Toby Halbrooks
{{Short description|American filmmaker}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Toby Halbrooks
| image =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1978}}
| birth_place = Dallas, Texas
| nationality =
| occupation = Film director, producer, writer, musician
| known_for = {{Plainlist|
}}
Toby Halbrooks (born 1978) is an American film producer, writer, director, and former musician. He initially gained prominence as a member of the band The Polyphonic Spree, before becoming a noted producer in independent film, frequently collaborating with filmmaker David Lowery and partner James M. Johnston through their production company Sailor Bear.{{cite web|url=https://www.filmindependent.org/talent/toby-halbrooks/|title=Toby Halbrooks|publisher=Film Independent|access-date=2025-04-08}}
Early life
Halbrooks was raised in Dallas, Texas.{{Cite web |last=Pritchard |first=Caroline |title=100 Dallas Creatives: No. 59 Adventurous Filmmaker Toby Halbrooks |url=https://www.dallasobserver.com/arts/100-dallas-creatives-no-59-adventurous-filmmaker-toby-halbrooks-7097249 |access-date=2025-04-27 |website=Dallas Observer |language=en}}
Career
= Music =
He toured internationally as a multi-instrumentalist with the symphonic rock band The Polyphonic Spree for six years before transitioning into directing and producing.{{cite web |date=2013-01-14 |title=The Dallas Filmmakers Heading to Sundance: Toby Halbrooks |url=https://www.dmagazine.com/arts-entertainment/2013/01/the-dallas-filmmakers-heading-to-sundance-toby-halbrooks/ |access-date=2025-04-08 |publisher=D Magazine}}
= Filmmaking =
Halbrooks's first significant film project was producing Lowery's short film Pioneer (2011), which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was also shown at Cannes.{{cite web|url=https://houston.culturemap.com/news/entertainment/02-17-13-outlaws-in-love-iaint-them-bodies-saintsi-makes-texas-debut-at-sundance-film-festival-usa-1/|title=Outlaws in love|publisher=CultureMap Houston|date=2013-02-17|access-date=2025-04-08}}{{Cite news |date=2013-08-02 |title=Former Austinite to be featured at CineBrew |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/austin-american-statesman-former-austini/171178453/ |access-date=2025-04-27 |work=Austin American-Statesman |pages=T31}} He subsequently co-produced Shane Carruth’s Upstream Color and produced Ain't Them Bodies Saints, both premiering at Sundance in 2013.{{cite web|url=https://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/interview-producer-toby-halbrooks/|title=Interview: Producer Toby Halbrooks|date=12 July 2018 |publisher=PremiumBeat|access-date=2025-04-08}} For Ain't Them Bodies Saints, Halbrooks and co-producer James M. Johnson won the 2023 Indian Paintbrush Producer's Award.{{Cite web |last=Fernandez |first=Jay A. |date=2013-01-20 |title=Sundance 2013: 'Ain't Them Bodies Saints' Producers Receive the $10K Indian Paintbrush Producer's Award |url=https://www.indiewire.com/news/general-news/sundance-2013-aint-them-bodies-saints-producers-receive-the-10k-indian-paintbrush-producers-award-241542/ |access-date=2025-04-27 |website=IndieWire |language=en-US}} They also received nominations for the 17th annual Piaget Producers Award.{{Cite news |last=Odam |first=Matthew |date=2013-12-06 |title=Austinites nominated for Spirit awards |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/austin-american-statesman-austinites-nom/171178271/ |access-date=2025-04-27 |work=Austin American-Statesman |pages=T37}}
In 2014, Halbrooks directed his debut short film Dig, which premiered at Sundance.{{Cite news |date=2014-03-08 |title='Chef' premiere and other screenings |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/austin-american-statesman-chef-premier/171178181/ |access-date=2025-04-27 |work=Austin American-Statesman |pages=B6}}{{cite web|url=https://moveablefest.com/toby-halbrooks-dig/|title=Toby Halbrooks Talks 'Dig'|publisher=The Moveable Fest|date=2014-03-11|access-date=2025-04-08}} He co-wrote Disney’s live-action Pete's Dragon (2016) alongside David Lowery.{{cite web|url=https://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/interview-producer-toby-halbrooks/|title=Interview: Producer Toby Halbrooks|date=12 July 2018 |publisher=PremiumBeat|access-date=2025-04-08}}{{Cite news |last=Toppman |first=Lawrence |date=2016-08-25 |title=A tale of a boy and his dragon |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-a-tale-of-a-boy-and-his/171131126/ |access-date=2025-04-26 |work=The Miami Herald |pages=NV3}} Writing for the Chicago Tribune, Michael Phillips praised Lowery and Halbrooks' writing, and went on to describe the film as "one of the season's most heartening surprises."{{Cite news |last=Phillips |first=Michael |date=2016-08-09 |title=Disney remake a soulful surprise and one of year's best films |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-disney-remake-a-soulful/171177782/ |access-date=2025-04-27 |work=Chicago Tribune |pages=A–8}}
In 2017, Halbrooks and Johnston produced Person to Person, a drama which featured an ensemble cast including Michael Cera and Abbi Jacobson.{{Cite news |date=2017-06-04 |title="Person to Person" |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-worth-star-telegram-person-to-pers/171179237/ |access-date=2025-04-27 |work=Fort Worth Star-Telegram |pages=D5}}
He co-produced A Ghost Story (2017), for which he also co-wrote a song with Lowery, Andrew Tinker, and Kesha. The song, titled Last One, was performed by Stereo Jane for the film's soundtrack.{{Cite news |last=Ryan |first=Patrick |date=2017-07-06 |title=Kesha makes a spontaneous 'Ghost Story' cameo |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/usa-today-kesha-makes-a-spontaneous-gho/171131398/ |access-date=2025-04-26 |work=USA Today |pages=27}} He also co-produced The Old Man & the Gun (2018), Miss Juneteenth (2020), and The Green Knight (2021).{{cite web|url=https://www.nzfilm.co.nz/international/showcase/green-knight|title=The Green Knight|publisher=NZ Film|access-date=2025-04-08}} Halbrooks also co-wrote the screenplay for Disney's Peter Pan & Wendy (2023) with Lowery.{{cite web|url=https://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/interview-producer-toby-halbrooks/|title=Interview: Producer Toby Halbrooks|date=12 July 2018 |publisher=PremiumBeat|access-date=2025-04-08}}
In 2023, he began production on Mother Mary, directed by Lowery and starring Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel, produced by A24.{{cite web|url=https://www.thewrap.com/michaela-coel-anne-hathaway-mother-mary-david-lowery-a24/|title=Michaela Coel, Anne Hathaway to Star in 'Mother Mary'|publisher=The Wrap|date=2023-03-21|access-date=2025-04-08}}
References
{{reflist}}
Category:Film producers from Texas
Category:Screenwriters from Texas
{{DEFAULTSORT:Halbrooks, Toby}}