A longtime Director of Photography, Jack Messitt made his feature film directorial debut with Midnight Movie - a film he co-wrote. After being named Best Feature Film at the Chicago Horror Film Festival, it had a successful limited theatrical run in the fall of 2008. Distributed by Phase 4 Films, the Midnight Movie DVD has sold extremely well, followed by a strong Blu-Ray release, and has aired throughout the past year on Showtime and The Movie Channel.
Messitt's screenplay Trust was produced by TF1 International. The thriller starring Jamie Luner (Melrose Place, All My Children) recently debuted on Lifetime and Lifetime Movie Network, Movie Central and the numerous TF1 networks throughout international markets.
Working together with manga publishing giant Tokyopop, Messitt wrote the screenplay and is attached to direct the adaptation of the graphic novel 12 days.
Jack has a long working relationship with Bigfoot Entertainment. He served as the Story Consultant, DP and 2nd Unit Director on Bigfoot's feature film Irreversi, which filmed in Hong Kong and is in the final stages of post-production. Jack was the DP and 2nd Unit director on the upcoming Bigfoot release Girl With No Number, shot in Vietnam and the Philippines. And he recently finished writing the script Kaloyev, an upcoming Bigfoot drama based on the actual events surrounding the 2001 Uberlingen airline disaster.
Jack has a library of completed original scripts including Remote Control, "a tight, well constructed thriller," says
. "There are some tense and exciting sequences here. The climactic twist is clever and impeccably set up. It's an ingenious narrative payoff."
Always one to keep up with current technology, Jack was on CNN recently as he completed intensive 3D training at the Sony 3D Technology Center. This is hugely important for every Director because the techniques we have all learned in traditional filmmmaking do not necessarily work in 3D. Because our visual storytelling vocabulary needs to change with this technology, Jack's training makes him ready for anything.
Messitt is no stranger to the feature film production process. A graduate of the American Film Institute, he has worked as a Director of Photography and Camera Operator on everything from feature films and television to music videos and reality shows. He has shot projects in Thailand, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Belgium, Canada, Philippines and throughout the United States.
His television work includes Fox’s Bones and American Idol, Comedy Central’s Strip Mall , DirecTV’s CD-USA and Oxygen Network’s Campus Ladies. His feature film credits include Irreversi, Girl With No Number and The Curiosity of Chance.
Messitt is the 1st Vice President of the Society of Camera Operators and editor of Camera Operator magazine.
Here are some recent comments about Jack's work on Midnight Movie:
When Messitt gets his hands on a real budget, look out!
-- Minneapolis Star Tribune
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Top Ten: All Time Best Direct-to-DVD Horror Movies!
This is simply a rock-solid, old fashioned scary movie that happens to have debuted on DVD (and eventually Blu-Ray).
-- The Huffington Post
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Amazing! Midnight Movie is certainly one of the best indie films of the year.
- CinemaFantastique.net
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Best Slasher of the Year – 2008
Top 70 Horror Movies of the Decade (2000-2009)
- Skrin (Apresiasi Horror)
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DVD of the Month: March 2009
Perfect Fear Fare! Midnight Movie delivers the goods with solid craft and a sense of what it’s doing. Messitt stages the murders for maximum punch, and while he doesn’t flinch from the gory results, he doesn’t overstate the bloodshed either. There are genuine jolts to be had here, rather than simple gross-outs.
-- Fangoria Magazine
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The #1 horror film of 2008!
The direction by Jack Messitt (who also wrote the script) is tight and shows us the story exactly how it was meant to be seen. Midnight Movie blew me away with its smart, engaging script and the iconic horror movie villain we’ve all been waiting for.
-- Fatally-Yours.com
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5 out of 5 stars! - To say that this film is absolutely kick ass would be the understatement of the year.
-- GoreZone Magazine
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Top Ten: Examples of a Pulse in the Modern Slasher! - A Superior Stalker Picture!
-- Fangoria.com
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Messitt has come up with a tasty little treat here.
- All Movie Guide
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