Steven Martini

Last updated
Steven Martini
Born1975or1976(age 47–48) [1]
New York City
Occupation(s)screenwriter, actor, producer, composer, singer/songwriter

Steven Martini is a writer, actor, composer, editor, and singer/songwriter. His first break as an actor was as Cadet Alex J. Stone in Major Payne . He and his brother Derick Martini wrote the films Smiling Fish and Goat on Fire and Lymelife . Based on experiences from the Martinis' childhood, Lymelife won the FIPRESCI award at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival, and premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. Martini is also known for being the singer/songwriter for the Los Angeles–based band The Spaceship Martini.

Contents

Personal life

After the release of Major Payne , Martini moved to Los Angeles to work in film and television. Derick soon followed suit, and, before long, they started making Smiling Fish and Goat on Fire , in which they play the titular brother characters. [1] The Martini brothers have gone on to portray Alex and Morris Karnofsky in Louis, a silent film they co-wrote, based on the historical brothers who helped Louis Armstrong get his first trumpet.

The story of Lymelife is based on Steven and Derick's childhood in the New York suburbs of Long Island. [2] After the incidents of the film, Steven moved from Long Island back into his birthplace of New York City, where he attended the Professional Children's School. [3] There, he met the Culkin brothers, who portrayed the Martini brothers on film. It was during this period that Steven met Adrianna, whose father had Lyme disease. This relationship is the basis of the love story between Rory Culkin and Emma Roberts in the film.

During the Sundance Labs, Kieran Culkin played the role of Scott, which is based on Steven, and later was played by his brother Rory Culkin. Steven played Jimmy, the role eventually played by Kieran, and based on older brother Derick. Alec Baldwin played their father. His brother William Baldwin co-produced Lymelife.

Career

Because of his early roles including Major Payne and the TV series Prince Street, many of his viewers see Steven as an up-an-coming star who bears a strong resemblance to a young Mel Gibson because of his looks, voice, and acting skills. Steven's writing career began instead with Smiling Fish and Goat on Fire , a film he and his brother financed for $50,000 and starred as the title roles, which won the Discovery Award at the 1999 Toronto International Film Festival. Smiling Fish was co-written and directed by Steven's friend and fellow Professional Children's School alumni, Kevin Jordan. [1] The film drew from experiences in the Martini brothers' lives. [4]

His second script, Lymelife , was accepted in the Sundance Institute's Film Program, where he and Derick shot, edited, and scored several scenes, which were reviewed by celebrity creative advisers. [5] Some of this experience was recorded in Sundance 20, a documentary film made by director Doug Pray.

Martini is currently the singer/songwriter of The Spaceship Martini. "Spaceship" is Martini's nickname, based on his "out there" demeanor. [6] The music of the Spaceship Martini is an ever-evolving mix of storytelling and sound, often centering on the lyrics that Martini writes. Most recently they scored Lymelife. [7] [8] [9]

Martini started editing Lymelife during the 22-day film shoot in New Jersey on Final Cut Pro, a program he learned during pre-production. The film's score, which was recorded under the Spaceship Martini moniker, [7] evolved out of the editing process.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Macaulay Culkin</span> American actor (born 1980)

Macaulay Macaulay Culkin Culkin is an American actor and musician. One of the most successful child actors of the 1990s, he was placed 2nd on VH1's 2005 list of the "100 Greatest Kid-Stars". Culkin rose to prominence as a child actor starring as Kevin McCallister in the first two films of the Home Alone film series, for which he was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rory Kennedy</span> American filmmaker

Rory Elizabeth Katherine Kennedy is an American documentary filmmaker. Kennedy has made documentary films that center on social issues such as addiction, nuclear radiation, the treatment of prisoners-of-war, and the politics of the Mexican border fence. Her films have been featured on many television networks. She is the youngest child of U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Skakel.

