Career Highlights

• One of 105 people invited to join The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2008.
• For Juno, he was honored with the "Cinema for Peace Award 2008 for Most Valuable Work of Director, Producers & Screenwriter."
• Began his own production company in 2006 called Hard C Productions.
• Directing Up in the Air, to be released in the spring of 2009, starring George Clooney as a corporate downsizer who loves his life on the road.

Career Overview

Jason Reitman is an Academy Award-nominated Canadian film director, screenwriter, producer and actor. He graduated from the University of Southern California where he majored in English/Creative Writing and got his start in the industry acting in small parts and serving as a production assistant on his father’s films. His father, Ivan Reitman, directed the films Ghostbusters, Stripes and Kindergarten Cop. Through his 20s Reitman was making his own short films and directing commercials. His first feature film was 2005’s Thank You for Smoking which was based on a novel by Christopher Buckley. The movie was extremely successful and was nominated for two Golden Globes.

His second film, Juno, was released at the 2007 Toronto Film Festival; it won an Oscar for Best Writing and was nominated for many others including the Oscar for Best Picture, Best Achievement in Directing and Best Performance by an Actress for Ellen Paige. In 2006 Reitman created his own production company, Hard C Productions, with producing partner Daniel Dubiecki. Reitman has declared that Hard C Productions is focused on creating “small subversive comedy that is independent but accessible.” Their company produced Jennifer’s Body (2009) and The Ornate Anatomy of Living Things (2012). Reitman’s next project, Up in the Air, stars George Clooney and will open in the spring of 2009.

Up in the Air tells the story of Ryan Bingham (George Clooney), corporate downsizing expert, who spends most of his time on the road, a lifestyle he cherishes. As Bingham is getting closer to reaching his lifetime goal of 10 million frequent flier miles his boss is contemplating pulling him off of the road and keeping him grounded. Facing this prospect, Bingham encounters many adventures and starts to contemplate what it might mean to have a home.

Our Interview

Jason Reitman will be sitting down with Zack Sherwood on November 25th to answer student questions and share his best career advice for aspiring directors. So make sure you get your questions in by Tuesday, the 24th and check back here afterward for our interview.