Steven-Charles Jaffe

{{Infobox person

| name = Steven-Charles Jaffe

| image =

| caption =

| birthname = Steven-Charles Jaffe

| birth_date = {{bya|1951}}

| birth_place =

| othername = Steven C. Jaffe

| occupation = Producer, writer, director

| yearsactive = 1975–present

| organization = Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

| known_for = Near Dark
Ghost
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
Strange Days

| spouse =

| relatives = Herb Jaffe

| website =

}}

Steven-Charles Jaffe (born 1951) is an American film producer, director, and screenwriter known for his work on such films as Motel Hell (1980), Near Dark (1987), Strange Days (1995), and the Best Picture-nominated romantic fantasy film Ghost.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/93652%7C0/Steven-Charles-Jaffe/|title=Overview for Steven Charles Jaffe|website=Turner Classic Movies|access-date=2017-11-26}} He is a long-time friend and collaborator of directors Nicholas Meyer and Kathryn Bigelow, and has worked with them on films like Time After Time (1979), Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991), and K-19: The Widowmaker (2002).{{cite book |title=The View From the Bridge: Memories of Star Trek and a Life in Hollywood |last=Meyer |first=Nicholas |authorlink=Nicholas Meyer |year=2009 |publisher=Viking Press |location=New York City |isbn=978-0-670-02130-7 |pages=62, 173, 202, 256}} He is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.{{Cite web|url=http://collections.oscars.org/link/papers/130|title=Special Collections {{!}} Margaret Herrick Library {{!}} Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences|website=collections.oscars.org|access-date=2017-11-26}}

Life and career

Jaffe was born and raised in New York state, the son of Herb Jaffe, a successful literary agent. At an early age, he wanted to be a novelist, and later an architect. His father entered the film industry while Jaffe was in high school, and became an executive at United Artists after selling his agency to ICM Partners.{{Cite web|url=http://www.money-into-light.com/2013/12/an-interview-with-steven-charles-jaffe.html|title=AN INTERVIEW WITH STEVEN-CHARLES JAFFE|website=www.money-into-light.com|access-date=2017-11-26}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/52/Herb-Jaffe.html|title=Herb Jaffe Biography (c. 1921-1991)|website=www.filmreference.com|access-date=2017-11-26}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.hollywood.com/celebrities/herb-jaffe-57263539/|title=Herb Jaffe {{!}} Biography and Filmography {{!}} 1921|last=Staff|first=Hollywood.com|date=2015-02-02|work=Hollywood.com|access-date=2017-11-26|language=en-US}}{{Dead link|date=February 2025}}

While attending the University of Southern California to study linguistics, Jaffe developed a interest foreign films from directors like François Truffaut, Akira Kurosawa, and Michelangelo Antonioni. His first job in the industry came when he was involved in the making of a behind-the-scenes documentary of the1972 drama film Fat City{{Citation|title=Fat City|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/fat_city/|language=en|accessdate=2017-11-26}} through producer Ray Stark, who had established a scholarship at USC in his son's name. Stark proposed a promotional film that would intersperse behind-the-scenes footage with footage of real boxers on whom the film was based. Jaffe worked closely with director John Huston during production.

On the verge of being drafted with only one semester of school left, Jaffe flew to Amsterdam where he stayed for a year. While there, he served as an assistant director on the film Lifespan and as a personal assistant to its director Alexander Whitelaw. His father, upon leaving his position at United Artists, convinced Jaffe to join him in Spain for the film The Wind and the Lion after an initial refusal to avoid accusation of nepotism.

Jaffe served as an associate producer on the 1977 horror film Demon Seed, which he co-wrote with his brother Robert and co-produced with his father Herb. He wrote and produced Motel Hell with Robert in 1980.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}}

Jaffe formed long-term collaborative partnerships with directors Nicholas Meyer and Kathryn Bigelow, serving as a second unit director and producer on Time After Time, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country,{{Cite web|url=http://www.thepropgallery.com/star-trek-vi-steven-charles-jaffe-personal-production-bible|title=The Prop Gallery {{!}} Steven-Charles Jaffe personal production bible|website=www.thepropgallery.com|language=en|access-date=2017-11-26}} and Strange Days. He was an executive producer on the 1990 film Ghost, which won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and was nominated for Best Picture.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}}

In 2008, he formed the independent production company Helix Films with producers Gaukhar Noortas and Kevin Foo.{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2009/film/markets-festivals/jaffe-spins-helix-films-1118008223/|title=Jaffe spins Helix Films|last=McNary|first=Dave|date=2009-09-08|work=Variety|access-date=2017-11-26|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|url=http://mhf.helixfilmsinc.com/meettheteam.html|title=Index|website=mhf.helixfilmsinc.com|language=en-US|access-date=2017-11-26}} He wrote, produced, and directed Gahan Wilson: Born Dead, Still Weird, a documentary based on the life of the eponymous cartoonist.{{Cite web|url=http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110726006602/en/WriterDirector-Steven-Charles-Jaffe-Takes-Documentary-Top-Honor|title=Writer/Director Steven-Charles Jaffe Takes Documentary Top Honor at 2011 Comic-Con International Film Festival|website=www.businesswire.com|language=en|access-date=2017-11-26}}

Filmography

class="wikitable"
Year ! Title !Producer !Director !Writer
rowspan="2" \|1980 \|Motel Hell \|{{Yes}} \| \|{{Yes}}
Those Lips, Those Eyes \|{{Yes}} \| \|
1983 \|Scarab \| \|{{Yes}} \|{{Yes}}
1987 \|Near Dark \|{{Yes}} \| \|
1989 \|The Fly II \|{{Yes}} \| \|
rowspan="2" \|1991 \|Company Business \|{{Yes}} \| \|
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country \|{{Yes}} \| \|
1995 \|Strange Days \|{{Yes}} \|
2008 \|It Was a Dark and Silly Night \|{{Yes}} \|{{Yes}} \|
2013 \|Gahan Wilson: Born Dead, Still Weird \|{{Yes}} \|{{Yes}} \|{{Yes}}

class="wikitable"

Year

! Title

!Producer

!Director

!Writer

rowspan="2" |1980

|Motel Hell

|{{Yes}}

Those Lips, Those Eyes

|{{Yes}}

1983

|Scarab

|{{Yes}}

1987

|Near Dark

|{{Yes}}

1989

|The Fly II

|{{Yes}}

rowspan="2" |1991

|Company Business

|{{Yes}}

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

|{{Yes}}

1995

|Strange Days

|{{Yes}}

2008

|It Was a Dark and Silly Night

|{{Yes}}

2013

|Gahan Wilson: Born Dead, Still Weird

|{{Yes}}

Executive producer

Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins (1985)
Plain Clothes (1988)
Ghost (1990)
The Informant (1997)
The Weight of Water (2000)

Second unit director

Time After Time (1979)
The Day After (1983)
Flesh and Blood (1985)
Ghost (1990)
Company Business (1991)
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)
Strange Days (1995)

Associate producer

Demon Seed (1977)
Time After Time (1979)

Other credits

class="wikitable"
Year ! Title ! Role
1975 \|The Wind and the Lion \|Assistant to producer
1978 \|Who'll Stop the Rain \|Location manager
2002 \|K-19: The Widowmaker \|Co-producer

class="wikitable"

Year

! Title

! Role

1975

|The Wind and the Lion

|Assistant to producer

1978

|Who'll Stop the Rain

|Location manager

2002

|K-19: The Widowmaker