J.J Abrahms - Film Director

J. J. Abrams

Abrams was born in New York on the 27th June 1966, He is a man of many hats, working as a Director, Producer, Screen Writer and Composer. He has worked on both Television and Film.

His major Directing credits for Film include:

Mission Impossible III (2006)

Star Trek (2009)

Super 8 (2011)

Star Trek: Into Darkness (2013)

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)

He has created several TV Drama series:

Felecity (1998-2003)

Alias (2001-2006)

Lost (2004-2010)

Fringe (2008-2013)

J.J began his career in film as a Producer and Writer, he worked with big names such as Micheal Bay on Armageddon before making his way into the Televison series industry, he worked on several series cuch as Felicity, Alias and Lost.

His first major motion pictuer was Mission Impossible III in 2006, Abrams seems to have a tendency for reviving a franchise, having moved on to do similar things with Star Trek and Star Wars two of the biggest franchises in the history of film and television.

His next film after Mission Impossible was Star Trek, this is one of my personal favourite movies and one that kicked my drive for film making into overgear, I remember going to the cinema to watch the film and walking out with ideas and inspiration flowing through my veins.

After the success of Star Trek, J.J then went on to direct Super 8 alongside Steven Spielberg, which is a story about a young boy who decides to make a zombie film for a competition, he and his friends witness a truck drive into a train and it crash. They then are found and told at gunpoint to forget what they saw.

Reviewing the footage they see an alien escape the train. The film then follows the group as they investigate missing people and electroinics, it is a great film reminicent of older movies.

J.J's style usually consists of high contrast, such as filming in a brightly lit corridor such as in Star Trek or then having someone in darkeness with sparks flying up around them from gunfire, He also likes to use Lens Flare,  often having crew members shining lights into the lens of the camera to get the desired result.

His films often have the death of a parental figure in them, such as in Star Trek (Kirks Father) Super 8 (Main Protaganists mother) Star Trek Into Darkness (Father Figure), the main reason for this in my opinion is to show the growth of a character, having them learning without having the guidance of a parent.

I like Abrams films as they match my own interests very closely, I love films with a sci-fi genre or with action scenes, I also like Fringe for its outlandish concepts and ideas, If I was to take anything from this Director it would be his penchant for high contrast shots, I find these do give a sci fi film a advanced and brightly lit look.