The film industry is a fascinating place where you can search for information and keep going for hours when trying to know about a small detail or maybe two.
To begin with, there are famous directors, famous actors, famous producers… you name it!
The film industry is full of talented individuals who have made their mark on the world and contributed something special to our culture. In our opinion, it is quite hard to come up with only a few names that have truly influenced the films we have today and the result of hard work and amazing ideas.
However, we didn’t say it was impossible, which is why we’re going to talk about the famous directors you should definitely know, and we are a bit confident you already do (if not, culture will be born today).
These people paved the way for future filmmakers and have created some iconic movies that we know and love today. Let’s take a closer look, and don’t worry, we won’t forget to mention our favorite ones for you to take a closer look at their work.
Just keep in mind we don’t have a specific order or a top in particular, so how we organized them isn’t influencing their popularity (is it?).
Steven Allan Spielberg: American Director, Producer & Screenwriter
Steven Spielberg is considered one of the founding pioneers of the New Hollywood era and is viewed as one of the most popular directors and producers in film history.
Born on December 18, 1946, he has reached a $3.7 billion net worth, thanks to all his works and films.
In a career spanning more than four decades, Spielberg’s films have covered many themes and genres. His early science-fiction and adventure films were seen as archetypes of modern Hollywood blockbuster filmmaking.
In later years, his films began addressing humanistic issues, such as in “The Color Purple” (1985), “Empire Of The Sun” (1987), “Schindler’s List” (1993), and “Saving Private Ryan” (1998).
If you’re looking for some of the most popular ones, those include “Jurassic Park” (1993), “A.I.: Artificial Intelligence” (2001), and “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” (1982).
He has 15 Oscar nominations, followed by three wins. He has also won 2 BAFTA and 2 Golden Globes.
Martin Scorsese: American Director, Producer, Screenwriter & Actor
Martin is quite famous for his films “Raging Bull,” “Goodfellas,” and “Casino,” but also for dozens of movies that have inspired people in the New Hollywood era.
He is also famous for his temper tantrums which have inspired the term Scorsese Face.
His first film was “Who’s That Knocking at My Door” in 1967. Still, the most famous of all is “Taxi Driver” (1976), starring Robert De Niro as Travis Bickle, a lonely New York City taxi driver with psychotic tendencies who attempts to save Iris acted by Jodie Foster, a 12-year-old prostitute from her pimp by becoming her “protector” while working out his own issues through violence and sex.
In 1990, he directed one of the most famous gangster movies ever made: “Goodfellas.
The 78 years old director has a long career in the industry, and every time a new movie comes out, people are just as excited as it was Christmas.
Having won 1 Oscar, 3 BAFTA, and 3 Golden Globes, he is always competing for nominations and awards.
Stanley Kubrick: American Photographer, Director, Screenwriter & Producer
Although he is no longer with us, Stanley is remembered as one of the greatest filmmakers in cinematic history.
Stanley has directed many films which are considered classics today. His most famous films would be “2001: A Space Odyssey”, “Dr. Strangelove,” “How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb,” “The Shining,” and “A Clockwork Orange.”
Stanley was known for being a perfectionist and famous for his demanding work ethic, which resulted in long production days.
Stanley is considered an innovator because he revolutionized the industry by experimenting with different techniques such as using point-of-view shots.
With 1 Oscar, 1 BAFTA, and no Golden Globes, the director’s career ended in 1999 after his death.
Woody Allen: American Director, Writer, Actor & Comedian
Woody Allen was born in 1935 in Brooklyn, New York. He began his career as a standup comedian but eventually moved on to writing for T.V. shows before he started directing movies.
His films include “Annie Hall” (1977), “Manhattan” (1979), “Hannah and Her Sisters” (1986), and “Midnight in Paris” (2011).
Woody has won four Academy Awards: three for Best Original Screenplay and won for Best Director. Meanwhile, 9 BAFTA and 2 Golden Globes take place on his awards list.
With over six decades in the industry, there’s no one who doesn’t know who Woody is, and wanting to work with him is only natural.
Although he is already 85 years old, he continues directing and writing several films, the last one released in 2020.
His minimal and directing style attracts everyone, and with at least one film every year since 1982, there’s no one who hasn’t watched one of them.
Guillermo del Toro: Mexican Director, Producer, Screenwriter & Author
This 56-year-old director is one of the most popular of this and the previous decade thanks to his filming style but mostly due to the strong connection to fairy tales and horror.
His first films included “Cronos” (1993), “The Devil’s Backbone” (2001), “Mimic” (1997), and “Blade II” (2002).
Del Toro was also famous for his films “Hellboy” (2004) and “Pacific Rim” (2013).
