Jill Sprecher

Jill Ann Sprecher (born 27 July, 1957)[1] is an American film director, producer and writer.[2] Sprecher collaborates on her film projects with her sister, Karen Sprecher, who writes. Sprecher's films have starred Matthew McConaughey, Lisa Kudrow, and Greg Kinnear. She is known for her films Clockwatchers and Thirteen Conversations About One Thing and her contributions to Big Love on HBO.[2] Her films feature stories about realistic human experiences[3] and the struggles of women.[4]

Jill Sprecher
Born
United States
Occupationfilm director, producer, writer
Parent(s)Pete Sprecher (father) Phyllis Sprecher (mother)
RelativesKaren Sprecher (sister) Jeffrey Sprecher (brother)

Biography

Jill Sprecher grew up in Madison, Wisconsin with her two siblings and parents, Peter, an insurance broker, and Phyllis (née Willingham) Sprecher, a medical technologist.[5][6][7] Jill's father worked in insurance.[6] Depending on where Pete found insurance jobs, the family moved between Madison and Milwaukee.[4] The children attended Memorial High School.[6]

Jill studied literature and philosophy at the University of Wisconsin.[3] Jill moved to New York the day after she graduated[4] to study film and begin her career in the industry. She graduated from New York University with a Masters in cinema studies.[4]

In New York, Jill experienced two muggings. She required brain surgery after the second instance.[8] Despite the trauma and injury, she chose to remain in New York, instead of returning home to Wisconsin.[8] A year after the surgery, she was hit on the head while riding the subway. In tears, she looked up to see another passenger smiling at her, which renewed her belief that not all strangers were bad people.[8] This event inspired the climactic scene in Thirteen Conversations About One Thing.[8]

Jill's brother, Jeffrey Sprecher, is the CEO and Chairman of Intercontinental Exchange, which acquired the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange in 2013.[6]

Now, both Jill and her sister, Karen Sprecher, reside in Southern California.[6] In Los Angeles, they offer their services as writers-for-hire.[4]

Career

After moving to New York, to afford the rent and support herself while she was in school, Sprecher took on temp jobs.[4] Eventually, she began to find small jobs within the film industry, including positions as a production coordinator[3] and production assistant.[4]

Despite only having a masters of social work, Jill hired Karen, her sister, as an assistant production coordinator. The two began writing Clockwatchers in their spare time.[3]

In 1997, Sprecher's first film, Clockwatchers, starring Lisa Kudrow, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. The deadpan comedy portrayed the frustrating realities that women experience while working temp jobs.[9] It won international prizes[3] including the title of Best Feature Film at the Torino International Festival of Young Cinema.[10]

Due to the financial instability of the independent film community, the theatrical release for Sprecher's second film, Thirteen Conversations About One Thing, starring Matthew McConaughey, was delayed by approximately four and a half years.[8] The film was meant to present realistic human experiences and stories of human connection.[3] A female audience member fainted at the premiere and McConaughey assisted the woman in coming-to, mimicking the climax of the film.[8]

For five years, Sprecher served as a judge for CableACE Awards.

There was a ten-year gap between the releases of Thirteen Conversations About One Thing and Thin Ice.[4]

Sprecher is credited with producing eleven episodes of Big Love.[2] She also wrote one episode titled "A Barbecue for Betty".[2]

All of the films produced by Jill and Karen Sprecher began as screenplays that they co-wrote.[3]

Style

Jill Sprecher’s films have been compared to modernist literature due to their common themes of subjectivity and constructionism.[11] Sprecher also makes references to literature throughout her films.[3] Additionally, she often employs non-linear narratives.[11] Within the film Thirteen Conversations About One Thing, sequences are edited to foreshadow upcoming scenes, or reference or repeat past scenes from a different vantage point.[11]

The films created by Jill Sprecher follow contemporary independent filmmaking tropes, through their casting of notable stars, low budget, minimalist sets, and emotional themes.[3]

Jill Sprecher often uses her personal experiences as inspiration and incorporates them into her films.[8] It has been speculated that Jill’s characters are based on herself and that the characters, Dorrie and Beatrice in her second film, Thirteen Conversations About One Thing are fictionalized representations of Jill and Karen.[8] Both sets of sisters held temp office jobs and are very close.[8] Also Jill, like Beatrice, suffered head injuries after being hit with a bottle and then was assaulted on the subway.[8]

Filmography
Year Title Director Writer Producer
1997 Clockwatchers Yes Yes No
2001 Thirteen Conversations About One Thing Yes Yes No
2006 Big Love No Yes Yes
2011 Thin Ice (formerly "The Convincer") Yes Yes No

Awards
Year Work Award Result
1997 Clockwatchers Best Feature Film, Torino International Festival of Young Cinema Won
Grand Jury Prize, Dramatic, Sundance Film Festival Nominated
1998 Audience Award, Most Popular Indie Film, Arizona International Film Festival Won
2002 Thirteen Conversations About One Thing Best Original Screenplay, San Diego Film Critics Society Awards Won
Best Director, San Diego Film Critics Society Awards Won
2003 Best Screenplay, Film Independent Spirit Awards Nominated
Best Original Screenplay, Chlotrudis Awards Nominated

References
  1. The Alpha Phi Quarterly, vol. 69, issue 1, Winter 1957, p. 56
  2. "Jill Sprecher". IMDb. Retrieved 2018-02-28.
  3. Holm, D. K. (2010-11-04). Independent Cinema As Alternative To Commercial Storytelling: Jill and Karen Sprecher, In Independent Cinema. Harpenden, England: Oldcastle Books. pp. 1971–1993. ISBN 9781842433867.
  4. Ramos, Steve (2011-02-02). "Sprecher returns in spirit, Madison native directs comedy 'The Convincer". Tap Milwaukee. Retrieved 2018-02-28.
  5. https://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/19/movies/film-quiet-unassuming-like-their-movies.html
  6. Moe, Doug (2013-01-06). "No more anonymity for Jeff Sprecher after NYSE purchase". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved 2018-02-28.
  8. Crawford, Julie (2002-07-01). "Director draws on personal experiences". ProQuest 361426848. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  9. Adams, Sam (2013-04-06). "Work is hell for the beleaguered temps of Clockwatchers". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 2018-02-28.
  10. Clockwatchers, retrieved 2018-02-28
  11. Cardullo, Bert (2003). "Luck Be a Lady". The Hudson Review. 56 (1): 148–156. doi:10.2307/3852930. JSTOR 3852930.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.