Given the proper context, nearly any object can contribute to, or even create, story.
Combine an object with gestural expressions of our own humanity—in Steven Michael Beck’s case, his renderings in bronze—and almost instantly, recognizable acts of behavior emerge: vanity, conceit, irony, distrust, naiveté…
Do these allusions occur because they appeal to our thirst for story, after all, they’re nothing but old cans, used tools, and a bit of poured metal? Or do they materialize because they trigger some distant memory, ‘canned’ nostalgia we either cherish or regret?
Rene Magritte warned us of the treachery of images, but what of our dependency on story? Are we as human beings addicted to the need to rationalize our world by always connecting a narrative to things, or are we constantly unlocking our own mysteries by seeing their clues in the common stories we tell?
Steven finds it fascinating that when an object sits, it sits. But when we attach them to our humanity, our stories soar.
And why wouldn’t he? If nothing else, Steven is all about story.
Having spent the last 30 years pursuing storytelling as a film director, his work has often reflected his infatuation with animation—the notion that any object or thought either contained life, or could be conjured into such (needless to say, he had an imaginative childhood).
It helped that his pursuits included special effects. Working for Industrial Light & Magic, George Lucas’s vaunted special effects company, he was surrounded by the greatest visual effects artists of the day; computer graphic specialists, stage technicians, cameramen and women, set designers…
But it was the talent in ILM’s model shop that impressed him, particularly its sculptors. The work they created was truly world class, yet these humble men and women were absolutely passionate about sharing their craft. So he watched and listened, never forgetting that reality, any reality, could be conjured from a lump of clay.
Combined with the theatrical mindset of a filmmaker, and following the wonderful, contrarian, mind-boggling script we call humanity, it was this introduction to sculpture that laid the foundation for Steven’s art today.
1978-1981 Art Center College of Design- Receive BFA with Honors in Illustration / Advertising.
1981-1983 Silver Cloud Productions- Lithography studio coordinator, assistant art director, art director. Receive first nomination for a Clio.
1983-1986 Robert Abel & Associates- Art Director supporting the firm’s directors, and then director. Receive first of twelve Clio awards and first BDA award.
1986-1988 Jacobs and Gerber Advertising- Broadcast Design Department Coordinator and graphic designer for all CBS News accounts.
1988-1991 Industrial Light & Magic/LucasFilm- Art Department Manager, visual effects art director. Coordinated art dept. personnel, provided tours of the facility for clients, and was the visual effects art director on several movies: Indiana Jones and Last Crusade, The Abyss, and Hunt for Red October.
1991-1995 LucasArts Attractions/LucasFilm- Executive Producer/Creative Director. Coordinated art dept. personnel, harvested new business for attractions projects within, and for, LucasFilm. Clients included Disney Studios, Kuma Gai Construction, Matsushita, Universal Studios, and the U.S. Dept. of Commerce.
1995-2001 Industrial Light & Magic Commercial Productions/ LucasFilm- Senior commercial director for the studio. Received nine Clio awards during tenure, two Cannes nominations, and several entries into the New York AICP/Museum of Modern Art Show. Clients included Ford, Chevrolet, First Union Bank, Powerade, Gatorade, and The Giants.
2000-2003 Warner Brothers/Silver Pictures- Film director. Projects include 13 Ghosts and Ghost Ship. Worldwide box office exceeds $136,000,000.00.
2002- 2004 Reactor- Commercial Film Director
2005- 2012 Rhythm + Hues Studios- Commercial Film Director. Clients include Volkswagen, GMC, Regions Bank, Jack Rouse and Associates, and Ferrari.
2012 to present- Freelance Film Director, Designer, Screenwriter, Novelist, and conceptualist and senior partner for Internet startup endeavor Virtual World & Suns, LLC.
1978-1981 Art Center College of Design- Receive BFA with Honors in Illustration / Advertising.
1981-1983 Silver Cloud Productions- Lithography studio coordinator, assistant art director, art director. Receive first nomination for a Clio.
1983-1986 Robert Abel & Associates- Art Director supporting the firm’s directors, and then director. Receive first of twelve Clio awards and first BDA award.
