Ia menghabiskan masa kecilnya di Haddon Heights, New Jersey dan Scottsdale, Arizona. Pada masa remaja, Spielberg pernah membuat amatir film 8 mm sebuah film petualangan dengan teman-temannya, sedangkan adik perempuannya menjual popcorn. Pada 1958, ia menjadi anggota Pramuka, setelah memenuhi persyaratan dengan membuat film fotografi 8 mm berjudul The Last Gunfight. sertahun kemudian Spielberg mengatakan kepada pewawancara majalah, " My dad's still-camera was broken, so I asked the scoutmaster if I could tell a story with my father's movie camera. He said yes, and I got an idea to do a Western. I made it and got my merit badge. That was how it all started”.
Sejak usia 12 tahun ia telah memulai karir di dunia perfilman dan telah menghasilkan 8 film amatir. Spielberg mempunyai ketajaman visi membangkitkan minat penonton di seluruh dunia dengan mengangkat cerita-cerita film kuno dipadu keterampilan skenario serta efek yang canggih. Indiana Jonse,the Extra-Terresterial (ET) dan Jurassic Park, Gremlims, Back to Future, dan Who Framed Roger Rabbit penggarapannya begitu sempurna hingga menyajikan tontonan yang belum pernah disaksikan sebelumnya. Pada usia 13 tahun, Spielberg memenangkan hadiah untuk sebuah film perang berjudul Escape yang berdurasi 40 menit, film yang berceritakan tentang pertempuran di Afrika timur.
Pada tahun 1963, di usia 16, Spielberg menulis dan menyutradarai film independen pertamanya, sebuah science fiction Adventure yang ia sebut firelight (yang kemudian akan mengilhami Close Encounters). Film, yang memiliki anggaran sebesar $ 500, di pertunjukkan di studio miliknya dan menghasilkan laba sebesar $ 1. Ia juga membuat beberapa film Perang Dunia II yang terinspirasi oleh cerita-cerita perang ayahnya.
Setelah orangtuanya bercerai, ia pindah ke Saratoga, California dengan ayahnya. Sedangkan ibu dan tiga saudari perempuannya tetap di Arizona. sekolah Arcadia High School di Phoenix, Arizona selama tiga tahun, Spielberg lulus pada tahun 1965. Selama sekolah Spielberg berhasil mencapai pangkat terbaik atau Eagle Scout. Spielberg muda pernah ke synagoga (Haddon Heights, NJ), sebuah daerah yang dilarang untuk orang Yahudi sebelum Perang Dunia II. Ia belajar di sekolah Ibrani 1953-1957, di kelas diajarkan oleh Rabbi Albert L. Lewis, yang kemudian akan dimonumenkan sebagai karakter utama dalam Mitch Albom's, Have a Little Faith.
Semenjak pertengahan 1980-an Spielberg lebih berperan sebagai produser film. Ia mengepalai tim produksi dari beberapa kartun, seperti Warner Brothers hits Tiny Toon Adventures, Animaniacs, Pinky dan Brain, Toonsylvania, dan Freakazoid, ia bekerja sama dengan Jean MacCurdy dan Tom Ruegger Dan Pada tahun 1993, Spielberg bertindak sebagai produser eksekutif untuk serial televisi Seaquest DSV; seri fiksiilmiah diperankan Roy Scheider danJonathan Brandis mirip dengan Star Trek: The Next Generation yang ditayangkanpada hari Minggu pukul 8.00 WIB. di NBC. Yang di musim pertamanya cukup sukses, musim kedua itu kurang baik. dan pada musim ketiga dibatalkan.
Kehidupan Pribadi
Dari 1985-1989 Spielberg menikah dengan aktris Amy Irving. Pada tahun 1989 mereka bercerai, dan mantan istrinya menerima $ 100 juta. Spielberg kemudian menikah dengan aktris Kate Capshaw, yang dijumpainya ketika kate berperan di film Indiana Jones dan Kuil Doom. Mereka menikah pada tanggal 12 Oktober 1991. Capshaw masuk agama Yahudi Mereka saat ini rumah di Pacific Palisades,California, New York City; Quelle Farm, Georgica Pond di East Hampton, NY; [56] danNaples, Florida. Ada tujuh anak dalam keluarga Spielberg-Capshaw: Jessica Capshaw (lahir 9 Agustus 1976) - putri dari pernikahan sebelumnya Kate Capshaw untuk Robert Capshaw. Max Samuel Spielberg (lahir 13 Juni, 1985) - anak dari pernikahan sebelumnyaSpielberg dengan aktris Amy Irving. Theo Spielberg (lahir 1988) anak yang di adopsi oleh Capshaw sebelum menikah dengan Spielberg, yang kemudian juga mengadopsi Sasha Rebecca Spielberg (lahir 14 Mei 1990, Los Angeles) Sawyer Avery Spielberg (lahir 10 Maret 1992, Los Angeles). Mikaela George (lahir 28 Februari 1996) - diadopsi dengan Kate Capshaw
Destry Allyn Spielberg (lahir 1 Desember 1996).
