August 25 - Joe Wright

 

Happy 48th Birthday, Joe Wright! Born today in 1972, this English film director's aesthetic and emotion of the United Kingdom rave scene are used as an influence on his work, notably in bringing a new verve and style to the British costume drama. 

This also included settings with different tones and very long, complicated tracking shots that display many events. 

Wright began his career working at his parents' puppet theatre. His father, John Wright, was sixty-five years old when Joe was born. 

Wright always had an interest in the arts, especially painting. He would also make films on his Super 8 camera as well as spend time in the evenings acting in a drama club.  

Wright later took classes at the community-based drama school Anna Scher Theatre School and acted professionally on stage and camera. Although he was dyslexic, he left school with no O-levels. 

Wright later spent an art foundation year at Camberwell College of Arts. This was before taking a degree in fine art and film at Central St Martins. 

During the 1990s, Wright worked at Oil Factory, a music video production company based in Caledonian Road, Kings Cross. 

He worked on a variety of productions in numerous roles, including casting director. Here he was able to get the opportunity to direct some music videos. 

Also, during this decade, Wright also worked part-time as a roadie for Vegetable Vision. 

They had created visuals for various electronic music bands. He attributed some of the aesthetic and emotion of the United Kingdom rave scene as an influence on his later work 

In his last year of studies, Wright received a scholarship to make a short film for the BBC that won several awards. 

On the success of the short, he was offered the script for a television serial. Wright followed this up with the Channel 4 two-part television drama mini-series Bodily Harm, (2002–), featuring English character actor and occasional presenter Timothy Spall. 

The following year, Wright directed the highly acclaimed four-episode British drama television film Charles II: The Power and The Passion, starring English film and stage actor Rufus Sewell. 

Airing on November 16, 2003. the televised feature won the BAFTA Award for Best Drama Serial at the 57th British Academy Film Awards. This occurred the following year in mid-February 2004. 

From this, Wright had gotten his professional start in helming several television projects for the BBC. He later used this experience just before directing his breakthrough film. 

This was the 2005 French/British/American romance/drama film 'Pride & Prejudice'. The film had been based on Jane Austen's titular 1813 romance satire fiction novel of manners. 

The following year, Wright won a BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer. This occurred at the 59th British Academy Film Awards in mid-February 2006. 

Later that same year, Variety magazine named Wright as one of their "10 Directors to Watch". 

One year later, Wright directed the first film of which he is best known. This was the 2007 British/French/American romance/war drama film 'Atonement'. 

This sweeping English drama follows the lives of two young lovers: Cecilia Tallis (Keira Knightley) and Robbie Turner (James McAvoy).  

When the couple are torn apart by a lie constructed by Cecilia's jealous younger sister, Briony (Saoirse Ronan), all three of them must deal with the consequences.  

Robbie is the hardest hit, since Briony's deception results in his imprisonment, but hope for Cecilia and her beau increases when their paths cross during World War II. 

A notable sequence in 'Atonement' is its impeccable, Oscar-nominated five-and-a-half minute single tracking shot. It was captured by North Irish cinematographer Seamus McGarvey. 

It unfolds as a British World War II soldier comes upon France's Dunkirk Beach, where the final point in the British retreat from the Germans is portrayed as a grim circus of defeat and chaos. 

'Atonement' was based on English novelist and screenwriter Ian McEwan's 2001 titular psychological social domestic fiction novel. The film also stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Vanessa Redgrave. 

Also, in 2007, Wright became the youngest director in history to have a film open the Venice Film Festival (his film Atonement was chosen to open 64th Venice Film Festival). 

The following year, 'Atonement' received two BAFTA Awards. This was for Best Film and Best Production Design. This occurred at the 61st British Academy Film Awards on February 10, 2008. 

Two weeks later, 'Atonement' won an Oscar for Best Music (Original Score). This occurred at the 80th Academy Awards on February 24, 2008. 

Nine years later, Wright directed the 2017 British/American war/drama film 'Darkest Hour'. It starred Gary Oldman as British statesman, army officer, and writer Winston Churchill. 

One year later, 'Darkest Hour' received two BAFTA Awards for Best Actor in a Leading Role and Best Makeup & Hair. This occurred at the 71st British Academy Film Awards in mid-February 2018. 

The following month, the film won to Oscars for Best Actor in a Leading Role and Best Makeup and Hairstyling. This occurred at the 90th Academy Awards in early March 2018. 

Also, among his credits, Wright is known for directing 'The Soloist' (2009), 'Hanna' (2011), 'Anna Karenina (2012), and 'Pan' (2015). 

According to Wright's trademarks, shots of characters' hands are shown to display tension and emotion. He also uses settings with different tones and very long, complicated tracking shots that display many events.  

According to Wright's personal life, he became engaged to English actress Rosamund Pike in 2007. They had met on the set of 'Pride & Prejudice'. Although the "save the date" cards were already sent out. The wedding was called off in 2008. 

Two years later, Wright was married to Indian sitar player and composer Anoushka Shankar (m. 2010; div. 2019), daughter of Indian musician and composer Ravi Shankar and half-sister of American singer, songwriter and pianist Norah Jones. Wright and Shankar had two sons together. 

However, they separated in December 2017 and their divorce was finalized in September 2019. Court documents reveal that Wright had an affair. 

In 2018, Wright was seen with American actress and singer Haley Bennett. They have one daughter together. Wright and his family currently reside in Brooklyn Heights in New York City, New York. 

Wright has been active from 1997–present. 

  

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