=December 16, 2020}} Filmmaker Rian Johnson tweeted that it would feature a "mind-blowing sci-fi script."{{cite tweet|number=4041976216|user=rianjohnson|title=to all who asked: Shane is alive and well and has a mind-blowing sci-fi script. Let's all pray to the movie-gods that he gets it made soon.|date=September 16, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131026155544/https://twitter.com/rianjohnson/status/4041976216|archive-date=October 26, 2013|url-status=dead}} In 2010, several news sources reported that A Topiary was in the works and that the script had been written. There was already a website for the movie{{Cite web|url=http://www.atopiary.com/|title=A Topiary|date=March 11, 2010|website=www.atopiary.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100311231958/http://www.atopiary.com/|archive-date=March 11, 2010}} which, according to Carruth in an interview to io9, "The website for now is just a place mark as financing has yet to be completed. I'm cautiously optimistic that this can happen soon and couldn't be happier with the filmmakers that have committed to the project so far."{{cite web|url=https://io9.gizmodo.com/more-details-about-shane-carruths-next-mind-bending-fil-5569986|title=More details about Shane Carruth's next mind-bending film!|last=Anders|first=Charlie Jane|date=June 22, 2010|website=io9.gizmodo.com|access-date=December 16, 2020}} However, the film (which Entertainment Weekly described as "a sci-fi epic about a group of kids who build a giant, animal-like creature") stalled, and in early 2013, Carruth told EW that it was "the thing I basically wasted my whole life on." Carruth no longer pursues the project; some VFX test footage of the film is visible in Upstream Color in a scene when a character is examining the video for technical flaws.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--4pZKkyIN0 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/--4pZKkyIN0 |archive-date=December 19, 2021 |url-status=live|title=UPSTREAM COLOR w/ Shane Carruth of PRIMER (B-Movies Interview|date=April 11, 2013|website=YouTube|access-date=December 16, 2020}}{{cbignore}}
In 2014, Carruth announced a new film, The Modern Ocean, based on international shipping and the lives of those involved.{{cite web|url=http://www.empireonline.com/empireblogs/words-from-the-wise/post/p1440 |title=Shane Carruth Interview: Upstream Color |website=Empire Magazine |last=Wise |first=Damon |date=January 5, 2014 |access-date=June 19, 2014}} On August 12, 2015, it was reported that the film was in pre-production,{{cite web |title = We Talked to Shane Carruth About the Human Drama Behind 'The Modern Ocean' |first = Clinton |last = Nguyen |url = https://www.vice.com/en/article/we-talked-to-shane-carruth-about-the-human-drama-behind-the-modern-ocean/ |website = Motherboard |publisher = Vice Media |date = August 12, 2015 |access-date = January 2, 2016 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170102173519/https://motherboard.vice.com/read/we-talked-to-shane-carruth-about-the-human-drama-behind-the-modern-ocean |archive-date = January 2, 2017 |url-status = live }} and its ensemble cast was announced in November 2015; it would include Jeff Goldblum, Anne Hathaway, Keanu Reeves, Tom Holland, Daniel Radcliffe, Chloë Grace Moretz, Asa Butterfield, and Abraham Attah.{{cite web | url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/modern-ocean-anne-hathaway-keanu-836736 | title=Anne Hathaway, Keanu Reeves, Daniel Radcliffe to Star in 'The Modern Ocean' | work=The Hollywood Reporter | date=November 3, 2015 | access-date=November 3, 2015 | author=Borys Kit, Pamela | archive-date=November 5, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151105020728/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/modern-ocean-anne-hathaway-keanu-836736 | url-status=live }} In an interview in 2018, Carruth noted that the film is "not gonna happen anytime soon".