Tony Kaye

For several months in mid-1998, the Hollywood trade papers featured cryptic advertisements--full-page black with tiny white type, quoting various literary sources and excoriating New Line, actor Edward Norton and others. The man behind them was Brit Tony Kaye, a former advertising art director turned conceptual artist turned filmmaker, and the subject was his first feature the controversial drama "American History X" (1998).

Even before he descended on Tinseltown, Kaye was a legend in his own mind in his native England where he first became noted for his award-winning TV commercials for such clients as Volvo and Guinness. A proponent of the controversial movement dubbed Hype Art, he has created art exhibits that featured a homeless man and men and women with AIDS. In addition, since 1992, he has been working on a multi-part, graphic multimedia presentation on abortion. A master of hyperbole who is undeniably talented, Kaye has earned over 200 awards for his TV spots. In 1991, he set up an L.A.-based production office and after several years finally got his first break as a feature filmmaker with the New Line production, "American History X", about a former racist who attempts to stop his younger brother from emulating him. Featuring the director's trademark use of black-and-white footage interspersed with color shots, the already controversial material gathered a further patina when the contentious sparring between the helmer and the studio became public. Kaye took months to cut the film and was not satisfied with the results. New Line wished to get the film in release and eventually took it away from the director who tried to have his name removed from it (rejecting the Alan Smithee credit proposed by the Directors Guild, he suggested Humpty Dumpty, which the union in turn refused). Perhaps the most ironic thing of all was that critics who saw the finished film proclaimed it a minor masterpiece, a gritty and well-told, visually brilliant look at the effects of hate and oppression. Undaunted, Kaye had already moved on to his next project, announcing plans to direct Marlon Brando in "One Arm", an unproduced script by Tennessee Williams, but that too languished in development hell.

• Also Credited As:
  Tony K.
• Born:
  in England
• Job Titles:
  Director, Producer, Director of photography, Musician, Advertising art director

Milestones

• 1991 Established Tony Kaye Films in L.A.
• 1993 Began work on "G-D," a look at the abortion issue in America (completed in 1999)
• 1998 Announced plans to direct Marlon Brando in "One Arm," an unproduced script by Tennessee Williams; project never made
• 1998 Feature directing debut, "American History X"; also served as own cameraman; fought with New Line over final cut
• 1999 Helmed the five-and-one-half-minute short "Pluto Warrior"
• 2001 Sued by actor Larry Jenkins and Flashworks Prods. over reportedly reneging on an agreement to direct a film for which he had been paid $600,000
• 2002 Hired as director for an acting video produced by and starring Marlon Brando called "Lying for a Living"; quit after the third day
• 2006 Directed the "Dani California" video for the Red Hot Chili Peppers
• 2007 Helmed the documentry "Lake of Fire," a look at the landmark case, Roe v. Wade, examining its impact on the United States and the deep divisions on the issue of abortion; earned an Independent Spirit Award Nomination for Best Documentry
• As part of Hype Art, hired a homeless man named Roger and "installed" him at the Tate Gallery in London
• In California, hired a woman he met at Venice Beach to appear daily at the Getty Museum
• Made his name in the UK helming TV commercials for Guinness, Reebok and Volvo
• Was one of the founders of Hype Art
• Worked as an art director for several London advertising agencies