Chris Metzler
A major contributor to this article appears to have a close connection with its subject. (October 2021) |
Chris Metzler | |
---|---|
Born | Kansas City, Kansas, U.S. | May 23, 1974
Education | University of Southern California (B.S.) |
Occupation | Independent documentary filmmaker |
Years active | 1996–present |
Spouse |
Nadja Mark (m. 2015) |
Children | 2 |
Chris Metzler (born May 23, 1974) is an American film director known for documentaries. His documentary Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone (2010) is listed in the 100 Best Documentaries ranked by the Tomatometer at Rotten Tomatoes[1]
Early life and education
Metzler was raised in Independence, Missouri.[2]
He graduated with a degree in business and cinema from the University of Southern California. In his studies he was introduced to both music video and documentary filmmaking by Academy Award nominated filmmaker Tom Neff who taught a course on music video production. The students taking the course (USC CNTV 499) shot various music videos for country music artists such as Radney Foster, Lee Roy Parnell, Flaco Jiménez and others with financing from the record label Arista Nashville.[3]
Career
Metzler's film directing and producing work has resulted in frequent partnerships with Jeff Springer.[4]
The two moved to
Metzler co-directed the
In 2010, he completed the Emmy nominated documentary film, Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone, co-directed with Lev Anderson and shot and edited by Jeff Springer.[7] The film was critically acclaimed with Rotten Tomatoes having the film listed as at 100% based on 48 reviews, and is ranked #74 on the list of the Top 100 Documentaries of All Time.[8]
His most recent theatrically released film, co-directed with Quinn Costello and Jeff Springer, is the ITVS funded documentary Rodents of Unusual Size (2017) about giant invasive swamp rats, nutria threatening coastal Louisiana and is narrated by Wendell Pierce.[9]
Metzler is a two time recipient of the
Filmmaking style
The style and offbeat subject matter of Metzler's work is heavily influenced by filmmaking predecessors such as Errol Morris and Les Blank.[10] A frequent theme of many of his films is the subjective notion of success and failure amidst the backdrop of the American Dream.[11]
Metzler frequently utilizes narrative elements within his documentary films, namely stylized cinematography, animation, narration (John Waters, Laurence Fishburne, Wendell Pierce) and original musical scores composed by rock bands (Friends of Dean Martinez, Fishbone, Lost Bayou Ramblers).[12]
The use of artistic additions to documentary films is rejected and criticized by
Filmography
- 2004 Plagues and Pleasures on the Salton Sea - Director, producer, writer.[16]
- 2010 Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone - Director, producer, writer.[17]
- 2015 The State of Creativity - Director, producer, writer [18]
- 2017 Rodents of Unusual Size - Director, producer, writer [19]
- 2019 Heath Ceramics: The Making of a California Classic - Director, producer, writer [20]
References
- ^ "Top 100 Documentaries". Rotten Tomatoes. 2020. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
- ^ Niccum, Jon (September 21, 2012). "Director from KC follows his California dreams". The Kansas City Star.
- ^ Atwood, Brett. Billboard (magazine), article, "USC students Learning on the Job," January 20, 1996.
- ^ "Jeff Springer". IMDB. 2017. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
- ^ Third Day. "Third Day Timeline (1996)". Archived from the original on March 20, 2006.
- ^ Rainer, Peter (1 June 2007). "Plagues & Pleasures on the Salton Sea (R)". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 29 August 2010.
- ^ Webster, Andy (6 October 2011). "'Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone' — Review". The New York Times. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
- ^ "Top 100 Documentaries of All Time". Fandango Media. 2020. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
- ^ Board, RT Editorial (6 October 2011). "'Top 100 Documentary Movies' — Review". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
- Pitch Weekly. 2004. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
- The San Diego Reader. 2004. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
- ^ "Interview: Lev Anderson and Chris Metzler, 'Everyday Sunshine'(2012)". Slackerwood. 2012. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
- ^ Glossary of rouchinan terms at MAITRES FOUS net
- ^ Ricky Leacock and “The Sense of Being There” Archived 2013-06-14 at the Wayback Machine – Article by Stephen Altobello at IMN
- ^ Camera that Changed the World – Article at BBC
- ^ "Plagues and Pleasures on the Salton Sea (2004)". IMDb. 2004. Retrieved September 1, 2019.
- ^ "Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone (2010)". IMDb. 2010. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
- ^ "The State of Creativity (2015)". IMDb (2015). 2015. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
- ^ "Rodents of Unusual Size (2017)". IMDb (2017). 2017. Retrieved September 1, 2019.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Heath Ceramics: The Making of a California Classic (2019)". IMDb (2019). 2019. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
External links
- Chris Metzler at IMDb