Robert Bella

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Robert Bella
Born
Robert Bella

Brooklyn, New York, United States
Occupation(s)Filmmaker, Director, Producer, Writer, Actor
Years active1985–present

Robert Bella is an American filmmaker, best known for his work as a television Director, Writer & Producer on shows such as The Rookie, The Rookie: Feds, Castle and The Following. Bella has also worked on over 100 plays as an actor, director, producer and writer.[citation needed] He is a co-author of Training of the American Actor, and he wrote the stage adaptation of the film Stand and Deliver.[1]

Early life[edit]

Bella was born in Brooklyn, New York. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, where he studied acting with Stella Adler, David Mamet and William H. Macy.[2]

Career[edit]

When he was 23 years old, Bella became an NYU adjunct faculty member. By the time he was 25, he was teaching Master Classes around the world, on subjects such as directing, script analysis, performance technique, on-camera acting and audition skills.[3] His former acting students include Jessica Alba, Rose Byrne, Heather Burns, Eddie Cahill, Justin Chatwin, Abbie Cornish, Peter Facinelli, Matthew Fox, Bryan Greenberg, Simon Helberg, Diane Neal, Jason Ritter, Gina Rodriguez, Shaun Sipos, and Skeet Ulrich.[citation needed]

Bella became one of the founding members the Atlantic Theater Company, where he served as the Managing Director, Associate Artistic Director and executive Director of the Atlantic Acting School.[3] His experience producing and directing numerous Off-Broadway plays ultimately led him to try his hand at filmmaking.

TV and film[edit]

In 1996, Bella produced and directed the independent film Colin Fitz Lives!. The film tells the story of two security guards who must protect a rock star's grave against excitable fans who may attempt to commit suicide there.[4] It was shot on 35mm in New York City. The budget was $150,000, and the film was shot in 14 days. It had its World Premiere in Dramatic Competition at the 1997 Sundance Film Festival.[5] The film won awards at numerous film festivals, including the Austin Film Festival,[6] WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival[7] and the Long Island Film Festival,[8] but it did not receive distribution until IFC Films released the movie on-demand in 2010.[9]

Bella has worked as an ADR Director with numerous actors, including: Chevy Chase, Judi Dench, Jimmy Fallon, Whoopi Goldberg, Bill Hader, Freddie Highmore, Harvey Keitel, William H. Macy, James McAvoy, Catherine O'Hara, Christina Ricci and Jon Stewart.[citation needed]

Bella also worked as a Post Production Supervisor for various film studios, including DreamWorks Pictures. His credits include Delivery Man, Lincoln, War Horse, Real Steel, The Help and I Am Number Four.[10]

He has worked as a TV Director/Writer/Producer on shows such as The Rookie, The Rookie: Feds, Castle and The Following.[11]

Personal life[edit]

Bella is currently resides in Los Angeles, California.[12]

Filmography[edit]

Year Film & Television Credited as Notes
Director Executive producer Producer Post production Writer Actor Role
1988 Things Change Yes Bellboy #1 Written and Directed by David Mamet.
1991 Homicide Yes Bodyguard Written and Directed by David Mamet.
1993 Hitsville Yes Mick Written and Directed by Peter Biegen.
1993 Amid Summer's Night Dreams Yes Skip Written and Directed by Glen Gers.
1993 The Contenders Yes Skip Written and Directed by Tobias Meinecke.
1993 Money for Nothing Yes Junior Bookie Written and Directed by Ramón Menéndez.
1997 Colin Fitz Lives! Yes Yes Yes Yes Pepe In 2010, IFC Films released the film as part of: Sundance Selects – Colin Fitz Lives!.
1997 Gerald's Farm Yes Chris Short Film. Written and Directed by Jonathan Abrahams.
1999 Magnolia Yes Detective #2 (uncredited) Written and Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson.
2004 Spartan Yes Davio Written and Directed by David Mamet.
2005 This Revolution Yes Bob Kramer Written and Directed by Stephen Marshall.
2006 Knot Yes Dad Short film.
2006 Doogal aka The Magic Roundabout Yes Yes US Voice Director for The Weinstein Company.
2006 Penelope Yes Post Production Supervisor for Summit Entertainment and The Weinstein Company.
2006 Factory Girl Yes Post Production Supervisor for The Weinstein Company.
2007 Elite Squad Yes Post Production Supervisor for The Weinstein Company.
2008 The Promotion Yes Post Production Supervisor for Dimension Films.
2008 Revengers, Inc. Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Mr. G NYU UG Drama Department film project.
2009 Fanboys Yes Post Production Supervisor for The Weinstein Company.
2009 Road Kill: A Day in the Life of Henry David Road Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Henry David Road World Premiere at the 2009 Palm Springs International Festival of Short Films.
2009 Fighting Yes Post Production Supervisor for Relativity Media and Rogue Pictures.
2010 My Soul To Take Yes Post Production Supervisor for Relativity Media and Rogue Pictures. Written and Directed by Wes Craven.
2011 I Am Number Four Yes Post Production Supervisor for Bay Films and DreamWorks Pictures. Produced by Michael Bay. Directed by D. J. Caruso.
2011 The Help Yes Post Production Supervisor for DreamWorks Pictures. Written and Directed by Tate Taylor.
2011 Real Steel Yes Post Production Consultant for DreamWorks Pictures. Produced and Directed by Shawn Levy. Starring Hugh Jackman.
2011 War Horse Yes Post Production Consultant for DreamWorks Pictures. Produced and Directed by Steven Spielberg.
2012 Lincoln Yes Post Production Consultant for DreamWorks Pictures. Produced and Directed by Steven Spielberg.
2013 Best Friends Forever Yes Yes World Premiere at the 2013 Slamdance Film Festival. Directed by Brea Grant.
2013 Delivery Man Yes Post Production Supervisor for DreamWorks Pictures. Written and Directed by Ken Scott.
2014 Need for Speed Yes Post Production Consultant for DreamWorks Pictures. Directed by Scott Waugh.
2014 The Hundred-Foot Journey Yes Post Production Consultant for DreamWorks Pictures. Directed by Lasse Hallström.
2015 The Following Yes Staff Writer (Season 3) for Warner Bros. Television. Created by Kevin Williamson.
2015–2016 Castle Yes Staff Writer (Season 8) for ABC. Created by Andrew W. Marlowe.
2018– The Rookie Yes Yes Yes Director/Writer/Producer (Seasons 1-4) for ABC. Created by Alexi Hawley.
2022-2023 The Rookie: Feds Yes Director; 2 episodes

