Patrick Creadon

Patrick Creadon
Born	(1967-05-04)May 4, 1967 Chicago,Illinois,U.S.
Education	University of Notre Dame(BA) American Film Institute(MFA)
Occupation(s)	Independent documentary filmmaker, actor
Years active	1977–present
Spouse	Christine O'Malley(2000)
Children	3

Patrick Creadon(born May 4, 1967) is an American filmmaker and actor primarily known for his work in documentaries. His first film,Wordplay,profiledNew York TimescrosswordeditorWill Shortzand premiered at the 2006Sundance Film Festival.The film screened in over 500 theatres nationwide and became the second-highest grossing documentary of that year.His second film,I.O.U.S.A.,is a non-partisan examination of America's national debt problem and forecast the2007–2008 financial crisis.I.O.U.S.A.premiered at the 2008Sundance Film Festivaland was later named one of the Top 5 Documentaries of the Year by film criticRoger Ebert.

Other works include the documentary featuresIf You Build It(2013), theESPN30 for 30filmCatholics vs. Convicts(2016), andHesburgh(2019). He also works as a commercial and television director.

Creadon is one of only a handful of filmmakers to have multiple films ranked among the Top 100 highest-grossing documentaries of all time simultaneously. Other filmmakers who have done this includeWerner HerzogandAcademy AwardwinnersMichael Moore,Errol Morris,Alex Gibney,Charles H. Ferguson,Morgan Neville,andDavis Guggenheim.

Career

Creadon and his siblings worked as child actors inChicago.He starred in the made-for-television specialRascals and Robbers: The Secret Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry FinnalongsideAnthony Michael HallandCynthia Nixon.

Creadon while filming in 2004

He began his filmmaking career in Chicago onThe 90s,produced byTom Weinbergand Joel Cohen. Creadon regularly shot and edited stories for the critically acclaimed weekly documentary showcase. The series was presented onPBSbyWTTW/Chicago andKBDI/Denver.The Arizona RepubliccalledThe 90's"the best show on television." At 22 years old, Creadon was one of the youngest cameramen in the history ofPBS.

In 1993, he moved to Los Angeles after being accepted to theAFI Conservatory,where he earned his master's degree in cinematography. His thesis filmTendrils(on which he served asDirector of Photography) was nominated for astudent Academy Awardin 1997.As a cameraman, his work has appeared on every major network, including NBC, CBS, ABC, MTV, VH1, and ESPN. He has also done work for Paramount Pictures, Warner Brothers, Sony, Universal Studios, and Disney.

Filmography

Year	Film	Director	Producer	Awards / Notes
2006	Wordplay	Patrick Creadon	Christine O'Malley	-Selected as one of the Top 5 Documentaries in 2006 by theNational Board of Review. -Nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the2006 Sundance Film Festivalfor Best American Documentary Film. -Nominated for a 2007Critics' Choice Awardfor Best Documentary Feature. -Won the 2006 Golden Tomato Award fromRotten Tomatoesfor Best Reviewed Documentary.
2008	I.O.U.S.A.	Patrick Creadon	Christine O'Malley	-Shortlisted for 2008 Best Documentary Feature by theAcademy Awards. -Nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the2008 Sundance Film Festivalfor Best American Documentary Film. -Nominated for a 2009Critics' Choice Awardfor Best Documentary Feature. -Named one of the Top 5 Documentaries of 2008 by Roger Ebert.
2014	If You Build It	Patrick Creadon	Christine O'Malley Neal Baer	-Won the Bright Future Award in 2014 from theFilm Independent Spirit Awards,awarded to a filmmaker whose work best exemplifies a commitment to telling stories of positive change in the world. -Won Outstanding Achievement in Filmmaking - Art, Architecture, + Design from theNewport Beach Film Festival.
2015	All Work All Play	Patrick Creadon	Christine O'Malley John Kessler	-Released byFathom Eventson over 1,110 screens worldwide
2016	Catholics vs. Convicts	Patrick Creadon	Christine O'Malley	-Film was made as part of theESPN30 for 30series. -Nominated for a 2017Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series.
2018	Hesburgh	Patrick Creadon	Christine O'Malley Jerry Barca	-New York Times"Critics' Pick". -Named one of the Best Documentaries of 2019 byEntertainment Weekly.
2019	Ski Bum: The Warren Miller Story	Patrick Creadon	Christine O'Malley Jeff Conroy Joe Berry	-Opening Night film 2019Slamdance Film Festival. -Won the Audience Awardat the 2019Slamdance Film Festival.
2022	The Loyola Project	Patrick Creadon	Christine O'Malley	- "Mesmerizing!" -The Chicago Sun-Times

Wordplay

Main article:Wordplay (film)

Creadon's documentaryWordplaywas acquired for distribution for $1,000,000 byIFC FilmsandThe Weinstein Companyafter being nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance 2006. It was released theatrically on June 16, 2006. The film ran in over 500 theaters across the United States, including at least one theater in all fifty states.Wordplaywent on to gross $3,100,000 in domestic box-office, then ranking it among the Top 25 highest grossing documentaries of all time.

