Mike Figgis

Birthplace: Kenya
Birthday: February 28, 1948

With his roots in experimental theater and music, it is perhaps surprising that Kenyan-born writer-director Mike Figgis started out as such a conventional filmmaker, but his dissatisfaction with the Hollywood studio system eventually led to his true calling as one of the most innovative auteurs working in contemporary cinema. After studying music in London, he became a member of Gas Board, an English rhythm-and-blues band (which also featured a pre-fame Bryan Ferry), and later went on tour for nearly a decade with an experimental theater group …more

Full Biography

Credits

Actor

The Fine Art of Separating People From Their Money
Interviewee
Hollywood Salutes Nicolas Cage: An American Cinematheque Tribute

Director

The Blues
Director
Women & Men II
Director ("Mara")
Women & Men II
Director ( Mara )
Canterbury s Law
Director
The Sopranos
Director

Music

Women & Men II
Music ("Mara")
The Blues
Music Producer (Abbey Road)

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Career Milestones

2000
Produced, scripted and directed "Time Code", in which four digital video cameras were employed to capture different perspectives; shot in sequence in real time entirely with hand-held cameras over the course of one day; has the distinction of being the first feature filmed in one take (there were several "takes", but what the audience sees is one complete take selected by Figgis as the best); also operated one of the four cameras
1999
Helmed two 50-minute documentaries ("Flamenco Women" and "Just Dancing Around"); screened at NYC's Anthology Film Archives as "Two Dance Videotapes by Mike Figgis"
1999
Produced, directed and wrote music for film adaptation of August Strindberg's "Miss Julie"; shot on 16mm in 16 days with two hand-held cameras on one set; used split-screen technique for the love scene, prefiguring his innovative four camera point-of-view in "Time Code"
1999
Rejected linear narrative form to tell "The Loss of Sexual Innocence"; directed, scripted, wrote music and played trumpet
1998
Signed an exclusive two-year production deal with Columbia Pictures