Michael J. Bassett

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Michael J. Bassett

Born:
Shropshire, Midlands, United Kingdom
Occupation: Film Director and Screenwriter
Website: Michaelbasset.com
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Michael J. Bassett is a British-born screenwriter and director. Over the years, he has produced a variety of films, both for television broadcast, and cinema. Bassett's first feature film, the horror flick Deathwatch set in the trenches of World War One, was met with considerable critical and financial success. Bassett's most recent project, Wilderness saw limited cinema release in the United Kingdom in August 2006. Wilderness is coming to DVD on October 24, 2006.

Contents

[edit] Biography

Bassett was born and grew up in rural Shropshire in the Midlands of the United Kingdom. Here he enjoyed a life which would later be described as a "safe, unremarkable childhood"1. In fact, the only area of notice in this quiet upbringing was an obsession of wildlife and nature, for Bassett's facination of films would not arise until much later. Indeed, Bassett's childhood aspirations were not of Hollywood, but rather of being a wildlife veterinarian in Africa. Still, with less than ideal grades in school, a vetinary career slowly became out of the question. So at the age of 16, Bassett left school and became a wildlife film maker's assistant, where he would spend 18 months learning photography and film making.

After his time as an assistant, Bassett decided to go back to school in hopes of getting a Zoology degree. Still, this would be an unlikely task do to his past school experience. Once back in school, Bassett wrote to a variety of TV producers, looking for work. Then one day, Bassett was contacted by Janet Street Porter, shortly after which he began working as a presenter on the childrens show GET FRESH. Still, Bassett found the work far to constricting, and he gradually lost interest. It was at this point that Bassett realized that he wanted to make movies. Still, this would require quite a risk, so Bassett worked for a year animating and voicing the puppet, 'SCALLY THE DOG', while he thought things over.

After putting SCALLY THE DOG to rest, Bassett produced several short films, as well as a 16mm piece for broadcast television. All the while, Bassett worked on feature scripts which he used to try to catch producers attention. After a period of years, Bassett finally got some notice with a screenplay titled No Man's Land. Many studios offered to purchase the script, but Bassett was determined to direct his film. In the end, one party was left standing, and the film came to be known as Deathwatch.

[edit] Filmography

[edit] Filmography (Directing)

[edit] Filmography (Second Unit Directing)

[edit] Filmography (Film Crew)

  • Waking Ned (1998) (Electronic Press Kit Director)

[edit] Filmography (Writing)

[edit] See also

[edit] References

1. michaelbassett.com

    [edit] External Links

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