Mike Mitchell (director)
Encyclopedia
Mike Mitchell is an American film director, producer, actor and former animator. He is well known for directing the films Surviving Christmas
, Sky High
and Shrek Forever After
.
, the son of Julia Baker and Robert Mitchell, a lawyer and former chairman of the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board
. He graduated from Putnam City North High School
, and subsequently moved to Los Angeles to attend the California Institute of the Arts
. Working for such filmmakers as Tim Burton
and Spike Jonze
, Mitchell became an accomplished illustrator.
He started his career as director for Matt O'Callagahan's The Itsy Bitsy Spider. He first gained critical attention when he co-wrote, produced and directed the short film Herd, which won several film festival awards, including the Spirit of Slamdance Award at the 1999 Slamdance Festival. That same year, he made his feature film directorial debut with the comedy Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo
, starring Rob Schneider
. He later directed films like Surviving Christmas
and Sky High
. In 2006 he joined DreamWorks Animation and was a story artist for Shrek the Third
and Creative Consultant for Kung Fu Panda
. He also directed the movie Shrek Forever After. He also worked as voice actor in Monsters vs. Aliens
as additional voices. He also directed live action sequences on SpongeBob SquarePants
. He is currently working as a story artist, consultant and director for DreamWorks
. Mitchell will also direct Nightcrawlers, a supernatural action comedy.
Mitchell is currently directing Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chip-Wrecked, set to release on December 16, 2011.
Surviving Christmas
Surviving Christmas is a 2004 comedy film, directed by Mike Mitchell and starring Ben Affleck. Despite being a Christmas movie, DreamWorks SKG released the movie towards the end of October. This was due to it being advanced from December 2003 to avoid clashing with Affleck's other film, Paycheck....
, Sky High
Sky High
Sky High may refer to:*Sky High , a 1975 song by the band Jigsaw*Sky High , a famous Australian racehorse*Sky High , a novel*Sky High Lee , Canadian professional wrestler*Sky High Stuntman, an Amiga game...
and Shrek Forever After
Shrek Forever After
Shrek Forever After, taglined as The Final Chapter, is a 2010 animated fantasy-comedy film, and the fourth and final installment in the Shrek film series, produced by DreamWorks Animation. The film was released by Paramount Pictures in cinemas on May 20, 2010 in Russia, and on May 21 in the United...
.
Life and career
Mitchell was born in Oklahoma City, OklahomaOklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City is the capital and the largest city in the state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, the city ranks 31st among United States cities in population. The city's population, from the 2010 census, was 579,999, with a metro-area population of 1,252,987 . In 2010, the Oklahoma...
, the son of Julia Baker and Robert Mitchell, a lawyer and former chairman of the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board
Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board
The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board is the parole board of the state of Oklahoma. The Board was created by an amendment to the Oklahoma Constitution in 1944...
. He graduated from Putnam City North High School
Putnam City North High School
Putnam City North High School is a nationally accredited Blue Ribbon School of Excellence situated in Northwest Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It is accredited by the North Central Association of Secondary Schools and is one of three high schools in the Putnam City School District...
, and subsequently moved to Los Angeles to attend the California Institute of the Arts
California Institute of the Arts
The California Institute of the Arts, commonly referred to as CalArts, is located in Valencia, in Los Angeles County, California. It was incorporated in 1961 as the first degree-granting institution of higher learning in the United States created specifically for students of both the visual and the...
. Working for such filmmakers as Tim Burton
Tim Burton
Timothy William "Tim" Burton is an American film director, film producer, writer and artist. He is famous for dark, quirky-themed movies such as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet...
and Spike Jonze
Spike Jonze
Spike Jonze is an American director, producer and actor, whose work includes music videos, commercials, film and television...
, Mitchell became an accomplished illustrator.
He started his career as director for Matt O'Callagahan's The Itsy Bitsy Spider. He first gained critical attention when he co-wrote, produced and directed the short film Herd, which won several film festival awards, including the Spirit of Slamdance Award at the 1999 Slamdance Festival. That same year, he made his feature film directorial debut with the comedy Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo
Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo
Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo is a 1999 comedy film starring Rob Schneider. Other cast members include Eddie Griffin, Amy Poehler, Oded Fehr, Arija Bareikis, and William Forsythe....
, starring Rob Schneider
Rob Schneider
Robert Michael "Rob" Schneider is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and director. A stand-up comic and veteran of the NBC sketch-comedy series Saturday Night Live, Schneider has gone on to a successful career in feature films, including starring roles in the comedy films Deuce Bigalow:...
