Directing

Sam Hoffman

Hoffman produces and periodically directs the CBS drama Madam Secretary. He is also developing, with producing partner Frances McDormand, an adaptation of Michael Pollan’s best-seller The Omnivore’s Dilemma. Hoffman created the web series Old Jews Telling Jokes, which has been viewed over 50 million times, released on DVD, and broadcast on the BBC. His book, based on the series, is now in its six…

Known For

The School of Rock

The School of Rock · 2003

The School of Rock

MovieComedyFamily

Fired from his band and hard up for cash, guitarist and vocalist Dewey Finn finagles his way into a job as a fifth-grade substitute teacher at a private school, where he secretly begins teaching his straight-A students the finer points of rock 'n' roll and the power of sticking it to the man. But as the school’s stern principal closes in and the Battle of the Bands looms, Dewey must risk everything to prove that rock 'n' roll can change lives.

Begin Again

Begin Again · 2014

MovieComedyMusic

Gretta, a budding songwriter, finds herself alone after her boyfriend Dave ditches her. Her life gains purpose when Dan, a record label executive, notices her talent.

Groundhog Day

Groundhog Day · 1993

MovieRomanceFantasy

A cynical TV weatherman, along with his idealistic producer and his sardonic cameraman, is sent to report on Groundhog Day in the small town of Punxsutawney, where he finds himself repeating the same day over and over.

Moonrise Kingdom

Moonrise Kingdom · 2012

Moonrise Kingdom

MovieComedyDrama

Set on an island off the coast of New England in the summer of 1965, Moonrise Kingdom tells the story of two twelve-year-olds who fall in love, make a secret pact, and run away together into the wilderness. As various authorities try to hunt them down, a violent storm is brewing off-shore – and the peaceful island community is turned upside down in more ways than anyone can handle.

Sleepers

Sleepers · 1996

MovieCrimeDrama

Two gangsters seek revenge on the state jail worker who during their stay at a youth prison sexually abused them. A sensational court hearing takes place to charge him for the crimes.

Carlito's Way

Carlito's Way · 1993

MovieCrimeDrama

Free after years in prison, Carlito Brigante intends to give up his criminal ways, but it's not long before the ex-con is sucked back into the New York City underworld.

The Royal Tenenbaums

The Royal Tenenbaums · 2001

The Royal Tenenbaums

MovieComedyDrama

Royal Tenenbaum and his wife Etheline had three children and then they separated. All three children are extraordinary --- all geniuses. Virtually all memory of the brilliance of the young Tenenbaums was subsequently erased by two decades of betrayal, failure, and disaster. Most of this was generally considered to be their father's fault. "The Royal Tenenbaums" is the story of the family's sudden, unexpected reunion one recent winter.

Dead Man Walking

Dead Man Walking · 1995

Dead Man Walking

A death row inmate turns for spiritual guidance to a local nun in the days leading up to his scheduled execution for the murders of a young couple.

Filmography

Sort

The School of Rock

The School of Rock · 2003

The School of Rock

MovieComedyFamily

Fired from his band and hard up for cash, guitarist and vocalist Dewey Finn finagles his way into a job as a fifth-grade substitute teacher at a private school, where he secretly begins teaching his straight-A students the finer points of rock 'n' roll and the power of sticking it to the man. But as the school’s stern principal closes in and the Battle of the Bands looms, Dewey must risk everything to prove that rock 'n' roll can change lives.

First Assistant Director

Begin Again

Begin Again · 2014

MovieComedyMusic

Gretta, a budding songwriter, finds herself alone after her boyfriend Dave ditches her. Her life gains purpose when Dan, a record label executive, notices her talent.

Unit Production Manager

Groundhog Day

Groundhog Day · 1993

MovieRomanceFantasy

A cynical TV weatherman, along with his idealistic producer and his sardonic cameraman, is sent to report on Groundhog Day in the small town of Punxsutawney, where he finds himself repeating the same day over and over.

Second Second Assistant Director

Moonrise Kingdom

Moonrise Kingdom · 2012

Moonrise Kingdom

MovieComedyDrama

Set on an island off the coast of New England in the summer of 1965, Moonrise Kingdom tells the story of two twelve-year-olds who fall in love, make a secret pact, and run away together into the wilderness. As various authorities try to hunt them down, a violent storm is brewing off-shore – and the peaceful island community is turned upside down in more ways than anyone can handle.

Executive Producer

Sleepers

Sleepers · 1996

MovieCrimeDrama

Two gangsters seek revenge on the state jail worker who during their stay at a youth prison sexually abused them. A sensational court hearing takes place to charge him for the crimes.

Second Assistant Director

Carlito's Way

Carlito's Way · 1993

MovieCrimeDrama

Free after years in prison, Carlito Brigante intends to give up his criminal ways, but it's not long before the ex-con is sucked back into the New York City underworld.

