Vulcan Productions
TypePrivate
IndustryMotion picture
FounderPaul Allen and Jody Allen
Headquarters
Seattle, Washington
Key people
Jody Allen (Founder and Interim Chairman)
ProductsMovies, documentaries, television films and specials

Vulcan Productions produced documentary films, television programming and virtual reality experiences that drove awareness around environmental and social issues. The company was founded in 1997 by late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and his sister Jody Allen. It closed in 2021.

The company financed and co-produced films with directors such as Martin Scorsese,[1] Clint Eastwood[2] and Robert Redford.[3] Its films and TV series had aired on video on-demand services like Netflix, HBO and Hulu and across networks like The Discovery Channel and National Geographic.[4] Films produced by Vulcan Productions won Peabody Awards[5] and received Academy Award nominations.[6] The company focused on raising awareness on issues like mental health, girl's education, veterans, parenting, wildlife conservation, ocean health, climate change and modern-day slavery.

History

Vulcan Productions began under the name "Clear Blue Sky Productions"[7] and received its first critical success with the feature film Titus (1999). The company continued to produce feature films including Far From Heaven,[8] Where God Left His Shoes,[9] and Hard Candy.[10] With a name change in 2011, the then-Vulcan Productions shifted its measure of success from box office numbers and critical ratings to driving social impact and world change.[11] The company exclusively produced Social impact entertainment with a focus on topics ranging from wildlife and conservation, global health, contemporary social issues, science, technology, history and exploration.

As part of the larger Vulcan Inc. organization, Vulcan Productions’ mission was to “change minds and ignite action through the power of storytelling.”

On May 27, 2020 Vulcan Inc. announced that Vulcan Productions would be shutdown in 2021 citing the "economic impacts of the COVID-19 crisis"[12] as well as "the ongoing transition after Paul Allen's passing in 2018."[13] A few weeks after winning top honors at the Sundance Film Festival for Summer of Soul, Vulcan Productions ceased operations.[14]

Films

Year Film Type Release Date Director Co-producers Starring Distributor Awards
1997 Inspirations (film) Documentary film 1997 Michael Apted Argo Films
1999 Titus (film) Feature film 25 December 1999 Julie Taymor Overseas Film Group Anthony Hopkins

Jessica Lange

Alan Cumming

Colm Feore

 Fox Searchlight Pictures
Me & Isaac Newton Documentary film 1999 Michael Apted Gertrude B. Elion

Ashok Gadgil

Michio Kaku

Maja Matarić

 First Look International

Home Vision Entertainment
2001 Nova: Cracking the Code of Life Television documentary 17 April 2001 Elizabeth Arledge PBS Robert Krulwich (Journalist) PBS
Evolution Television special 2001 David Espar "Darwin's Dangerous Idea"

Susan K. Lewis "Darwin's Dangerous Idea"

Joel Olicker "Great Transformations"

Kate Churchill "Extinction!"

Richard Hutton "Extinction!"

Gail Wilumsen "Evolutionary Arms race"

 PBS Liam Neeson (Narrator) PBS
2003 Far from Heaven Feature film 10 January 2003 Todd Haynes Focus Features Julianne Moore

Dennis Quaid

Dennis Haysbert

Patricia Clarkson

 Focus Features
The Blues (film series) Documentary series 28 September 2003 Martin Scorsese "Feel Like Going Home"

Wim Wenders "The Soul of a Man"

Richard Pearce (director) "The Road to Memphis"

Charles Burnett (director) "Warming by the Devil's Fire"

Marc Levin "Godfathers and Sons"

Mike Figgis "Red, White and Blues"

Clint Eastwood "Piano Blues"

 Road Movies Filmproduktion B.B. King

Laurence Fishburne (Narrator)

Ray Charles

 PBS
2004 Black Sky: The Race For Space Documentary film 3 October 2004 Sandy Guthrie

