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John Ottman

Known For
Sound

Known Credits
9

Gender
Male

Birthday
July 6, 1964 (62 years old)

Place of Birth
San Diego, California, USA

John Ottman

Biography

John Ottman (born July 6, 1964) is an American film composer, director, and editor. He is best known for collaborating with director Bryan Singer, composing and/or editing many of his films, including Public Access (1993), The Usual Suspects (1995), Superman Returns (2006), Valkyrie (2008), and Jack the Giant Slayer (2013), as well as the X-Men film series. For his work on Singer's 2018 Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, Ottman won the Academy Award for Best Film Editing.

Ottman was born in San Diego, California. Growing up in San Jose, Ottman made many amateur films garnering local attention in the community. He attended De Anza College and then transferred to the School of Cinematic Arts of the University of Southern California, where he graduated in 1988. One of his first assignments was to provide original music for the computer game I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream. In 2007, Ottman appeared in the documentary Finding Kraftland for his agent Richard Kraft.

He is best known for his multitasking as editor and composer for Bryan Singer's films and, on a few occasions, producer roles to boot. The Usual Suspects, Apt Pupil, X2, Superman Returns (including adapting themes originally composed by John Williams), Valkyrie, Jack the Giant Slayer, X-Men: Days of Future Past, and X-Men: Apocalypse. Other notable films he worked on as a composer are Snow White: A Tale of Terror, the 2005 remake of House of Wax, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Fantastic Four and its sequel Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, The Invasion, and Astro Boy.

He also directed (in addition to editing and scoring) the 2000 horror film Urban Legends: Final Cut. He won a BAFTA Award for Best Editing for The Usual Suspects, as well as two Saturn Awards for Best Music for The Usual Suspects and Superman Returns. In 2019, he was nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Editing and won the ACE Eddie Award and the Academy Award for his work on Bohemian Rhapsody, a film Ottman saw through on his own after both directors' departure (Bryan Singer being fired and Dexter Fletcher beginning pre-production on "Rocketman" shortly after finishing the shoot). Ottman navigated the film's development in post and the tricky waters between the filmmaker and studio, working with producer Graham King and Dennis O'Sullivan. Upon Bohemian Rhapsody getting nominated for and winning its Best Editing awards, a scene of the band outside a pub went viral online after a post by Youtuber Thomas Flight, who was critical of the editing style. Ottman, aware of the clip, explained that for a test screening, a heightened pace for the first act was asked for by the studio. After the test, Ottman returned the scene to its original pace and design. Ottman regretted that he missed returning the scene outside the pub closer to his original version. The scene (directed by Fletcher) contained no master shot of the band at the table.

Description above from the Wikipedia article John Ottman, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Known For

Editing

2026Michael...Editor
2018Bohemian Rhapsody...Editor
2016X-Men: Apocalypse...Editor
2014X-Men: Days of Future Past...Editor
2013Jack the Giant Slayer...Editor
2008Valkyrie...Editor
2006Superman Returns...Editor
2003X2...Editor
2000Urban Legends: Final Cut...Editor
1998Apt Pupil...Editor
1995The Usual Suspects...Editor
1993Public Access...Editor
1988Lion's Den...Editor

Directing

2017Star Trek: Discovery...Director
2000Urban Legends: Final Cut...Director
1988Lion's Den...Co-Director
Billy & Me...Director

Sound

2016X-Men: Apocalypse...Original Music Composer
2016The Nice Guys...Original Music Composer
2014X-Men: Days of Future Past...Original Music Composer
2014Non-Stop...Original Music Composer
2013Jack the Giant Slayer...Original Music Composer
2011Unknown...Original Music Composer
2011The Resident...Original Music Composer
2010The Losers...Original Music Composer
2010Astro Boy vs The Junkyard Pirates...Music
2009Astro Boy...Original Music Composer
2009Orphan...Original Music Composer
2008Valkyrie...Original Music Composer
2007The Invasion...Original Music Composer
2007The Invasion...Orchestrator
2007Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer...Original Music Composer
2006Superman Returns...Original Music Composer
2005Kiss Kiss Bang Bang...Original Music Composer
2005Fantastic Four...Original Music Composer
2005House of Wax...Original Music Composer
2005Hide and Seek...Original Music Composer
2004Lonely Place...Music
2004Cellular...Original Music Composer
2004Celling Out...Original Music Composer
2003The Second Uncanny Issue of X-Men! Making X2...Music
2003Gothika...Original Music Composer
2003Gothika...Orchestrator
2003X2...Original Music Composer
2002Trapped...Original Music Composer
2002Eight Legged Freaks...Original Music Composer
2002Pumpkin...Original Music Composer
2002Point of Origin...Music
2002Brother's Keeper...Music
2002Brother's Keeper...Original Music Composer
2001Bubble Boy...Original Music Composer
2000Urban Legends: Final Cut...Original Music Composer
2000Urban Legends: Final Cut...Orchestrator
1999Lake Placid...Original Music Composer
1999Goodbye Lover...Music
1999Cruel Intentions...Music
1998Apt Pupil...Original Music Composer
1998Halloween H20: 20 Years Later...Original Music Composer
1997Incognito...Original Music Composer
1997Snow White: A Tale of Terror...Original Music Composer
1996The Cable Guy...Original Music Composer
1995The Usual Suspects...Original Music Composer
1993Public Access...Original Music Composer

Production

2016X-Men: Apocalypse...Co-Producer
2008Valkyrie...Executive Producer
1998Apt Pupil...Associate Producer

Acting

2018Bohemian Rhapsodyas Live TV Director
2016X-Men: Apocalypseas Confused Tech
2015Mutant vs. Machine - The Making of 'X-Men: Days of Future Past'as Self
2007Navigate This Mazeas Self
2006Film Noir: Bringing Darkness to Lightas Self
2003Requiem for Mutants: The Score of X2as Self
2002Keyser Soze, Lie or Legend - Featuretteas Self
2000Urban Legends: Final Cutas Mental Patient (uncredited)
1998Nothing Is What It Seems: The Making Of 'The Usual Suspects'as Self