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Producer STEVEN SODERBERGH not only works behind the camera as a director but behind the scenes as a producer for a variety of projects. In the spring of 2000, Soderbergh and George Clooney formed Section Eight, a film production company housed on the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank. After their inaugural production, "Ocean's Eleven," they first executive produced "Far From Heaven," written and directed by Todd Haynes. The critically acclaimed homage to Sirkian melodramas starred Julianne Moore and Dennis Quaid, and received four Oscar® nominations.
In 2002, Section Eight released three films: "Confessions of A Dangerous Mind," directed by and starring George Clooney with an ensemble cast that included Sam Rockwell, Drew Barrymore and Julia Roberts; "Insomnia," directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Al Pacino, Robin Williams, and Hilary Swank; and "Welcome to Collinwood," written and directed by Cleveland-born brothers Anthony and Joe Russo. This ensemble comedy's cast included William H. Macy, Isaiah Washington, Luis Guzman, Jennifer Esposito, Sam Rockwell, and Clooney.
Last fall they released two films: long-time Soderbergh collaborator Gregory Jacobs' directorial debut "Criminal," starring John C. Reilly, Diego Luna, and Maggie Gyllenhaal, which was screened at the 2004 Venice, Deauville and London Film Festivals; and "Ocean's Twelve," which reunited the entire cast of the 2001 film with the addition of Catherine Zeta-Jones and Vincent Cassel.
In March of this year Section Eight will release "The Jacket," a mind-bending psychological horror film directed by John Maybury and starring Adrien Brody, Keira Knightley and Jennifer Jason Leigh. They are currently in post-production on three projects: Stephen Gaghan's oil epic "Syriana," featuring Clooney, Matt Damon, and Jeffrey Wright; Richard Linklater's "A Scanner Darkly" (based on the acclaimed Philip K. Dick novel) with Keanu Reeves as the tortured hero; and "Rumor Has It," directed by Rob Reiner and starring Jennifer Aniston, Mark Ruffalo, Kevin Costner, and Shirley Maclaine.
Soderbergh's other credits as producer include Greg Mottola's "The Daytrippers" and Gary Ross' "Pleasantville." He was also executive producer on Lodge Kerrigan's "Keane," which last year played at the Telluride, Toronto and New York Film Festivals; David Siegel and Scott McGhee's "Suture,"; and Godfrey Reggio's "Naqoyqatsi," the final installment of the non-narrative films that make up the Qatsi Trilogy, which began with "Koyaanisqatsi" and "Powaq-qatsi."
"Unscripted" is the second time Section Eight and HBO have partnered to create a half-hour series; the first, "K Street," made its debut in September 2003.
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