RIDLEY SCOTT
Name: Sir Ridley Scott
Born: 30 November 1937 South Shields, England, U.K.
Sir Ridley Scott (born November 30, 1937 in South Shields, Tyne & Wear) is an
Academy Award-nominated British film director and producer. His films include
Alien, Blade Runner, Legend, Black Rain, Thelma & Louise, Gladiator, Black Hawk
Down, Matchstick Men, Kingdom of Heaven, and American Gangster.
Scott grew up in an Army family, meaning that for most of his early life his
father — an officer in the Royal Engineers — was absent. Ridley's older brother,
Frank, joined the Merchant Navy when he was still young and the pair had little
contact. During this time the family moved around, living in (amongst other
areas) Cumbria, Wales and Germany. After the Second World War the Scott family
moved back to their native north-east England, eventually settling in Teesside (whose
industrial landscape would later inspire similar scenes in Blade Runner). He
enjoyed watching films. Among Scott's favourites were (and remain) Lawrence of
Arabia, Citizen Kane and Seven Samurai. Scott studied in Teeside from 1954 to
1958, at the West Hartlepool College of Art, graduating with a Diploma in Design.
He progressed to an M.A. in graphic design at London's Royal College of Art from
1960 to 1962.
At the RCA, he contributed to the college magazine, ARK, and helped to establish
its film department. For his final show he made a black and white short film,
Boy and Bicycle, starring his younger brother, Tony Scott, and his father. The
film's main visual elements would become features of Scott's later work; it was
issued on the 'Extras' section of The Duellists DVD. After graduation in 1963 he
secured a job as a trainee set designer with the BBC, leading to work on the
popular television police series Z-Cars and the science fiction series Out of
the Unknown. Scott was an admirer of Stanley Kubrick early in his development as
a director. For his entry for the BBC traineeship Scott remade Paths of Glory as
a short film.
He was assigned to design the second Doctor Who serial, The Daleks, which would
have entailed realising the famous alien creatures. However, shortly before he
was due to start work a schedule conflict meant that he was replaced on the
serial by Raymond Cusick. At the BBC, Scott was placed into a director
training programme and, before he left the corporation, had directed episodes of
Z-Cars, its spin-off, Softly, Softly, and adventure series Adam Adamant Lives!.
Five members of the Scott family are directors, all working for RSA. Brother
Tony has been a successful film director for more than two decades; sons, Jake (40)
and Luke (37), are both acclaimed commercials directors as is his daughter,
Jordan (27). Jake and Jordan both work from Los Angeles and Luke is based in
London.
Name: Sir Ridley Scott
Born: 30 November 1937 South Shields, England, U.K.
Sir Ridley Scott (born November 30, 1937 in South Shields, Tyne & Wear) is an
Academy Award-nominated British film director and producer. His films include
Alien, Blade Runner, Legend, Black Rain, Thelma & Louise, Gladiator, Black Hawk
Down, Matchstick Men, Kingdom of Heaven, and American Gangster.
Scott grew up in an Army family, meaning that for most of his early life his
father — an officer in the Royal Engineers — was absent. Ridley's older brother,
Frank, joined the Merchant Navy when he was still young and the pair had little
contact. During this time the family moved around, living in (amongst other
areas) Cumbria, Wales and Germany. After the Second World War the Scott family
moved back to their native north-east England, eventually settling in Teesside (whose
industrial landscape would later inspire similar scenes in Blade Runner). He
enjoyed watching films. Among Scott's favourites were (and remain) Lawrence of
Arabia, Citizen Kane and Seven Samurai. Scott studied in Teeside from 1954 to
1958, at the West Hartlepool College of Art, graduating with a Diploma in Design.
He progressed to an M.A. in graphic design at London's Royal College of Art from
1960 to 1962.
At the RCA, he contributed to the college magazine, ARK, and helped to establish
its film department. For his final show he made a black and white short film,
Boy and Bicycle, starring his younger brother, Tony Scott, and his father. The
film's main visual elements would become features of Scott's later work; it was
issued on the 'Extras' section of The Duellists DVD. After graduation in 1963 he
secured a job as a trainee set designer with the BBC, leading to work on the
popular television police series Z-Cars and the science fiction series Out of
the Unknown. Scott was an admirer of Stanley Kubrick early in his development as
a director. For his entry for the BBC traineeship Scott remade Paths of Glory as
a short film.
He was assigned to design the second Doctor Who serial, The Daleks, which would
have entailed realising the famous alien creatures. However, shortly before he
was due to start work a schedule conflict meant that he was replaced on the
serial by Raymond Cusick. At the BBC, Scott was placed into a director
training programme and, before he left the corporation, had directed episodes of
Z-Cars, its spin-off, Softly, Softly, and adventure series Adam Adamant Lives!.
Five members of the Scott family are directors, all working for RSA. Brother
Tony has been a successful film director for more than two decades; sons, Jake (40)
and Luke (37), are both acclaimed commercials directors as is his daughter,
Jordan (27). Jake and Jordan both work from Los Angeles and Luke is based in
London.