Bennett Miller

Movie director Bennett Miller's feature debut, Capote, was hailed by many critics as one of the best films of 2005. A one-time student of New York University's film school, Miller directed TV commercials and made the documentary The Cruise (1998), a portrait of eccentric New York City tour guide Timothy "Speed" Levitch, released in 1998. Miller's childhood chum, writer and actor Dan Futterman, sent him a script about author Truman Capote's experiences while researching the book In Cold Blood. The two then approached long-time acquaintance and actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, who signed on as executive producer and star. Hoffman received rave reviews for his portrayal of Capote, and Miller emerged as a dark horse candidate for an Oscar nomination.

Extra credit: In 2006 Miller directed the video for Bob Dylan's "When the Deal Goes Down," featuring Scarlett Johanson.