T.J. Martin
Martin in 2017
Born
Thomas McKay Martin Jr.[1]

(1979-09-07) September 7, 1979[1]
Seattle, Washington, U.S.[2]
Alma materFairhaven College
Western Washington University
Occupations
  • Film director
  • screenwriter
  • film editor
  • cinematographer
  • producer
  • commercial director
Years active2002–present
RelativesTina Bell (mother)

Thomas McKay Martin Jr. (born September 7, 1979), known professionally as T. J. Martin, is an American filmmaker. Martin's film Undefeated (2011), for which he was co-director, co-editor, and co-cinematographer, won the 2012 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, making Martin the first film director of African-American descent to win an Academy Award for a feature-length film.[2][3]

Martin's film LA 92 (2017), for which he was co-director and co-editor, won the 2017 Primetime Emmy Award for Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking. He also co-directed the documentary film Tina (2021) about the life of singer Tina Turner, for which he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program.

Early life

Martin was born on September 7, 1979,[1] in Seattle, Washington,[2] to singer Tina Bell (1957–2012) and guitarist Tommy Martin (1958–2019),[4] both members of the late punk/early grunge Seattle band Bam Bam.[5] Martin's mother was African-American[6] and his father was white.[4][1] Martin is also of Native American, Scandinavian, Chinese and Jewish origin.[1]

Martin graduated from Roosevelt High School and went on to attend Fairhaven College at Western Washington University, where he studied American Cultural Studies, graduating in 2005.[1] While there, Martin co-directed his first film, the feature documentary A Day in the Hype of America (2002), concerning the hysteria around the Y2K problem, which won Best Documentary at the 2002 Rhode Island International Film Festival.[7] Martin then directed short films such as Loves Martha and On the Rocks, the latter is a docudrama about drug and alcohol addiction.[8]

Career

Feature films

In 2007, Martin met future directing partner Daniel Lindsay in Los Angeles, when they collaborated on the feature documentary Last Cup: Road to the World Series of Beer Pong, directed by Lindsay and edited by Martin. The film was distributed by Morgan Spurlock's company Warrior Poets.

As co-directors, Martin and Lindsay next made the feature documentary Undefeated, which chronicles the football team of Manassas High School in Memphis, Tennessee.[9] The film focuses on the lives of several of the players and their coach, Bill Courtney, over the course of a single season. Undefeated premiered at the 2011 SXSW Film Festival and was purchased by The Weinstein Company for North American distribution just hours after the first screening.[10] Released to near universal acclaim, the film went on to win the Academy Award for Best Feature Documentary in 2012. Undefeated holds a 96% rating on the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes.[11]

In November 2012, Martin was listed on Ebony Magazine's "Power 100" list.[12] That same year he received the award for “Outstanding Achievement in Directing” from the Seattle International Film Festival.[13]

On April 28, 2015, Martin gave a talk at TEDx on Orcas Island, Washington, titled “Reimagining America’s Culture Narrative”, in which he discussed race and diversity in the film and television industry and mass media more broadly.[14]

In 2017, Martin and co-director/co-editor Lindsay, made the documentary feature LA 92. Composed entirely of archival footage, the film explores the days of civil unrest that followed the acquittal of four LAPD officers captured on video beating motorist Rodney King—the events commonly referred to as the 1992 Los Angeles riots. LA 92 premiered at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival and made its broadcast premiere shortly thereafter on the National Geographic Channel. The film was named by several publications, including Rolling Stone and The Playlist, as one of the best documentaries of 2017.[15][16] In June 2017, LA 92 won the Primetime Emmy Award for Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking.[17] The film was shortlisted for Best Documentary Feature for the 90th Academy Awards and holds a 97% rating on the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes.[18]

In 2021, Martin co-directed a documentary film for HBO about the life of Tina Turner, titled Tina.[19] That same year, he signed a first look deal with Imagine Documentaries.[20]

Television

In 2015, Martin co-directed a documentary special titled I Am Dying, which was produced by Joaquin Phoenix, Casey Affleck and Mary Lisio for the National Geographic Channel.[21][22] The film chronicles Renee and Rita Heidtman as Renee loses her life to terminal breast cancer while her sister Rita cares for her.

