David Robert Mitchell

David Robert Mitchell
Mitchell in 2010
Born (1974-10-19) October 19, 1974 (age 50)
Alma materFlorida State University
Years active2002–present
Notable creditIt Follows (2014)

David Robert Mitchell (born October 19, 1974)[1] is an American film director and writer. He received significant recognition as a director after completing his second feature, the critically acclaimed horror film It Follows (2014).

Early life and education

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Mitchell was born in Clawson, Michigan.[2] He attended Wayne State University in Detroit, MI.[2] He graduated from Florida State University College of Motion Picture Arts with a Master of Fine Arts degree in production.[3]

Career

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Mitchell's first full-length film was the coming-of-age drama The Myth of the American Sleepover (2010). Adele Romanski, a friend of Mitchell's from film school, served as one of the producers. In an interview, Mitchell said that the film cost about $50,000.[4]

Four years later, he directed the supernatural horror film It Follows. The film was acclaimed by critics and was a remarkable commercial success considering its low, independent film budget.[5][6]

Mitchell served as a jury member in the Critics' Week section of the 2016 Cannes Film Festival.[7]

In 2018, he directed Under the Silver Lake, a postmodern noir comedy-drama film set in Los Angeles and starring Andrew Garfield.[8]

In October 2023, it was announced that a sequel, entitled They Follow, was in pre-production with writer-director David Robert Mitchell and star Maika Monroe returning. Neon would produce and distribute the film domestically, while filming is expected to begin in 2024.[9][10]

Filmography

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Year Title Director Writer Producer Notes
2002 Virgin Yes Yes No Short film
2010 The Myth of the American Sleepover Yes Yes No
2014 It Follows Yes Yes Yes
2018 Under the Silver Lake Yes Yes Yes
2025 Flowervale Street Yes Yes Yes Post-production

References

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  1. ^ "David Robert Mitchell". La Semaine de la Critique of Festive Cannes. Syndicat Français de la Critique de Cinéma. Archived from the original on November 28, 2018.
  2. ^ a b Adam Graham (March 20, 2015). "David Robert Mitchell Brings the Spooky to Detroit". Detroit News. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
  3. ^ David Robert Mitchell (April 7, 2015). "IT FOLLOWS director David Robert Mitchell here. AMA". Reddit IAMA. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
  4. ^ Anton, Mike (July 22, 2011). "David Robert Mitchell, Writer/Director of 'The Myth of the American Sleepover'". The Film Stage.
  5. ^ "Indie Horror Movie 'It Follows' Gets Wide Theater Release". New York Times. Associated Press. March 27, 2015. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
  6. ^ Andy Crump (March 17, 2015). "The Feeling of Following: An Interview with David Robert Mitchell". Paste Magazine. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
  7. ^ "Jurys 2016". Semaine de la Critique du Festival de Cannes. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
  8. ^ Chitwood, Adam (May 4, 2016). "Andrew Garfield Teaming with It Follows Director for Noir". Collider. Retrieved September 7, 2016.
  9. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (October 30, 2023). "'It Follows' Sequel 'They Follow' With Maika Monroe Launches At AFM Via Neon". Deadline. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  10. ^ Lang, Brent (October 30, 2023). "'It Follows' Sequel Revealed: Maika Monroe and Director David Robert Mitchell Reunite for 'They Follow'". Variety. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
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