STEVEN SPIELBERG

Let’s not pull any punches. Spielberg’s work has permeated the culture. His blocking and camera work are unmatched. The stories he tells, time & time again, offer hope and look for the best in humanity. We are putty in his hands.

ROBERT RODRIGUEZ

The original rebel without a crew was way ahead of his time. He’s been proselytizing taking advantage of low threshold filmmaking since the 90s. His excitement is contagious and a constant source of inspiration for me.

STANLEY KUBRICK

Many consider him to be the greatest filmmaker of all time and I won’t argue against it. His obsessive preparation and perfectionism elevated his films to the level of classic artists. He was operating on a different level.

JOHN FORD

You can’t talk about Westerns without mentioning him early and often. It’s been said that the unused footage from one of his films would fit into a shoe box. His rugged, but poetic take on the American West is unsurpassed.

LARRY BIRD

Before discovering filmmaking, my first love was basketball. The Legend’s physical “gifts” were vastly inferior to his peers. Slow. Can’t jump. Bad back. His mind & work ethic were his secret weapons.

FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA

Coppola was a brash & bold filmmaker. When he made a film he went all in. His radical American Zoetrope endeavor is an inspiration despite its short life. The Godfather II might be best film about America ever made.

PETER JACKSON

Jackson’s unassuming, laidback manner and resume of low-budget horror films makes him an unlikely movie mogul. But he believed in himself, surrounded himself with an amazing team, and they took the world by storm.

MARTIN SCORSESE

Beyond being one of the greatest living directors, Scorsese leads the charge in film history & preservation. As he preaches his love for cinema, aspiring filmmakers would be wise to sit in the front pew.