Biography for
Ted Hope More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

Mini Biography

In the early 90's, American Independent Film burst on the media scene with the promise of new visions, new stories, and new approaches. Ted Hope was among the first producers to emerge from the pack and today remains one of the few consistently delivering vital and exciting new work. As times, platforms, and tastes change, Ted's work continues to break new ground, reach new audiences, and define the term "Independent."

A survey of Hope's films, numbering over sixty, includes many highlights and breakthroughs of the last two decades. As generative as he is with movies, Ted is no less so in business; Ted co-founded and ran the 90's production & sales powerhouse Good Machine, which he and his partners sold to Universal in 2002. Good Machine was honored by a retrospective at the Museum Of Modern Art in 2001. Hope subsequently co-founded the New York production company This is that with his former assistant Anthony Bregman and Anne Carey, whom Hope met on his first day at NYU Film School. In its eight years, This is that produced eighteen features, receiving numerous awards, including four Academy Award Best Screenplay nominations. Most recently, he founded Double Hope Films with his wife, filmmaker Vanessa Hope.

Hope is an avid social media proselytizer, posting regularly on his HopeForFilm blog, home of Truly Free Film, which Variety has called a "fantastic resource." He also co-founded HammerToNail.com, a film review site focused on Truly Independent Film.

Hope's most recent production, SUPER, written and directed by James Gunn, and starring Rainn Wilson, Ellen Page, Liv Tyler and Kevin Bacon, was the first sale of this year's Toronto Film Festival; he is currently in production on DARK HORSE, written and directed by Todd Solondz and starring Jordan Gelber, Selma Blair, Justin Bartha, Mia Farrow, and Christopher Walken.

Hope is also in post-production on two films: COLLABORATOR, written and directed by Martin Donovan and starring Donovan, David Morse and Olivia Williams; and MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE, written and directed by Sean Durkin and starring Lizzy Olsen, Hugh Dancy, and John Hawkes. With these films, Hope has now produced twenty "first features" that include those of Alan Ball, Todd Field, Michel Gondry, Hal Hartley, Nicole Holofcener, Moises Kaufman, and Bob Pulcini & Shari Berman, among others. Along with his Good Machine partner James Schamus, Hope also produced all of Ang Lee's early films including THE ICE STORM (1997), and the Academy Award nominated films EAT DRINK MAN WOMAN (1994), & THE WEDDING BANQUET (1993).

Hope has received numerous awards and honors. In 2009, he was the recipient of the Vision Award from the LA Filmmakers' Alliance, as well as the Woodstock Film Festival's Honorary Trailblazer Award. His films have received some of the industry's most prestigious honors: THE SAVAGES (2007) earned two Academy Award nominations; 21 GRAMS (2003), two Academy Award nominations and five BAFTA nominations; and IN THE BEDROOM (2001), five Academy Award nominations. Ted holds a record at Sundance: three of his twenty-three Sundance entries (AMERICAN SPLENDOR (2003), THE BROTHERS MCMULLEN (1995), and WHAT HAPPENED WAS . . . (1994)) have won the Grand Jury Prize, more than any other producer. Two of his films, AMERICAN SPLENDOR (2003), and HAPPINESS (1998), have won the Critics Prize at the Cannes International Film Festival. Hope is recognized, by The Hollywood Reporter and other publications, as one of the most influential and powerful people in Independent Film. He consults and lectures throughout the world including the Forbes Global CEO Conference and as the Keynote Speaker at the Power To The Pixel trans-media conference in London. Many film juries, including Sundance, SXSW, and Karlovy Vary have enjoyed Ted's participation. He has appeared on A&E, CCTV 7 (China), CNN, Fox News, NPR, Sundance Channel, and numerous other media outlets. In addition, Ted is a board member of the IFP and serves on the advisory boards of the Adrienne Shelly Foundation, The Film Collaborative, Power to the Pixel, and the Woodstock Film Festival.

Hope lives in New York City with his wife and son.

Spouse

Trivia

Partner in Good Machine, an indie-film company, with screenwriter friend James Schamus and David Linde. Bought by Universal Pictures and merged into a new division of the studio called Focus, June 2002.

Was member of the dramatic jury at the Sundance Film Festival in 2004.