Miguel Sapochnik

Miguel Sapochnik
Miguel Sapochnik
	Miguel Sapochnik at San Diego Comic-Con in 2016.
Born	Miguel Vicente Rosenberg-Sapochnik; 1 July 1974 (age 50); Hammersmith, London, England
Other names	Miguel Rosenberg
Occupations	Film director; Television director; Storyboard artist;
Years active	1996–present
Spouse	Alexis Raben (m. 2006)

Miguel Sapochnik (born 1 July 1974) is an English film and television director of Argentine origin, and former storyboard artist. For his work as a director on the HBO epic fantasy series Game of Thrones, he won the award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series at the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards and Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Drama Series at the 69th Directors Guild of America Awards.^[1] Sapochnik also directed the science fiction films Repo Men (2010) and Finch (2021).

Career

Born as Miguel Vicente Rosenberg-Sapochnik in London, England, Sapochnik began his career as a storyboard artist; some of his credits include Trainspotting (1996, directed by Danny Boyle) and The Winter Guest (1997, actor Alan Rickman's directorial debut).^[2]^[3]

In 2000, Sapochnik directed a 2000 short film titled The Dreamer, which he also wrote. He also directed the "Beautiful Inside" music video for singer Louise.^[4]

Between 2001 and 2005, he was a director of Snowflake in Hell Films Limited, a film and video production company in London.^[5]

Sapochnik's feature film directorial debut was Repo Men (2010), starring Jude Law and Forest Whitaker.^[1]

Sapochnik has since then worked mainly on American television and streaming series, directing episodes of Awake (2012), Fringe (2011–12), House (2011–12) and Mind Games (2014).^[6]

In 2015, Sapochnik directed two episodes of Game of Thrones for the show's fifth season, "The Gift" and "Hardhome." In 2016, he returned to direct the final two episodes of Game of Thrones' sixth season, "Battle of the Bastards" and "The Winds of Winter".^[7] All of these episodes received acclaim from both critics and viewers. Sapochnik won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series at the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards, for directing "Battle of the Bastards".

In 2016, Sapochnik directed the series premiere of the show Altered Carbon for Netflix.^[8]

In 2017, he directed an episode of Iron Fist.^[9]

In April 2019, he directed the third ("The Long Night") and fifth ("The Bells") episodes of the final season of Game of Thrones.^[10] For the former, he was nominated once again for the “Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series”.

In 2022, he was co-showrunner of House of the Dragon, a prequel to Game of Thrones. The first season premiered on August 21, 2022. In August 2022, it was announced that he would be stepping down as showrunner after the first season, though he will remain as an executive producer for future seasons.^[11]^[12]

Personal life

Sapochnik is of Argentine origin, and has been married to actress Alexis Raben since 2006.^[13]

He is Jewish.^[14]

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Director	Executive Producer
2010	Repo Men	Yes	Yes
2021	Finch	Yes	Yes

Television

Year	Show	Season	Episode	Episode title	Notes
2011	House	7	9	"Larger Than Life"
			11	"Family Practice"
			22	"After Hours"
	Fringe	4	3	"Alone in the World"
	House	8	7	"Dead & Buried"
2012			16	"Gut Check"
			21	"Holding On"
	Awake	1	13	"Turtles All the Way Down"
	Falling Skies	2	4	"Young Bloods"
	Fringe	5	1	"Transilience Thought Unifier Model-11"	co-directed with Jeannot Szwarc
2013	Under the Dome	1	7	"Imperfect Circles"
	Revolution	1	12	"Ghosts"
	Banshee	1	9	"Always the Cowboy"
	Banshee	1	10	"A Mixture of Madness"
2014	Mind Games	1	1	"Pilot"
2014	Extant	1	13	"Ascension"
2015	Game of Thrones	5	7	"The Gift"
	Game of Thrones	5	8	"Hardhome"
	Masters of Sex	3	3	"The Excitement of Release"
	True Detective	2	6	"Church in Ruins"
2016	Game of Thrones	6	9	"Battle of the Bastards"
2016	Game of Thrones	6	10	"The Winds of Winter"
2017	Iron Fist	1	4	"Eight Diagram Dragon Palm"
2018	Altered Carbon	1	1	"Out of the Past"
2019	Game of Thrones	8	3	"The Long Night"
2019	Game of Thrones	8	5	"The Bells"
2022	House of the Dragon	1	1	"The Heirs of the Dragon"	Also showrunner and executive producer
			6	"The Princess and the Queen"
			7	"Driftmark"

