Robert Bella

Last updated

Robert Bella
Born
Robert Bella

Brooklyn, New York, United States
Occupation(s)Filmmaker, Director, Producer, Writer, Actor
Years active1985–present

Robert Bella is an American filmmaker, best known for his work as a television Director, Writer & Producer on shows such as The Rookie , The Rookie: Feds , Castle and The Following . Bella has also worked on over 100 plays as an actor, director, producer and writer.[ citation needed ] He is a co-author of Training of the American Actor, and he wrote the stage adaptation of the film Stand and Deliver . [1]

Contents

Early life

Bella was born in Brooklyn, New York. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, where he studied acting with Stella Adler, David Mamet and William H. Macy. [2]

Career

When he was 23 years old, Bella became an NYU adjunct faculty member. By the time he was 25, he was teaching Master Classes around the world, on subjects such as directing, script analysis, performance technique, on-camera acting and audition skills. [3] His former acting students include Jessica Alba, Rose Byrne, Heather Burns, Eddie Cahill, Justin Chatwin, Abbie Cornish, Peter Facinelli, Matthew Fox, Bryan Greenberg, Simon Helberg, Diane Neal, Jason Ritter, Gina Rodriguez, Shaun Sipos, and Skeet Ulrich.[ citation needed ]

Bella became one of the founding members the Atlantic Theater Company, where he served as the Managing Director, Associate Artistic Director and executive Director of the Atlantic Acting School. [3] His experience producing and directing numerous Off-Broadway plays ultimately led him to try his hand at filmmaking.

TV and film

In 1996, Bella produced and directed the independent film Colin Fitz Lives! . The film tells the story of two security guards who must protect a rock star's grave against excitable fans who may attempt to commit suicide there. [4] It was shot on 35mm in New York City. The budget was $150,000, and the film was shot in 14 days. It had its World Premiere in Dramatic Competition at the 1997 Sundance Film Festival. [5] The film won awards at numerous film festivals, including the Austin Film Festival, [6] WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival [7] and the Long Island Film Festival, [8] but it did not receive distribution until IFC Films released the movie on-demand in 2010. [9]

Bella has worked as an ADR Director with numerous actors, including: Chevy Chase, Judi Dench, Jimmy Fallon, Whoopi Goldberg, Bill Hader, Freddie Highmore, Harvey Keitel, William H. Macy, James McAvoy, Catherine O'Hara, Christina Ricci and Jon Stewart.[ citation needed ]

Bella also worked as a Post Production Supervisor for various film studios, including DreamWorks Pictures. His credits include Delivery Man , Lincoln , War Horse , Real Steel , The Help and I Am Number Four . [10]

He has worked as a TV Director/Writer/Producer on shows such as The Rookie , The Rookie: Feds , Castle and The Following . [11]

Personal life

Bella is currently resides in Los Angeles, California. [12]

