Michael Arndt: Difference between revisions

{{Infobox Writer

| name = Michael Arndt

| image = MichaelArndt2007.jpg

| caption = Arndt in February 2007

| birthname = Michael Arndt

| birthdate = unknown

| birthplace =

| occupation = [[Screenwriter]]

| nationality = [[United States|American]]

| notableworks = ''[[Little Miss Sunshine]]'' (2006)<br>''[[Toy Story 3]]'' (2010)

| awards =

| website = }}

'''Michael Arndt''' is an [[United States|American]] [[screenwriter]]. After graduating from [[New York University]], Arndt was a script reader for some time before choosing to write screenplays instead. He is best known for his first produced screenplay ''[[Little Miss Sunshine]]'', for which he received multiple awards including the [[Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay]].

==Early life==

Arndt's father was a member of the [[United States Foreign Service|Foreign Service]], and as a result he lived in various countries, including [[Sri Lanka]] and [[India]]; he also lived in [[Virginia]] for a time.<ref name="usatoday">{{cite web |url=http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/movieawards/oscars/2007-02-15-screenwriters-arndt_x.htm |title=Writing for an Oscar |last=Wloszczyna |first=Susan |date=2007-03-05 |work=USA Today |accessdate=2008-07-09 }}</ref> Arndt attended New York University and graduated from its [[NYU film school|film school]].<ref name="usatoday"/> He was a [[script reader]] for some time, and was a personal assistant to actor [[Matthew Broderick]] until late 1999,<ref name="wood">{{cite web |url=http://www.moviemaker.com/screenwriting/article/family_values_2849/ |title=Family Values |last=Wood |first=Jennifer |date=2007-02-03 |work=MovieMaker Magazine |accessdate=2008-07-09 }}</ref> when he chose to begin [[screenwriting|writing screenplays]] full-time.<ref name="usatoday"/><ref name="wood"/><ref name="waxman"/>

He graduated from [[Langley High School]] in McLean, Virginia, and also attended [[The Potomac School]].

==Screenwriting career==

===Breakthrough success with ''Little Miss Sunshine''===

{{quote box|width=350px|quote="I figured I’d probably write 50 scripts in my life. Out of those 50, I figured maybe five would be produced, and that maybe one or two would be successful. So I always kind of expected I’d write at least one successful film in my life. [...] The way it all came together was kind of like [[Murphy’s law]] in reverse&mdash;I don’t expect that kind of experience again any time soon."|source=Michael Arndt<ref name="wood"/> }}

Arndt wrote the first draft of ''Little Miss Sunshine'' in three days between [[May 23]]&ndash;[[May 26]], [[2000]].<ref name="bookscript">{{cite book |last=Arndt |first=Michael |title=Little Miss Sunshine: The Shooting Script |publishter=Newmarket |date=2007 |isbn=1557047707 |page=x }}</ref> From that initial draft, he made approximately 100 revisions over the course of a [[year]], requesting input from friends and family.<ref name="usatoday"/><ref name="wood"/> Arndt considered directing the film himself "as a [[no-budget filmmaking|no-budget]], [[digital cinema|DV feature]]" due to his concern of the story being "just too small and "[[Independent film|indie]]" to get any real attention from [[major film studios|Hollywood]]".<ref name="wood"/> After the [[Endeavor Talent Agency]] read the script in July 2001, however, producers Albert Berger and Ron Yerxa subsequently gave the script to commercial and music video directors [[Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris]], who were immediately attracted to the project.<ref name="wood"/><ref name="waxman"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://articles.latimes.com/2007/feb/20/entertainment/et-gold20 |title=The unkindest cut |last=Goldstein |first=Patrick |date=2007-02-20 |work=Los Angeles Times |accessdate=2008-07-08 }}</ref> Dayton and Faris were signed on by producer Marc Turtletaub, who purchased the script from Arndt for [[USD|$]]150,000, on [[December 21]], [[2001]].<ref name="waxman">{{cite news |title=A Small Film Nearly Left for Dead Has Its Day in the Sundance Rays |last=Waxman |first=Sharon |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=2006-01-23 |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/23/movies/MoviesFeatures/23sund.html |accessdate=2008-07-08 }}</ref><ref name="bookscript"/>