Awards and nominations

Year	Title	Episode	Award/Nomination
2016	Game of Thrones	"Battle of the Bastards"	Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Drama Series Nominated—Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form
2019	Game of Thrones	"The Long Night"	Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series Nominated—Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Drama Series

References

^ ^a ^b Rich, Katey (19 March 2010). "Exclusive Interview: Repo Men Director Miguel Sapochnik". Cinema Blend. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
^ "Miguel Sapochnik Filmography". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on 30 January 2013. Retrieved 23 August 2012.
^ "Exclusive: Repo Men director Miguel Sapochnik". Shock Till You Drop. 11 March 2010. Retrieved 23 August 2012.
^ Dawtrey, Adam (15 January 2006). "Sapochnik finally in view". Variety. Retrieved 23 August 2012.
^ "Snowflake in Hell Films Limited". CompaniesLondon.com. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
^ "Miguel Sapochnik Credits". TV Guide. Retrieved 23 August 2012.
^ Lincoln, Ross A. (28 June 2016). "'Game Of Thrones': Season 6 Finale Director Miguel Sapochnik On Military Aesthetic, That Score, And Putting His Stamp on the Long-Running Series". Deadline. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
^ Wagmeister, Elizabeth (12 May 2016). "Joel Kinnaman to Star in Netflix Sci-Fi Series 'Altered Carbon'". Variety. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
^ Robinson, Joanna (29 June 2016). "The Best Director on Game of Thrones Won't Be Coming Back Next Year". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
^ Chitwood, Adam (15 December 2017). "'Justice League' DP Fabian Wagner on Zack Snyder's Cut, Superman's Black Suit & 'Game of Thrones'". Collider. Archived from the original on 16 December 2017. Retrieved 18 December 2017.
^ White, Peter (31 August 2022). "'House Of The Dragon' Co-Showrunner Miguel Sapochnik Steps Down Ahead Of Season 2". Deadline. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
^ Murray, Tom (1 September 2022). "Game of Thrones alum Miguel Sapochnik steps down as House of the Dragon showrunner". The Independent. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
^ "Miguel Sapochnik". IMDb. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
^ "Jews in the News: Chuck Lorre, Dave Franco and Billy Crystal". Tampa Jewish Community Centers & Federation. 7 May 2019. Retrieved 24 January 2021.

External links

Miguel Sapochnik at IMDb

[cinemablend-1] Rich, Katey (19 March 2010). "Exclusive Interview: Repo Men Director Miguel Sapochnik". Cinema Blend. Retrieved 13 April 2012.

[2] "Miguel Sapochnik Filmography". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on 30 January 2013. Retrieved 23 August 2012.

[3] "Exclusive: Repo Men director Miguel Sapochnik". Shock Till You Drop. 11 March 2010. Retrieved 23 August 2012.

[4] Dawtrey, Adam (15 January 2006). "Sapochnik finally in view". Variety. Retrieved 23 August 2012.

[snowflake-5] "Snowflake in Hell Films Limited". CompaniesLondon.com. Retrieved 2 July 2016.

[6] "Miguel Sapochnik Credits". TV Guide. Retrieved 23 August 2012.

[7] Lincoln, Ross A. (28 June 2016). "'Game Of Thrones': Season 6 Finale Director Miguel Sapochnik On Military Aesthetic, That Score, And Putting His Stamp on the Long-Running Series". Deadline. Retrieved 24 January 2021.

[8] Wagmeister, Elizabeth (12 May 2016). "Joel Kinnaman to Star in Netflix Sci-Fi Series 'Altered Carbon'". Variety. Retrieved 20 September 2016.

[9] Robinson, Joanna (29 June 2016). "The Best Director on Game of Thrones Won't Be Coming Back Next Year". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 20 September 2016.

[director_episodes-10] Chitwood, Adam (15 December 2017). "'Justice League' DP Fabian Wagner on Zack Snyder's Cut, Superman's Black Suit & 'Game of Thrones'". Collider. Archived from the original on 16 December 2017. Retrieved 18 December 2017.

[11] White, Peter (31 August 2022). "'House Of The Dragon' Co-Showrunner Miguel Sapochnik Steps Down Ahead Of Season 2". Deadline. Retrieved 1 September 2022.

