Paul Taublieb is an American director, writer, and producer best known for films such as The Vow and the Emmy Award-winning documentaries "Unchained: The Untold Story of Freestyle MotoCross" and "Hawaiian: The Legend of Eddie Aikau" (part of ESPN's 30 for 30 series).
Taublieb found early success producing television movies, including the award-winning anti-slavery film "Enslavement: The True Story of Fanny Kemble" (2000), winner of the Literacy in Media Award (2001) for Showtime. Starring Jane Seymour, "Enslavement" tells the real-life story of a British actress who speaks out against slavery after marrying an American plantation owner. [1] In 2012, Taublieb broke away from television to produce a feature film, "The Vow," starring Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams. It grossed almost $200M at the box office and is the eighth highest-grossing romantic drama since the 1980s. [2]
After getting his start in narrative film, Taublieb established himself in the production of documentaries focusing primarily on action sports projects, including the specials "Pipeline Sessions" (2002), about the lives of the world's top surfers, and "The Making of Motowars" (2005), a behind-the-scenes look at a live motorcycle stunt show. He then traveled to the remote island of São Tomé to direct "The Lost Wave: An African Surf Story," an exploration of the distinct surfing subculture that has developed in the isolated nation.
In 2011, Taublieb served as producer and creative director for the documentary film "Fastest," a documentary following the 2010 season of the MotoGP, known as the Grand Prix of motorcycle racing. The film features Jorge Lorenzo, Valentino Rossi, Ben Spies, and narration by Ewan McGregor. Taublieb also produced an installment of the ESPN documentary series 30 for 30, entitled “Hawaiian: The Legend of Eddie Aikau” (2013). The film chronicles the life and disappearance of the famed big wave surfer Eddie Aikau, who died while attempting to find help after his sailing canoe capsized. [3] In 2014, the film won an Emmy Award for Best Sports Documentary. [4]
As a producer and director, Taublieb has created several motocross-focused documentary films. "Unchained: The Untold Story of Freestyle Motocross" (2016) tells the story of the birth of freestyle motocross, featuring Carey Hart, Tony Hawk, Travis Pastrana, and narration by Josh Brolin. [5] It was released on Netflix and won the 2017 Emmy Award for Outstanding Long Sports Documentary. [6]
Most recently, Taublieb completed "Blood Line: The Life and Times of Brian Deegan" (2018) about the most decorated Freestyle Motocross rider in history.
Taublieb is one of the creators of the ESPN X Games and has produced many of the moto-x competitions. [7] He also produces live content and athlete features for the event. Alongside partners Rob Dyrdek and David Paull, Taublieb created ISX Scoring, the premier real-time scoring system for action sports events. [8]
Taublieb Films is the creative agency of record for Monster Energy and produces viral videos and other content for clients including Ferrari, Lamborghini, Fox Studios, Disney, and ESPN. He also creates short-form viral videos with talent including Rob Drydek and Wee Man. In 2014, he produced and directed the soccer video "Abuelo Memo" for the Mexican company Coppel. It quickly went viral and currently has over 100 million views worldwide.
Taublieb attended Great Neck North High School before studying English at the University at Buffalo and philosophy at SUNY Plattsburgh.
He and his wife Susan Cooper have three sons, Zev, Ari, and Noah Taublieb. He currently lives in Malibu. Ari Taublieb is an internet personality know for his "Early Retirement Academy" and VP role at Root Financial Partners. One of the fastest growing investment advisory firms in the United States.
Aprilia is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer founded immediately after World War II in Noale, Italy, by Alberto Beggio. The company started as a manufacturer of bicycles and moved on to manufacture scooters and small-capacity motorcycles. Since in the 1980's, Aprilia has also produced large sportbikes such as the 1,000 cc V-twin RSV Mille and the V4 RSV4.
The X Games are a series of action sports events founded by ESPN Inc. and aired on ESPN networks and ABC, In late 2022, ESPN sold the long-running property to MSP Sports Capital, a private equity firm co-founded by Jahm Najafi and Jeff Moorad, though the event is still aired on ESPN and ABC despite the ownership change.
Motocross is a form of off-road motorcycle racing held on enclosed off-road circuits. The sport evolved from motorcycle trials competitions held in the United Kingdom.
Edward Ryan Makuahanai Aikau was a Hawaiian lifeguard and surfer. As the first lifeguard at Waimea Bay on the island of Oahu, he saved over 500 people and became famous for surfing the big Hawaiian surf, winning several awards including the 1977 Duke Kahanamoku Invitational Surfing Championship. The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational is named in his honor. He was also a crew member on the Polynesian voyaging canoe Hōkūleʻa.
Carey Jason Phillip Hart is an American off-road truck racer, former professional freestyle motocross competitor, and former motorcycle racer. He is known for being the first motorcyclist to attempt a backflip on a 250cc motorcycle during a competition, and for his company Hart & Huntington Tattoo & Clothing Company.
