Charlie Kaufman - a Pathway to Change

Charlie Thacker English 1302 (Net) Dr. Dillard Biography

Charlie Kaufman - A Pathway to Change

Featured films are big business. Crowds of people rush to the theatres for the chance to see a new film or famous actor on screen. The entertainment industry is in constant change here. For example, comedy that would once be considered inappropriate is now the highlight of films. Ideas and opinions are changing with new generations of viewers. This change is one of more liberal and acceptance of human traits. Charlie Kaufman, writer-producer is an artist in this field of expertise. His work has helped the transition of the entertainment industry into what we today call quality productions

During 1958, in New York, Charles Stewart Kaufman was born to become the writer/producer he is today. As a young child, he wrote plays and made short films for his parents. During High School, he also performed in numerous school and community plays. Kaufman spent his sophomore, junior and senior years in West Hartford, Connecticut. He was anti-establishment, so school was not his priority. He spent all three years in electives for TV production, and the drama club. Kaufman did not graduate with honors or high honors, but he did receive a scholarship for achievement in dramatic arts. After graduating, he went to Boston University, disliked it, and then attended New York University where he studied film. There Kaufman formed a lasting friendship with Paul Proch. They both possessed the same sense of humor and began to work together to produce scripts and plays (Ulin.)

Kaufman lived in Minneapolis during the late 1980s and worked for the Star Tribune. Proch would occasionally visit Charlie and together they wrote some TV scripts, such as a special for "Married With Children." In 1991, Kaufman moved to Los Angeles without a job hope of employment. Eventually he landed his first professional writing gig on a sitcom. He was hired as a staff writer on the quirky Chris Elliott sitcom, "Get a Life!" The two episodes he penned displayed elements of surrealism which would soon become a Kaufman hallmark. He went on to write some 30 episodes of various TV shows ranging from the sketch comedy, "The Edge," to more conventional sitcoms. He also tried to sell many of his own pilots including, "Depressed Roomies." Television executives remember this as being too dark and weird to be put on the air. The pilot dealt with a lot of questionable situations for television at the time period (Ulin.) While waiting for more work, Kaufman started writing a script about a man who falls in love with someone who is not his wife. The script, "Being John Malkovich," eventually evolved to show the creativeness and originality of Kaufman. The screenplay created enormous talk around Hollywood. However, producers were too scared of the story's oddness to actually endorse it. Eventually, the cast, including Catherine Keener, John Cusack and Cameron Diaz, all signed on because of the originality of the material. Next, Kaufman wrote the script, "Human Nature." This was another obvious surreal relationship story. The film was met with an open reception, but a lack of publicity and run time caused the movie to be unsuccessful. "Adaptation," the next film was a work of extreme originality, alternating between fact, fiction and fantasy. This movie was more of a success with the public. Previously, he had been nominated for, "Adaptation," and "Being John Malkovich." Unfortunately he came up empty handed on both accounts. The wide release of "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" came in spring of 2004. This is the film that finally won him an Oscar. The movie cast popular names such as Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Elijah Wood, and Kirstin Dunst. The film made such a strong impression that it ultimately collected numerous awards and nominations. Most notably, it took home honors for Best Original Screenplay at the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA), the Writers Guild of America Awards and, ultimately, the Academy Awards.

Kaufman claims that part of his own development came from recognizing the weirdness within his own persona. He says that he is still shy and quiet just like when he was as a Bar Mitzvah child. In contrast to his verbal characters, screenwriter-producer Charlie Kaufman is extremely serene about his own life and background. Charlie takes great pains to avoid allowing any personal detail slip out to the public. Presently, he lives in California with his wife and daughter where he can concentrate on his work without interference of the public eye (Wikapedia.)

Popular films, whether comedic or satirical seem to have continuously remained in the same genre. This grouping offers a comfort zone in which the audience can relate. From Charlie Chaplin, to The Three Stooges, to "Saved by the Bell", the comfortable family atmosphere was present. These were situations of non-extreme familiarity and viewer connection. There were no inappropriate scenes, no awkward scenarios, and no shocking humor in the film industry. However, Charlie Kaufman had a different path in mind.

Critics claim that Kaufman's material is awkward and pushing the limits of acceptableness in movies. It is also said that his work is somewhat dark and whimsy. Kaufman, himself claims that his material contains weird and theatrical qualities (Kaufman.) His writings appear to contain