Scott Silver
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Biography
Writer-director Scott Silver began his career in the field directing and producing documentaries at a Boston CBS affiliate after earning a journalism degree from Boston University. In the early 1990s. he headed to the West Coast and eventually graduated from the American Film Institute. Silver made his feature film directorial debut with "johns" (1996), a bleak tale of friendship and love among street hustlers on Santa Monica Boulevard that unfolds over the holidays in late December. This poignant comic tragedy was written by Silver during his first Los Angeles Christmas, the disconnected screenwriter despairing over the strangeness of a hot and sunny winter holiday. His journalistic background led to his enlisting the help of real-life hustlers who told their stories for $20, helping to lend a layer of realism to the film. A favorite on the indie circuit, "johns" received positive reviews, with many critics praising Silver's ability to make the marginal story accessible and universal while still retaining its credibility. Visually interesting as well, the film had been overexposed one stop to underline the washed out feeling conveyed in the script.
Silver was the co-executive producer for another independent favorite, Mark Waters' black comedy "The House of Yes," about a dysfunctional family. He directed and co-wrote 1999's film version of the popular Aaron Spelling series "The Mod Squad," starring Claire Danes, Omar Epps and Giovanni Ribisi as the titular delinquents turned cops. A highly stylized take on the story, with elements of the original late 60s-early 70s scene injected, "The Mod Squad" did poorly with critics, who questioned the relevance of revisiting such an era-specific and unrealistic program. Quite a departure from "johns," the film lacked his previous effort's genuine edginess and sincerity.
Filmography
Director (Feature Film)
Writer (Feature Film)
Producer (Feature Film)
Special Thanks (Feature Film)
Misc. Crew (Feature Film)
Life Events
1991
Moved to Los Angeles
1995
Feature film directorial debut, "johns"; also wrote screenplay; screened at the 1996 Sundance Film Festival
1997
Was a co-executive producer for "The House of Yes"
1999
Directed and co-wrote the script for "The Mod Squad"
Family
Companions
