Steven Spielberg is a prolific and super-successful American film director and producer. He has won three Best Movie Oscars, among hundreds of other awards. His movies have made nearly $8 billion, the highest for any filmmaker in history. ‘Time’ magazine listed him as one of the 100 greatest people of the 20th Century. ‘Life’ named him the most influential person of his generation.

 

Spielberg was born in Ohio in 1946. He was interested in movies when he was very young. At 12, he made a 9-minute film to earn his Boy Scout photography badge. Aged 13, he won a prize for a 40-minute war movie. When he was 16, Spielberg filmed a 2-hour science fiction epic. He set his sights on Hollywood.

 

Spielberg failed to get into film school because of his high school grades. He was undeterred and went directly to Universal Studios, where he got a position as an intern. In 1968, he made a short film that caught the attention of Universal’s vice president. Spielberg became Hollywood’s youngest ever director. He spent seven years making TV movies.

 

Spielberg’s first major movie was the shark horror film ‘Jaws’. It was a sensational hit and made Spielberg a household name. He has since made many blockbusters that have become a part of world culture, including Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones and E.T. Spielberg has also dealt with serious issues such as slavery, the Holocaust and terrorism. He has also ventured into video game production.