Jill Shinefield

Scott B

Gail Willumsen

 Discovery Channel

Gemini Productions

Antenna Films

 Burt Rutan

Paul Allen

James Benson

 Discovery Channel
Lightning in a Bottle Documentary film 5 August 2004 Antoine Fuqua Jigsaw Productions Aerosmith

India Arie

John Fogerty

Gregg Allman

 Sony Pictures Classics
Strange Days on Planet Earth Television series 2004 David Elisco Sea Studios Foundation

National Geographic Society

 Edward Norton (Narrator) PBS
2005 Hard Candy (film) Feature film 21 January 2005 David Slade Launchpad Productions Elliot Page[lower-alpha 1]

Patrick Wilson (American actor)

Sandra Oh

 Lionsgate Films
Success at the Core Educational film 2005 Richard Hutton Education Development Center Teaching Channel
Rx For Survival Documentary series 2005 Mike Beckham (Producer) “Disease Warriors”

Sara Holt (Producer) “Rise of the Superbugs”

Andy Young (Producer) “Deadly Messengers”

Tabitha Jackson (Producer) “Back to the Basics”

Rob Whittlesey (Producer) “How Safe Are We?”

 WGBH Educational Foundation Brad Pitt (Narrator) PBS
2007 Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial Documentary film 13 November 2007 Gary Johnstone

Joseph McMaster

 WGBH Educational Foundation PBS
Where God Left His Shoes Feature film 2007 Salvatore Stabile John Leguizamo

Leonor Varela

David Castro (actor)

 IFC Films
2010 This Emotional Life Documentary series 4 January 2010 Matt Boatright-Simon Kunhardt Films

McGee Media

 Daniel Gilbert (psychologist) PBS
2013 Girl Rising Documentary film 2013 Richard E. Robbins The Documentary Group

Double Exposure Studios

 Narration by Anne Hathaway

Cate Blanchett

Selena Gomez

Liam Neeson

Meryl Streep

Kerry Washington

 CNN Films

Netflix
Pandora's Promise Documentary film Robert Stone (director) Robert Stone Productions CNN Films
2014 We The Economy: 20 Short Films You Can't Afford To Miss Documentary film 2014 22 directors including, but not limited to:

Morgan Spurlock

Catherine Hardwicke

Adrian Grenier

Adam McKay

Lee Hirsch

 Cinelan Morgan Spurlock

James Schamus

Adrian Grenier

Judah Friedlander

among others

 45 different distribution partners Including, but not limited to:

Amazon Video

Netflix

Comcast

Google Play

Time Warner Cable
2015 Body Team 12 Documentary film 2015 David Darg RYOT Films HBO
Racing Extinction Documentary film 18 September 2015 Louie Psihoyos Oceanic Preservation Society

Okeanos

Li Ka Shing Foundation

Insurgent Docs

 Elon Musk

Jane Goodall

Leilani Munter

Joel Sartore

 Discovery Channel
2016 Midsummer in Newtown Documentary film 1 April 2016 Lloyd Kramer Participant Media Jimmy Greene
Naledi: A Baby Elephant's Tale Documentary film 5 June 2016 Ben Bowie

Geoffrey Luck

 Off the Fence Netflix
The Ivory Game Documentary film November 12, 2016 Richard Ladkani

Kief Davidson

 Terra Mater Factual Studios

Malaika Pictures

Appian Way

 Elisifa Ngowi

Craig Millar

Andrea Crosta

Hongxiang Huang

Ofir Drori

Ian Craig

Georgina Kamanga

Netflix
Ocean Warriors Television series 4 December 2016 Marc Benjamin

Marc Levin

 Sundance Productions

Brick City TV

 Sid Chakravarty

Peter Hammerstedt

 Animal Planet
2017 Unseen Enemy Documentary film 7 April 2017 Janet Tobias Sierra/Tango Productions