Kevin James Schwantz is an American former professional motorcycle road racer. He was the world champion of the 1993 FIM Road Racing World Championship.
Jeffrey Ward is a British-American former professional motocross racer, auto racing driver and off-road racer. He won the AMA Motocross Championship five times and the AMA Supercross Championship twice and the Motocross des Nations seven times. After retiring from motorcycle competition, Ward turned to auto racing, finishing in second place at the Indianapolis 500 and winning a race at the Texas Motor Speedway. He then competed in off-road truck racing and rallycross. Ward was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999 and, was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America on 12 August 2006.
Travis Alan Pastrana is an American professional motorsports competitor and stunt performer who has won championships and X Games gold medals in several disciplines, including supercross, motocross, freestyle motocross, rally racing and offshore powerboat racing. He runs a show called Nitro Circus and the rallycross racing series Nitrocross.
Freestyle motocross is a variation on the sport of motocross in which motorcycle riders attempt to impress judges with jumps and stunts.
"The Eddie", also known as The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational, is a big wave surfing tournament held at Waimea Bay on the north shore of Oahu, Hawaii. The tournament is named for native Hawaiian, champion big wave surfer, and life-saving Waimea Bay lifeguard, Eddie Aikau. Created in 1984 at nearby Sunset Beach, the invitational tournament moved to the notoriously big waved Waimea Bay, where Aikau's family maintains an ancestral tradition as caretakers of the Waimea Valley. It was formerly known as the Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau after its sponsor Quiksilver, but the company and the Aikau family could not agree to terms for a new contract after the previous one expired in 2016.
Alpinestars is an Italian motorsports and action sports safety equipment manufacturer based in Asolo, Italy. Its lines include specialized products for MotoGP, motocross, motorcycling, Formula One, World Rally Championship, WEC, V8 Supercars, NASCAR, mountain biking, and surfing, and motorsports-themed, non-sports clothing. The company has fashion design centers in Italy and California offering products for men, women and children.
A pit bike is a small motorcycle, used primarily for recreational purposes, stunt riding and motocross racing. Pit bikes are characterised by small, air-cooled engines, and are rarely used for professional racing, instead being intended for use in the pit lanes of racing events.
Jeff Bowler is an American film and television producer best known for producing films such as The Grand and programs such as Inked.
Dave Moore is a television motorsport commentator and script writer. He has commentated on many motorsport events including the North West 200 and the Ulster Grand Prix for BBC television. He is one of the commentators on the British Rally Championship which is broadcast on Sky Sports. He was the on-screen presenter and is commentator for the British Motocross Championship which is broadcast on Sky Sports. He is also race commentator of the P1 Powerboat Championship which is broadcast on Sky Sports.
A Day in the Dirt Motocross Grand Prix is an annual motocross event held on Thanksgiving weekend, in California, United States. The races are notable for their participants, ranging from Hollywood film and stunt industry professionals like Mike "Mouse" McCoy and Alisa Hensley-Lane, to racing legends such as Ricky Johnson, Jeff Ward, Ron Lechein, Jeremy McGrath, J.N. Roberts, Eric Kehoe, Eddie Mulder, Mike Kiedrrowski, Ryan Hughes, Jeff Emig, Broc Glover, Mike Bell, Micky Dymond, and John DeSoto. The races also attract extreme sports celebrities such as Ronnie Renner, Henry Wiles, Robie and Bret Peterson, Shaun Palmer, Dave Mirra, Mike Metzler, and Alexander Smith.
Larry "Link" Linkogle is a professional freestyle motocross rider and the co-founder and owner of Metal Mulisha, LLC. Linkogle holds the world record for long-distance motorcycle jumps and has appeared in feature films as a stuntman. He is regarded as a founder of freestyle motocross.
Enslavement: The True Story of Fanny Kemble is a 2000 American television film starring Jane Seymour and directed by James Keach. It depicts the life of British actress and abolitionist Fanny Kemble, who sees first-hand the horrors of slavery when she marries an American plantation owner. Her published diaries in the form of personal accounts are shown to influence the British government's decision to withhold support of the Confederacy during the American Civil War. Keith Carradine co-stars as Fanny's husband Pierce Butler, with Keach, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, and Colin Fox also appearing.
Vicki Golden is an American professional Freestyle Motocross rider and the first female team member of Metal mulisha, Since beginning her career in 2000 Golden has won three consecutive gold medals in Women's Moto X Racing at the X Games. She is also the first woman to compete in a freestyle Moto X competition, earning the bronze medal in the best whip category. She currently rides a Suzuki 450/250 motocross bike.
Chris Christenson is an American surfboard shaper, craftsman, and outdoor enthusiast.
Michael Zimbalist is an American filmmaker. He is a three-time Emmy Award and a Peabody Awards winner.