<i>You Can Count on Me</i> 2000 American film

You Can Count on Me is a 2000 American drama film written and directed by Kenneth Lonergan in his feature directorial debut. Starring Laura Linney, Mark Ruffalo, Rory Culkin, and Matthew Broderick, the film follows a single mother living in a small Catskill Mountains town, and her complicated relationships with family and friends.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rory Culkin</span> American actor (born 1989)

Rory Hugh Culkin is an American actor known for his roles in Scream 4, Lords of Chaos, You Can Count on Me, Columbus, and M. Night Shyamalan's Signs. He is the youngest brother of actors Macaulay and Kieran Culkin.

<i>Mean Creek</i> 2004 film by Jacob Aaron Estes

Mean Creek is a 2004 American coming-of-age psychological drama film written and directed by Jacob Aaron Estes and starring Rory Culkin, Ryan Kelley, Scott Mechlowicz, Trevor Morgan, Josh Peck, and Carly Schroeder. It was produced by Susan Johnson, Rick Rosenthal, and Hagai Shaham.

<i>Igby Goes Down</i> 2002 American film

Igby Goes Down is a 2002 American comedy-drama film that follows the life of Igby Slocumb, a rebellious and sardonic teenager who attempts to break free of his familial ties and wealthy, overbearing mother. The film was written and directed by Burr Steers, and stars Kieran Culkin, Claire Danes, Jeff Goldblum, Susan Sarandon, Amanda Peet, Ryan Phillippe, Bill Pullman and Jared Harris. It was given a limited theatrical release through United Artists on September 13, 2002, in the United States, and received generally positive reviews from critics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kieran Culkin</span> American actor (born 1982)

Kieran Kyle Culkin is an American actor. Culkin starred as Roman Roy in the HBO television series Succession from 2018 to 2023, for which he won a Golden Globe Award and a Primetime Emmy Award.

Christopher Cornelius Culkin is an American former stage actor. He is the father of actors Macaulay Culkin, Rory Culkin and Kieran Culkin, and the older brother of actress Bonnie Bedelia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ari Gold (filmmaker)</span> American filmmaker, actor and musician (born 1970)

Ari Gold is an American filmmaker, actor and musician. His short film Helicopter was about the aftermath of his mother Melissa Dilworth Gold's 1991 death. His feature debut Adventures of Power premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival and made its European debut at the 2008 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenneth Lonergan</span> American film director, playwright, and screenwriter

Kenneth Lonergan is an American film director, playwright, and screenwriter. He is the co-writer of the film Gangs of New York (2002), and wrote and directed You Can Count on Me (2000), Margaret (2011), and Manchester by the Sea (2016). Lonergan is also known for his work as a playwright. His most noted plays include This Is Our Youth, Lobby Hero and The Waverly Gallery. Each also had a successful revival engagement on Broadway, which resulted in each play receiving a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play.

<i>Chasing 3000</i> 2007 US sports drama film by Gregory J. Lanesey

Chasing 3000 is a 2007 American independent film chronicling the cross-country travel of two brothers to see the 3,000th base hit of Major League Baseball legend Roberto Clemente. It stars Trevor Morgan, Rory Culkin, Ray Liotta, and Lauren Holly. The film was originally meant to premiere at the 2006 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, but its release was delayed until April 2007.

<i>Lymelife</i> 2008 film

Lymelife is a 2008 American comedy-drama film written by brothers Derick Martini and Steven Martini, and directed by Derick Martini, depicting aspects of their life in 1970s Long Island from a teenager's perspective. It stars Alec Baldwin, Rory Culkin, Kieran Culkin and Emma Roberts. Martin Scorsese served as an executive producer. The film debuted at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival in September 2008, and won the International Federation of Film Critics Award (FIPRESCI). After its theatrical release in 2009, writer director Derick Martini was nominated for a Gotham Award for Breakthrough Director.

Derick Martini is an American screenwriter and film director and an owner of commercial property and advertising billboards located in New York City.

Smiling Fish And Goat On Fire is a film about brothers, made by brothers Derick Martini and Steven Martini who wrote, produced and portrayed two brothers, and directed by Kevin Jordan, writer/director of Brooklyn Lobster. Martin Scorsese served as the Executive Producer and it won the Discovery Award at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film also won the Audience Award at the 2000 Milan International Film Festival. It was released theatrically in September 2000 by the now defunct Stratosphere Entertainment.