In 2018, Martin co-directed Territorio de Zaguates, episode five of the TV series Dogs. The show is an episodic television show exploring the relationships between humans and dogs. The episode featured Territorio de Zaguates, a no-kill dog sanctuary in Costa Rica. The series premiered on Netflix in November 2018.[23]

Other work

Working officially as the directing duo Martin + Lindsay, Martin and Lindsay have continued their work across various platforms including short films, television, and commercial work. Their short film My Favorite Picture of You (2013), was built around an audio interview with Martin's grandparents[24] and was screened at numerous film festivals, was featured on The Atlantic[25] and Vice,[26] chosen as a Vimeo Staff Pick, and nominated for a Webby Award.[27][28]

Martin and Lindsay have co-directed television commercials for clients that include Starbucks, Comcast, Gatorade, Facebook, Toyota, Prudential Financial, Hallmark Cards, the United Negro College Fund, Honey Maid, Google and the New York Times. The “This Is Wholesome” campaign, directed for Honey Maid, garnered both controversy and praise for its portrayal of parents and their children that include a single father, an interracial couple, and a gay couple.[29][30]

In 2020, Martin and Lindsay's "The Truth is Worth It" campaign for The New York Times swept the commercial awards circuit and won a Clio award and two Grand Prix Lions for Best Film and Film Craft at Cannes Lions.[31]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Credited as Notes
Director Screenwriter Producer Editor Cinematographer
2002 A Day in the Hype of America Yes No Yes No No Documentary[32]
2003 What Would Jesus Play? No No No Yes No Documentary, short film
2005 ...Loves Martha Yes Yes Yes Yes No Short film
On the Rocks Yes No Yes Yes Yes Documentary; also composer
2007 Larry Flynt: The Right to Be Left Alone No No No No Yes Documentary[33]
2009 Last Cup: Road to the World Series of Beer Pong No Yes No Yes No Documentary[34]
2011 Undefeated Yes No No Yes Yes Documentary[35]
2013 My Favorite Picture of You Yes Yes Yes Yes No Documentary, short film[36]
2017 LA 92 Yes No No Yes No Documentary[37]
Copwatch No No No Yes No Documentary[38]
2018 Where the Night Takes You No No No Yes No Documentary
2021 Ferguson Rises No No No Yes No Documentary

Television

Year Title Credited as Notes
Director Screenwriter Producer Editor Cinematographer
2008 Get Your Face on with Napoleon Perdis No No No Yes No TV series, assistant editor
2015 I Am Dying Yes No No Yes Yes Documentary
2018 Dogs Yes No No No No Documentary series, episode "Territorio de Zaguates"
2020 Yusuf Hawkins: Storm Over Brooklyn No No Yes No No Documentary
2021 9/11: One Day in America No No Yes No No Documentary miniseries
2021 Tina Yes Yes Yes No No HBO Documentary