Filmography

YearFilm & TelevisionCredited asNotes
Director Executive producer Producer Post production Writer Actor Role
1988 Things Change YesBellboy #1Written and Directed by David Mamet.
1991 Homicide YesBodyguardWritten and Directed by David Mamet.
1993HitsvilleYesMickWritten and Directed by Peter Biegen.
1993Amid Summer's Night DreamsYesSkipWritten and Directed by Glen Gers.
1993The ContendersYesSkipWritten and Directed by Tobias Meinecke.
1993 Money for Nothing YesJunior BookieWritten and Directed by Ramón Menéndez.
1997 Colin Fitz Lives! YesYesYesYesPepeIn 2010, IFC Films released the film as part of: Sundance Selects – Colin Fitz Lives!.
1997Gerald's FarmYesChrisShort Film. Written and Directed by Jonathan Abrahams.
1999 Magnolia YesDetective #2 (uncredited)Written and Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson.
2004 Spartan YesDavioWritten and Directed by David Mamet.
2005 This Revolution YesBob KramerWritten and Directed by Stephen Marshall.
2006KnotYesDadShort film.
2006Doogal aka The Magic Roundabout YesYesUS Voice Director for The Weinstein Company.
2006 Penelope YesPost Production Supervisor for Summit Entertainment and The Weinstein Company.
2006 Factory Girl YesPost Production Supervisor for The Weinstein Company.
2007 Elite Squad YesPost Production Supervisor for The Weinstein Company.
2008 The Promotion YesPost Production Supervisor for Dimension Films.
2008Revengers, Inc.YesYesYesYesYesMr. G NYU UG Drama Department film project.
2009 Fanboys YesPost Production Supervisor for The Weinstein Company.
2009Road Kill: A Day in the Life of Henry David RoadYesYesYesYesYesHenry David RoadWorld Premiere at the 2009 Palm Springs International Festival of Short Films.
2009 Fighting YesPost Production Supervisor for Relativity Media and Rogue Pictures.
2010 My Soul To Take YesPost Production Supervisor for Relativity Media and Rogue Pictures. Written and Directed by Wes Craven.
2011 I Am Number Four YesPost Production Supervisor for Bay Films and DreamWorks Pictures. Produced by Michael Bay. Directed by D. J. Caruso.
2011 The Help YesPost Production Supervisor for DreamWorks Pictures. Written and Directed by Tate Taylor.
2011 Real Steel YesPost Production Consultant for DreamWorks Pictures. Produced and Directed by Shawn Levy. Starring Hugh Jackman.
2011 War Horse YesPost Production Consultant for DreamWorks Pictures. Produced and Directed by Steven Spielberg.
2012 Lincoln YesPost Production Consultant for DreamWorks Pictures. Produced and Directed by Steven Spielberg.
2013Best Friends ForeverYesYesWorld Premiere at the 2013 Slamdance Film Festival. Directed by Brea Grant.
2013 Delivery Man YesPost Production Supervisor for DreamWorks Pictures. Written and Directed by Ken Scott.
2014 Need for Speed YesPost Production Consultant for DreamWorks Pictures. Directed by Scott Waugh.
2014 The Hundred-Foot Journey YesPost Production Consultant for DreamWorks Pictures. Directed by Lasse Hallström.
2015 The Following YesStaff Writer (Season 3) for Warner Bros. Television. Created by Kevin Williamson.
2015–2016 Castle YesStaff Writer (Season 8) for ABC. Created by Andrew W. Marlowe.
2018– The Rookie YesYesYesDirector/Writer/Producer (Seasons 1-4) for ABC. Created by Alexi Hawley.
2022-2023 The Rookie: Feds YesDirector; 2 episodes

Theater

YearPlayCredited asNotes
Theatre Director Theatrical producer Playwright Actor Role
1985 The Water Engine YesMr. Wallace, UnderstudyPresented by The Goodman Theatre. Written by David Mamet.
1985 Home Free! YesYesYesLawrenceWritten by Lanford Wilson.
1986Been TakenYesPresented by The Atlantic Theater Company. Directed by William H. Macy.
1986 After Magritte YesPresented by The Atlantic Theater Company. Written by Tom Stoppard.
1986 A Night Out YesPresented by The Atlantic Theater Company. Written by Harold Pinter.
1987KnuckleYesYesPresented by The Atlantic Theater Company. Written by David Hare.
1987 The Woods YesPresented by The Atlantic Theater Company. Written by David Mamet.
1987Audrey's ComplaintYesWorld Premiere. Presented by The Atlantic Theater Company. Written by Tom Donaghy. Directed by Clark Gregg.
1987 Reckless YesPresented by The Atlantic Theater Company. Written by Craig Lucas.
1987Boys' LifeYesYesDon, UnderstudyWorld Premiere. Presented by The Atlantic Theater Company. Written by Howard Korder. Directed by William H. Macy. Off-Broadway Premiere presented by The Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.
1989 True West YesOff-Off Broadway. Written by Sam Shepard.
1989 Measure for Measure YesVarriusPresented by The Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Starring: Kate Burton and Campbell Scott.
1989 Julius Caesar YesOff-Off Broadway. Written by William Shakespeare.
1990Spike HeelsYesOff-Off Broadway. Written by Theresa Rebeck.
1991 Anton Chekhov's Three Sisters YesSolyonyPresented by The Atlantic Theater Company. Adapted by David Mamet. Directed by William H. Macy.
1991The Virgin MollyYesPvt. Molly PetersonPresented by The Atlantic Theater Company.
1992 Mad Forest YesOff-Off Broadway. Written by Caryl Churchill.
1994 The Crucible YesOff-Off Broadway. Written by Arthur Miller.
1994 Stand and Deliver YesAdapted from the film Stand and Deliver .
1995 Oleanna YesJohn, Understudy.National Tour. Written by David Mamet.
1995 J. B. Priestley's Dangerous Corner YesGordonPresented by The Atlantic Theater Company. Adapted and Directed by David Mamet.
1997TrustYesYesRoySydney, Australia. Written by Steven Dietz.
2001 The Front Page YesOff-Off Broadway. Written by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur.
2001 The Dog Problem YesThe PriestPresented by The Atlantic Theater Company. Written by David Rabe.
2002 Balm in Gilead YesOff-Off Broadway. Written by Lanford Wilson.
2004 Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love YesOff Broadway. Written by Brad Fraser.

