Bio
Rod Hardy is a widely accomplished and talented Director who has forged his keen instincts and his trademark visual sense of story through extensive experience. His collaborative efforts are but a gleaning of his problem-solving techniques. He has a great ability to bring the best out in people whether it is an actor’s performance or a DP’s best shot.
The genesis of his talent lies in his respect for others and his great passion for film. His interest in film began before the age of 12, when he shot several short films on his brother’s 8mm camera. Rod has over 350 hours of credits directing television drama in his native Australia.
This impressive body of work comes from his directorial involvement with some of the country’s most successful television productions. His first feature film, Thirst , won Best Picture in its category at the 1980 Asian Film Festival.
Hardy also gained experience as a Producer in Australia, producing the mini-series My Brother Tom , starring Gordon Jackson and Keith Michell, for Crawfords Australia, and the pilot Running With the Night for Network Ten. Hardy directed the pilot and went on to executive produce the series E-Street also for Network Ten. He also directed the pilot for the series Punishment starring Mel Gibson.
Having honed his directing and producing skills in Australia, Hardy moved to Los Angeles in 1992 to launch his American career. His first assignment was to direct Lies and Lullabies the traumatic life story of pregnant cocaine addicts, starring Susan Dey and Piper Laurie. The movie was awarded the Scott Newman Award (founded by Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward in memory of their son) that is presented annually to the production that best illustrates the degradation of and triumph over drug addiction.
Since his award winning U.S. directorial debut, he has garnered both Golden Globe and Emmy nominations for movies of the week and mini-series. M.O.W.’s range fromGrounds for Murder for CBS, starring John Ritter and Henry Winkler in memorable dramatic roles, to the re-creation of the classic Marjorie Rawlins’ novel, The Yearling, for CBS that featured notable performances by Jean Smart and Peter Strauss. Hardy was selected by CBS to helm their prestigious mini-series Buffalo Girls featuring a talented array of TV and feature film actors including Anjelica Huston, Melanie Griffith, Sam Elliot, Gabriel Byrne, Reba McIntyre and the incomparable Jack Palance. The series was filmed on location in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Bath and London, England and garnered eleven Emmy nominations, one SAG and two Golden Globe nominations.
Hardy’s directorial range runs the gamut of contemporary drama and science fiction to portraits of important historic moments, to the re-telling of such adventure classics asRobinson Crusoe with Pierce Brosnan and Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Seawith Michael Caine.
Rod also directed the successful Turner Network Television adventure-drama Two For Texas, starring Kris Kristofferson, Tom Skerrit and Scott Bairstow garnering the prestigious Cowboy Hall of Fame Western Heritage Award . He teamed up for a second time with Tom Skerritt , this time on the critically acclaimed cable movie re make ofHIGH NOON for the Superstation TBS.
After completing X-Files series 8, and directing JAG series 7 . For Belisarius Productions / CBS. Hardy has gone on to direct episodes of Robbery Homicide Division for Producer Michael Mann.
The Practice David E Kelley Productions, Touching Evil producers Bruce Willis/ Arnold Rifkin and Battlestar Gallactica for the Sci-Fi channel.
More recently DECEMBER BOYS starring Daniel Radcliffe and Jack Thompson for VILLAGE ROADSHOW/WARNER BROS. Winner of the GIFFONI FILM FESTIVAL award 2008.
Now available on DVD
Hardy has also added BURN NOTICE ,USA network ,
MENTAL , FOX TELEVISION STUDIOS, shot on location in Bogota Colombia,
DOLLHOUSE for producer Joss Whedon , FOX BROADCASTING USA ,
SAVING GRACE starring Holly Hunter,
LEVERAGE for TNT and producer Dean Devlin, starring Timothy Hutton,
PERSONS UNKNOWN shot in Mexico City for FOX TV STUDIOS,
and THE MENTALIST starring Simon Baker for CBS/WARNERS, to his already impressive line up of US and Australian productions.
Rod Hardy ‘s next feature film is an adaption of It’s All Greek to Me! by author John Mole.
Shooting UK and Greece – Fall 2013