The project was set up at [[Focus Features]], where it was in various stages of [[pre-production]] for approximately three years. During that time, Arndt was fired when he objected to centralizing the story on Richard Hoover (played by [[Greg Kinnear]] in the film), only to be re-hired within a month after the new writer hired by Focus left the project.<ref name="guillen">{{cite news |title=Michael Arndt, Little Mr. Sunshine |last=Guillen |first=Michael |work=[[San Francisco Film Society|SF360]] |date=2007-02-23 |url=http://www.sf360.org/features/michael-arndt-little-mr-sunshine |accessdate=2008-07-08 }}</ref> Arndt resumed work on the script, which continued through [[Filmmaking#Production|production]] and into [[post-production]]: "The final scene of the movie [...] was written and shot about eight weeks before [its premiere at the [[Sundance Film Festival]] on January 20, 2006]", he said.<ref name="wood"/><ref name="waxman"/> Following its theatrical release on August 18, 2006, ''Little Miss Sunshine'' [[List of Little Miss Sunshine awards and honors|won many prizes and awards]]. Arndt won multiple Best Original Screenplay awards for ''Little Miss Sunshine'', from the [[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]], the [[British Academy of Film and Television Arts]], and the [[Writers Guild of America]]. He was later [[List of invitees for AMPAS Membership (2007)|invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]].<ref>{{cite press release |title=Academy Invites 115 to Become Members |publisher=AMPAS |date=2007-06-18 |url=http://www.oscars.org/press/pressreleases/2007/07.06.18.html |format=HTML |accessdate=2008-07-08 }}</ref>

===Works in progress===

Arndt began collaborating with [[Lee Unkrich]] and other [[Pixar]] personnel on the screenplay for ''[[Toy Story 3]]'' in 2006,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20012203,00.html |title='Toy'’s Out of the Attic |last=Daly |first=Steve |date=2007-02-16 |work=Entertainment Weekly |accessdate=2008-07-09 }}</ref> working from a [[film treatment|treatment]] by [[Andrew Stanton]], who co-wrote the two preceding films in the series.<ref>{{cite news |title = 2007 Disney Conference - Studio Presentation |publisher = [[Disney Enterprises]] |date = [[2007-02-08]] |url = http://corporate.disney.go.com/media/investors/2007_irc_studio.pdf | accessdate=2007-08-06 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117959040.html |title='Toy Story' sequel set |last=Fritz |first=Ben |date=2007-02-08 |work=Variety |accessdate=2008-07-08 }}</ref> He is also presently writing a [[remake (film)|remake]] of the [[screwball comedy]] ''[[Midnight (1939 film)|Midnight]]'' (1939), with [[Reese Witherspoon]] slated to star in and produce the film.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117966009.html |title=Witherspoon to star in 'Midnight' |last=Fleming |first=Michael |date=2007-05-30 |work=Variety |accessdate=2008-07-08 }}</ref> Additionally, Arndt is working on script revisions for an upcoming [[action comedy]] entitled ''Nightcrawlers'', to be directed by [[McG]].<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117969575.html |title=McG sets up projects at WB |last=Garrett |first=Diane |date=2007-08-01 |work=Variety |accessdate=2008-07-09 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSN0140671620070802 |title=McG plans scary buddy comedy |last=Kit |first=Borys |date=2007-08-02 |work=Reuters/Hollywood Reporter |accessdate=2008-07-09}}</ref>

==Filmography==

*''[[Little Miss Sunshine]]'' (2006) (screenplay)

*''[[Toy Story 3]]'' (2010) (screenplay)

==Further reading==

* {{cite news |title='Closet screenwriter' Arndt comes into light |author=Anne Thompson |date=2006-11-17 |publisher=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/features/columns/risky_business/e3if6f6d214a3f513574d9abbda01a17ab2 |accessdate=2007-04-06 }}

==References==

{{reflist}}

== External links ==

* {{imdb name|id=1578335|name=Michael Arndt}}

* [http://www.screenplay-series.com/michael-arndt/sunshine-at-sundance Interview] with Michael Arndt about writing ''Little Miss Sunshine''

{{start box}} {{s-ach|aw}}

{{succession box

| title=[[Academy Award for Writing Original Screenplay|Academy Award for Writing, Best Original Screenplay]]

| years=2006<br>'''for ''[[Little Miss Sunshine]]'' '''

| before=[[Paul Haggis]],<br>[[Robert Moresco]]<br>for ''[[Crash (2005 film)|Crash]]''

| after=[[Diablo Cody]]<br>for ''[[Juno (film)|Juno]]''

}}

{{end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Arndt, Michael}}

[[Category:BAFTA winners (people)]]

[[Category:Best Original Screenplay Academy Award winners]]

[[Category:Writers Guild of America Award winners]]

[[Category:American screenwriters]]

[[Category:New York University alumni]]

[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]

[[Category:Living people]]

[[ca:Michael Arndt]]

[[de:Michael Arndt (Drehbuchautor)]]

[[es:Michael Arndt]]

[[fr:Michael Arndt]]

[[it:Michael Arndt]]

[[ja:マイケル・アーント]]

[[pl:Michael Arndt]]