Jump to content

Daniels (directors)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Daniels
Daniels smiling in front of a film poster
Scheinert (left) and Kwan promoting Swiss Army Man in 2016
BornDaniel Kwan
(1988-02-10) February 10, 1988 (age 36)
Westborough, Massachusetts, U.S.
Daniel Scheinert
(1987-06-07) June 7, 1987 (age 37)
Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
Alma materEmerson College (BFA)
Occupations
  • Film directors
  • screenwriters
  • producers
Years active2007–present
Notable workSwiss Army Man
Everything Everywhere All at Once
SpouseKwan:
​
(m. 2016)​
ChildrenKwan: 1

Daniel Kwan (born February 10, 1988)[1] and Daniel Scheinert (born June 7, 1987),[2] known collectively as the Daniels, are an American filmmaking duo. They began their career as directors of music videos,[3] including ones for "Houdini" (2012) by Foster the People and "Turn Down for What" (2013) by DJ Snake and Lil Jon, both of which earned them nominations at the Grammy Awards.

They have since ventured into film, having written and directed the absurdist comedy-dramas Swiss Army Man (2016) and Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022). The latter became A24's highest-grossing and most popular film,[4] and won the duo many awards, including Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay.[5][6][7]

Careers

[edit]

Music videos

[edit]

Kwan and Scheinert met while they were both studying film at Emerson College in Boston.[8] Kwan graduated in 2010 and Scheinert graduated in 2009.[9] They went to college with Sunita Mani, who starred with Kwan in the music video for "Turn Down for What",[10] which they directed.[11]

Since 2011, the duo have directed music videos for artists including Foster the People, The Shins and Tenacious D. In 2018, Kwan co-founded the group We Direct Music Videos (W.D.M.V.), described as "a global community of music video directors who are committed to sustainable directorial labor practices".[12]

Transition to film and television

[edit]

In 2016, the duo expanded to feature films, writing and directing Swiss Army Man, starring Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe,[13] which received positive reviews,[14] as well as the duo winning the Directing Award at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival.[15] In 2019, Scheinert directed the black comedy-drama film The Death of Dick Long, which premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival and received positive reviews.

The Daniels have since accumulated several television directing credits, including Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens, Legion (Kwan only) and On Becoming a God in Central Florida (Scheinert only). The duo were attached as directors on a prospective TV adaption of Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut, being developed by Noah Hawley, but the project was not picked up.[16]

Everything Everywhere All at Once

[edit]

The Daniels announced in 2017 they would write, direct, and produce a science-fiction film with their producing partner Jonathan Wang and the Russo brothers.[17][18] Everything Everywhere All at Once, starring Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, James Hong and Jamie Lee Curtis, was released in March 2022 to widespread critical acclaim and box office success, garnering several awards and accolades for the duo including Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Director at the 95th Academy Awards.[19] The film received 11 Academy Award nominations, more than any other film that year, and won seven. Prior to the Oscars ceremony, IGN calculated that Everything Everywhere All at Once had surpassed The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) as the most awarded film of all time.[20]

Upcoming projects

[edit]

As of 2022, the Daniels have signed a first look TV deal with A24.[21] The same year, they also signed a five-year film deal with Universal Pictures.[22]

The duo were on the Time 100 Next list in 2022.[23]

In March 2023, it was revealed that the Daniels had directed one episode of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew (2024).[24][25]

In February 2024, it was revealed that the Daniels' next feature film would be released on June 12, 2026.[26]

Personal lives

[edit]

Kwan was born in Westborough, Massachusetts, to a Taiwanese mother and a father from Hong Kong. He has been married to fellow filmmaker and animator Kirsten Lepore since 2016, and together they have one son.[27][28] Kwan was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder after researching the condition for Everything Everywhere All At Once.[29]

Scheinert was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, the son of Becky and Ken Scheinert.[30][31] He attended Oak Mountain Elementary and Middle School, and was a student at the advanced magnet program Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School at the campus of Shades Valley High School.[30]

In 2023 the Daniels won the Emerson College EVVY Alumni Award of Distinction.

