Background

Mr. Zaillian was born in Fresno, California, United States, on January 30, 1953. He is a son of Jim Zaillian, a radio news reporter who is of Armenian descent.

Education

Steven Zaillian attended Sonoma State University, graduated from San Francisco State University in 1975 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Cinema.

Career

A veteran go-to script doctor in the industry, Mr. Zaillian has contributed to screenplays uncredited on a number of projects over the years. They include Patriot Games (1992), Crimson Tide (1995), Twister (1996), Saving Private Ryan (1998), Body of Lies (2008) etc. He is also a writer and producer, known for Schindler's List (1993), Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993), Moneyball (2011). Mr. Zaillian is the founder of Film Rites, a film production company.

Achievements

• Steven Zaillian is prominent for his numerous works. Mr. Zaillian is an accomplished screenwriter and filmmaker who has demonstrated his talents in adapting both novels and nonfiction for the screen. He is a recipient of a range of awards such as Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award and a BAFTA Award for his screenplay Schindler's List (1993) and he has also earned Oscar nominations for Awakenings, Gangs of New York and Moneyball.

Works

More photos

• book

  • Mission Impossible 1996

• film

  • Kingdom of the Spiders 1997
  • American Gangster 2007
  • The Cold Light Of Day 2012
  • The Night Of 2016
  • All The King's Men 2006
  • Moneyball: Movie Script Screenplay 2011
  • A Civil Action 1998
  • The Falcon and the Snowman 1985
  • The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo 2011
  • Clear and Present Danger 1994
  • Hannibal 2001
  • Schindler's List 1993

Views

Quotations: "The similarity between the big directors I've worked with is that they allow the writer to find a way of doing what they want done without saying 'do it this way.' They describe what they want, then letting the writer figure out a way to do it."

"I have no problem with anyone being precise about small things."

"The main thing that I learned from editing is that most people, when they're making a film, they start too early into the story. They will try to set up the characters, they will try to establish things before the plot actually starts."

Connections

Steven Zaillian is married, his wife's name is Elizabeth. The couple has two children, Charles and Nicholas.

Father:

Jim Zaillian

Wife:

Elizabeth Zaillian

Son:

Charles Zaillian

Son:

Nicholas Zaillian

References

• Fifty Filmmakers: Conversations With Directors from Roger Avary to Steven Zaillian
• The Art of Screenwriting