Brett Morgen

Brett D. Morgen (born October 11, 1968) is an American documentary film director, producer, writer, and editor. Morgen was born in Los Angeles, California in 1968. He was named after USC football lineman Britt Williams, who was team captain in 1961, but his parents misspelled the name. He was raised in Studio City, California. According to Morgen, he knew he wanted to be a filmmaker at a young age. Morgen made Ollie's Army while a student at New York University. The film focuses on the exploits of the James Madison University college Republicans during Oliver North's senatorial campaign of 1994. On the Ropes was nominated for an Academy Award in 2000 for Best Documentary. The boxing documentary was directed by Morgen and Nanette Burstein, and examined the lives of three aspiring prizefighters and their coach. Although it did not win an Academy Award, the film did win a number of awards, including Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary by the Directors Guild of America. The Kid Stays in the Picture is a documentary biopic about film producer Robert Evans, focusing on his major hits, like The Godfather, and his tumultuous personal life. Once again, Morgen teamed with Nanette Burstein. Chicago 10 is a film about the Chicago Eight. The film uses animation and celebrity voice-overs from Hank Azaria, Dylan Baker, Nick Nolte, Mark Ruffalo, Roy Scheider, Liev Schreiber, James Urbaniak, and Jeffrey Wright. June 17th, 1994 aired on ESPN as an episode of 30 for 30 and featured on-air commentary by Morgen. It was the only 30 for 30 episode to date that included no interviews or voice-overs, consisting solely of the actual TV footage on June 17, 1994. This was the date of the O.J. Simpson slow-moving police chase, and the other important sports stories of that day that were mostly ignored, due to the American public's fascination with Simpson. Morgen lives in Rockaway, Queens, New York with his wife, Debra Eisenstadt, and three children. Description above from the Wikipedia article Brett Morgen, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Works

Moonage Daydream

A cinematic odyssey featuring never-before-seen footage exploring David Bowie's creative and musical journey.

Release Date:2022-09-15

Department:Editing

Job:Editor

Vote Count:222

When the Streetlights Go On

A double-homicide in a small midwestern suburb rattles the lives of a group of teenagers and sends investigators searching for answers in the fall of 1995. A meditation on growing up, the passing of time, and the insidious violence that lurks in the suburbs.

Release Date:2020-04-06

Department:Production

Job:Executive Producer

Episode Count:10

Vote Count:17

Jane

Drawing from never-before-seen footage that has been tucked away in the National Geographic archives, director Brett Morgen tells the story of Jane Goodall, a woman whose chimpanzee research revolutionized our understanding of the natural world.

Release Date:2017-12-28

Department:Directing

Job:Director

Vote Count:136

Marvel's Runaways

Every teenager thinks their parents are evil. What if you found out they actually were? Six diverse teenagers who can barely stand each other must unite against a common foe – their parents.

Release Date:2017-11-21

Department:Directing

Job:Director

Episode Count:1

Vote Count:912

Cobain: Montage of Heck

Hailed as one of the most innovative and intimate documentaries of all time, experience Kurt Cobain like never before in the only ever fully authorized portrait of the famed music icon. Academy Award nominated filmmaker Brett Morgen expertly blends Cobain's personal archive of art, music, never seen before movies, animation and revelatory interviews from his family and closest friends.

Release Date:2015-03-23

Department:Directing

Job:Director

Vote Count:699

Crossfire Hurricane

This film is released as part of the ongoing 50th anniversary celebration of the Rolling Stones. It tells the story of the Stones' unparalleled journey from blues obsessed teens in the early 60s to their undisputed status as rock royalty. All of the Stones have been newly interviewed and their words form the narrative arc that links together archive footage of performances, news coverage, and interviews, much of it previously unseen. Taking its title from a lyric in "Jumpin' Jack Flash," this film gives the viewer an intimate insight into exactly what it's like to be part of the Rolling Stones as they overcome denunciation, drugs, dissensions, and death to become the definitive survivors. Over a year in the making and produced with the full cooperation and involvement of the Stones, this film is and will remain the definitive story of the world's greatest rock 'n' roll band

Release Date:2012-10-18

Department:Directing

Job:Director

Vote Count:57

June 17th, 1994

Do you remember where you were on June 17, 1994? Thanks to a wide array of unrelated, coast-to-coast occurrences, this Friday has come to be known for its firsts, lasts, triumphs and tragedy. Arnold Palmer played his last round at a U.S. Open, in Oakmont, PA, the FIFA World Cup kicked off in Chicago, the New York Rangers celebrated on Broadway, Patrick Ewing desperately pursued a long evasive championship in Madison Garden and Donald Fehr stared down the baseball owners. And yet, all of that was a prelude to O.J. Simpson leading America on a slow speed chase in a white Ford Bronco around Los Angeles.

Release Date:2010-06-16

Department:Directing

Job:Director

Vote Count:7

Truth in Motion: The U.S. Ski Team's Road to Vancouver

Truth in Motion: The U.S. Ski Team's Road to Vancouver chronicles the road to becoming a world-class skier. The day-to-day triumphs and tribulations are documented in an up close and personal way rarely seen. Ultimately, it’s a story about individuals, driven by personal motives, propelled by individual talents and challenged in ways that are uniquely human.

Release Date:2010-01-30

Department:Directing

Job:Director

Vote Count:1

30 for 30

30 for 30 is the title for a series of documentary films airing on ESPN, its sister networks, and online highlighting interesting people and events in sports history. This currently includes four "volumes" of 30 episodes each, a 13-episode series under the ESPN Films Presents title in 2011–2012, and a series of 30 for 30 Shorts shown through the ESPN.com website. The series has also expanded to include Soccer Stories, which aired in advance of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and audio podcasts. This entry refers to the main Volumes of the series presented by ESPN

Release Date:2009-10-06

Department:Directing

Job:Director

Episode Count:1

Vote Count:35

Drive and Deliver

Frequently misunderstood, long-haul truckers are a proud and spirited breed. In "Drive and Deliver," acclaimed director Brett Morgen journeys into their world and over far reaches of open road, where the realities of family, business and brotherhood converge into one unforgettable journey.

Release Date:2008-08-22

Department:Directing

Job:Director

Chicago 10

Archival footage, animation and music are used to look back at the eight anti-war protesters who were put on trial following the 1968 Democratic National Convention.

Release Date:2008-02-29

Department:Writing

Job:Writer

Vote Count:16

Kid Notorious

Kid Notorious is an animated television series that aired for nine weeks on Comedy Central and is currently running on the UK version of Adult Swim. It starred Hollywood film producer Robert Evans as himself. Episode plots were often bizarre and absurdist in nature, featuring Evans as a James Bond type character. Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash also appeared on the show as himself. The show was directed by Pete Michels.

Release Date:2003-10-22

Department:Directing

Job:Director

Episode Count:1

Vote Count:4

The Kid Stays in the Picture

Documentary about legendary Paramount producer Robert Evans, based on his famous 1994 autobiography.

Release Date:2002-08-16

Department:Directing

Job:Director

Vote Count:91

On the Ropes

The story of three young boxers and their coach who is determined to guide them in a positive direction in and out of the ring.

Release Date:1999-01-01

Department:Directing

Job:Director

Vote Count:4

Too Far from the Norm

Too Far From The Norm follows Rick who rudely interrupts his teacher, who is giving an impassioned lecture on post-modernism, and then even shoots him in the face.

Release Date:1987-01-01

Department:Writing

Job:Writer