{{cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2018/10/shane-carruth-interview-the-dead-center-the-modern-ocean-1202008361/|title=Shane Carruth on Why He Won't Direct a Superhero Movie and Acting in 'The Dead Center'|first=Michael|last=Nordine|date=October 1, 2018|website=IndieWire|access-date=December 16, 2020|archive-date=June 16, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190616120531/https://www.indiewire.com/2018/10/shane-carruth-interview-the-dead-center-the-modern-ocean-1202008361/|url-status=live}} Irrfan Khan was also scheduled to star as the lead captain of the ship, before his death on April 29, 2020. On June 17, 2020, Carruth posted the entire script for The Modern Ocean on Twitter, along with some of the original score.{{Cite web|url=https://thefilmstage.com/shane-carruth-shares-full-script-concept-trailer-for-the-modern-ocean/|title=Shane Carruth Shares Full Script & Concept Trailer for The Modern Ocean|first=Jordan|last=Raup|date=June 17, 2020|access-date=June 20, 2020|archive-date=February 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210207002124/https://thefilmstage.com/shane-carruth-shares-full-script-concept-trailer-for-the-modern-ocean/|url-status=live}}{{cite tweet|user=UpstreamColor|number=1273102851938627599|date=June 17, 2020|title=[link] That's the script for The Modern Ocean. I kept it quiet for a long time because...I don't like scripts because they are not movies and movies are not film and I just didn't want to be embarrassed. But now I think it might be fun. It's all good, now.|language=en|access-date=December 16, 2020}}
In 2019, in an interview Carruth claimed he was working on "a massive thing" and would leave the film industry once that project concludes.{{Cite web|url=https://hotcorn.com/en/movies/news/shane-carruth-on-the-dead-center-and-why-hes-quitting-film-for-good/|title=Shane Carruth on The Dead Center – and why he's quitting film for good|date=October 10, 2019|website=The HotCorn|access-date=November 8, 2019|archive-date=January 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210117002223/https://hotcorn.com/en/movies/news/shane-carruth-on-the-dead-center-and-why-hes-quitting-film-for-good/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=EXCLUSIVE – Shane Carruth on The Dead Center and why he's quitting film for good|url=https://hotcorn.com/en/movies/news/shane-carruth-on-the-dead-center-and-why-hes-quitting-film-for-good/|last=Pape|first=Stefan|website=The Hot Corn|date=October 10, 2019|access-date=November 20, 2019|archive-date=January 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210117002223/https://hotcorn.com/en/movies/news/shane-carruth-on-the-dead-center-and-why-hes-quitting-film-for-good/|url-status=live}}
= Consulting =
Carruth was rumored to have consulted on time-travel sequences for filmmaker Rian Johnson's Looper, though it was later revealed that those sequences were deemed too expensive to shoot.{{Cite web|url=https://collider.com/shane-carruth-looper/|title=PRIMER Director Shane Carruth Working on the Time Travel Effects in Rian Johnson's LOOPER|first=Brendan|last=Bettinger|date=January 18, 2011|website=Collider|access-date=December 16, 2020}}{{cite web|last=Raftery|first=Brian|date=April 17, 2013|title=Buckle Your Brainpan: The Primer Director Is Back With a New Film|url=https://www.wired.com/underwire/2013/03/primer-shane-carruth/all/|access-date=May 23, 2013|publisher=Wired.com}}
= Acting =
In 2018, Carruth starred in the psychological thriller The Dead Center about a hospital psychiatrist whose own sanity is pushed to the edge when a frightened amnesiac patient insists that he has died and brought something terrible back from the other side.