Theater[edit]

Year Play Credited as Notes
Theatre Director Theatrical producer Playwright Actor Role
1985 The Water Engine Yes Mr. Wallace, Understudy Presented by The Goodman Theatre. Written by David Mamet.
1985 Home Free! Yes Yes Yes Lawrence Written by Lanford Wilson.
1986 Been Taken Yes Presented by The Atlantic Theater Company. Directed by William H. Macy.
1986 After Magritte Yes Presented by The Atlantic Theater Company. Written by Tom Stoppard.
1986 A Night Out Yes Presented by The Atlantic Theater Company. Written by Harold Pinter.
1987 Knuckle Yes Yes Presented by The Atlantic Theater Company. Written by David Hare.
1987 The Woods Yes Presented by The Atlantic Theater Company. Written by David Mamet.
1987 Audrey's Complaint Yes World Premiere. Presented by The Atlantic Theater Company. Written by Tom Donaghy. Directed by Clark Gregg.
1987 Reckless Yes Presented by The Atlantic Theater Company. Written by Craig Lucas.
1987 Boys' Life Yes Yes Don, Understudy World Premiere. Presented by The Atlantic Theater Company. Written by Howard Korder. Directed by William H. Macy. Off-Broadway Premiere presented by The Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.
1989 True West Yes Off-Off Broadway. Written by Sam Shepard.
1989 Measure for Measure Yes Varrius Presented by The Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Starring: Kate Burton and Campbell Scott.
1989 Julius Caesar Yes Off-Off Broadway. Written by William Shakespeare.
1990 Spike Heels Yes Off-Off Broadway. Written by Theresa Rebeck.
1991 Anton Chekhov's Three Sisters Yes Solyony Presented by The Atlantic Theater Company. Adapted by David Mamet. Directed by William H. Macy.
1991 The Virgin Molly Yes Pvt. Molly Peterson Presented by The Atlantic Theater Company.
1992 Mad Forest Yes Off-Off Broadway. Written by Caryl Churchill.
1994 The Crucible Yes Off-Off Broadway. Written by Arthur Miller.
1994 Stand and Deliver Yes Adapted from the film Stand and Deliver.
1995 Oleanna Yes John, Understudy. National Tour. Written by David Mamet.
1995 J. B. Priestley's Dangerous Corner Yes Gordon Presented by The Atlantic Theater Company. Adapted and Directed by David Mamet.
1997 Trust Yes Yes Roy Sydney, Australia. Written by Steven Dietz.
2001 The Front Page Yes Off-Off Broadway. Written by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur.
2001 The Dog Problem Yes The Priest Presented by The Atlantic Theater Company. Written by David Rabe.
2002 Balm in Gilead Yes Off-Off Broadway. Written by Lanford Wilson.
2004 Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love Yes Off Broadway. Written by Brad Fraser.

Awards and nominations[edit]

  • Film Festival Awards[13]
    • Gold Award: Won, 1997, for Comedy
    • Grand Jury Prize: Nomination, 1997, for Dramatic
    • Best of Fest: Won, 1997, for Feature Film Competition
    • Grand Jury Award: Nomination, 1997, for Narrative
    • Feature Film Award: Nomination, 1997 (shared with Tom Morrissey)
    • Feature Film Award: Won, 1997, for Best Feature
    • Audience Award: Won, 1997.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "On stage: 'Bakersfield Mist,' 'Pirates of Penzance Jr.,' 'Stand and Deliver,' Kevin Shea". VC Star. May 8, 2018. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  2. ^ "Robert Bella". Dramatic Publishing. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
  3. ^ a b "Robert Bella". Atlantic Acting School. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
  4. ^ "Colin Fitz Lives! Reviews". TV Guide. 1997. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
  5. ^ Hernandez, Eugene (July 23, 2010). "Colin Fitz Director Robert Bella: From Sundance To Hell and Back Again". Indiewire. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
  6. ^ "Austin Film Festival - 1997". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  7. ^ "Robert Bella - Awards". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  8. ^ "Robert Bella - Awards". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  9. ^ Hernandez, Eugene (July 23, 2010). "Colin Fitz Director Robert Bella: From Sundance To Hell and Back Again". Indiewire. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
  10. ^ "Robert Bella". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  11. ^ "Robert Bella". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  12. ^ "Robert Bella". Twitter. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  13. ^ SimonC (July 17, 2010). "Sundance Selects – Colin Fitz!". WorldFilmFest.net. Retrieved December 27, 2014.

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Robert_Bella&oldid=1150415315"