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Check Out These 4 Underappreciated Short Film Producers and Directors

If you have a taste for the art of film, you may follow a few film writers/producers in the same way many people follow their favorite musical artists. It can be truly fascinating to dive into the films an individual has produced, as it gives one an insight on their mind and view of the world. 

Unfortunately, the vast majority of talented producers are just not well known to the general public, and some of their most intriguing films are relatively unseen. Everyone knows Quentin Tarantino, George Lucas, Kevin Feige, and the like. But who are the lesser-known, and arguably equally as talented, movie producers?

Today, we’re going to explore four movie producers, much like the one profiled here, who have produced films that have unique plots and stories that simply have not gotten the attention they deserve.

  1. Deepa Mehta

Deepa Mehta is an Indian-born Canadian filmmaker, who produces emotionally captivating films that truly send a message. She was born 28 kilometers from the newly minted Pakistan-India border in 1950 just three years after the British partition of India and Pakistan.

Deepa draws back to her time in India and her transition to Canada when writing and producing her own films. She has won numerous awards for her work, such as the New York Film Critics’ Humanitarian Award.

If you’re interested in checking out some of Deepa Mehta’s work, then we highly recommend giving her new TV series “Yellowjackets” a go. It is free to watch on Roku, or if you have a Showtime or Hulu subscription. Click here to access the first two episodes for free on Roku. 

  1. Andrew Dominik

While Andrew Dominik isn’t completely unheard of, his name simply does not come up nearly as much as it should, given the masterpieces he has given to us. He is most well known for his movies “Killing Them Softly” (starring Brad Pitt) and “Chopper.”

His films are produced in Australia, which give them a very amusing Aussie vibe. For example, his most famous film “Chopper” was based on the renowned Australian criminal Mark Brandon “Chopper” Read. For the film, Andrew received the Best Director award from the Australian Film Institute. 

  1. Rian Johnson

Now, before you protest that Rian Johnson has all the attention he deserves, you may not be aware of all of his films, especially some of the best ones. If you’re a fan of Star Wars, you’ll know he controversially killed off Luke Skywalker in The Last Jedi. 

With that said, Rian Johnson had actually directed a number of really good movies before he single-handedly ruined the Star Wars sequel trilogy. For example, one of his earliest films, “Brick” is worthy of more attention. Having written and directed the film, Brick is a testament to the fact that Rian Johnson isn’t all bad. The movie had a budget of $450,000 and received $3.9 million from the box office.

If you’re interested in checking out his film “Brick,” you can stream it on The Roku Channel, Spectrum TV, STARZ, Prime Video, Vudu Movie & TV Store, Redbox, or Apple TV.  We recommend signing up for STARZ streaming service here, if you don’t have one of the subscriptions already, as you can enjoy all the movies and shows you will need for just $5/month. 

  1. David Gordon Green

The last name on our list is David Gordon Green, an American filmmaker who has taken his stories to the next level. He is most well known for his film “George Washington” produced in 2000, that explores the lives of a group of children in a depressed town of North Carolina. We won’t spoil much, but it is a truly interesting film to watch.

Additionally, “George Washington” was the first movie that David Gordon Green wrote, directed, and produced. Quite a feat for someone just entering into the film industry! 

Before You Go

Thanks for reading through our list of some of the more underappreciated directors and producers in the film industry. We highly recommend giving some of their films a try, as we think it unlikely you have seen or heard of many of these films.