Personal life
In 2019, when asked about his religious beliefs, he stated that he was raised Christian, but fell away from it, before later saying that he still prays from time to time and finds some comfort from the Bible.{{Cite web|date=October 10, 2019|title=Shane Carruth on The Dead Center – and why he's quitting film for good|url=https://hotcorn.com/en/movies/news/shane-carruth-on-the-dead-center-and-why-hes-quitting-film-for-good/|website=The HotCorn|language=en-GB|access-date=February 9, 2022}}
=Legal issues=
From 2011 to 2018, Carruth was in a relationship with Amy Seimetz. The couple became engaged in 2013.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thewrap.com/amy-seimetz-accuses-ex-shane-carruth-of-strangling-her-threatening-to-kill-her/|title=Amy Seimetz Accuses Ex Shane Carruth of Strangling, Threatening Her|date=July 28, 2020|website=The Wrap|access-date=December 16, 2020}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.indiewire.com/2016/01/sundance-amy-seimetz-explains-the-most-feminist-decision-she-made-when-crafting-the-girlfriend-experience-30549/|title=Sundance: Amy Seimetz Explains the Most Feminist Decision She Made When Crafting 'The Girlfriend Experience'|last=Erbland|first=Kate|date=January 26, 2016|website=IndieWire|language=en-US|access-date=August 23, 2016}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2019/04/amy-seimetz-interview-pet-sematary-1202058479/|title=Amy Seimetz Conquers Hollywood By Saying No to Marvel and Yes to 'Pet Sematary'|last=Kohn|first=Eric|date=April 13, 2019|website=IndieWire|language=en-US|access-date=September 17, 2019}} Seimetz obtained temporary restraining orders against Carruth in 2018 and a permanent restraining order in 2020, citing years of domestic and emotional abuse and harassment.{{Cite web|last=Maddaus|first=Gene|date=July 27, 2020|title='Upstream Color' Director Shane Carruth Accused of Abusing Ex-Girlfriend|url=https://variety.com/2020/film/news/shane-carruth-accused-abusing-amy-seimetz-1234717339/|access-date=July 28, 2020|website=Variety}}{{Cite web|url=https://people.com/movies/aliens-pet-sematary-actress-amy-seimetz-accuses-director-ex-mental-physical-abuse/|title=Alien: Covenant and Pet Sematary
On January 13, 2022, Carruth was arrested at the home of another ex-girlfriend on allegations of domestic assault and vandalism. He was released four days later on a $50,000 bond.{{cite web |last1=Maddaus |first1=Gene |date=January 19, 2022 |title=Shane Carruth, 'Primer' and 'Upstream Color' Director, Arrested on Domestic Violence Allegations |url=https://variety.com/2022/film/news/shane-carruth-arrested-assault-domestic-violence-1235156676/ |website=Variety |access-date=August 13, 2022}}
Filmography
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Title ! Director ! Producer ! Writer ! Composer ! Editor ! Actor ! Notes |
|---|
| 2004
| {{Yes}} | {{Yes}} | {{Yes}} | {{Yes}} | {{Yes}} | {{Yes}} | Also production designer, sound designer and casting director |
| 2013
| {{Yes}} | {{Yes}} | {{Yes}} | {{Yes}} | {{Yes}} | {{Yes}} | Also cinematographer and camera operator |
| 2018
| {{no}} | {{Yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{Yes}} | |
=Television=
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Title ! Director ! Composer ! Notes |
|---|
| 2016
| {{no}} | {{Yes}} | 13 episodes |
| 2017
| {{Yes}} | {{no}} | Episode "Predicting the Future" |
=Acting roles=
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes |
|---|
| 2004
| Aaron | |
| 2013
| Jeff | |
| 2014
| Everything & Everything & Everything | Morgan | Short film |
| rowspan="2"| 2015
| We'll Find Something | Steve | Short film |
| Memory Box
| The Man | Short film |
| rowspan="2"| 2016
| Sam | TV series (1 episode) |
| Swiss Army Man
| Coroner | Cameo |
| align=center| 2018
| Daniel Forrester | |
| 2020
| Cole | TV series (2 episodes) |
=Other credits=
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role |
|---|
| 2016
| The Divergent Series: Allegiant | Consultant |
| 2017
| Additional editor |
| 2020
