Film/Television
Director
Rod Hardy is a widely accomplished and talented Director
who has forged his keen instincts and his trademark visual
sense of story through extensive experience. His collaborative
efforts are but a gleaning of his problem-solving techniques.
He has a great ability to bring the best out in people
whether it is an actor’s performance or a DP’s
best shot.
The genesis of his talent lies in his respect for others
and his great passion for film. His interest in film began
before the age of 12, when he shot several short films
on his brother’s 8mm camera. Rod has over 350 hours
of credits directing television drama in his native Australia.
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This impressive body of work comes from his directorial
involvement with some of the country’s most successful
television productions. His first feature film, Thirst,
won Best Picture in its category at the 1980 Asian Film
Festival.
Hardy also gained experience as a Producer in Australia,
producing the mini-series My Brother Tom, starring
Gordon Jackson and Keith Michell, for Crawfords Australia,
and the pilot Running With the Night for Network
Ten. Hardy directed the pilot and went on to executive
produce the series E-Street also for Network Ten.
He also directed the pilot for the series Punishment
starring Mel Gibson.
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Having honed his directing and producing skills in Australia,
Hardy moved to Los Angeles in 1992 to launch his American
career. His first assignment was to direct Lies and
Lullabies the traumatic life story of pregnant cocaine
addicts, starring Susan Dey and Piper Laurie. The movie
was awarded the Scott Newman Award (founded by Paul Newman
and Joanne Woodward in memory of their son) that is presented
annually to the production that best illustrates the degradation
of and triumph over drug addiction.
Since his award winning U.S. directorial debut, he has
garnered both Golden Globe and Emmy nominations for movies
of the week and mini-series. M.O.W.’s range from
Grounds for Murder for CBS, starring John Ritter
and Henry Winkler in memorable dramatic roles, to the
re-creation of the classic Marjorie Rawlins’ novel,
The Yearling, for CBS that featured notable performances
by Jean Smart and Peter Strauss. Hardy was selected by
CBS to helm their prestigious mini-series Buffalo Girls
featuring a talented array of TV and feature film actors
including Anjelica Huston, Melanie Griffith, Sam Elliot,
Gabriel Byrne, Reba McIntyre and the incomparable Jack
Palance. The series was filmed on location in Santa Fe,
New Mexico, Bath and London, England and garnered eleven
Emmy nominations, one SAG and two Golden Globe nominations.
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Hardy’s directorial range runs the gamut of contemporary
drama and science fiction to portraits of important historic
moments, to the re-telling of such adventure classics
as Robinson Crusoe with Pierce Brosnan and Jules
Verne’s 20,000
Leagues Under the Sea with Michael Caine.
Rod also directed the successful Turner Network Television
adventure-drama Two
For Texas, starring Kris Kristofferson, Tom Skerrit
and Scott Bairstow garnering the prestigious Cowboy Hall
of Fame Western Heritage Award . He teamed up for a second
time with Tom Skerritt , this time on the critically acclaimed
cable movie re make of HIGH NOON for the Superstation
TBS.
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After
completing X-Files series 8, and directing JAG series
7 . For Belisarius Productions / CBS. Hardy has gone on to direct episodes of Robbery
Homicide Division for Producer Michael Mann.
The Practice David E Kelley Productions, Touching Evil producers Bruce Willis/ Arnold Rifkin and Battlestar Gallactica for the Sci-Fi channel.
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More recently DECEMBER BOYS starring Daniel Radcliffe and Jack Thompson for VILLAGE ROADSHOW/WARNER BROS. Winner of the GIFFONI FILM FESTIVAL award 2008.
Now available on DVD
Hardy has also added BURN NOTICE ,USA network , MENTAL , FOX TELEVISION STUDIOS shot on location in Bogota Colombia,
DOLLHOUSE for producer Joss Whedon , FOX BROADCASTING USA , SAVING GRACE starring Holly Hunter for TNT, to his already impressive line up of US and Australian productions.
Rod Hardy 's next feature film is an adaption of ITS ALL GREEK TO ME by author John Mole. Shooting UK and Greece Fall 2009
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