Filmography

[edit]

Short film

[edit]
Year Title Director Writer Notes
2009 Swingers Yes Yes [10]
2010 Puppets Yes Yes [10]
2011 My Best Friend's Wedding/
My Best Friend's Sweating 		Yes Yes
2014 Possibilia Yes Yes
2014 Interesting Ball Yes Yes
2020 Omniboat: A Fast Boat Fantasia Yes Yes Segments

Scheinert only

Year Title Director Writer
2007 I'm Nostalgic Yes No
2008 Trust Yes Yes

Feature film

[edit]
Year Title Director Writer Producer
2016 Swiss Army Man Yes Yes No
2022 Everything Everywhere All at Once Yes Yes Yes

Scheinert only

Year Title Director Producer Notes
2019 The Death of Dick Long Yes Yes Also portrayed Dick Long;
Also performed "It's Been Awhile"

Television

[edit]
Year Title Episode
2013 NTSF:SD:SUV:: "Comic Con Air"
"Wreck the Malls"
Childrens Hospital "Coming and Going"
Infomercials "Broomshakalaka!"
2020 Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens "Grandma & Chill"
2024 Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Post-production

Kwan only

Year Title Episode
2019 Legion "Chapter 23"

Scheinert only

Year Title Episode
2017 Right Now Kapow "Radical Mutants/My Fair Peasant"
2019 On Becoming a God in Central Florida "Many Masters"

Music videos

[edit]
Year Title Artist Notes
2010 "Underwear" FM Belfast [32]
"Pigeons" The Hundred in the Hands
"Commotion"
2011 "Simple Math" Manchester Orchestra
"Don't Stop (Color on the Walls)" Foster the People [10]
"When the Night Falls" Chromeo (featuring Solange Knowles)
2012 "My Machines" Battles
"Simple Song" The Shins [10]
"Houdini" Foster the People [10]
"Rize of the Fenix" Tenacious D [10]
2013 "Cry Like a Ghost" Passion Pit
2014 "Turn Down for What" DJ Snake and Lil Jon [10]
"Tongues" Joywave
2017 "The Sunshine" Manchester Orchestra
"The Alien"[33]

Accolades

[edit]
Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
2013 Grammy Awards Best Short Form Music Video "Houdini" Nominated [34]
2015 Best Music Video "Turn Down for What" Nominated [35]
2016 Gotham Independent Film Awards Breakthrough Director Swiss Army Man Nominated [36]
Sundance Film Festival Directing Award Dramatic Won [37]
[38]
[39]
[40]
2017 Independent Spirit Awards Best First Feature Nominated [41]
2022 Hollywood Critics Association Midseason Film Awards Best Picture Everything Everywhere All at Once Won [42]
Best Director Won
Best Screenplay Won
Best Indie Film Won
Saturn Awards Best Fantasy Film Won [43]
[44]
Best Writing Nominated
Gotham Independent Film Awards Best Feature Won [45]
British Independent Film Awards Best International
Independent Film 		Nominated [46]
National Board of Review Awards Top Ten Films Won [47]
American Film Institute Awards Top 10 Films of the Year Won [48]
New York Film Critics Online Awards Best Director Won [49]
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards Best Film Won [50]
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Best Film Won [51]
Best Director Won
Best Original Screenplay Won
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards Best Film Nominated [52]
[53]
Best Director Won
Best Original Screenplay Nominated
St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Awards Best Picture Won [54]
[55]
Best Action Film Nominated
Best Comedy Film Nominated
Best Director Runner-up
Best Original Screenplay Won
Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards Best Picture Won [56]
Best Director Won
Best Screenplay Runner-up
Florida Film Critics Circle Awards Best Picture Won [57]
Best Director Nominated
Best Original Screenplay Runner-up
2023 Academy Awards Best Picture Won [58]
Best Director Won
Best Original Screenplay Won
British Academy Film Awards Best Film Nominated [59]
Best Director Nominated
Best Original Screenplay Nominated
Golden Globe Awards Best Picture - Musical/Comedy Nominated [60]
Best Director - Motion Picture Nominated
Best Screenplay - Motion Picture Nominated
Gold List Best Director Won [61]
Critics' Choice Movie Awards Best Picture Won [62]
Best Director Won
Best Original Screenplay Won
Best Comedy Nominated
Directors Guild of America Awards Outstanding Direction-
Feature Film 		Won [63]
Producers Guild of America Awards Outstanding Producer Won [64]
Writers Guild of America Awards Best Original Screenplay Won [65]
Satellite Awards Best Motion Picture–
Comedy or Musical 		Won [66]
Best Original Screenplay Nominated
Hollywood Critics Association Film Awards Best Picture Won [67]
Best Indie Film Nominated
Best Director Won
Best Original Screenplay Won
AACTA International Awards Best Film Nominated [68]
Best Direction Nominated
Independent Spirit Awards Best Feature Won [69]
Best Director Won
Best Screenplay Won