1986-1988 Jacobs and Gerber Advertising- Broadcast Design Department Coordinator and graphic designer for all CBS News accounts.
1988-1991 Industrial Light & Magic/LucasFilm- Art Department Manager, visual effects art director. Coordinated art dept. personnel, provided tours of the facility for clients, and was the visual effects art director on several movies: Indiana Jones and Last Crusade, The Abyss, and Hunt for Red October.
1991-1995 LucasArts Attractions/LucasFilm- Executive Producer/Creative Director. Coordinated art dept. personnel, harvested new business for attractions projects within, and for, LucasFilm. Clients included Disney Studios, Kuma Gai Construction, Matsushita, Universal Studios, and the U.S. Dept. of Commerce.
1995-2001 Industrial Light & Magic Commercial Productions/ LucasFilm- Senior commercial director for the studio. Received nine Clio awards during tenure, two Cannes nominations, and several entries into the New York AICP/Museum of Modern Art Show. Clients included Ford, Chevrolet, First Union Bank, Powerade, Gatorade, and The Giants.
2000-2003 Warner Brothers/Silver Pictures- Film director. Projects include 13 Ghosts and Ghost Ship. Worldwide box office exceeds $136,000,000.00.
2002- 2004 Reactor- Commercial Film Director
2005- 2012 Rhythm + Hues Studios- Commercial Film Director. Clients include Volkswagen, GMC, Regions Bank, Jack Rouse and Associates, and Ferrari.
2012 to present- Freelance Film Director, Designer, Screenwriter, Novelist, and conceptualist and senior partner for Internet startup endeavor Virtual World & Suns, LLC.
1978-1981 Art Center College of Design- Receive BFA with Honors in Illustration / Advertising.
1981-1983 Silver Cloud Productions- Lithography studio coordinator, assistant art director, art director. Receive first nomination for a Clio.
1983-1986 Robert Abel & Associates- Art Director supporting the firm’s directors, and then director. Receive first of twelve Clio awards and first BDA award.
1986-1988 Jacobs and Gerber Advertising- Broadcast Design Department Coordinator and graphic designer for all CBS News accounts.
1988-1991 Industrial Light & Magic/LucasFilm- Art Department Manager, visual effects art director. Coordinated art dept. personnel, provided tours of the facility for clients, and was the visual effects art director on several movies: Indiana Jones and Last Crusade, The Abyss, and Hunt for Red October.
1991-1995 LucasArts Attractions/LucasFilm- Executive Producer/Creative Director. Coordinated art dept. personnel, harvested new business for attractions projects within, and for, LucasFilm. Clients included Disney Studios, Kuma Gai Construction, Matsushita, Universal Studios, and the U.S. Dept. of Commerce.
1995-2001 Industrial Light & Magic Commercial Productions/ LucasFilm- Senior commercial director for the studio. Received nine Clio awards during tenure, two Cannes nominations, and several entries into the New York AICP/Museum of Modern Art Show. Clients included Ford, Chevrolet, First Union Bank, Powerade, Gatorade, and The Giants.
2000-2003 Warner Brothers/Silver Pictures- Film director. Projects include 13 Ghosts and Ghost Ship. Worldwide box office exceeds $136,000,000.00.
2002- 2004 Reactor- Commercial Film Director
2005- 2012 Rhythm + Hues Studios- Commercial Film Director. Clients include Volkswagen, GMC, Regions Bank, Jack Rouse and Associates, and Ferrari.
2012 to present- Freelance Film Director, Designer, Screenwriter, Novelist, and conceptualist and senior partner for Internet startup endeavor Virtual World & Suns, LLC.
SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS (partial list)
Ferrari World/ Attraction #26 Director/ Designer/ Writer
U.S. Department of Commerce Show Producer/Designer
MCA Universal Studios, Hollywood Show Producer/Designer
New World Development Co. Executive Show Producer
MCA Universal Studios, Florida Show Producer/Designer
LucasFilm Luminaire, Houston Executive Show Producer
Chandler West/ Downtown Denver Redux Executive Designer
Expo ’93/ Taejon, Korea/ Kia Pavilion Director/ Designer/ Writer
AWARDS (partial list)
AICP Award for Visual Effects “Noise”
AICP Award for Visual Effects Production Design “Launch”
AICP Award for Visual Effects “Cityscape”
BPME Award for ABC “Together” Campaign
Cannes Bronze Lion for Nissan “Pigeons”
Clio Award for Computer Animation Television/Cinema “Noise”
Clio Award for Direction, Visual Style Television/Cinema “Launch”
Clio Award for Cinematography, Television/Cinema “Launch”
Clio Award for BMW “Penguin”
Clio Award for Best Graphics for Olympic Stain “Blueprint”
Clio Award for Computer Animation for Olympic Stain, ”Blueprint”
Clio Award for Best Graphics for Samsung “Growing Technology”
Clio Award for Computer Animation for Samsung “Growing Technology”
International Automotive Advertising Award for BMW “Penguin”
International Film and TV Festival of New York, Silver Award for Samsung “Growing
NCGA Silver Medal for ABC “Together” Campaign
NSGA Silver Award for Samsung “Growing Technology”
NGCA Tournee Award for Benson and Hedges “Magic”
Mobius Award for Dodge “Hang 10”
FEATURE FILMS (partial list)
2012 TRIGGER SWITCH – Director / Screenwriter (in development)
2010 LANDOLORE – Director / Conceptualist (looking for funding)
2007 UNFORSAKEN – Director / Screenwriter (in development)
2005 BABYLON 5 – Director (in development)
2004 CREATION – Director / Screen writer (in development)
2002 GHOST SHIP - Director
2001 13 GHOSTS - Director
2001 BLACK ICE – Director / Screenwriter (in development)
1990 THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER – VISUAL Effects Art Director
1989 THE ABYSS – VISUAL Effects Art Director
1989 INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE – VISUAL Effects Art Director
COMMERCIALS (partial list)
GATORADE “Raptor vs. Raptor” Foot Cone & Belding Director
FIRST UNION “Butterfly,” “International,”… Publicis/Hal Riney Director
TOYOTA “Revolution” Saatchi & Saatchi Director
FIRST UNION “Launch,” “Shark” Publicis/Hal Riney Director
FIRST UNION “Change,” “Noise,” “Cityscape” Publicis/Hal Riney Director
BURGER KING “Invasion,” “Courtroom” Ammirati Puris Lintas Director
FOX NETWORK “Gopher Ball” Foote Cone Belding Director
ORKIN “Q & A” J. Walter Thompson Director
PRIMESTAR “Runaway Pipe” Adler Boschetto Peebles Director
PONTIAC GRAND PRIX “Coyote” DMB&B Director
HONDA “Spotlight” Muse Codero Chen Director
DODGE “Ladder/Pebble” BBDO Detroit Director
DODGE “Engine Mount/Wishbone Less” BBDO Detroit Director
DODGE “Battery/Toys” BBDO Detroit Director
SHELL “Mall,” “Stealth” GSD&M Director
THE STEEL ALLIANCE “Shark,” “Huffed And Puffed” GSD&M Director
THE STEEL ALLIANCE “Safety Seat,” “Recycling Bin” GSD&M Director
NISSAN “Pigeons” TBWA/Chiat Day Director
CANADA DRY “Domino” Foote Cone Belding Director
DODGE “5 Seater,” “Rail,” “Hang 10” BBDO Detroit Director
DODGE “Walkthrough” BBDO Detroit Director
INTEL “Carpet” Dahlin Smith White Director
PEPSI “Pepsiman” (Intro) Sunny Side Up Director
BMW “Penguin” Fallon McElligott Director
TOYOTA “Maze” Saatchi & Saatchi Director
GTE MOBILENET “Carried Away,” “Again” Focus Director
FORD “This is Escort,” “Reflections” J. Walter Thompson Director
COLGATE “Mount Rushmore” Young & Rubicam Director
FORD CITIBANK CREDIT “Do More, Get More” J. Walter Thompson Director
SUPERCUTS “Stylin’” J. Walter Thompson Director
HONEYCOMB “Craving,” “Library” Grey Director
AMBLIN/CASPER TRAILER “Old Casper Meets New Casper”Kaleidoscope Films Director