Speakers & VIPs

Morgan Spurlock

Academy Award®-nominated director Morgan Spurlock is the creator and producer of FX’s critically acclaimed and award winning series, 30 Days (Season 1 and Season 2). Spurlock has an amazing career spanning film, nonfiction literature, television and, theatre. His first feature film, Super Size Me, was released in 2004 and went on to become the sixth highest grossing box office documentary of all time. This comedic and telling documentary centering on Spurlock’s experiment to eat only fast food for a month was named to more than 35 Top Ten lists in 2004 and received an Oscar nomination, the Writers Guild of America Best Documentary Screenplay Award and Best Director prizes at the Sundance Film Festival and the Edinburgh Film Festival. The DVD was voted Best Documentary of the Year by the Video Software Dealers Association in 2005, and an "educationally enhanced" version was released for schools, health institutions, parents’ groups, and the general public complete with interactive guides, games, and lesson plans to help children, educators, and families understand how to make healthy choices.

Shortly after the theatrical opening of the film, Spurlock released his first nonfiction book, Don’t Eat This Book. The book picked up where the film leaves off, diving even deeper into the psyche of a Super-Sized nation. Both the film and the book continue to influence public behavior and policy makers on the topic of fast food and obesity in America.  Even McDonald’s restaurants dropped the "super sizing" from their menu—six weeks after the film premiered at Sundance. The film and the book continue to make an impact on the way the world sees fast food.

In July 2005, the first season of his television series, 30 Days, premiered on the FX television network. This thought-provoking weekly series has been praised and honored by critics and by such diverse groups as the Muslim Public Affairs Council, Gay and Lesbian Alliance for Anti Defamation, and the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law. The series was also featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show three times this past year for tackling timely issues, which included homophobia, racial/religious prejudice, and living on minimum wage. 30 Days was one of FX's highest rated non-scripted shows in 2005 and was nominated for a Producer’s Guild Award and honored with a GLAAD Award for Best Non-Fiction Television Series. The series is also currently being shown in more than 15 countries around the world with many territories producing their own versions of the hit program.

In July 2006, the second season of 30 Days premiered to rousing critical acclaim again on the FX television network.  This second season tackled issues ranging from immigration, outsourcing, pro-life/pro-choice to atheism/Christianity.  For the season finale, Spurlock spent 30 days in jail.  Audiences and reviewers agreed that Season 2 of 30 Days was just as compelling and important as Season 1.

Also an accomplished playwright, Spurlock is a native of West Virginia and a graduate of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.  Recently, he was honored by the State of West Virginia with two accolades: the West Virginia Ambassador Award and the West Virginia Filmmakers Pinnacle Award.

His New York-based production company, Warrior Poets, is currently creating and producing new film and television projects. He recently executive produced the film Class Act, which details the elimination of arts programs in public schools and a film on the commercialization of Christmas entitled What Would Jesus Buy? Spurlock is currently in production on his next feature film, which will be released in 2007.

In September 2006, in association with Hart Sharp Video, Spurlock launched a new label to distribute his own brand of documentary movies under the title of "Morgan Spurlock Presents." This collection of compelling nonfiction films will be handpicked by Spurlock to be released in theaters, on television, or on DVD.  The first films to be released under the new banner will be Deborah Koons Garcia’s film The Future of Food, and the award-winning Czech film, Czech Dream.  In April 2007, the label will release their first theatrical offering entitled Chalk, from director Mike Akel.

In addition to writing, producing, and directing, Spurlock continues speaking around the nation. Since August 2004, Spurlock has visited more than 100 universities and secondary schools talking about obesity, the effect of fast food, and the entertainment industry, inspiring students and adults to take responsibility for their own lives and health.

Even in Europe, Spurlock’s influence continues to take hold. Recently, UK Channel 4 TV launched its new subsidiary network channel "More Four" with a "Morgan Spurlock Week" featuring the premiere of 30 Days on the network and the UK broadcast premiere of Super Size Me. Spurlock hosted the nightly talk show The Last Word, for five nights in a row to cap off the celebrated week.

When not producing or directing, Spurlock is involved with many charities, including the Life Rolls On Foundation, where he is a member of the Board of Directors. He and his vegan wife, Healthy Chef Alexandra Jamieson, recently gave birth to their first child in December 2006.