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "救你命3000". 2016年辛丹斯電影節：香港 / Sundance Hong Kong. Archived from the original on August 23, 2016.
  2. ^ Jourdan Aldredge (September 24, 2018). "Insights into the State of the Music Video Production Industry". The Beat: A Blog by Premiumbeat. Archived from the original on March 16, 2023.
  3. ^ "DANIELS - directing duo". Archived from the original on June 19, 2021. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
  4. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (September 30, 2022). "'Everything Everywhere All At Once' Crosses $70M U.S., $103M Worldwide, Adding To Totals Of A24's Highest-Grossing Movie Ever – Update". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 16, 2023. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  5. ^ 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' Wins Best Picture | 95th Oscars (2023)
  6. ^ 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' Wins Best Directing | 95th Oscars (2023)
  7. ^ 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' Wins Best Original Screenplay | 95th Oscars (2023)
  8. ^ Slane, Kevin (July 6, 2016). "How two Emerson grads made the weirdest movie of 2016". Boston.com. Archived from the original on December 7, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  9. ^ "Alumni "Daniels" on Emerson, "Swiss Army Man," and What's Ahead". Emerson Today. June 30, 2016. Archived from the original on March 13, 2023. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h Fear, David (March 23, 2022). "Twerking, Time Warps and Tenacious D: A Viewer's Guide to the Daniels". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on April 21, 2022. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
  11. ^ Pearl, Max (March 20, 2014). "Meet the Man Behind Lil Jon & DJ Snake's "Turn Down for What" Video". Vice. Archived from the original on March 26, 2014. Retrieved May 7, 2014.
  12. ^ "WDMV advocates for the fair treatment of music video directors". Shots.net. July 29, 2019. Archived from the original on August 9, 2019. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  13. ^ Fleming, Mike (June 29, 2015). "Paul Dano, Daniel Radcliffe & Mary Elizabeth Winstead Join 'Swiss Army Man'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 7, 2019. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
  14. ^ Swiss Army Man, Rotten Tomatoes, July 2016, archived from the original on December 7, 2022, retrieved December 6, 2022
  15. ^ Patton, Domonic (January 30, 2016). "Sundance Film Festival Awards". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 31, 2016. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
  16. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (August 13, 2021). "Noah Hawley 'Cat's Cradle' Not Moving Forward At FX". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 17, 2022. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  17. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (July 25, 2017). "Fox Sets Russo Brothers in Co-Finance & WW Distribution Deal for New Movie Projects". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 14, 2019. Retrieved July 14, 2019.
  18. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (March 22, 2017). "Joe & Anthony Russo Set Next Pic By 'Swiss Army Man' Daniels Duo". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 15, 2019. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
  19. ^ "Everything Everywhere All at Once". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Archived from the original on May 22, 2022. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
  20. ^ Zee, Michaela; Josh, Du (March 9, 2023). "Everything Everywhere All at Once Passes Return of the King as Most-Awarded Movie Ever". IGN. Archived from the original on March 13, 2023. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
  21. ^ Kohn, Eric (March 13, 2022). "'Everything Everywhere All at Once' Directors Turned Down 'Loki' to Direct Their Own Multiverse Comedy". IndieWire. Archived from the original on March 13, 2022. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  22. ^ Rubin, Rebecca (August 2, 2022). "'Everything Everywhere All at Once' Directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert Sign Exclusive Five-Year Pact With Universal". Variety. Archived from the original on August 9, 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  23. ^ Radcliffe, Daniel (September 28, 2022). "2022 TIME100 Next: Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan". Time. Archived from the original on December 7, 2022. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  24. ^ Couch, Aaron (March 20, 2023). "'Everything Everywhere' Filmmakers Daniels Working On 'Star Wars' Series 'Skeleton Crew'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 20, 2023. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
  25. ^ Chapman, Wilson (March 20, 2023). "'Everything Everywhere's' The Daniels Will Direct At Least One Ep of 'Star Wars: Skeleton Crew' for Disney+". IndieWire.