Awards and nominations

Year Work Award Result Ref.
2002 A Day in the Hype of America Rhode Island International Film Festival - Best Documentary Won [7]
2011 Undefeated
SXSW Film Festival - Audience Award Nominated
Southeastern Film Critics Association - Wyatt Award Runner-up
Houston Film Critics Society Awards - Best Documentary Feature Won
Philadelphia Film Festival - Audience Award Won
Indie Memphis Film Festival - Audience Award Won [39]
Chicago International Film Festival - Audience Choice Award, Best Documentary Feature Won
DOC NYC - Special Jury Award Won [40]
2012 Broadcast Film Critics Association Award - Best Documentary Feature Nominated
Black Reel Awards - Best Documentary Nominated
Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature Film Won [2]
— Seattle International Film Festival - Outstanding Achievement in Directing Won [13]
2013 Undefeated Christopher Awards - Feature Films Won
2017 LA 92 International Documentary Association - Best Feature Documentary Nominated
Primetime Emmy Award for Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking Won [17]
International Documentary Association - ABC New VideoSource Award Won
Seattle Film Critics Award - Best Documentary Nominated
Black Reel Awards for Television - Outstanding TV Documentary or Special Nominated
2018 Awards Circuit Community Awards - Best Documentary Feature Nominated
Cinema Eye Honors Award - Outstanding Achievement in Editing Nominated
American Cinema Editors Award for Best Edited Documentary – Feature Nominated
2021 Tina Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program Nominated [41]
2022 9/11: One Day in America British Academy Television Award for Best Factual Series or Strand Nominated [42]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "T.J. Martin: The 'Undefeated' Interview". The Skanner. February 10, 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Graves, Jen (March 7, 2012). "Undefeated, for Real | How Seattle Native TJ Martin Became a History-Making Oscar Winner". The Stranger.
  3. ↑ Berry, S. Torriano; Berry, Venise T. (2015). Historical Dictionary of African American Cinema. Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield. p. xxix. ISBN 978-1-4422-4701-7.
  4. 1 2 "White Center sound studio owner Tommy Martin has died". Westside Seattle. October 18, 2019.
  5. ↑ Uitti, Jacob (September 8, 2021). "Did Tina Bell Help Invent Grunge?". American Songwriter.
  6. ↑ Yamazaki Stewart, Jade (July 8, 2021). "Before Nirvana or Pearl Jam, there was Tina Bell, the godmother of grunge. Musicians pay tribute in upcoming concert". The Seattle Times.
  7. 1 2 "Rhode Island International Film Festival | 2002 Film Festival Award Winners". Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Fesitval. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  8. ↑ Williams, Kam (February 8, 2012). "T.J. Martin was nominated for Hollywood's highest award. If he wins, he would become the first African American to win an Academy Award as director for best documentary". The Bay State Banner.
  9. ↑ Rothbart, Davy (February 20, 2012). "Q&A: Undefeated Filmmakers Dan Lindsay and T.J. Martin". Grantland.
  10. ↑ Fleming, Mike Jr. (March 14, 2011). "SXSW: Gridiron Documentary 'Undefeated' Scores Big Weinstein Company Deal". Deadline Hollywood.
  11. ↑ "Rotten Tomatoes Undefeated (2012)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
  12. ↑ "EBONY Reveals 2012 Power 100!". Ebony.com. November 1, 2012. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
  13. 1 2 SIFF (May 4, 2012). "Local Academy Award®-winning director T.J. Martin (Undefeated) stopped by this year's Press Launch to receive the SIFF Outstanding Achievement in Directing Award". Facebook. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
  14. ↑ "TJ Martin". Retrieved January 28, 2017.
  15. ↑ Fear, David (December 15, 2017). "10 Best Documentaries of 2017". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 18, 2018.
  16. ↑ Kiang, Jessica (January 3, 2018). "The Best Documentaries of 2017". The Playlist. Retrieved February 18, 2018.
  17. 1 2 "Nominees/Winners". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
  18. ↑ "LA 92 (2017) - Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved February 18, 2018.
  19. ↑ White, Peter (February 10, 2021). "HBO's Tina Turner Feature Doc To Debut This Spring; Universal Pictures Content Group Takes World Rights". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  20. ↑ "'Tina' Filmmakers Sign First-Look Deal With Imagine Documentaries (EXCLUSIVE)". Yahoo!. May 13, 2021. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
  21. ↑ "I Am Dying". Archived from the original on June 12, 2015. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
  22. ↑ Heidtman, Rita (June 12, 2015). "Why My Sister Allowed Her Death to Be Filmed for TV". Retrieved January 28, 2017.
  23. ↑ "Who's a good boy? Meet the man behind the wildly popular Netflix series Dogs". CBC Radio. November 30, 2018.
  24. ↑ Sondhi, Jason (March 20, 2013). "My Favorite Picture of You". Short of the Week.
  25. ↑ "A Film Explores Memory, Love and Identity at the End of Life". The Atlantic. January 22, 2014. Archived from the original on June 11, 2016. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
  26. ↑ Bowers, Jeffrey (December 16, 2014). "The Best Online Short Films of 2014". Vice.com. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
  27. ↑ "My Favorite Picture of You". Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
  28. ↑ "My Favorite Picture of You". Retrieved January 28, 2017.
  29. ↑ "Nabisco's Gay-Inclusive Honey Maid/Teddy Grahams Commercial Slammed By One Million Moms". HuffPost. March 20, 2014. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
  30. ↑ Solomon, Andrew (April 5, 2014). "HONEY MAID AND THE BUSINESS OF LOVE". The New Yorker. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
  31. ↑ "'The Truth Is Worth It' Wins Two Cannes Lions Grand Prix Awards". The New York Times Company. June 19, 2019. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
  32. ↑ "A Day in the Hype of America (2002) Directed by T.J. Martin / Brian Quist". AllMovie. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  33. ↑ "Larry Flynt: The Right to Be Left Alone (2007) Directed by Joan Brooker-Marks". AllMovie. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  34. ↑ "Last Cup: Road to the World Series of Beer Pong (2009) Directed by Dan Lindsay". AllMovie. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  35. ↑ "Undefeated (2011) Directed by Dan Lindsay / T.J. Martin". AllMovie. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  36. ↑ "My Favorite Picture of You". Vimeo. January 13, 2014. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  37. ↑ "LA 92 (2017) Directed by Dan Lindsay / T.J. Martin / Jenna Rosher". AllMovie. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  38. ↑ "Copwatch | 2017 Tribeca Festival". Tribeca Festival. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  39. ↑ "AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED FOR THE 2011 INDIE MEMPHIS FILM FESTIVAL". November 6, 2011. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
  40. ↑ "And the winner is..." docnyc.net. November 9, 2011. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
  41. ↑ "Tina". Emmys.com. Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  42. ↑ "Television | Factual Series in 2022 | BAFTA Awards". British Academy Television Awards. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
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