Awards and nominations

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Redford</span> American actor and filmmaker (born 1936)

Charles Robert Redford Jr. is an American actor and filmmaker. He has received numerous accolades such as an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and two Golden Globe Awards, as well as the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 1994, the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 1996, the Academy Honorary Award in 2002, the Kennedy Center Honors in 2005, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016, and the Honorary César in 2019. He was named by Time as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin McDonagh</span> British-Irish filmmaker and playwright (born 1970)

Martin Faranan McDonagh is a British-Irish playwright and filmmaker. He is known for his absurdist dark humour which often challenges the modern theatre aesthetic. He has won numerous accolades including an Academy Award, six BAFTA Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and three Olivier Awards in addition to five nominations for Tony Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thom Fitzgerald</span> American film director

Thomas "Thom" Fitzgerald is an American-Canadian film and theatre director, screenwriter, playwright and producer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicolas Winding Refn</span> Danish filmmaker

Nicolas Winding Refn is a Danish film director, screenwriter, and producer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Debra Granik</span> American film director, screenwriter and cinematographer (born 1963)

Debra Granik is an American filmmaker. She is most known for 2004's Down to the Bone, which starred Vera Farmiga, 2010's Winter's Bone, which starred Jennifer Lawrence in her breakout performance and for which Granik was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, and 2018's Leave No Trace, a film based on the book My Abandonment by Peter Rock.

Plastic Utopia is a 1997 independent comedy written by David Zellner and Nathan Zellner. It was directed by David Zellner. It was the first feature film made by the Zellner Brothers.

<i>Colin Fitz Lives!</i> 1997 independent film

Colin Fitz Lives!, also known simply as Colin Fitz is a 1997 independent film directed by Robert Bella. Colin Fitz Lives! was shot on 35mm in New York City. The budget was $150,000 and the film was shot in 14 days. It had its World Premiere in Dramatic Competition at the 1997 Sundance Film Festival. The film won awards at several film festivals, including the Austin Film Festival and the Long Island Film Festival. However, it did not receive theatrical distribution, as Bella lacked the funds to finish the film's post-production, pay deferred salaries, and secure music rights for more than a decade after the festival.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marielle Heller</span> American director, writer and actress

Marielle Stiles Heller is an American director, screenwriter and actress. She is best known for directing the films The Diary of a Teenage Girl (2015), Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018), and A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019), as well as acting in The Queen’s Gambit (2020).

Kipp Marcus is an American actor, screenwriter, producer, and digital media executive. He is best known for his role as the oldest brother Kip Cleaver on the revival television series The New Leave It To Beaver. He has also received critical acclaim for his screenwriting and acting in the film Let It Snow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sean Durkin</span> Canadian film director

Timothy Sean Durkin is a Canadian-American film director, screenwriter, and producer. Durkin is known for directing the critically acclaimed independent films Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011), The Nest (2020), and The Iron Claw (2023). He is also known for directing episodes of the Channel 4 series Southcliffe (2013) and the Amazon Prime Video miniseries Dead Ringers (2023).