  26. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (February 29, 2024). "'The Daniels' Next Movie At Universal Hits Cinemas Summer 2026". Deadline. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  27. ^ Ito, Robert (June 14, 2016). "'Swiss Army Man,' the Strangest Movie Shown at Sundance?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on May 23, 2022. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  28. ^ Daniel Kwan [@dunkwun] (August 22, 2016). "This is Kir and I the day after our wedding. I'm not ready to post an actual picture of the wedding because I don't think I'll be able to come up with a caption that will do it justice. I will probably never have the words to describe the insanely transcendent rocket ship made of clouds we found ourselves on the day we got married, but it was one of those rare times where life exceeds all expectations and gives you a wholly new experience. I generally avoid hyperbole, unless it's a joke, but this really was one of the best weekends of my life. Photo cred: @chelseanicolelepore #kwanlepore" – via Instagram.
  29. ^ Pasternack, Alex (April 7, 2022). "'Everything Everywhere All at Once' is a mesmerizing ode to our chaos". Fast Company. Archived from the original on April 11, 2022. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  30. ^ a b Flanagan, Ben (April 14, 2022). "One of the Daniels on his Alabama roots, fitting his state into 'Everything Everywhere'". Al.com. Archived from the original on May 17, 2022. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  31. ^ Colurso, Mary (December 12, 2022). "Alabama filmmaker nominated for 2 Golden Globes, competing against Spielberg and Cameron". Al.com. Archived from the original on December 13, 2022. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  32. ^ Ebiri, Bilge (February 28, 2023). "The Cult of Daniels". Vulture. Archived from the original on March 13, 2023. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  33. ^ Boilen, Bob (June 22, 2017). "First Watch: Manchester Orchestra 'The Alien'". NPR. Archived from the original on October 29, 2020. Retrieved October 15, 2019.
  34. ^ "2013 Grammy Nominations: The Full List". MTV. December 6, 2012. Archived from the original on November 25, 2022. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  35. ^ Lynch, Joe (December 5, 2014). "Grammys 2015: And the Nominees Are…". Billboard.com. Archived from the original on December 31, 2022. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  36. ^ Sharf, Zack (October 20, 2016). "Gotham Awards 2016 Nominations". Indiewire. Archived from the original on November 24, 2016. Retrieved November 23, 2016.
  37. ^ "Sundance: The Birth of a Nation Sweeps Top Prizes". Variety. January 31, 2016. Retrieved February 1, 2016.
  38. ^ "Awards and Winners". Sundance. Archived from the original on October 27, 2017. Retrieved February 1, 2016.
  39. ^ "A Complete List of Sundance Award Winning Movies". Sundance Film Festival 2020. October 18, 2019. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
  40. ^ "Smoke Signals" and "Swiss Army Man" Celebrate June Birthdays - sundance.org
  41. ^ Nordine, Michael (November 22, 2016). "2017 Independent Spirit Award Nominations". Indiewire. Archived from the original on November 23, 2016. Retrieved November 23, 2016.
  42. ^ Anderson, Erik (July 1, 2022). "Everything Everywhere All at Once sweeps HCA Midseason Film Awards, Austin Butler named Best Actor". AwardsWatch. Archived from the original on July 1, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  43. ^ Tinoco, Armando (August 12, 2022). "Saturn Awards Nominations: The Batman, Nightmare Alley, Spider-Man, Better Call Saul Top List". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 12, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
  44. ^ O'Rourke, Ryan (October 26, 2022). "Saturn Award Winners Headlined By Everything Everywhere All At Once, Top Gun Maverick, and Better Call Saul". Collider. Archived from the original on October 26, 2022. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  45. ^ Zilko, Christian (November 28, 2022). "Gotham Awards Winners List (Updating Live)". IndieWire. Archived from the original on January 29, 2023. Retrieved November 28, 2022.
  46. ^ Ntim, Zac (November 4, 2022). "British Independent Film Awards: 'Aftersun,' 'Blue Jean' & 'The Wonder' Lead Nominations". Deadline. Archived from the original on November 4, 2022. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  47. ^ Davis, Clayton; Moreau, Jordan (December 8, 2022). "Top Gun: Maverick Named Best Picture by National Board of Review". Variety. Archived from the original on December 8, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  48. ^ Lewis, Hilary (December 9, 2022). "AFI Best Film, TV Shows of 2022 Include Avatar Sequel, Women Talking, The Bear and Mo". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
  49. ^ Butler, Karen (December 11, 2022). "Banshees of Inisherin wins big at New York Film Critics Online". United Press International. Archived from the original on December 11, 2022. Retrieved December 11, 2022.