Penghargaan
Academy Awards:
1978: Best Director (Close Encounters of the Third Kind, nominated)
1982: Best Director (Raiders of the Lost Ark, nominated)
1983: Best Director (E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, nominated)
1983: Best Picture (E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, nominated)
1986: Best Picture (The Color Purple, nominated)
1987: Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award (won)
1994: Best Director (Schindler's List, won)
1994: Best Picture (Schindler's List, won)
1999: Best Director (Saving Private Ryan, won)
1999: Best Picture (Saving Private Ryan, nominated)
2006: Best Director (Munich, nominated)
2006: Best Picture (Munich, nominated)
2007: Best Picture (Letters from Iwo Jima, nominated)
BAFTA Awards:
1976: Best Direction (Jaws, nominated)
1979: Best Direction (Close Encounters of the Third Kind, nominated)
1979: Best Screenplay (Close Encounters of the Third Kind, nominated)
1983: Best Direction (E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, nominated)
1983: Best Film (E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, nominated)
1986: Academy Fellowship (won)
1994: Best Film (Schindler's List, won)
1994: David Lean Award for Direction (Schindler's List, won)
1999: Best Film (Saving Private Ryan, nominated)
1999: David Lean Award for Direction (Saving Private Ryan, nominated)
Cannes Film Festival
1974: Best Screenplay (The Sugarland Express, won)
1974: Golden Palm (The Sugarland Express, nominated)
Critics Choice Awards:
1999: Best Director (Saving Private Ryan, won)
2003: Best Director (Catch Me If You Can and Minority Report, won)
2006: Best Director (Munich, nominated)
Directors Guild of America:
1976: Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures (Jaws, nominated)
1978: Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures (Close Encounters of the Third Kind, nominated)
1982: Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures (Raiders of the Lost Ark, nominated)
1983: Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures (E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, nominated)
1986: Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures (The Color Purple, won); this was the first time a director won this award without receiving an Oscar nomination for Best Director.
1988: Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures (Empire of the Sun, nominated)
1994: Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures (Schindler's List, won)
1998: Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures (Amistad, nominated)
1999: Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures (Saving Private Ryan, won); this win makes Spielberg the only individual to win this award three times.
2000: The D.W. Griffith Award for Lifetime Achievement
2006: Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures (Munich, nominated)
Golden Globes:
1976: Best Director (Jaws, nominated)
1978: Best Director (Close Encounters of the Third Kind, nominated)
1978: Best Screenplay (Close Encounters of the Third Kind, nominated)
1982: Best Director (Raiders of the Lost Ark, nominated)
1983: Best Picture – Drama (E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, won)
1983: Best Director (E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, nominated)
1986: Best Director (The Color Purple, nominated)
1994: Best Picture – Drama (Schindler's List, won)
1994: Best Director (Schindler's List, won)
1998: Best Director (Amistad, nominated)
1999: Best Picture – Drama (Saving Private Ryan, won)
1999: Best Director (Saving Private Ryan, won)
2002: Best Director (AI: Artificial Intelligence, nominated)
2006: Best Director (Munich, nominated)
2008: Cecil B. DeMille Award (won)
Hasty Pudding Theatricals:
1983: Man of the Year (won)
2003: Star on the Walk of Fame (won)
NBR Award:
1987: Best Director (Empire of the Sun, won)
2001: Billy Wilder Award (won)
Primetime Emmys:
1986: Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series (Amazing Stories for episode "The Mission", nominated)
1991: Outstanding Animated Program – One Hour or Less (Tiny Toon Adventures for episode "The Looney Beginning", nominated)
1995: Outstanding Animated Program – One Hour or Less (Tiny Toon Adventures: Night Ghoulery, nominated)
1996: Outstanding Animated Program – One Hour or Less (A Pinky & the Brain Christmas Special, won)
2002: Outstanding Non-Fiction Special – Informational (We Stand Alone Together, nominated)
2002: Outstanding Miniseries (Band of Brothers, won)
2003: Outstanding Miniseries (Taken, won)
2006: Outstanding Miniseries (Into the West, nominated)
Producers Guild of America:
1994: Motion Picture Producer of the Year (Schindler's List, won)
1998: Motion Picture Producer of the Year (Amistad, nominated)
1998: Vision Award (Amistad, won)
1999: Motion Picture Producer of the Year (Saving Private Ryan, won)
1999: Milestone Award (won)
2000: PGA Hall of Fame – Motion Pictures (E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, won)
2002: Television Producer of the Year – Longform (Band of Brothers, won)
2006: Television Producer of the Year – Longform (Into the West, nominated)
Saturn Awards:
1978: Best Director (Close Encounters of the Third Kind, won); tied with George Lucas for Star Wars
1978: Best Writing (Close Encounters of the Third Kind, won); tied with George Lucas for Star Wars
1982: Best Director (Raiders of the Lost Ark, won)
1983: Best Science Fiction Film (E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, won)
1983: Best Director (E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, nominated)
1985: Best Director (Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, nominated)
1994: Best Science Fiction Film (Jurassic Park, won)
1994: Best Director (Jurassic Park, won)
1994: President's Award (won)
1998: Best Director (The Lost World: Jurassic Park, nominated)
1999: Best Action/Adventure/Thriller Film (Saving Private Ryan, won)
2002: Best Science Fiction Film (AI: Artificial Intelligence, won)
2002: Best Director (AI: Artificial Intelligence, nominated)
2002: Best writing (AI: Artificial Intelligence, won)
2003: Best Science Fiction Film (Minority Report, won)
2003: Best Director (Minority Report, won)
2006: Best Director (War of the Worlds, nominated)
2009: Best Director (Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, nominated)
Venice Film Festival:
1993: Career Golden Lion (won)
2001: Future Film Festival Digital Award (AI: Artificial Intelligence, won)
Writers Guild of America:
1975: Best Comedy Written Directly for the Screen (The Sugarland Express, nominated)
1978: Best Drama Written Directly for the Screen (Close Encounters of the Third Kind, nominated)
Lainnya:
2009 Liberty Medal[135]
2006 Kennedy Center Honors
2001 Knight Commander, Order of the British Empire (Honorary)
2003 Knight Grand Cross Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
1998 Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Referensi :
- http://movies-holic.blogspot.com/2011/01/steven-spielberg-bioggrafi.html
- http://www.biografitokohdunia.com/2011/05/biografi-steven-spielberg.html
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