2. Derek Cianfrance (Blue Valentine, The Place Beyond The Pines)
Sometimes perfection is easily sacrificed when making a film. Most of the time it is extremely difficult for filmmakers to do exactly what they set out to do. From time to time there is a sacrificial period where a film has to be changed in order to stay within the limits of the production budget. Some filmmakers cut down on production costs and make creative sacrifices. Others just plain give up when financing has run out or it is just simply not available. And then there is Derek Cianfrance. Blue Valentine was Cianfrance's feature film debut and this proved to be a very challenging task for him to complete. It was 12 years in the making with over 60 different drafts of the script and a budget of just $1 million dollars. Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling were chosen very early on to work on the film and they both waited while Cianfrance secured funding for the film. At one point he waived his directorial fee so that he could help finance the film. Production was set to finally begin in early 2008 and was rescheduled because of the death of Heath Ledger. (Williams is the mother of Heath's daughter) The film was shot utilizing both digital and traditional film. It's hard to imagine that there wasn't some thought of satisfaction in Cianfrance's mind after the film finally premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2010. However the film received an NC-17 rating before it was set for a limited release in theaters. After an appeal from the producers
(And some choice words from Ryan Gosling) the MPAA reversed its decision and gave the film an R rating. Despite all of the obstacles it took to make the movie, Blue Valentine went on to receive critical success and a modest return at the box office. Even though the film made $12 million dollars, Cianfrance was still unable to take a pay check from the film's earnings. "It came down to we were exactly my fee short. They paid me and I just paid it back." he told The Hollywood Reporter. Cianfrance won the Most Promising Filmmaker Award at the 2010 Chicago Film Critics Association Awards while Williams was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance. His follow up film The Place Beyond The Pines debuted at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival and was released in theaters this past March. Some of the actors that he has worked with has talked about his approach to directing and the meticulous attention to detail that goes into his work. Cianfrance is making an impact on the film community with not only his technique but his passion for quality filmmaking.