Alison Seebohm

Sir Peter Robert Jackson is a New Zealand film director known for directing epic trilogies such as The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Born in 1961 in Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, he grew up in the small coastal town of Pukerua Bay. At the age of 8, he seized his family's camera and began making his first films with his friends. These early works, mostly short films, hinted at the style that would later make him famous. Jackson's first serious foray into filmmaking was through a local competition aimed at encouraging amateur and children's films. In this film, he created a Ray Harryhausen-style monster that destroyed a city, all on his own. Unfortunately, he didn't win. At 22, he embarked on a life-changing film adventure. His first feature film, *Bad Taste* (1987), like his other early works, was a low-budget film made with an amateur spirit. Jackson did almost everything himself: directing and producing, even playing several characters. Filmed with a $250 second-hand camera, it took four years to complete. What started as a joke between friends became a cult classic. A friend working in the film industry encouraged Jackson to submit it to the Cannes Film Festival, highlighting its commercial potential. The film received positive reviews and a few awards at Cannes, quickly becoming a hit due to its bizarre humor and special effects. The success of *Bad Taste* launched Jackson's career in the film industry, leading him to quit his job at a local photography shop to dedicate himself fully to cinema. After *Meet the Feebles* (1989), a comedy/musical, he ventured into horror with *Braindead* (1992). In 1994, he wrote and directed *Heavenly Creatures*, a film about a horrific murder that shocked a nation. He co-wrote the screenplay for *Jack Brown Genius* (1996) with Tony Hills. In 1996, he co-wrote and directed the comedy *Forgotten Silver* with Costa Botes, and also directed the horror/comedy *The Frighteners*, starring Michael J. Fox. Following these films, Jackson went quiet for a considerable period, working on a massive project. Taking on the task of bringing J.R.R. Tolkien's world-famous *Lord of the Rings* to the big screen (after the 1978 animated version), he directed the trilogy, co-writing the screenplays for the second and third installments. *The Return of the King*, the trilogy's final film, won him Oscars and Golden Globes for Best Director, and won a record-breaking 11 Oscars. After this, he directed *King Kong* (2005) starring Naomi Watts and *The Lovely Bones* (2009), a drama. From 2012 to 2014, he directed the *Hobbit* trilogy, adapting another major work by J.R.R. Tolkien. Jackson married screenwriter and producer Fran Walsh in 1987. They have a son, Billy (b. 1995), and a daughter, Katie (b. 1996).