CNN Films

 CNN Films

Amazon Video
2018 Ballet Now Documentary film 4 June 2018 Steven Cantor Stick Figure Studios Tiler Peck Hulu
X-Ray Fashion VR short 29 August 2018 Francesco Carrozzini MANND Francesco Carrozzini
Chasing the Thunder Documentary film 2 February 2018 Marc Benjamin

Marc Levin

 Brick City TV Sid Chakravarty

Peter Hammerstedt

 Animal Planet
Memphis Belle: The Restoration Documentary film 2018 William Wyler Creative Differences
2019 USS Indianapolis: The Final Chapter Documentary film 8 January 2019 Kirk Wolfinger Lone Wolf Media PBS

Amazon Video

iTunes
Everest VR VR short 10 April 2019 Jon Griffith

Matthew Dejohn

 Alpine Exposures

Legend 3D

 Sherpa Tenji

Jon Griffith
Drop in the Ocean VR short 25 April 2019 Philippe Cousteau Jr. Vision3

Conservation International

 Philippe Cousteau

Ashlan Cousteau
Guardians of the Kingdom VR short 26 April 2019 Sophie Ansel

Christophe Bailhache

 Underwater Earth

Seaview 360

Projects for Good

ITRAMAS

Spinifex

 Sylvia Earle

Finau Molisi
The Cold Blue Documentary film 6 June 2019 Erik Nelson Creative Differences HBO
Ghost Fleet Documentary film 7 June 2019 Shannon Service

Jeffrey Waldron

 Seahorse Productions Patima Tungpuchayakul

Tun Lin

Chutima "Oi" Sidasathian

Bustar Maitar

 TBD
Oliver Sacks: His Own Life Documentary film August 31, 2019 Ric Burns Steeplechase Productions

Motto Pictures

PBS American Masters

 Oliver Sacks PBS American Masters[16]

Where God Left His Shoes

  • Winner – The Humanitas Prize: 2008 Best Sundance Feature Film[17]
  • 2008 Imagen Awards
    • Nominated - Best Film [18]
    • Nominated - Best Actor - John Leguizamo [18]
    • Nominated - Best Supporting Actor - David Castro[18]
    • Winner - Best Supporting Actress - Leonor Varela [19]

Bickford Shmeckler's Cool Ideas

  • 2006 U.S. Comedy Arts Festival
    • Best Actress - Olivia Wilde[20]

Hard Candy (film)

  • 2006 Malaga Film Festival
    • Best Film
    • Best Director - David Slade
    • Best Actress - Elliot Page[lower-alpha 1]
    • Best Cinematographer - Jo Willems
  • 2005 Sitges Film Festival
    • Best Motion Picture
    • Best Screenplay
    • Audience Award for Best Motion Picture [21]

Coastlines

Far from Heaven

  • 75th Annual Academy Award nominations[22]
  • Independent Spirit Awards winner:[23]
  • Best Picture
  • Best Director - Todd Haynes
  • Best Female Lead - Julianne Moore
  • Best Supporting Male - Dennis Quaid
  • Best Cinematography - Edward Lachman, A.S.C.
  • Golden Globe Award nominations:[24]
    • Best Actress - Julianne Moore (Drama)
    • Best Supporting Actor - Dennis Quaid
    • Best Screenplay - Todd Haynes
    • Best Music Score - Elmer Bernstein

The Safety of Objects

  • Deauville Festival of American Film
    • International Critics Prize
    • Best Performance: Patricia Clarkson,
    • Ralph Lauren Fragrances Prize
  • Seattle Women in Cinema Film Festival
    • Third-place prize
  • San Sebastian International Film Festival
    • Nominated: Golden Seashell Award

