James McTeigue

James McTeigue (born 29 December 1967) is an Australian film director. He has been an assistant director on many films, including No Escape (1994), the Matrix trilogy (1999–2003) and Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002), and made his directorial debut with the 2006 film V for Vendetta.

Early life

Born on Sydney's North Shore, he grew up in Collaroy Plateau, a suburb on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, Australia. McTeigue attended Marist Brothers North Sydney then Cromer High School, in Cromer, a northern beach suburb of Sydney. He completed tertiary study in film at Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga Campus.

Career

He first became involved in the film industry in the late 1980s, acting as production runner or production assistant in a number of small Australian films. In 1991 his role became assistant director, being the third assistant director in another Australian film, titled The Girl Who Came Late.

In 1994 he was the second assistant director in Country Life, a film adaptation based on Michael Blakemore's National Theatre production of Uncle Vanya, which had a much wider audience than his previous affairs. He also acted again as second assistant director in a small Australian television film.