A 2008 episode ofThe Simpsons,"Homer and Lisa Exchange Cross Words",is based on the film.James L. Brooksgot the inspiration for the episode after watchingWordplay."We felt both Will and Merl were very compelling, off-the-beaten-track personalities [inWordplay], who would fit into our universe very well, "Brooks said. The episode was written byTim Long,and directed byNancy Kruse,and guest starred crossword puzzle creatorsMerl ReagleandWill Shortzas themselves.

Creadon and his wife, producerChristine O'Malley,borrowed $100,000 from family and friends to makeWordplayover the course of 2005–06.

Critical response

National Board of Review nomination "Best Documentary 2006"[1]
Critics Choice Award nomination "Best Documentary 2006"[2]
Grand Jury Prize nomination at Sundance "Best American Documentary 2006"[3]
Rottentomatoes.com – "Golden Tomato Award For Best Reviewed Documentary of 2006"[4]

I.O.U.S.A.

Main article:I.O.U.S.A.

Creadon's second feature documentaryI.O.U.S.A.premiered in the U.S. Documentary Competition atSundance in January 2008,one of only sixteen films selected from over 950 submissions. The film is a profile of formerComptroller GeneralDavid M. Walkeras he and others travel the country warning of financial challenges facing the country. Also featured prominently in the film is Robert Bixby, executive director of the non-partisanConcord Coalition.It was released byRoadside Attractionsand opened theatrically on August 22, 2008. In an innovative event that took place the night before,I.O.U.S.A.was simulcast live byNational CineMediato an audience of almost 45,000 in 350 theaters across the United States.Warren Buffettand others took part in the live town hall meeting immediately after the screening (also simulcast).In addition to traditional movie theaters, the film also screened on over 100 college campuses and community centers throughout the 2008 presidential campaign and after the election, including a special screening for members of Congress at the Library of Congress.

Critical response

Academy Awards Shortlist "2008 Best Documentary Feature"[5]
Roger Ebert's "Top 5 Docs of 2008"[6]
Critics Choice Award nomination "Best Documentary 2008"[7]
Grand Jury Prize nomination at Sundance "Best American Documentary 2008"[8]

In promoting the documentary, Creadon was interviewed by APM'sMarketplace,CNN'sLou Dobbs,MSNBC's1600 Pennsylvania Avenue with David Shuster,NPR'sTavis Smiley,and others.

If You Build It

Main article:If You Build It (film)

A documentary film directed by Creadon and produced byNeal Baershowing a year in the life of an innovative school in Bertie County, North Carolina. Facing a bleak economic future in the county, the Superintendent of Public Schools for Bertie, Chip Zullinger, invites Emily Pilloton and Matt Miller to create a high school shop class curriculum for the 21st century.

Personal life

Creadon was born inRiverside, Illinoisand graduated fromFenwick High SchoolinOak Park, Illinoisin 1985. He graduated with aBAinInternational Relationsfrom TheUniversity of Notre Damein 1989, where he served as a writer and an editor for the school paperThe Observer.

Creadon is married to and works with producerChristine O'Malley.They live inLos Feliz, California,where they are raising their three daughters, Fiona, Grace, and Charlotte.

He was a member of the U.S. Documentary Jury at the2009 Sundance Film Festival.

In 2010, Creadon spearheaded support for documentary filmmakerJoe Berlingerduring his legal battles againstChevron Corporation.[9]Chevron sued for and won the right to gain access to all the footage Berlinger had shot during production of his filmCrude.The letter, co-signed by editor Doug Blush and supported by the International Documentary Association, was signed by over 200 members of the documentary community, including over 20Academy Awardwinning documentary filmmakers. Berlinger appealed the decision and won a more positive ruling in a later hearing.[10]
[11]

He is a founding member of the Documentary Committee at theDirectors Guild of America.He currently serves as co-chair of the DGA Documentary Awards Committee along withYance Ford.Creadon and O'Malley are both members of theAcademy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

External links

• Patrick CreadonatIMDb
• An Interview with I.O.U.S.A. Director Patrick CreadonatHuffington Post
• Patrick Creadon Writes About His Interviewing Style and InfluencesatMoving Pictures Magazine
• Nickelodeon Taps Patrick Creadon and Christine O'Malley to Produce First-Ever SpongeBob SquarePants DocumentaryatReuters