With a resume that boasts "Buffalo 66," "Being John Malkovich," "Adaptation," "Where The Wild Things Are," "Marie Antoinette" and "Lost In Translation," it's safe to say that cinematographer Lance Acord has been hanging out with the right people. Undoubtedly contributing in a major way to the look and feel of those films by Sofia Coppola, Spike Jonze and Charlie Kaufman, Acord is now ready to make his own movie, and unlike those high-concept films, he's going for something different.
Acord will take the helm of "Racing Dreams," a project set up over at DreamWorks that is a remake of the 2009 documentary by Marshall Curry of the same name. The story will follow three young race car drivers, with aspirations of making a career in NASCAR, who compete in the World Karting Association's National Pavement Series. It's a bit of a coming of age/sports tale, though certainly not like anything we've seen before…so maybe like 'Wild Things' with motor oil? Nevertheless, it's some interesting material and we'll be eager to see how this project comes together.
While this will be Acord's directorial feature film debut, he has commanded a film set before. He's an award-winning advertising director who has helmed spots too numerous to run down, but one you might remember is the Volkswagen/"Star Wars" cantina spot from the Super Bowl earlier this year. He also did the car company's Darth Vader spot last year. No word yet on when "Racing Dreams" might roll, but it's definitely one we'll keep tabs on. Acord has proven himself to have a remarkable eye behind the camera, and now venturing on his own, we're curoius to see what perspective he'll bring to a racing world story. [Variety]