Wikipedia

Kelly Fremon Craig

Kelly Fremon Craig (born May 28, 1980) is an American screenwriter, producer, and film director. She is known for writing and directing the 2016 coming-of-age dramedy The Edge of Seventeen and the 2023 adaptation of Judy Blume's classic middle-grade novel, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.

Kelly Fremon Craig
Fremon Craig in 2016
Born
Kelly Fremon

(1980-05-28) May 28, 1980 (age 44)
Whittier, California, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of California, Irvine
Occupation(s)Film director, screenwriter, producer
Years active2008–present
Notable work
Children1

Early life

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Fremon Craig was born in Whittier, California and graduated from UC Irvine with an English degree. When she was 13, she watched a lot of MTV, which sparked her interest in music videos. She stated that music videos were "like little short films". Spoken word poetry was what Fremon Craig initially began writing.[1]

Career

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2000s

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Fremon Craig started out by writing sketch comedy and spoken word poetry in college, then landed an internship in the film division of Immortal Entertainment, where she read her first film script and began to pursue screenwriting. She developed several screenplays during the 2000s, including a modern high school retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac and a comedic remake of the 2004 French drama Intimate Strangers for Paramount Pictures. One of her scripts, Ticket to Ride, caught the attention of Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman. He bought the script under his The Montecito Picture Company as a directing vehicle for himself. According to Reitman, the script was rewritten at least 15 times. The film was released, under the new title Post Grad and was instead directed by Shrek director Vicky Jenson. Post Grad was released in 2009 to critical and commercial disappointment.

2010s

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In 2011 Fremon Craig completed another script titled Besties and sent the script to James L. Brooks. Brooks bought the script and it was announced that Fremon Craig would direct the film and Brooks would serve as a producer and mentor for her first film.[2] No updates were issued for the feature until August 2015, when Hailee Steinfeld was announced to star in the film. Casting continued until October of that same year, with filming commencing that same month.

The film was released by STX Entertainment in fall 2016 under its new title The Edge of Seventeen to critical praise and it was a modest financial hit. Fremon Craig kept a series of journals that helped inspire her while writing The Edge of Seventeen. She took some of these journal entries and formed them into the script.[3] For research on the film and script, Fremon Craig went to high schools and hung out with teenagers to better understand what their lives were like.[1] Fremon Craig also provided uncredited rewrites (and was briefly attached as co-screenwriter[4]) for the 2018 Transformers spin-off film, Bumblebee, which also starred Steinfeld.

2020s

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Fremon Craig was originally attached as the sole screenwriter for an animated film adaptation of Scooby-Doo for Warner Animation Group.[5] The film, released as Scoob! in 2020, was instead rewritten by Adam Sztykiel, Jack Donaldson, Derek Elliott, Matt Lieberman, Eyal Podell, and Jonathon E. Stewart. Fremon Craig collaborated again with James L. Brooks in the film adaptation of the Judy Blume book Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.[6]

Unrealized projects

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Influences

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Fremon Craig has cited writer-director John Hughes as an influence on writing The Edge of Seventeen,[10][11] and has mentioned Christopher Guest, Alexander Payne, Nick Hornby, and David Sedaris as inspirations.[7] She also takes inspiration from Nora Ephron by taking moments of her own life and putting them into her writing.[12] Fremon Craig stated that James L. Brooks is her comedy idol,[3] “there's nobody in the world I love more than Jim Brooks. He is the reason I wanted to be a filmmaker."[1]

Personal life

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As of 2016, Fremon Craig resides in Los Angeles with her husband and young son.[13] She is a represented by UTA and Kaplan/Perrone.[14]

Filmography

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Year Title Director Writer Producer Distributor Note
2008 Streak No Screen story No Freestyle Short film; co-written with Allan Loeb
2009 Post Grad No Yes No 20th Century Fox
2016 The Edge of Seventeen Yes Yes No STX Entertainment
2018 Bumblebee No Script doctor No Paramount Pictures Uncredited rewrites[15]
2023 Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. Yes Yes Yes Lionsgate Based on the novel by Judy Blume
2024 Ordinary Angels No Yes No Co-written with Meg Tilly

Accolades

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List of awards and nominations
Year Award Category Nominated work Result Notes
2016 Critics' Choice Movie Awards Best Comedy The Edge of Seventeen Nominated [16]

[17]