|Carruth was removed as executive producer after allegations of domestic violence surfaced.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/festivals/distributors-buy-these-film-festival-favorites|title=Nine Film Festival Favorites That Deserve a Home | Festivals & Awards | Roger Ebert|first=Isaac|last=Feldberg|date=August 24, 2020|website=rogerebert.com|access-date=December 16, 2020|archive-date=March 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320104346/https://www.rogerebert.com/festivals/distributors-buy-these-film-festival-favorites|url-status=live}} |
Awards and nominations
{{Anchor|Awards|Accolades}}
| class="wikitable" | ||||
| Year | Award | Category | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="5"| 2004 | rowspan="2"| Sundance Film Festival | Grand Jury Prize | rowspan=11| Primer | {{won}} |
| Alfred P. Sloan Prize | {{won}} | |||
| Nantucket Film Festival | Best Writer/Director | {{won}} | ||
| Gotham Awards | Best Feature | {{nom}} | ||
| Sitges Film Festival | Best Film | {{nom}} | ||
| rowspan="6"| 2005 | London International Festival of Science Fiction and Fantastic Film | Best Feature | {{won}} | |
| rowspan="4"| Independent Spirit Awards | Best Feature | {{nom}} | ||
| Best Director | {{nom}} | |||
| Best First Screenplay | {{nom}} | |||
| Best Actor in a Debut Performance (David Sullivan) | {{nom}} | |||
| Fantasporto | International Fantasy Film Award | {{nom}} | ||
| rowspan="15"| 2013 | rowspan=2| Sundance Film Festival | U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Sound Design | rowspan=28| Upstream Color | {{won}} |
| Grand Jury Prize – Dramatic | {{nom}} | |||
| rowspan="2"| Sitges Film Festival | Best Directorial Revelation | {{won}} | ||
| Best Motion Picture | {{nom}} | |||
| Los Angeles Film Critics Association | Best Editing | style="background:lightgrey"| Second place | ||
| rowspan="2"| Independent Spirit Awards | Best Director | {{nom}} | ||
| Best Editing | {{nom}} | |||
| rowspan="2"| Gotham Awards | Best Film | {{nom}} | ||
| Best Actress (Amy Seimetz) | {{nom}} | |||
| Camerimage | Best Cinematography Debut | {{nom}} | ||
| Chicago Film Critics Association | Best Editing | {{nom}} | ||
| Dublin Film Critics' Circle | Best Director | {{nom}} | ||
| rowspan=2| Village Voice Film Poll | Best Film | {{nom}} | ||
| Best Director | {{nom}} | |||
| SXSW Film Festival | Festival Favorites | {{nom}} | ||
| rowspan="13"| 2014 | Australian Film Critics Association | Best International Film (English Language) | {{nom}} | |
| rowspan="2"| Central Ohio Film Critics Association | Best Picture | {{nom}} | ||
| Best Cinematography | {{nom}} | |||
| Chlotrudis Award | Best Cinematography | {{nom}} | ||
| Lost Weekend | Best Visuals | {{nom}} | ||
| rowspan="7"| Georgia Film Critics Association | Breakthrough (Amy Seimetz) | {{nom}} | ||
| Best Picture | {{nom}} | |||
| Best Original Score | {{nom}} | |||
| Best Director | {{nom}} | |||
| Best Actress (Amy Seimetz) | {{nom}} | |||
| Best Original Screenplay | {{nom}} | |||
| Best Cinematography | {{nom}} | |||
| London Film Critics' Circle | Technical Achievement of the Year (Johnny Marshall) | {{nom}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|1503403}}
;Interviews:
- [http://www.villagevoice.com/film/0441,lim,57519,20.html A Primer Primer] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080706155800/http://www.villagevoice.com/film/0441,lim,57519,20.html |date=July 6, 2008 }}, By Dennis Lim Tuesday, October 5, 2004, New York – Village Voice
- [http://www.sffworld.com/mul/128p0.html Interview with Primer director Shane Carruth] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080616135816/http://www.sffworld.com/mul/128p0.html |date=June 16, 2008 }}, October 3, 2004, sffworld.com
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carruth, Shane}}
Category:American male film actors
Category:Film producers from South Carolina
Category:American male screenwriters
Category:American science fiction film directors
Category:People from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Category:Sundance Film Festival award winners
Category:Alfred P. Sloan Prize winners
Category:Stephen F. Austin State University alumni