The Luzhin Defence

Titus

  • 2000 Academy Awards
    • Nominated: Best Costume Design
  • 2000 Art Directors Guild
    • Nominated: Excellence in Production Design Award
  • 2000 Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists
    • Winner: Silver Ribbon Award – Best Production Design
  • 2000 Edgar Allan Poe Awards
    • Nominated: Best Motion Picture
  • 2000 Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards
    • Nominated: Sierra Award – Best Costume Design
    • Best Screenplay – Adapted
  • 2000 Satellite Awards
    • Winner: Gold Satellite – Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role, Drama
    • Nominated: Best Art Direction, Production Design
    • Best Costume Design
    • Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role, Drama
    • Best Screenplay – Adapted
    • Best Visual Effects
  • 2001 London Critics Circle Film Awards
    • Nominated: Best British Actor of the Year

Men with Guns

Notes

  1. 1 2 Credited as Ellen Page; Hard Candy was released before Page came out as transgender.[15]

References

  1. ↑ "The Blues | PBS". www.pbs.org. Retrieved 2019-06-20.
  2. ↑ "Martin Scorsese's The Blues - Vulcan Productions". www.vulcanproductions.com. Retrieved 2019-06-20.
  3. ↑ Petski, Denise (2016-11-14). "Robert Redford & Animal Planet Team On Ocean Conservation Series". Deadline. Retrieved 2019-06-20.
  4. ↑ "Four Vulcan Productions Films You Can Stream At Home". Paul Allen. Retrieved 2019-06-20.
  5. ↑ "Vulcan Productions Wins First Peabody Award". www.spaceref.com. Retrieved 2019-06-20.
  6. ↑ "Body Team 12 Oscar Nomination - Vulcan". www.vulcan.com. Retrieved 2019-06-20.
  7. ↑ "Clear Blue Sky Productions". BFI. Archived from the original on June 20, 2019. Retrieved 2019-06-20.
  8. ↑ Far from Heaven, retrieved 2019-06-20
  9. ↑ Where God Left His Shoes, retrieved 2019-06-20
  10. ↑ Hard Candy, retrieved 2019-06-20
  11. ↑ "Geek of the Week: Vulcan Productions GM Carole Tomko drives social change through storytelling". GeekWire. 2015-07-16. Retrieved 2019-06-20.
  12. ↑ "Future of Seattle's Cinerama and Living Computers museum in doubt as Paul Allen's Vulcan shutters arts and production divisions". GeekWire. 2020-05-27. Retrieved 2022-01-31.
  13. ↑ McNary, Dave (2020-05-27). "Film News Roundup: Paul Allen's Vulcan Productions to Close in 2021 Due to Pandemic". Variety. Retrieved 2022-01-31.
  14. ↑ "Vulcan Productions shuts down, 23 years and more than 80 films after Paul Allen launched the venture". GeekWire. 2021-03-08. Retrieved 2022-01-31.
  15. ↑ Shoard, Catherine (December 1, 2020). "Elliot Page: star of Juno and X-Men announces he is transgender". The Guardian. Archived from the original on December 1, 2020. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
  16. ↑ "American Masters Pictures Co-Producing Oliver Sacks Documentary | Blog | American Masters | PBS". American Masters. Retrieved 2019-09-20.
  17. ↑ "The Humanitas Prize, Past Winners". Archived from the original on May 11, 2010. Retrieved May 2, 2011.
  18. 1 2 3 "Imagen Awards 2008 Nominees". Retrieved May 2, 2011.
  19. ↑ "Imagen Awards 2008 Winners". Retrieved May 2, 2011.
  20. ↑ "IMDb > Bickford Shmeckler's Cool Ideas (2006) > Awards". Retrieved May 2, 2011.
  21. ↑ "IMDb > Hard Candy (2005) > Awards". Retrieved May 2, 2011.
  22. ↑ "Nominees & Winners for the 75th Academy Awards". Retrieved May 2, 2011.
  23. ↑ "Twenty-Six Years of Nominees & Winners (.pdf)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2011. Retrieved May 2, 2011.
  24. ↑ "2003 Golden Globe Nominees and Winners". Retrieved May 2, 2011.
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