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Gareth Edwards (director) facts for kids

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Gareth Edwards
Gareth Edwards by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg
Edwards at the 2023 San Diego Comic-Con
Born (1975-07-13) 13 July 1975 (age 48)
Occupation
  • Visual effects artist
  • screenwriter
  • film director
  • cinematographer
  • production designer
  • film producer
Years active 2002–present

Gareth James Edwards (born 13 July 1975) is a Welsh-English filmmaker. He first gained widespread recognition for Monsters (2010), an independent film in which he served as writer, director, cinematographer, and visual effects artist. He subsequently directed Godzilla (2014), a reboot of Toho's Godzilla franchise and the first film in Legendary's MonsterVerse, and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), the first installment of the Star Wars anthology series and an immediate prequel to Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977). He would return to making original films with the science fiction thriller The Creator (2023).

Career

Gareth Edwards (13948426634) (cropped)
Edwards at the 2014 WonderCon

Gareth Edwards was born on 13 July 1975 in Nuneaton, Warwickshire. He is of Welsh parentage. Edwards wanted to direct his own films since childhood, stating that "Star Wars is definitely the reason that I wanted to become a filmmaker". He attended Higham Lane School, followed by college at North Warwickshire College of Technology and Art (now NWSLC), completing a BTEC National Diploma in Audio Visual Studies. Edwards studied film and video at the Surrey Institute of Art & Design, University College in Farnham, graduating in 1996. In 2012, he received an honorary Master of Arts from UCA. Edwards got his start in visual effects, creating digital effects for shows including Nova, Perfect Disaster and Heroes and Villains, for which he created 250 visual effects. In 2008 he entered the Sci-Fi-London 48-hour film challenge, for which a movie had to be created start-to-finish in two days and within certain criteria. Edwards won the contest with his short film Factory Farmed and went on to write and direct Monsters, his first feature. Edwards created the visual effects for Monsters using off-the-shelf equipment. Besides the two main actors, the crew consisted of just five people.

Gareth Edwards December 2016
Edwards at the 2016 Japan premiere for Rogue One

The success of Monsters brought sufficient awareness in Hollywood to land first major projects. After the film's release, he did interviews in Hollywood with several studios, including Legendary Pictures. In January 2011, Edwards acquired his first major Hollywood feature, as director of the 2014 Godzilla reboot from Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures.

Edwards directed Rogue One, the first Star Wars stand-alone film, written by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy, based on a story by John Knoll and Gary Whitta, starring Felicity Jones, and released on 16 December 2016.

Three of his influences for filmmaking are George Lucas, Steven Spielberg and Quentin Tarantino. In May 2016, Edwards exited Godzilla: King of the Monsters in an amicable split with the studio to work on smaller scale projects.

In February 2020, it was reported that Edwards was set to direct and write a film with the working titled True Love for New Regency, with Rogue One co-producer Kiri Hart serving as producer for the project. The movie has since been renamed and released in 2023 as The Creator. The film stars John David Washington. It notably marked his second collaboration with Rogue One cinematographer Greig Fraser and his first collaboration with composer Hans Zimmer. It was released on 29 September 2023.

Filmography

Films

Year Title Director Writer Producer Notes
2010 Monsters Yes Yes No Also director of photography, visual effects and production designer
2014 Godzilla Yes No No
2016 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Yes No No Cameo role: Rebel Soldier who uncouples the Tantive IV
2023 The Creator Yes Yes Yes

Short film

Year Title Director Writer Notes
2008 Factory Farmed Yes Yes Also cinematographer and editor

Other credits

Year Title Role Notes
2007 In the Shadow of the Moon Digital rostrum Documentary film
2014 Monsters: Dark Continent Executive producer
2017 Star Wars: The Last Jedi Cameo role: Resistance Trench Soldier

Television

TV movie

Year Title Director Writer
2005 End Day Yes Yes

Documentary series

Year Title Notes
2006 Perfect Disaster Episodes "Super Tornado" and "Solar Storm";
Also visual effects supervisor
2008 Heroes and Villains Episode "Attila the Hun"

Other credits

Year Title Role Notes
2002–2003 Nova Animator Documentary series (2 episodes)
2003 Seven Wonders of the Industrial World Visual effects Documentary series (7 episodes)
2004 Dive to Bermuda Triangle Digital effects Documentary TV movie
2005 Hiroshima Digital artist
Space Race Digital effects designer / Digital effects artist Documentary series (2 episodes)
UFO's: The Secret Evidence Visual effects supervisor Documentary TV movie
TBA Monsters Consulting producer Future series

Awards and Nominations

Year Award Category Title Result Ref
2010 6th Austin Film Critics Association Awards Best First Film Monsters Won
13th British Independent Film Awards Best British Independent Film Nominated
Douglas Hickox Award
Best Achievement In Production Won
Best Technical Achievement
Best Director
National Board of Review Top Ten Independent Films
Sitges Film Festival Best Special Effects
SXSW Film Festival Audience Award Nominated
14th Toronto Film Critics Association Awards Best First Feature Runner-up
2011 Evening Standard British Film Awards Breakthrough Filmmaker Won
IGN Movie Awards Best Sci-Fi Movie Nominated
37th Saturn Awards Best International Film Won
Best DVD Special Edition Nominated
64th British Academy Film Awards Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer
31st London Film Critics Circle Awards British Film of the Year
Breakthrough British/Irish Filmmaker Won
16th Empire Awards Best British Film Nominated
Best Newcomer
6th Scream Awards Best Science Fiction Movie
Best Independent Movie Won
Trieste Science+Fiction Festival Asteroide Award
Russian National Movie Awards Georges Special Prize

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Gareth Edwards (director de cine) para niños

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