He has won 2 Oscars, both for “The Shape of Water” (2017), 2 BAFTA, and 1 Golden Globe.
The visuals and use of practical effects are what define Del Toro’s work. Also, the human stories that lie beneath these fictitious elements make his art distinctive.
If you ask us, this is our personal choice when it comes to directors, thanks to how original Guillermo is with his art with monsters and horror.
Although we aren’t hardcore fans of fairy tales and the horror genre overall, we admire his work and are always trying to see more every time a new film or project is announced.
Peter Jackson: New Zealand Director, Screenwriter & Producer
Peter Jackson was born in Pukerua Bay on November 3, 1961. He is famous for directing the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy.
In 1995 he was awarded a Billy Film Award and New Zealand Film Award for Distinguished Service to Cinema. He has since directed other movies, including King Kong (2005) and The Lovely Bones (2009).
Among the awards he has collected in his career, 3 Oscars, 3 BAFTA, and 1 Golden Globes are part of the decoration of his house.
Peter Jackson is a classical artist in many ways, which can be determined by the style he follows.
His talents as a producer and director are impressive. He has worked on many genre pieces, including “Tintin” and “Mortal Engines.”
However, the trilogy previously mentioned is what has definitely marked his career and success in the industry so far.
Taika Waititi: New Zealand Director, Producer, Screenwriter, Actor & Comedian
Taika Waititi was born on August 16, 1975. He has directed a number of comedy films, including “Eagle vs. Shark” (2007), “Two Cars One Night” (2006), and “Boy” (2010).
The director holds 1 Oscars, 1 Grammy Award, 1 BAFTA, and has several nominations, including two Primetime Emmy Awards.
Taika Waititi quickly gained a large following. A unique and quirky quality distinguishes his work that few others can match.
His work can be easily recognized by his fast-moving and humorous dialogue that punctuates his unique brand of visual humor.
Waititi’s sense of humor is very evident and detailed. It is linked to touching human stories, and for us, this is what makes his work so special.
His style is evident in everything he does, from blockbuster movies like “Thor: Ragnarok” to more intimate experiences like “Hunt For The Wilderpeople” to original mockumentaries such as “What We Do In The Shadows.”
He works very close to Marvel Studios and is currently part of the team for the new series “What If…?”
Quentin Tarantino: American Director, Screenwriter, Producer, Author, Film Critic, and Actor
He is famous for his signature style of filmmaking that includes a nonlinear story-telling technique with heavy use of dialogue to establish character.
His films are characterized by their vivid scenes of strong violence and gore and the stylistic use of popular culture references from other films such as T.V. shows or cartoons.
The latter influence of cartoons comes from his childhood. He loved comic books, which contributed greatly to his love for cinema later in life.
His dark humor and references to popular culture have captivated all audiences, making him quite a unique director in the industry.
With 2 Oscars, 2 BAFTA, and 2 Golden Globes, he is, without a doubt, quite famous, and we can understand why.
His catalog of films includes “Reservoir Dogs” (1992), “Pulp Fiction” (1994), “Inglourious Basterds” (2009), and “Django Unchained” (2012).
Tim Burton: American Director, Producer, Writer & Artist
Tim Burton was born in Burbank, California, on August 25, 1958.
Here’s what we think with this short introduction: what can’t we say about Burton’s job as a director?
He has been in the industry for over 30 years, making a name for himself with his off-the-wall aesthetic, and we gotta say, we LOVE it.
Tim Burton is considered the patron saint of emos and goths, and if you don’t believe us, have you ever watched one of his movies?
His films often feature a deranged Johnny Depp and dark colors that can be associated with My Chemical Romance, especially “Mr. Brightside” and the music video for the song.
Tim Burton can be called colorblind, which means that he loves everything red, white, or black and often forget about the rest. You would think that with this, his movies would be boring. However, all of them have a haunting yet charming atmosphere everyone falls in love with.
This unique style makes Burton films worth watching, even though they involve corpses or tragic love stories. If you like Helena Bonham-Cater as an actress, you will love every single minute of his films like “Alice in Wonderland” (2010), “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” (2007), “Sleepy Hollow” (1999), “Hansel and Gretel” (1983).
Art to Admire
We might have our favorite (which you already know), but we aren’t blind when it comes to admiring all those director’s films and how good their style and art are.
Tim Burton is part of our personal top, and if you want to share some popcorns while watching one of his classics, we are done with it.
Now, many other directors have impacted the industry over the last three decades or even more. However, we felt like including those with continuous involvement and signature styles you could recognize from miles away.
In addition, don’t think we forgot about Christopher Nolan! But we thought about leaving him for the next time.
Here’s Our #1 Recommended Online Business Model:
Interested in starting an online business to build passive income? Check out the local lead gen business model. Click here to learn more.