[12] Murray, Tom (1 September 2022). "Game of Thrones alum Miguel Sapochnik steps down as House of the Dragon showrunner". The Independent. Retrieved 1 September 2022.

[13] "Miguel Sapochnik". IMDb. Retrieved 19 November 2018.

[14] "Jews in the News: Chuck Lorre, Dave Franco and Billy Crystal". Tampa Jewish Community Centers & Federation. 7 May 2019. Retrieved 24 January 2021.

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v t e Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series
1950s	Jack Smight for "Eddie" (1959)
1960s	Robert Mulligan for The Moon and Sixpence (1960) George Schaefer for Macbeth (1961) Franklin J. Schaffner for The Defenders (1962) Stuart Rosenberg for "The Madman" (1963) Tom Gries for "Who Do You Kill?" (1964) Paul Bogart for "The 700 Year Old Gang" (1965) Sydney Pollack for "The Game" (1966) Alex Segal for Death of a Salesman (1967) Paul Bogart for "Dear Friends" (1968) David Greene for "The People Next Door" (1969)
1970s	Paul Bogart for "Shadow Game" (1970) Daryl Duke for "The Day the Lion Died" (1971) Alexander Singer for "The Invasion of Kevin Ireland" (1972) Jerry Thorpe for "An Eye for an Eye" (1973) Robert Butler for "Part III" (1974) Bill Bain for "A Sudden Storm" (1975) David Greene for "Part I: Chapters 1 & 2" (Rich Man, Poor Man) (1976) David Greene for "Part 1" (Roots) (1977) Marvin J. Chomsky for Holocaust (1978) Jackie Cooper for "Pilot" (The White Shadow) (1979)
1980s	Roger Young for "Cop" (1980) Robert Butler for "Hill Street Station"(1981) Harry Harris for "To Soar and Never Falter" (1982) Jeff Bleckner for "Life in the Minors" (1983) Corey Allen for "Goodbye, Mr. Scripps" (1984) Karen Arthur for "Heat" (1985) Georg Stanford Brown for "Parting Shots" (1986) Gregory Hoblit for "Pilot" (L.A. Law) (1987) Mark Tinker for "Weigh In, Way Out" (1988) Robert Altman for "The Boiler Room" (1989)
1990s	Thomas Carter for "Promises to Keep" / Scott Winant for "The Go-Between" (1990) Thomas Carter for "In Confidence" (1991) Eric Laneuville for "All God's Children" (1992) Barry Levinson for "Gone for Goode" (1993) Daniel Sackheim for "Tempest in a C-Cup" (1994) Mimi Leder for "Love's Labor Lost" (1995) Jeremy Kagan for "Leave of Absence" (1996) Mark Tinker for "Where's 'Swaldo?" (1997) Mark Tinker for "Pilot" (Brooklyn South) / Paris Barclay for "Lost Israel, Part 2" (1998) Paris Barclay for "Hearts and Souls" (1999)
2000s	Thomas Schlamme for "Pilot" (The West Wing) (2000) Thomas Schlamme for "In the Shadow of Two Gunmen: Part I" & "Part II" (2001) Alan Ball for "Pilot" (Six Feet Under) (2002) Christopher Misiano for "Twenty Five" (2003) Walter Hill for "Deadwood" (2004) J. J. Abrams for "Pilot" (Lost) (2005) Jon Cassar for "Day 5: 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m." (2006) Alan Taylor for "Kennedy and Heidi" (2007) Greg Yaitanes for "House's Head" (2008) Rod Holcomb for "And in the End..." (2009)
2010s	Steve Shill for "The Getaway" (2010) Martin Scorsese for "Boardwalk Empire" (2011) Tim Van Patten for "To the Lost" (2012) David Fincher for "Chapter 1" (2013) Cary Joji Fukunaga for "Who Goes There" (2014) David Nutter for "Mother's Mercy" (2015) Miguel Sapochnik for "Battle of the Bastards" (2016) Reed Morano for "Offred" (2017) Stephen Daldry for "Paterfamilias" (2018) Jason Bateman for "Reparations" (2019)
2020s	Andrij Parekh for "Hunting" (2020) Jessica Hobbs for "War" (2021) Hwang Dong-hyuk for "Red Light, Green Light" (2022) Mark Mylod for "Connor's Wedding" (2023) Frederick E. O. Toye for "Crimson Sky" (2024)

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