. He later directed films like Surviving Christmas
Surviving Christmas
Surviving Christmas is a 2004 comedy film, directed by Mike Mitchell and starring Ben Affleck. Despite being a Christmas movie, DreamWorks SKG released the movie towards the end of October. This was due to it being advanced from December 2003 to avoid clashing with Affleck's other film, Paycheck....
and Sky High
Sky High
Sky High may refer to:*Sky High , a 1975 song by the band Jigsaw*Sky High , a famous Australian racehorse*Sky High , a novel*Sky High Lee , Canadian professional wrestler*Sky High Stuntman, an Amiga game...
. In 2006 he joined DreamWorks Animation and was a story artist for Shrek the Third
Shrek the Third
Shrek the Third is a 2007 American animated film, and the third film in the Shrek series. It was produced by Jeffrey Katzenberg for DreamWorks Animation, and is distributed by Paramount Pictures. It was released in U.S. theaters on May 18, 2007...
and Creative Consultant for Kung Fu Panda
Kung Fu Panda
Kung Fu Panda is a 2008 American computer-animated action comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount Pictures...
. He also directed the movie Shrek Forever After. He also worked as voice actor in Monsters vs. Aliens
Monsters vs. Aliens
Monsters vs. Aliens is a 2009 American computer-animated 3-D science fiction film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount Pictures...
as additional voices. He also directed live action sequences on SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob SquarePants is an American animated television series, created by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg. Much of the series centers on the exploits and adventures of the title character and his various friends in the underwater city of "Bikini Bottom"...
. He is currently working as a story artist, consultant and director for DreamWorks
DreamWorks
DreamWorks Pictures, also known as DreamWorks, LLC, DreamWorks SKG, DreamWorks II Distribution Co., LLC, DreamWorks Studios or DW Studios, LLC, is an American film studio which develops, produces, and distributes films, video games and television programming...
. Mitchell will also direct Nightcrawlers, a supernatural action comedy.
Mitchell is currently directing Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chip-Wrecked, set to release on December 16, 2011.
Filmography as director
- Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chip-Wrecked (2011)
- Shrek Forever AfterShrek Forever AfterShrek Forever After, taglined as The Final Chapter, is a 2010 animated fantasy-comedy film, and the fourth and final installment in the Shrek film series, produced by DreamWorks Animation. The film was released by Paramount Pictures in cinemas on May 20, 2010 in Russia, and on May 21 in the United...
(2010) - The LoopThe Loop (TV series)The Loop is an American sitcom that ran from March 15, 2006 to July 1, 2007 on Fox. The show starred Bret Harrison as Sam Sullivan, a young professional trying to balance the needs of his social life with the pressures of working at the corporate headquarters of TransAlliance Airways, a major U.S....
(TV) (2007) - SpongeBob SquarePantsSpongeBob SquarePantsSpongeBob SquarePants is an American animated television series, created by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg. Much of the series centers on the exploits and adventures of the title character and his various friends in the underwater city of "Bikini Bottom"...
(TV) (2005–2007) (live-action director) - Sky HighSky High (2005 film)Sky High is a 2005 American comedic superhero family film about an airborne school for teenage superheroes. It was directed by Mike Mitchell and written by Paul Hernandez, Robert Schooley, and Mark McCorkle...
(2005) - Surviving ChristmasSurviving ChristmasSurviving Christmas is a 2004 comedy film, directed by Mike Mitchell and starring Ben Affleck. Despite being a Christmas movie, DreamWorks SKG released the movie towards the end of October. This was due to it being advanced from December 2003 to avoid clashing with Affleck's other film, Paycheck....
(2004) - Greg the BunnyGreg the BunnyGreg the Bunny is an American television sitcom that originally aired on Fox TV in 2002. It starred Seth Green and a hand puppet named Greg the Bunny, originally invented by the team of Sean S. Baker, Spencer Chinoy and Dan Milano. Milano and Chinoy wrote and co-produced the Fox show. In the show,...
(TV) (2002) - Deuce Bigalow: Male GigoloDeuce Bigalow: Male GigoloDeuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo is a 1999 comedy film starring Rob Schneider. Other cast members include Eddie Griffin, Amy Poehler, Oded Fehr, Arija Bareikis, and William Forsythe....
(1999) - Herd (1999)
- Frannie's Christmas (1993)
- The Itsy Bitsy SpiderItsy Bitsy Spider (TV Series)The Itsy Bitsy Spider was an animated series based on the short film of the same name. It was broadcast on the USA Network's USA Cartoon Express. The title character's voice was done by Frank Welker.-External links:* at TV.com**...
(TV) (1993)