Steven Spielberg has been able to touch the lives of million of people through his films. He is a world class film maker and truly passionate about his work. Over the past 20 years he has given us many extraordinary films from Jaws, to E.T., to The Color Purple to Schindler’s List. Shooting adventure and war films as a schoolboy, he has created his own communities through the collective enterprise of moviemaking. He marries entertainment with moral purpose.
Steven Spielberg was born on December 18, 1946, in Cincinnati, Ohio. The son of a pianist and a computer engineer, Steven Spielberg discovered his passion for filmmaking in his early teens and he subsequently began shooting short films with the various roles filled by his family and friends. Steven Spielberg’s relentless drive to make movies led him to conceive and shoot a 40-minute war epic at the tender age of 13, and he followed that up at 16 with a two-hour-and-twenty-minute sci-fi effort that actually played at a local movie theater.
After his parents divorced during his teen years, Steven Spielberg moved to California with his father and, following his disastrous high school stint, began applying for a spot within the University of Southern California’s School of Theater, Film and Television. His fruitless efforts finally forced him to look elsewhere for an entry into the world of filmmaking, and he eventually landed a gig at Universal Studios as an unpaid intern (McBride, 1997).
Since then, he has essentially assured his place as one of the most well-known and revered directors in film history. In addition, he has brought his generosity and his unique gift for creative leadership to the organizations that he helped found, including the Starlight Starbright Children’s Foundation and the Shoah Foundation, which archives the testimonies of Holocaust survivors (Tolson, 2008). Steven Spielberg has given us and will continue to give us films that encourage and inspire the dreamer in all of us.
References:
McBride, J. (1997). Steven Spielberg: A biography. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster
Tolson, J (2008). America’s Best Leaders: Steven Spielberg, Filmmaker. Retrieved February 12, 2009 from http://usnewscom/articles/news/best-leaders/2008/11/19/americas-best%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20leaders.html
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As I read your overview of Steven Spielberg, I noticed many parallels between him and my leader, Walt Disney. These parallels extend beyond their involvement in the entertainment industry. Both of our leaders have a strong passion for their craft. They recognized their talents and started to develop them at a young age. Despite encountering obstacles, they both were persistent in following their dreams. Their determination and tenacity were a big factor in their success. Although one can make many comparisons between the two, the most important observation is that they have both been recognized as outstanding leaders not only by their field, but also by the world.
ReplyDeleteHi Erin,
ReplyDeleteSteven Spielberg is a leader not only to the film history but for anyone that examines his trying life as a child. Sam Walton, similar to Steven Spielberg, did not have the “perfect” childhood. Sam’s family moved many times, and they did not have the money to put Sam through school. Both Sam Walton and Steven Spielberg overcame the challenges they faced growing up, including Steven’s “fruitless efforts” to attend the University of Southern California’s School of Theater, Film and Television.
I believe a true leader has persistence and a burning desire. When you have those characteristics, nothing will get in the way of your dreams. Steven Spielberg and Sam Walton are two great examples of what can be accomplished when the desire doesn’t get burnt out. Too often with the students I teach, I see this happen. Excuses are made for their past. The past then gets in the way of their future.
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ReplyDeleteSteven Spielberg is a true leader in the field of entertainment. He has influenced the lives of millions of children and adults with his "fantasy/sci-fi" style movies. Anyone growing up in the late 70's and 80's can recall the first time they saw the movie E.T. That was his ticket to greatness. Schwarzenegger had a similar launch into Hollywood stardom with his mega-hit Terminator. These two films were the roots of many pop culture ideas for years to come.
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