New York Film Critics Circle Best First Film Won[a] [18]
Chicago Film Critics Association Most Promising Filmmaker Nominated [19]
Toronto Film Critics Association Best First Feature Runner-up [20]
Detroit Film Critics Society Best Film Nominated [21]
Best Breakthrough Won
Austin Film Critics Association Best First Film Nominated [22][23]
Indiewire Critics' Poll Best First Feature 3rd place
Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards Breakout Filmmaker of the Year Nominated
2017 Oklahoma Film Critics Circle Awards OFCC Award for Best First Film 2nd place [24]
Directors Guild of America Awards First-Time Feature Film Nominated [25]
Golden Tomato Awards Best Comedy Movie 2016 5th place
Online Film & Television Association Best Feature Debut Nominated
2017 MTV Movie & TV Awards Best Movie Nominated [26]
2023 Hollywood Critics Association Midseason Film Awards Best Director Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. Nominated [27]
2023 Hollywood Critics Association Midseason Film Awards Best Screenplay Nominated [27]
2023 Chicago Film Critics Association Awards Best Adapted Screenplay Nominated [28]
2023 Boston Society of Film Critics Best Adapted Screenplay Runner-up [29]
2023 St. Louis Film Critics Association Best Adapted Screenplay Nominated [30]
2023 Florida Film Critics Circle Awards Best Adapted Screenplay Nominated [31]
2023 San Diego Film Critics Society Best Director Nominated [32]
2023 San Diego Film Critics Society Best Adapted Screenplay Won [32]
2023 Women Film Critics Circle Best Woman Storyteller Runner-up [33]
2024 Astra Film and Creative Awards Best Adapted Screenplay Nominated [34]
2024 Critics' Choice Awards Best Adapted Screenplay Nominated [35]
2024 Georgia Film Critics Association Best Adapted Screenplay Pending [36]

Note

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  1. ^ Tied with Trey Edward Shults for Krisha.

