Case Study - Christopher Nolan

Christopher Johnathan James Nolan (pictured above) was born in London on the 30^th July 1970. He began making films when he was 7 using his dads super 8mm camera and action figures. He spent a lot of time in Chicago where he made short films with future director and producer Roko Belic . He was educated at an independent school in Halesworth and later studied English literature at University College London where he was also involved in the college film society, filming several short films.

His first was featured in a independent film and video showcase on PBS known as ‘Image Union’. His second piece “Larency” was shown in the 1996 Cambridge Film Festival.

Chris' first feature film was called 'Following' about a write who is obsessed with following random people. The scenes are shown out of chronological order as three acts which are cut together. This style was later developed in the golden globe and oscar nominated Memento (2000). Where the story consisted of two linear timelines, one running backwards and another more previous timeline running forwards, the two narrative timelines meet at the end giving the audience an understanding. Another critically praised film worth mentioning is Insomnia released in 2002 as an American remake of a European film. The non-linear narratives featured in both Memento and Following have become associated as a directorial style of his.

In 1997 Christopher married producer and author Emma Thomas, the same year Warner Bros Pictures put the batman film franchise on hold after the disappointingly negative reviews of 'Batman and Robin'. Christopher took advantage of this when in 2003 he along with David S. Goyer (screenwriter for Blade') convinced Warner Bros. to entrust the reviving of a franchise to a developing director. This trust payed off when the first of the franchise 'Batman Begins' became a box office hit in June 2005.

After releasing his fifth feature film 'The prestige' Batman sequel to be called 'The Dark Knight'. The film broke the record for the highest-grossing opening weekend opening in the US bringing in over $158 million and had overwhelming success.