  50. ^ Thomas, Carly (December 11, 2022). "'Tár' and 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' Named Best Picture by L.A. Film Critics". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on December 22, 2022. Retrieved December 11, 2022.
  51. ^ Anderson, Erik (December 12, 2022). "Washington DC Critics go for Everything Everywhere All At Once, Glass Onion, The Banshees of Inisherin". AwardsWatch. Archived from the original on December 12, 2022. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  52. ^ Tallerico, Brian (December 12, 2022). "Everything Everywhere All at Once Leads Chicago Film Critics Nominations". RogerEbert.com. Archived from the original on December 12, 2022. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  53. ^ Tallerico, Brian (December 14, 2022). "The Banshees of Inisherin Named Best Picture by Chicago Film Critics Association". RogerEbert.com. Archived from the original on December 15, 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  54. ^ Anderson, Erik (December 11, 2022). "The Banshees of Inisherin, Everything Everywhere All At Once lead 2022 St. Louis Film Critics Association nominations". AwardsWatch. Archived from the original on December 12, 2022. Retrieved December 14, 2022.
  55. ^ Anderson, Erik (December 18, 2022). "2022 St. Louis Film Critics Association winners: Everything Everywhere All At Once, Women Talking, Elvis". AwardsWatch. Archived from the original on December 19, 2022. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  56. ^ Neglia, Matt (December 19, 2022). "The 2022 Dallas Fort-Worth Film Critics Association (DFWFCA) Winners". NextBestPicture. Archived from the original on December 20, 2022. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  57. ^ Neglia, Matt (December 14, 2022). "The 2022 Florida Film Critics Circle (FFCC) Nominations". Next Best Picture. Archived from the original on December 16, 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  58. ^ "2023". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on January 24, 2023. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
  59. ^ "2023 EE BAFTA Film Awards: The Nominations". BAFTA. January 19, 2023. Archived from the original on January 19, 2023. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  60. ^ "Winners & Nominees 2023". Golden Globe Awards. Archived from the original on August 2, 2019. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  61. ^ "The Gold List". Gold House. Archived from the original on October 27, 2023. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
    Complex, Valerie (January 10, 2023). "Gold House & CAPE Unveils 2023 Gold List To Celebrate Asian Film Achievements And Guide Voters As Awards Seasons Takes Off". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on October 27, 2023. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
  62. ^ Huff, Lauren (January 15, 2023). "Critics Choice Awards 2023: The full winners list". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on October 22, 2023. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
  63. ^ Davis, Clayton (January 11, 2023). "DGA Awards: Steven Spielberg and the Daniels Lead Nominees, With Women Shut Out in Top Category". Variety. Archived from the original on January 22, 2023. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  64. ^ "Producers Guild of America Awards Celebrates Everything Everywhere All At Once, White Lotus, The Bear, Navalny & more with Top Honors" (Press release). Los Angeles: Producers Guild of America. February 25, 2023. Archived from the original on March 4, 2023. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  65. ^ Davis, Clayton (January 25, 2023). "WGA Nominations: 'Everything Everywhere,' 'Nope' and 'Wakanda Forever' Among Recognized Screenplays". Variety. Archived from the original on January 25, 2023. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  66. ^ Anderson, Erik (December 8, 2022). "Top Gun: Maverick leads International Press Academy's 27th Satellite Awards nominations". AwardsWatch. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  67. ^ Anderson, Erik (December 15, 2022). "6th Hollywood Critics Association Film Awards nominations: 'Everything Everywhere All At One,' 'The Banshees of Inisherin' lead". AwardsWatch. Archived from the original on December 15, 2022. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  68. ^ Shackleton, Liz (December 15, 2022). "'The Banshees Of Inisherin', 'Everything Everywhere All At Once' Head Nominations For Australia's AACTA International Awards". Deadline. Archived from the original on December 15, 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  69. ^ Lattanzio, Ryan (November 22, 2022). "2023 Film Independent Spirit Award Nominations Announced (Updating Live)". IndieWire. Archived from the original on November 22, 2022. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
[edit]
Retrieved from "http://en.wiki.x.io/w/index.php?title=Daniels_(directors)&oldid=1257109325"