Neill Blomkamp facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Neill Blomkamp
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Blomkamp in 2009
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| Born | 17 September 1979 Johannesburg, Transvaal, South Africa
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| Years active | 1996–present |
| Spouse(s) | Terri Tatchell |
| Children | 1 |
Neill Blomkamp (born 17 September 1979) is a talented film director and writer from South Africa and Canada. He is famous for his science fiction action movies.
He co-wrote and directed District 9 (2009), which was a big hit and earned him a nomination for an Academy Award (like an Oscar!). He also directed Elysium (2013), Chappie (2015), and the sports drama Gran Turismo (2023).
Blomkamp often uses a documentary-like style, making his films feel very real. He mixes natural-looking scenes with amazing computer-made special effects. His movies often explore ideas like being afraid of people who are different (called xenophobia) and how society can be divided. He also works a lot with actor Sharlto Copley.
Time magazine even named Blomkamp one of the 100 Most Influential People in 2009!
Contents
Growing Up in South Africa
Blomkamp was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. When he was 16, he met Sharlto Copley. Sharlto let Neill use computers at his company to follow his passion for 3D animation and design. In return, Neill helped Sharlto with 3D work for different projects. When Neill was 18, he moved to Vancouver, Canada, with his family. There, he studied at the Vancouver Film School.
Neill's Film Career
Starting Out in Movies
In the late 1990s, Neill started working in the film world. He was a visual effects artist and a 3D animator. This means he helped create special effects and animated characters for movies and TV shows. He worked on shows like Stargate SG-1 (1998) and Dark Angel (2000).
In 2003 and 2004, he drew futuristic vehicles for Popular Science magazine. He also worked at special effects companies before directing short films. In 2007, he directed three short films for the Halo video game series to promote Halo 3.
Neill became known for his unique style. He made short films like Tetra Vaal, which looked like a fake ad for a robot police officer. He also made Alive in Joburg, a documentary-style film about aliens stuck in Johannesburg. These short films caught the eye of famous director Peter Jackson. Jackson wanted Neill to direct a movie based on the Halo video games. However, the Halo movie project didn't work out.
His Sci-Fi Movies
When the Halo movie was cancelled, Peter Jackson decided to produce District 9 instead. This movie was based on Neill's short film Alive in Joburg. Neill directed District 9, and his friend Sharlto Copley starred in it. Neill also co-wrote the movie with his wife, Terri Tatchell.
District 9 was released in 2009 and was a huge success! Critics loved it, and it made a lot of money. It was even nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture.
After Elysium, Neill started working on his next sci-fi film, Chappie, in 2013. This movie was based on his earlier short film, Tetra Vaal. Chappie was released in March 2015.
Other Projects and Short Films
In 2015, Neill shared some pictures of ideas for a new Alien movie he wanted to make. He even planned for Sigourney Weaver to return as her character, Ripley. However, this Alien movie project was later cancelled.
In 2017, Neill started his own film company called Oats Studios. He began releasing a series of experimental short films online for free. The idea was to see if people liked a certain theme enough to turn it into a full movie. One of these shorts was Rakka, about an alien invasion.
In 2018, Neill was going to direct a new RoboCop movie. This film would have been a direct sequel to the very first RoboCop movie from 1987. But in 2019, Neill announced he would no longer direct it because he wanted to focus on a horror movie instead.
Recent Big Projects
In 2020, it was revealed that Neill had secretly filmed a supernatural horror movie called Demonic during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2021, news came out that a sequel to District 9 was being developed! In 2022, he directed the sports film Gran Turismo. This movie is based on the popular video game series and the true story of a teenage gamer who became a real racing driver.
Video Games
In 2020, Neill Blomkamp joined Gunzilla Games as a co-founder and Chief Creative Officer. He started working on a game called OFF THE GRID.
Personal Life
Neill Blomkamp is now a Canadian citizen. He is married to screenwriter Terri Tatchell, who he often works with on his films.
Filmography
Feature film
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | District 9 | Yes | Yes | No |
| 2013 | Elysium | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2015 | Chappie | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2021 | Demonic | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2023 | Gran Turismo | Yes | No | No |
Video commercials
| Year | Title | Brand |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Crab | Nike |
| 2004 | Alive with Technology | Citroën C4 |
| 2006 | Rain | Gatorade |
Short film
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Tetra Vaal | Yes | No | Also editor and producer |
| 2005 | Alive in Joburg | Yes | Uncredited | Also visual effects |
| 2006 | Tempbot | Yes | No | |
| Yellow | Yes | No | Also visual effects | |
| 2007 | Halo: Landfall | Yes | No | |
| 2016 | The Escape | Yes | Yes | |
| 2017 | Rakka | Yes | Yes | |
| Firebase | Yes | Yes | ||
| God: Serengeti | Yes | Yes | ||
| God: City | Yes | Yes | ||
| Cooking with Bill: Damasu 950 | Yes | No | Also producer | |
| Cooking with Bill: Sushi | Yes | Yes | ||
| Cooking with Bill: PrestoVeg | Yes | No | ||
| Cooking with Bill: Smoothie | Yes | No | ||
| Zygote | Yes | Yes | ||
| Kapture: Fluke | Yes | Yes | ||
| ADAM: The Mirror | Yes | Yes | ||
| Praetoria | Yes | Yes | ||
| Gdansk | Yes | Yes | ||
| Lima | Yes | Yes | ||
| 2022 | Off the Grid - Switcher Part 1 | Yes | No |
Other roles
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Stargate SG-1 | 3D animator | |
| First Wave | |||
| Mercy Point | |||
| 1999 | Aftershock: Earthquake in New York | Uncredited | |
| 2000 | Dark Angel | Lead animator | |
| 2001 | 3000 Miles to Graceland | Lead 3D animator | |
| 2008 | Crossing the Line | Additional director | |
| TBA | Ash | Executive producer |
Awards and Recognition
Neill Blomkamp has won and been nominated for many awards for his work:
- In 2005, he won a VES award for "Outstanding VFX in a commercial" for Citroën - Alive with technology.
- In 2008, he won a Grand Prix at Cannes Lions for Halo: Combat.
- For District 9, he was nominated for:
- A Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay in 2009.
- A Satellite Award for Best Director and Satellite Award for Best Adapted Screenplay in 2009.
- The Bradbury Award from the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America in 2009 (which he won!).
- An Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and Academy Award for Best Picture in 2010.
See also
In Spanish: Neill Blomkamp para niños
- Neill Blomkamp's unrealized projects
