Daniels (directors)

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Daniels
Daniels smiling in front of a film poster
Scheinert (left) and Kwan promoting Swiss Army Man in 2016
BornDaniel Kwan
(1988-02-10) February 10, 1988 (age 35)
Westborough, Massachusetts, U.S.
Daniel Scheinert
(1987-06-07) June 7, 1987 (age 35)
Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
Alma materEmerson College
Occupations
  • Film directors
  • screenwriters
  • producers
Years active2007–present
Notable workSwiss Army Man
Everything Everywhere All at Once
ChildrenKwan: 1, with spouse
​
(m. 2016)​
AwardsSee below

Daniel Kwan (Chinese: 關家永; born February 10, 1988)[1] and Daniel Scheinert (born June 7, 1987),[2] known collectively as the Daniels, are a duo of American film directors, producers and screenwriters. They began their career as directors of music videos,[3] including the short film music video for "Houdini" (2012) by Foster the People, as well as the popular DJ Snake and Lil Jon music video for the single "Turn Down for What" (2013), both of which earned them nominations at the Grammy Awards.

They have since ventured into film, having written and directed the films Swiss Army Man (2016) and Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022). The latter became A24's highest-grossing film of all time,[4] and garnered the duo three Academy Awards in 2023 for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay.

Careers[edit]

Music videos[edit]

Kwan and Scheinert met while they were both studying film at Emerson College in Boston.[5] Kwan graduated in 2010 and Scheinert graduated in 2009.[6] They went to college with Sunita Mani, who starred with Kwan in the music video for "Turn Down for What",[7] which they directed.[8]

Since 2011, the duo have directed music videos for artists including Foster the People, The Shins and Tenacious D. In 2018, Kwan co-founded the group We Direct Music Videos (W.D.M.V.), described as "a global community of music video directors who are committed to sustainable directorial labor practices".[9]

Transition to film and television[edit]

In 2016, the duo expanded to feature films, writing and directing Swiss Army Man, starring Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe,[10] which received positive reviews,[11] as well as the duo winning the Directing Award at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival.[12] In 2019, Scheinert directed the black comedy-drama film The Death of Dick Long, which premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival and received positive reviews.

The Daniels have since accumulated several television directing credits, including Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens, Legion (Kwan only) and On Becoming a God in Central Florida (Scheinert only). The Daniels were attached as directors on a prospective TV adaption of Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut, being developed by Noah Hawley, but the project was not picked up.[13]

Everything Everywhere All At Once[edit]

The duo announced in 2017 they would write, direct, and produce a science-fiction film with their producing partner Jonathan Wang and the Russo brothers.[14][15] Everything Everywhere All at Once, starring Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, James Hong and Jamie Lee Curtis, was released in March 2022 to widespread critical acclaim and box office success, garnering several awards and accolades for the duo including Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Director at the 95th Academy Awards.[16] The film received 11 Academy Award nominations, more than any other film that year, and won seven. Prior to the Oscars ceremony, IGN calculated that Everything Everywhere All At Once had surpassed The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) as the most-awarded film of all time.[17]

Upcoming projects[edit]

As of 2022, the Daniels have signed a first look TV deal with A24.[18] The same year, they also signed a five-year film deal with Universal Pictures.[19]

The Daniels were on the Time 100 Next list in 2022.[20]

Personal lives[edit]

Kwan was born in Westborough, Massachusetts to a Taiwanese mother and a father from Hong Kong. He is married to fellow filmmaker and animator Kirsten Lepore since 2016, and together they have one son.[21][22] Kwan was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder after researching the condition for Everything Everywhere All at Once.[23]

Scheinert was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, the son of Becky and Ken Scheinert.[24][25] He attended Oak Mountain Elementary and Middle School, and was a student at the advanced magnet program Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School at the campus of Shades Valley High School.[24] In 2023, he stated that in his youth he dressed in drag.[26]

Filmography[edit]

Short films[edit]

Year Title Director Writer Notes
2009 Swingers Yes Yes [7]
2010 Puppets Yes Yes [7]
2011 My Best Friend's Wedding/
My Best Friend's Sweating 		Yes Yes
2014 Possibilia Yes Yes
2014 Interesting Ball Yes Yes

Scheinert only

Year Title Director Writer
2007 I'm Nostalgic Yes No
2008 Trust Yes Yes

Feature films[edit]

Year Title Director Writer Producer
2016 Swiss Army Man Yes Yes No
2022 Everything Everywhere All at Once Yes Yes Yes

Scheinert only

Year Title Director Producer Notes
2019 The Death of Dick Long Yes Yes Also portrayed Dick Long;
Also performed "It's Been A While"

Television[edit]

Year Title Episode
2013 NTSF:SD:SUV:: "Comic Con Air"
"Wreck the Malls"
Childrens Hospital "Coming and Going"
Infomercials "Broomshakalaka!"
2020 Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens "Grandma & Chill"

Kwan only

Year Title Episode
2019 Legion "Chapter 23"

Scheinert only

Year Title Episode
2019 On Becoming a God in Central Florida "Many Masters"

Music videos[edit]