<i>Twelve</i> (2010 film) 2010 film

Twelve is a 2010 teen crime drama film directed by Joel Schumacher from a screenplay by Jordan Melamed, based on Nick McDonell's 2002 novel of the same name. The film follows a young drug dealer whose luxurious lifestyle falls apart after his cousin is murdered and his best friend is arrested for the crime. It stars Chace Crawford, Rory Culkin, Curtis Jackson, Emily Meade, and Emma Roberts.

<i>Hick</i> (film) 2011 film by Derick Martini

Hick is a 2011 American comedy-drama film directed by Derick Martini, based on the novel of the same name by Andrea Portes that draws on non-fictional elements. The film stars Chloë Grace Moretz, Eddie Redmayne, Ray McKinnon, Rory Culkin, Juliette Lewis, Blake Lively, and Alec Baldwin. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2011. It received a limited theatrical release on May 11 and is distributed by Phase 4 Films.

<i>Wiener-Dog</i> (film) 2016 American comedy film

Wiener-Dog is a 2016 American comedy film directed and written by Todd Solondz. Starring an ensemble cast led by Ellen Burstyn, Kieran Culkin, Julie Delpy, Danny DeVito, Greta Gerwig, Tracy Letts, and Zosia Mamet, the film serves as a spin-off from Solondz's 1995 film Welcome to the Dollhouse, which also features the character of Dawn Wiener. The film is also inspired by the 1966 drama Au Hasard Balthazar, directed by Robert Bresson.

Amy Hathaway is an American former actress. She first came to prominence as a teenaged actor, playing the role of Shelby Haskell in seasons two and three of My Two Dads (1989–90). She had major co-starring roles in the TV movie Last Exit to Earth (1996) and the feature film Joyride (1997). Her last television role was in a 2009 episode of The Closer, and her last film was a lead role in Gemini Rising (2013).

<i>Lords of Chaos</i> (film) 2018 film directed by Jonas Åkerlund

Lords of Chaos is a 2018 biographical horror thriller film directed by Jonas Åkerlund and written by Dennis Magnusson and Åkerlund. Adapted from the 1998 book of the same name, the film is a historical fiction account of the early 1990s Norwegian black metal scene told from the perspective of Mayhem co-founder Euronymous. It stars Rory Culkin as Euronymous, Emory Cohen as Varg Vikernes, Jack Kilmer as Dead, and Sky Ferreira as Ann-Marit.

A Real Pain is a 2024 comedy drama film, written, directed, and produced by Jesse Eisenberg. It stars Eisenberg, Kieran Culkin, Will Sharpe, Jennifer Grey and Kurt Egyiawan. Emma Stone serves as a producer under her Fruit Tree banner.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Wallace, Amy (1999-10-18). "In Search of a Home for a 'Goat on Fire'". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 2014-08-28.
  2. ↑ Cieply, Michael (2008-09-02). "A Nostalgia for New York, by Way of the Toronto Film Festival". The New York Times . Retrieved 2014-08-28.
  3. ↑ Mallozzi, Vincent M. (2000-08-27). "Syosset Men Put Brotherly Love on Film". The New York Times . Retrieved 2014-08-28.
  4. ↑ Barron, James; Lee, Linda (2000-08-16). "PUBLIC LIVES". The New York Times . Retrieved 2014-08-28.
  5. ↑ Harris, Dana (2000-12-17). "Sundance selects writers". Variety . Retrieved 2014-08-28.
  6. ↑ Piccalo, Gina (2009-04-19). "Kieran and Rory Culkin team in 'Lymelife'". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 2014-08-28.
  7. 1 2 Dargis, Manohla (2009-04-07). "Ticks, Ennui and (Sigh) the Dream Girl Next Door". The New York Times. Retrieved 2020-07-16.
  8. ↑ Durbin, Karen (March 7, 2009). "Lymelife". ELLE. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  9. ↑ Nelson, Rob (September 13, 2008). "Lymelife". Variety. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.