<i>The Imposter</i> (2012 film) 2012 British film directed by Bart Layton

The Imposter is a 2012 documentary film about the 1997 case of a French confidence trickster Frédéric Bourdin, who pretended to be Nicholas Patrick Barclay, an American boy who had disappeared in Texas at the age of 13 in 1994. The film was directed by Bart Layton. It mainly includes interviews with Bourdin but also with members of Barclay's family, as well as archive television news footage and reenacted dramatic sequences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Sundance Film Festival</span>

The 2014 Sundance Film Festival took place from January 16, 2014 until January 26, 2014 in Park City, Utah, United States, with screenings in Salt Lake City, Ogden, and Sundance Resort in Utah. The festival opened with Whiplash directed by Damien Chazelle and closed with musical drama Rudderless directed by William H. Macy.

<i>Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter</i> 2014 film directed by David Zellner

Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter is a 2014 American drama film co-written and directed by David Zellner. The film stars Rinko Kikuchi, Nobuyuki Katsube, Shirley Venard, David Zellner, Nathan Zellner, and Kanako Higashi. Alexander Payne and Kikuchi serve as executive producers.

<i>Nick Offerman: American Ham</i> 2014 film directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts

Nick Offerman: American Ham is a 2014 American stand-up comedy film, directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts. It is written by the American actor, writer and carpenter, Nick Offerman. The film had its world premiere at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival on January 23, 2014. The special was removed from Netflix in December 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justin Simien</span> American filmmaker, actor, and author (born 1983)

Justin Simien is an Afro-American filmmaker, actor, and author. His first feature film, Dear White People, won the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Talent at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. It was later adapted into the Netflix series of the same name (2017–2021). Simien has also been named to Variety's 2013 "10 Directors to Watch" list.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Zellner</span> American film director, screenwriter, and actor

David Zellner is an American film director, screenwriter and actor. He is best known for directing the films Kid-Thing (2012), Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter (2014), and Damsel (2018).

Diane Bell is a Scottish filmmaker who works and resides in Los Angeles.

<i>Umrika</i> 2015 film by Prashant Nair

Umrika (transl. America) is a 2015 Indian Hindi comedy-drama film written and directed by Prashant Nair, and produced by Swati Shetty and Manish Mundra. It features Suraj Sharma, Tony Revolori, Smita Tambe, Rajesh Tailang, Pramod Pathak, Adil Hussain, Amit Sial, Sauraseni Maitra and Prateik Babbar.

O Muel is a South Korean film director and screenwriter. He wrote and directed the award-winning film Jiseul in 2012.

<i>Pleasure</i> (2021 film) 2021 film by Ninja Thyberg

Pleasure is a 2021 drama film written and directed by Ninja Thyberg in her feature directorial debut. The film is based on Thyberg's 2013 short of the same name, and is about a young woman from a small Swedish town who moves to Los Angeles to become a porn star. It stars Sofia Kappel, Revika Anne Reustle, Evelyn Claire, Chris Cock, Dana DeArmond and Kendra Spade.

References

  1. "On stage: 'Bakersfield Mist,' 'Pirates of Penzance Jr.,' 'Stand and Deliver,' Kevin Shea". VC Star. May 8, 2018. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  2. "Robert Bella". Dramatic Publishing. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
  3. 1 2 "Robert Bella". Atlantic Acting School. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
  4. "Colin Fitz Lives! Reviews". TV Guide . 1997. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
  5. Hernandez, Eugene (July 23, 2010). "Colin Fitz Director Robert Bella: From Sundance To Hell and Back Again". Indiewire. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
  6. "Austin Film Festival - 1997". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  7. "Robert Bella - Awards". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  8. "Robert Bella - Awards". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  9. Hernandez, Eugene (July 23, 2010). "Colin Fitz Director Robert Bella: From Sundance To Hell and Back Again". Indiewire. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
  10. "Robert Bella". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  11. "Robert Bella". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  12. "Robert Bella". Twitter. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  13. SimonC (July 17, 2010). "Sundance Selects – Colin Fitz!". WorldFilmFest.net. Retrieved December 27, 2014.