Paul Greengrass started his filmmaking career with a super 8 camera he found in his art room in secondary school. Those short movies were animation horror films he made using old dolls, artist dummies, and the general art room clutter.
After studying in Cambridge University he got into Granada Television School and spent the first ten years of his career roving global hot spots for the hard-hitting documentary series, World in Action. By this time he became very interested in the Northern Ireland conflict. At the same time he co-authored the infamous book Spycatcher with Peter Wright, former assistant director of MI5, which contained enough sensitive information for the British Government to ban it during the mid-1980s.
He then moved into drama, directing made-for-television films such as The One That Got Away, based on Chris Ryan's book about SAS actions in the Gulf War, and The Fix, based on the story of the betting scandal which shook British football in 1964.
After studying in Cambridge University he got into Granada Television School and spent the first ten years of his career roving global hot spots for the hard-hitting documentary series, World in Action. By this time he became very interested in the Northern Ireland conflict. At the same time he co-authored the infamous book Spycatcher with Peter Wright, former assistant director of MI5, which contained enough sensitive information for the British Government to ban it during the mid-1980s.
He then moved into drama, directing made-for-television films such as The One That Got Away, based on Chris Ryan's book about SAS actions in the Gulf War, and The Fix, based on the story of the betting scandal which shook British football in 1964.
In 1989, he directed his first fiction movie, Resurrected, that won an award in Berlin. He continued his career as a fiction filmmaker with a serial of TV movies dealing with social and political issues including Open Fire (about a police scandal about a policeman accused of murder).
His documentary style became more dynamic and intense with each movie. In 2002, Bloody Sunday achieved international acclamation and won the first prize in the Berlin Festival. After that he has continued his career in the United States with The Bourne Supremacy starring Matt Damon.
In 2006, Greengrass directed United 93, a film based on the September 11th hijacking of United Airlines Flight 93. The film received immense critical acclaim, particularly for Greengrass' again quasi-documentary-style directing. After receiving many Best Director awards and nominations from critics circles (including the Broadcast Film Critics Association), Greengrass won the BAFTA award for Best Director at the 60th British Academy Film Awards and received an Oscar nomination for Achievement in Directing at the 79th Academy Awards. For his role in writing the film, he earned Writers Guild of America Award and BAFTA nominations for Best Original Screenplay.
His documentary style became more dynamic and intense with each movie. In 2002, Bloody Sunday achieved international acclamation and won the first prize in the Berlin Festival. After that he has continued his career in the United States with The Bourne Supremacy starring Matt Damon.
In 2006, Greengrass directed United 93, a film based on the September 11th hijacking of United Airlines Flight 93. The film received immense critical acclaim, particularly for Greengrass' again quasi-documentary-style directing. After receiving many Best Director awards and nominations from critics circles (including the Broadcast Film Critics Association), Greengrass won the BAFTA award for Best Director at the 60th British Academy Film Awards and received an Oscar nomination for Achievement in Directing at the 79th Academy Awards. For his role in writing the film, he earned Writers Guild of America Award and BAFTA nominations for Best Original Screenplay.
He followed this with a return to the Bourne franchise. The Bourne Ultimatum, released in 2007, was an even bigger success than the previous two films and provided him with yet another BAFTA nomination for Best Director at the 61st British Academy Film Awards.
Greengrass' future plans include directing They Marched into Sunlight, a book by David Maraniss which revolves around the controversy surrounding the Vietnam conflict, focusing on one day, when a major battle was occurring in Vietnam and a major protest was simultaneously happening in the US.
Trade Mark Techniques:
Usage of the handheld camera to provoke realism
Quotes:
“By the time I'd done Bloody Sunday I felt I reached the end of a chapter. I could feel it. I wanted to try something new, something different. Then, to my amazement, Bloody Sunday won lots of theatrical prizes, the audience award at Sundance, and then, to my even greater amazement, I had the opportunity to make a film in Hollywood. I mean, you wouldn't think, looking at my films, oh, there's a guy who's going to make films in Hollywood.”
Greengrass' future plans include directing They Marched into Sunlight, a book by David Maraniss which revolves around the controversy surrounding the Vietnam conflict, focusing on one day, when a major battle was occurring in Vietnam and a major protest was simultaneously happening in the US.
Trade Mark Techniques:
Usage of the handheld camera to provoke realism
Quotes:
“By the time I'd done Bloody Sunday I felt I reached the end of a chapter. I could feel it. I wanted to try something new, something different. Then, to my amazement, Bloody Sunday won lots of theatrical prizes, the audience award at Sundance, and then, to my even greater amazement, I had the opportunity to make a film in Hollywood. I mean, you wouldn't think, looking at my films, oh, there's a guy who's going to make films in Hollywood.”
“It was huge to have a director who was putting you first and saying, "Be as natural and real and honest as you can and it's our job to capture it, rather than yours to adjust for the sake of the shot." That's the thing an actor wants to hear.” Matt Damon
Filmography:
World in Action (2 episodes, 1985-86)
Resurrected (1989)
When the Lies Run Out (1993) (TV)
Open Fire (1994) (TV)
The One That Got Away (1996) (TV)
The Fix (1997) (TV)
The Theory of Flight (1998)
The Murder of Stephen Lawrence (1999) (TV)
Bloody Sunday (2002)
The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
Filmography:
World in Action (2 episodes, 1985-86)
Resurrected (1989)
When the Lies Run Out (1993) (TV)
Open Fire (1994) (TV)
The One That Got Away (1996) (TV)
The Fix (1997) (TV)
The Theory of Flight (1998)
The Murder of Stephen Lawrence (1999) (TV)
Bloody Sunday (2002)
The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
United 93 (2006)
The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
Green Zone (2010)
They Marched Into Sunlight (2013) (pre-production)
The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
Green Zone (2010)
They Marched Into Sunlight (2013) (pre-production)
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