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Danny Lee (filmmaker)

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Danny Lee
BornLos Angeles, California
OccupationFilm director, screenwriter, producer
NationalityAmerican
EducationUniversity of California, Santa Barbara
GenreDocumentary, Drama, Inspirational, Black Comedy
SubjectCulture, Arts, Music, Sports, Fashion, Pop Culture
Years active2000–present
Website
dannyleeworks.com

Danny Lee is an Emmy-award-winning American film director, producer, and screenwriter from Los Angeles, California.

Early Life[edit]

The son of Korean immigrants, Danny grew up in the Hancock Park area in Los Angeles.[1]  At the age of 10, Lee started making films with his family’s Hi-8 camera. As a teenager, Lee gravitated towards and participated in a variety of subcultures, including skateboarding, graffiti art, and hip-hop. Lee regularly attended the Project Blowed open mic events in Leimert Park, CA and eventually formed his own hip-hop music collective called Six Cents. Lee began his career with Lionsgate Entertainment.[2]

Career[edit]

Lee has directed and produced a variety of work including documentary films, short series and branded content. He is most well known for directing the feature documentary Who Is Stan Smith?, which explores the story behind tennis and fashion icon Stan Smith. The film was released theatrically in over 70 markets across the United States,[3] and was executive produced by LeBron James and Maverick Carter's Uninterrupted.[4][5] Lee is also known for the award-winning 30 for 30 documentary Friedman’s Shoes for ESPN,[6] about the storied shoe store in Atlanta.[7] In 2005, Lee released his directorial debut at the AFI Fest with Rock Fresh,[8] a candid documentary about graffiti artists taking their subversive art mainstream.[3][9] Lee's success with Rock Fresh led him to create CALICO, an award-winning production studio based in Los Angeles. CALICO is 100% BIPOC-owned.[10]

In 2010, Lee created, wrote and directed The Clinic, a Hulu comedy series about a marijuana dispensary.[11][12] Lee also directed Road To Brooklyn, a documentary series executive produced by Jay-Z, which chronicled the story of the Brooklyn Nets relocating from New Jersey to Brooklyn; the series was a 2013 Webby Awards honoree.[13][14] Lee was a 2014 Webby Awards Honoree again in 2014 for his film Roll on Rockaway.[15] He directed the documentaries Midnight in Juarez and Skate or Die, the latter of which was inducted into the Smithsonian Institution.[16]

Lee also directed the Nissan-branded ESPN series With Dad featuring Clay Matthews Jr.[17], which won the 2015 Cynopsis Best Branded Web Series award.[3][18] His television series After The Raves documents the history of dance music with Tommie Sunshine, and is available for streaming on Red Bull TV.[19][20][21] In 2018, Lee directed and produced Public Disturbance for Lionsgate. The feature comedy stars Mike Tyson, Skyler Samuels, Amber Stevens West, Bobby Lee, and Dillon Francis.[22][23][24]

In 2024, Lee partnered with actor Dulé Hill and PBS to direct and produce The Express Way with Dulé Hill, a docuseries which follows Hill as he travels across America and explores the transformative power of the arts. Each episode offers a glimpse into the lives of American artists using their craft to catalyze change, including the world’s first LGBTQ+ mariachi group, Mariachi Arcoiris, based in Los Angeles.[25]

Lee was featured in Paper Magazine's March 2007 Beautiful People issue.[26] In 2008, the Filmmakers Lab within the Korean Film Council named Lee the recipient of the Best Project Award, along with a cash grant for his feature film script, Winter War.[9][27]

Filmography[edit]

Year Title Director Notes
2005 Rock Fresh Yes
2010 The Clinic Yes
2012 Road To Brooklyn Yes
2012 Skate or Die Yes
2013 Detroit Rubber Yes
2013 Road Trippp Yes
2013 Roll on Rockaway Yes
2014 Midnight In Juarez Yes
2015 With Dad Yes
2015 After The Raves Yes
2016 30 For 30 Shorts: Friedman's Shoes Yes
2018 Public Disturbance Yes
2020 The Story of Air Max: 90 to 2090 Yes
2020 The Story of Dunk Yes
2022 Who Is Stan Smith? Yes
2024 The Express Way with Dulé Hill Yes

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Durable Goods signs director Danny Lee". shots. Retrieved 2024-06-19.
  2. ^ "Danny Lee". Film Independent. Retrieved 2024-06-19.
  3. ^ a b c "Danny Lee Works". Dannyleeworks.com. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  4. ^ News, A. B. C. "Stan Smith talks being more than just a sneaker in documentary". ABC News. Retrieved 2024-06-18. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  5. ^ Lawrence, Andrew (2024-05-01). "Who is Stan Smith? New film uncovers tennis and footwear legend". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
  6. ^ "ESPN Gives an In-Depth Look Into the Iconic Retailer Friedman's Shoes". Hypebeast. 2016-02-09. Retrieved 2024-06-19.
  7. ^ "ESPN readies '30 for 30 Shorts' slate". Retrieved 2018-04-27.
  8. ^ "AFI FEST 2023 | Film Results". AFI FEST. Retrieved 2024-06-19.
  9. ^ a b "Kofic declares Lee's 'War' a winner". Variety.com. 9 December 2008. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  10. ^ "CALICO | About". CALICO. Retrieved 2024-06-19.
  11. ^ "'The Clinic' Blazes Across Hulu". Tubefilter.com. 31 August 2010. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  12. ^ "The Office + Weeds = The Clinic - PAPERMAG". Papermag.com. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  13. ^ "Road to Brooklyn". Webbyawards.com. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  14. ^ "Life + Times Continues The 'Road To Brooklyn' With "The Look"". Vibe.com. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  15. ^ "The Red Bulletin presents: Roll on Rockaway". Webbyawards.com. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  16. ^ "Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service - Ramp It Up: Skateboard Culture in Native America". Sites.si.edu. Archived from the original on June 29, 2016. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  17. ^ "Friedman's Shoes - ESPN Films: 30 for 30". Espn.com. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  18. ^ "2015 Cynopsis Model D Awards - Results - Cynopsis MediaCynopsis Media". Cynopsis.com. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  19. ^ "Tommie Sunshine Documents Dance Music History in 'After The Raves' Series". Billboard.com. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  20. ^ "Tommie Sunshine Travels the World for Red Bull TV's 'After the Raves'". Https. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  21. ^ "Tommie Sunshine Explores Miami Dance Music in Red Bull TV's After the Raves". Miaminewtimes.com. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  22. ^ "Mike Tyson Joins Prank-Comedy Pic 'Public Disturbance'". Deadline.com. 19 July 2016. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  23. ^ "Mike Tyson Joins The Janoskians Film Public Disturbance". Indiewire.com. 20 July 2016. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  24. ^ "Mike Tyson on board for prankster comedy Public Disturbance". Ew.com. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  25. ^ Hahn, Kate (2024-04-19). "'The Express Way with Dulé Hill' Showcases the Power of Art". TV Insider. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
  26. ^ "Beautiful People 2007: Danny Lee - PAPERMAG". Papermag.com. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  27. ^ "KOFIC Awards Danny Lee 2008 FDL Grant". Koreanfilm.or.kr. Retrieved September 25, 2016.

External links[edit]

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