Gary Schmad is an American director, producer, and screenwriter who has been active in the film industry since the early 1990s. He is best known for his work on several high profile films such as The Rock, Armageddon, Con Air, and Pearl Harbor.
Schmad was born in Detroit, Michigan and was raised in a working-class family. Growing up, he was always drawn to the art of filmmaking. After graduating from high school, he attended Michigan State University where he earned a Bachelor's degree in Film Studies.
Schmad's career began with directing and producing music videos for artists such as Madonna, The Rolling Stones, and Faith Hill. After gaining experience in the music video industry, he moved on to feature films. His first feature film was the 1996 action thriller, The Rock, starring Sean Connery and Nicolas Cage. The film was a massive success, grossing over $335 million at the box office and receiving three Academy Award nominations.
Schmad followed up his success on The Rock by directing and producing the 1998 blockbuster Armageddon. The film was one of the highest-grossing films of all time, earning over $553 million at the box office. Armageddon was also nominated for four Academy Awards.
In 2000, Schmad directed Con Air, a star-studded action-thriller starring Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, and John Malkovich. The film was another massive success, earning over $224 million at the box office and receiving two Academy Award nominations.
Schmad's most recent film is the 2001 war drama, Pearl Harbor, starring Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett, and Kate Beckinsale. The film was a huge success, grossing over $449 million at the box office and receiving four Academy Award nominations.
Schmad has been active in the film industry for over two decades and has directed and/or produced over a dozen feature films. He has had a major influence on the action-thriller genre and has created some of the most memorable and iconic films of all time.