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Director Kelly Fremon Craig | The Backlot Podcast | NYFA". www.nyfa.edu. 23 November 2020. Archived from the original on 2022-06-15. Retrieved 2021-03-17.
  2. ^ a b c d e "James L. Brooks' Gracie Films Buys 'Besties' Spec". Deadline Hollywood. March 30, 2011. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
  3. ^ a b "With a shift in focus, writer Kelly Fremon-Craig finds the heart of 'Edge of Seventeen'". Los Angeles Times. 2016-12-29. Retrieved 2021-03-17.
  4. ^ https://www.tfw2005.com/boards/attachments/credit-png.28062283/ [bare URL image file]
  5. ^ Kroll, Justin (October 15, 2018). "'Tom and Jerry,' 'Scooby-Doo' Movies Land Top Talent at Warner Animation Group (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety.
  6. ^ "Rachel McAdams and Abby Ryder Fortson join the 'Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret' movie". EW.com. Retrieved 2021-03-17.
  7. ^ a b c "10 Screenwriters to Watch". Variety. 21 June 2007. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  8. ^ Borys Kit (January 25, 2018). "'Edge of Seventeen' Filmmaker, Chernin Entertainment Team for 'Wild Game'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
  9. ^ Ethan Anderton (May 20, 2020). "The Edge of Seventeen Series Canceled by YouTube". /Film. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  10. ^ "Hailee Steinfeld Talks Making Coming-of-Age Film 'Edge of Seventeen' at TIFF". www.msn.com. Retrieved 2016-11-23.
  11. ^ "Review: The Edge of Seventeen is a Modern Day Tribute to John Hughes". We Live Entertainment. 2016-09-25. Retrieved 2016-11-23.
  12. ^ The Backlot Podcast (November 23, 2020). "Director Kelly Fremon Craig". New York Film Academy. Archived from the original on June 15, 2022. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  13. ^ "The Edge Of Seventeen, a coming-of-age comedy with a refreshingly authentic voice". Writing Studio. 8 December 2016.
  14. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (October 17, 2018). "Judy Blume Grants 'Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret' Screen Rights To James L. Brooks & Kelly Fremon Craig". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
  15. ^ "Hailee Steinfeld Gets Surprise Birthday Party at 'Bumblebee' Premiere". The Hollywood Reporter. 10 December 2018. Retrieved 2019-01-10. Christina Hodson wrote an amazing script, which drew me into this world... Kelly Fremon Craig, who wrote and directed me in Edge of Seventeen, did the rewrite, and we had wonderful conversations about developing Charlie's voice into what you see now.
  16. ^ "La La Land Leads with 12 Nominations for the 22nd Annual Critics' Choice Awards". Critics' Choice. December 1, 2016. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
  17. ^ "Golden Globes 2017 Film Surprises and Snubs: 'Deadpool,' Aaron Taylor-Johnson and 7 More Sudden Twists". Indiewire. 13 December 2016. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  18. ^ "New York Film Critics Circle Awards 2016". New York Film Critics Circle. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
  19. ^ "The 2016 Chicago Film Critics Association Award Nominees". Chicago Film Critics Association. December 11, 2016. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 14, 2016.
  20. ^ Vlessing, Etan (December 12, 2016). "'Moonlight' Named Best Film by Toronto Film Critics". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
  21. ^ Graham, Adam (December 14, 2016). "Local critics: 'Moonlight', 'Manchester' best of 2016". The Detroit News. Retrieved December 15, 2016.
  22. ^ Anderson, Erik (December 15, 2016). "Austin Film Critics Association (AFCA) Nominations: The Handmaiden Lands Top Mentions, Trevante Rhodes Double Nominated". AwardsWatch.com. Retrieved December 18, 2016.
  23. ^ Miller, Neil (December 15, 2016). "2016 Austin Film Critics Awards Nominees, 'Moonlight' and 'Arrival' lead the way in AFCA's 2016 nominations". Medium.com. Archived from the original on June 22, 2017. Retrieved December 18, 2016.
  24. ^ "Oklahoma Film Critics Circle Awards". IMDb.com. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
  25. ^ Hipes, Patrick (11 January 2017). "DGA TV Awards Nominations: 'Stranger Things', 'Westworld' & 'Atlanta' On List; Docus Include 'OJ: Made In America'". Deadline. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
  26. ^ Schwartz, Ryan (March 2, 2017). "2017 MTV Movie & TV Awards Nominations List — 'This Is Us,' 'Stranger Things'". TVLine. Archived from the original on 2017-04-07. Retrieved April 6, 2017.
  27. ^ a b "AwardsWatch - Hollywood Critics Association 2023 Midseason HCA Awards: 'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,' 'Past Lives,' 'Air' are Top Winners". AwardsWatch. 2023-06-30. Retrieved 2023-12-31.
  28. ^ "AwardsWatch - Chicago Film Critics Association (CFCA) Nominations: 'Killers of the Flower Moon,' 'Oppenheimer,' 'Poor Things' Lead with 10 Each". AwardsWatch. 2023-12-08. Retrieved 2023-12-31.
  29. ^ "AwardsWatch - 2023 Boston Society of Film Critics (BSFC): 'The Holdovers' Wins Best Film, Actor, Supporting Actress, Screenplay". AwardsWatch. 2023-12-10. Retrieved 2023-12-31.
  30. ^ "AwardsWatch - 2023 St. Louis Film Critics Association (StLFCA) Nominations". AwardsWatch. 2023-12-10. Retrieved 2023-12-31.
  31. ^ "AwardsWatch - Florida Film Critics Circle (FFCC) Nominations". AwardsWatch. 2023-12-13. Retrieved 2023-12-31.
  32. ^ a b "AwardsWatch - San Diego Film Critics Society (SDFCS) Awards: Kelly Fremon Craig's 'Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.' Named Best Picture". AwardsWatch. 2023-12-20. Retrieved 2023-12-31.
  33. ^ "AwardsWatch - Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC): 'Barbie,' 'Nyad,' 'Killers of the Flower Moon,' 'Past Lives' Win Big". AwardsWatch. 2023-12-18. Retrieved 2023-12-31.
  34. ^ "AwardsWatch - 'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer' Lead Hollywood Creative Alliance (HCA) Astra Awards Nominations". AwardsWatch. 2023-12-07. Retrieved 2023-12-31.
  35. ^ Hammond, Pete (2023-12-13). "The Critics Choice Is 'Barbie' With 18 CCA Nominations; 'Oppenheimer', 'Poor Things' Follow With 13 Each". Deadline. Retrieved 2023-12-31.
  36. ^ "AwardsWatch - Georgia Film Critics Association (GFCA) Nominations: 'Oppenheimer' Leads with 10". AwardsWatch. 2023-12-29. Retrieved 2023-12-31.
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