Film directing, on first glance, would appear to be an old mans game. Pick nearly any noted director, from heavyweights such as Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and Ridley Scott to the likes of Ang Lee, Peter Jackson and J.J Abrams, and youll find that they all have one thing in common - a degree of seniority, with almost every established director or recent winner of the Academy Award for Best Director ranging from their late forties to late sixties in age. Some might argue that this is because high quality filmmaking requires both maturity and significant experience in the field, which can only come through time, evidenced by how individuals such as David Fincher, Danny Boyle and Tony Scott respectively honed their skills with music videos, theatre and adverts for many years before moving into films. Others may argue, however, that a good director is shaped by dedication to their craft, evidenced by Spielberg making Jaws at the age of 29 or Quentin Tarantino breaking into the industry at the same age despite his lack of professional qualifications or experience. Whichever way you look at it, esteemed older directors seem to outnumber the young, but here are fifteen directors, in alphabetical order, who have both excellent track records and time on their side for the continued creation of excellent films in the future...
15. Ben Affleck (40)
Filmography Gone Baby Gone (2007), The Town (2010), Argo (2012). With Argos recent Best Picture victory at the Oscars following months of buzz, Ben Affleck finally seems to be getting the plaudits that he deserves as a director. His omission from the shortlist for the Best Director award, however, remains one of the Academys worst snubs in recent history, given the Bostonians wins at a number of other ceremonies such as the BAFTAs and Golden Globes. A distant memory are the early noughties, in which Afflecks once-promising acting career became something of a laughing stock as films like Jersey Girl, Daredevil and Gigli sent his bankability into freefall. He was all but forgotten by 2007, when he switched to behind the camera with Gone Baby Gone and gave his career a new lease of life in the process. The film, an adaptation of a Dennis Lehane novel starring Afflecks younger brother Casey alongside the likes of Michelle Monaghan, Morgan Freeman and Ed Harris, was released to good reviews. It was followed in 2010 by The Town, a crime drama that saw Affleck direct, write and star, though it was Jeremy Renner who garnered award nominations for his supporting turn. In the wake of Argos success, Affleck has allegedly passed on the supposedly upcoming Justice League film in favour of a new adaptation of Stephen Kings The Stand.