Shane Carruth

Shane Carruth (born 1972) is an American filmmaker, known for science-fiction features in which he has filled numerous jobs, including producer, director, screenwriter, composer, and actor. These include his prize-winning debut Primer and Upstream Color (2013). In reference to Carruth's unusual filmmaking technique, director Steven Soderbergh described him as "the illegitimate offspring of David Lynch and James Cameron."

Early life Carruth was born in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina in 1972. He attended Stephen F. Austin State University as a mathematics major. Before becoming a filmmaker, he worked as a developer of flight-simulation software. Carruth, Johnny Marshall, and Pete Horner won the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Sound Design for the film. Keith Kimbell wrote that it was the "most anticipated (and most difficult to describe) film in competition", and "most critics couldn't stop talking about it". The film was released via VHX on April 5, 2013. Filmmaker Rian Johnson tweeted that it would feature a "mind-blowing sci-fi script." In 2010, several news sources reported that A Topiary was in the works and that the script had been written. There was already a website for the movie which, according to Carruth in an interview to io9, "The website for now is just a place mark as financing has yet to be completed. I'm cautiously optimistic that this can happen soon and couldn't be happier with the filmmakers that have committed to the project so far." However, the film (which Entertainment Weekly described as "a sci-fi epic about a group of kids who build a giant, animal-like creature") stalled, and in early 2013, Carruth told EW that it was "the thing I basically wasted my whole life on."

In 2014, Carruth announced a new film, The Modern Ocean, based on international shipping and the lives of those involved. On August 12, 2015, it was reported that the film was in pre-production, and its ensemble cast was announced in November 2015; it would include Jeff Goldblum, Anne Hathaway, Keanu Reeves, Tom Holland, Daniel Radcliffe, Chloë Grace Moretz, Asa Butterfield, and Abraham Attah. In an interview in 2018, Carruth noted that the film is "not gonna happen anytime soon". Irrfan Khan was also scheduled to star as the lead captain of the ship, before his death on April 29, 2020. On June 17, 2020, Carruth posted the entire script for The Modern Ocean on Twitter, along with some of the original score.

In 2019, in an interview Carruth claimed he was working on "a massive thing" and would leave the film industry once that project concludes.

Consulting Carruth was rumored to have consulted on time-travel sequences for filmmaker Rian Johnson's Looper, though it was later revealed that those sequences were deemed too expensive to shoot.

Acting

In 2018, Carruth starred in the psychological thriller The Dead Center about a hospital psychiatrist whose own sanity is pushed to the edge when a frightened amnesiac patient insists that he has died and brought something terrible back from the other side.

Personal life In 2019, when asked about his religious beliefs, he stated that he was raised Christian, but fell away from it, before later saying that he still prays from time to time and finds some comfort from the Bible.

Legal issues From 2011 to 2018, Carruth was in a relationship with Amy Seimetz. The couple became engaged in 2013. Seimetz obtained temporary restraining orders against Carruth in 2018 and a permanent restraining order in 2020, citing years of domestic and emotional abuse and harassment. Carruth has denied these allegations.

On January 13, 2022, Carruth was arrested at the home of another ex-girlfriend on allegations of domestic assault and vandalism. He was released four days later on a $50,000 bond. Variety reported that the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office would not file felony charges.

Filmography Year Title Director Producer Writer Composer Editor Actor Notes 2004 Primer Also production designer, sound designer and casting director 2013 Upstream Color Also cinematographer and camera operator 2018 The Dead Center

Television Year Title Director Composer Notes 2016 The Girlfriend Experience 13 episodes 2017 Breakthrough Episode "Predicting the Future"

Acting roles Year Title Role Notes 2004 Primer Aaron 2013 Upstream Color Jeff 2014 Everything & Everything & Everything Morgan Short film 2015 We'll Find Something Steve Short film Memory Box The Man Short film 2016 The Girlfriend Experience Sam TV series (1 episode) Swiss Army Man Coroner Cameo 2018 The Dead Center Daniel Forrester 2020Tales from the Loop Cole TV series (2 episodes)

Other credits Year Title Role 2016 The Divergent Series: Allegiant Consultant 2017 A Ghost Story Additional editor 2020 The Wanting MareCarruth was removed as executive producer after allegations of domestic violence surfaced.

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Film Result 2004 Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize Primer Alfred P. Sloan Prize Nantucket Film Festival Best Writer/Director Gotham Awards Best Feature Sitges Film Festival Best Film 2005 London International Festival of Science Fiction and Fantastic Film Best Feature Independent Spirit Awards Best Feature Best Director Best First Screenplay Best Actor in a Debut Performance (David Sullivan) Fantasporto International Fantasy Film Award 2013 Sundance Film Festival U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Sound Design Upstream Color Grand Jury Prize – Dramatic Sitges Film Festival Best Directorial Revelation Best Motion Picture Los Angeles Film Critics Association Best Editing Second place Independent Spirit Awards Best Director Best Editing Gotham Awards Best Film Best Actress (Amy Seimetz) Camerimage Best Cinematography Debut Chicago Film Critics Association Best Editing Dublin Film Critics' Circle Best Director Village Voice Film Poll Best Film Best Director SXSW Film Festival Festival Favorites 2014 Australian Film Critics Association Best International Film (English Language) Central Ohio Film Critics Association Best Picture Best Cinematography Chlotrudis Award Best Cinematography Lost Weekend Best Visuals Georgia Film Critics Association Breakthrough (Amy Seimetz) Best Picture Best Original Score Best Director Best Actress (Amy Seimetz) Best Original Screenplay Best Cinematography London Film Critics' Circle Technical Achievement of the Year (Johnny Marshall)