Year Title Artist Notes
2010 "Underwear" FM Belfast [27]
"Pigeons" The Hundred in the Hands
"Commotion"
2011 "Simple Math" Manchester Orchestra
"Houdini" Foster the People [7]
"Don't Stop (Color on the Walls)" [7]
"When The Night Falls" Chromeo (featuring Solange Knowles)
2012 "My Machines" Battles
"Simple Song" The Shins [7]
"Rize of the Fenix" Tenacious D [7]
2013 "Cry Like a Ghost" Passion Pit
"Turn Down for What" DJ Snake and Lil Jon [7]
2014 "Tongues" Joywave
2017 "The Sunshine" Manchester Orchestra
"The Alien"[28]

Accolades[edit]

Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
2013 Grammy Awards Best Short Form Music Video "Houdini" Nominated [29]
2015 Grammy Awards Best Music Video "Turn Down for What" Nominated [30]
2016 Gotham Independent Film Awards Breakthrough Director Swiss Army Man Nominated [31]
2017 Independent Spirit Awards Best First Feature Nominated [32]
2022 Hollywood Critics Association Midseason Film Awards Best Picture Everything Everywhere All at Once Won [33]
Best Director Won
Best Screenplay Won
Best Indie Film Won
Saturn Awards Best Fantasy Film Won [34][35]
Best Writing Nominated
Gotham Independent Film Awards Best Feature Won [36]
British Independent Film Awards Best International Independent Film Nominated [37]
National Board of Review Awards Top Ten Films Won [38]
American Film Institute Awards Top 10 Films of the Year Won [39]
New York Film Critics Online Awards Best Director Won [40]
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards Best Film Won [41]
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Awards Best Film Won [42]
Best Director Won
Best Original Screenplay Won
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards Best Film Nominated [43][44]
Best Director Won
Best Original Screenplay Nominated
St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Awards Best Picture Won [45][46]
Best Action Film Nominated
Best Comedy Film Nominated
Best Director Runner-up
Best Original Screenplay Won
Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards Best Picture Won [47]
Best Director Won
Best Screenplay Runner-up
Florida Film Critics Circle Awards Best Picture Won [48]
Best Director Nominated
Best Original Screenplay Runner-up
2023 Academy Awards Best Picture Won [49]
Best Director Won
Best Original Screenplay Won
British Academy Film Awards Best Film Nominated [50]
Best Director Nominated
Best Original Screenplay Nominated
Golden Globe Awards Best Picture - Musical/Comedy Nominated [51]
Best Director - Motion Picture Nominated
Best Screenplay - Motion Picture Nominated
Critics' Choice Movie Awards Best Picture Won [52]
Best Director Won
Best Original Screenplay Won
Best Comedy Nominated
Directors Guild of America Awards Outstanding Direction - Feature Film Won [53]
Producers Guild of America Awards Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures Won [54]
Writers Guild of America Awards Best Original Screenplay Won [55]
Satellite Awards Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical Won [56]
Best Original Screenplay Nominated
Hollywood Critics Association Film Awards Best Picture Won [57]
Best Indie Film Nominated
Best Director Won
Best Original Screenplay Won
AACTA International Awards Best Film Nominated [58]
Best Direction Nominated
Independent Spirit Awards Best Feature Won [59]
Best Director Won
Best Screenplay Won

Directed Academy Award performances

Year Performer Film Result
Academy Award for Best Actress
2022 Michelle Yeoh Everything Everywhere All at Once Won
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
2022 Ke Huy Quan Everything Everywhere All at Once Won
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
2022 Jamie Lee Curtis Everything Everywhere All at Once Won
Stephanie Hsu Nominated

References[edit]

  1. ^ "救你命3000". 2016年辛丹斯電影節：香港 / Sundance Hong Kong. Archived from the original on August 23, 2016.
  2. ^ Jourdan Aldredge (September 24, 2018). "Insights into the State of the Music Video Production Industry". PremiumBeat. Archived from the original on March 16, 2023.
  3. ^ "DANIELS - directing duo". Archived from the original on June 19, 2021. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
  4. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (September 30, 2022). "'Everything Everywhere All At Once' Crosses $70M U.S., $103M Worldwide, Adding To Totals Of A24's Highest-Grossing Movie Ever – Update". Deadline.com. Archived from the original on March 16, 2023. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  5. ^ Slane, Kevin (July 6, 2016). "How two Emerson grads made the weirdest movie of 2016". Boston.com. Archived from the original on December 7, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  6. ^ "Alumni "Daniels" on Emerson, "Swiss Army Man," and What's Ahead". Emerson Today. June 30, 2016. Archived from the original on March 13, 2023. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
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  22. ^ Daniel Kwan [@dunkwun] (August 22, 2016). "This is Kir and I the day after our wedding. I'm not ready to post an actual picture of the wedding because I don't think I'll be able to come up with a caption that will do it justice. I will probably never have the words to describe the insanely transcendent rocket ship made of clouds we found ourselves on the day we got married, but it was one of those rare times where life exceeds all expectations and gives you a wholly new experience. I generally avoid hyperbole, unless it's a joke, but this really was one of the best weekends of my life. Photo cred: @chelseanicolelepore #kwanlepore" – via Instagram.
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  26. ^ Daw, Stephen (March 13, 2023). "Daniel Scheinert Calls Drag 'A Threat to Nobody' During 2023 Oscars Acceptance Speech". Billboard.com. Archived from the original on March 15, 2023. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
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  28. ^ Boilen, Bob (June 22, 2017). "First Watch: Manchester Orchestra 'The Alien'". NPR. Archived from the original on October 29, 2020. Retrieved October 15, 2019.
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External links[edit]

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