Assistant Director

The Royal Tenenbaums

The Royal Tenenbaums · 2001

The Royal Tenenbaums

MovieComedyDrama

Royal Tenenbaum and his wife Etheline had three children and then they separated. All three children are extraordinary --- all geniuses. Virtually all memory of the brilliance of the young Tenenbaums was subsequently erased by two decades of betrayal, failure, and disaster. Most of this was generally considered to be their father's fault. "The Royal Tenenbaums" is the story of the family's sudden, unexpected reunion one recent winter.

First Assistant Director

Dead Man Walking

Dead Man Walking · 1995

Dead Man Walking

A death row inmate turns for spiritual guidance to a local nun in the days leading up to his scheduled execution for the murders of a young couple.

Second Assistant Director

Hanna

MovieActionThriller

Raised by her father, an ex-CIA agent, in the wilds of Finland, Hanna's upbringing has been geared to making her the perfect assassin. Sent into the world by her father on a mission, Hanna journeys across Europe, eluding agents dispatched after her by a ruthless intelligence operative. As she nears her ultimate target, Hanna faces startling revelations about her existence.

First Assistant Director

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou · 2004

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

MovieAdventureComedy

Renowned oceanographer Steve Zissou has sworn vengeance upon the rare shark that devoured a member of his crew. In addition to his regular team, he is joined on his boat by Ned, a man who believes Zissou to be his father, and Jane, a journalist pregnant by a married man. They travel the sea, all too often running into pirates and, perhaps more traumatically, various figures from Zissou's past, including his estranged wife, Eleanor.

First Assistant Director

Wedding Daze

Wedding Daze · 2006

MovieComedyRomance

After losing the woman of his dreams, Anderson is convinced he'll never fall in love again. But at the urging of his best friend, he spontaneously proposes to a dissatisfied waitress named Katie and an innocent dare evolves into the kind of love that both have been looking for all along.

Producer

The Object of My Affection

The Object of My Affection · 1998

The Object of My Affection

MovieDramaRomance

A pregnant New York social worker begins to develop romantic feelings for her gay best friend, and decides she'd rather raise her child with him, much to the dismay of her overbearing boyfriend.

First Assistant Director

The Darjeeling Limited

The Darjeeling Limited · 2007

The Darjeeling Limited

MovieAdventureDrama

Three American brothers who have not spoken to each other in a year set off on a train voyage across India with a plan to find themselves and bond with each other -- to become brothers again like they used to be. Their "spiritual quest", however, veers rapidly off-course (due to events involving over-the-counter pain killers, Indian cough syrup, and pepper spray).

Unit Production Manager

The Producers

The Producers · 2005

A conniving Broadway producer and his meek accountant plan to profit from charming wealthy old biddies to invest in an overbudget production, and then put on a sure-fire disaster, so nobody will ask for their money back — and what's more disastrous than a tasteless musical celebrating Adolf Hitler.

First Assistant Director

Strange Days

Strange Days · 1995

MovieCrimeScience Fiction

In the last days of 1999, ex-cop turned street hustler Lenny Nero receives a disc which contains the memories of the murder of a prostitute. With the help of bodyguard Mace, he starts to investigate and is pulled deeper and deeper in a whirl of murder, blackmail and intrigue.

Second Second Assistant Director

The Oranges

The Oranges · 2011

MovieComedyRomance

A man's affair with his friend's much-younger daughter throws two neighboring families into turmoil.

Second Unit Director

The Curse of the Jade Scorpion

The Curse of the Jade Scorpion · 2001

The Curse of the Jade Scorpion

MovieComedyCrime

CW Briggs is a veteran insurance investigator, with many successes. Betty Ann Fitzgerald is a new employee in the company he works for, with the task of reorganizing the office. They don't like each other - or at least that's what they think. During a night out with the rest of the office employees, they go to watch Voltan, a magician who secretly hypnotizes both of them.

First Assistant Director

Rudy

MovieDramaHistory

Rudy grew up in a steel mill town where most people ended up working, but wanted to play football at Notre Dame instead. There were only a couple of problems. His grades were a little low, his athletic skills were poor, and he was only half the size of the other players. But he had the drive and the spirit of 5 people and has set his sights upon joining the team.

Second Second Assistant Director

True Colors

True Colors · 1991

Two law school friends find themselves at odds when one becomes a Justice Department lawyer and the other goes into politics.

B.J.

Center Stage

Center Stage · 2000

MovieDramaMusic

A group of 12 teenagers from various backgrounds enroll at the American Ballet Academy in New York to make it as ballet dancers and each one deals with the problems and stress of training and getting ahead in the world of dance.

First Assistant Director

The Concert for New York City

The Concert for New York City · 2001

The Concert for New York City

MovieMusicDocumentary

The Concert for New York City (2001) captures the star-studded benefit held at Madison Square Garden on October 20, 2001, honoring the city’s resilience and the heroism of first responders after 9/11. Attended by thousands of firefighters, police officers, and rescue workers, the concert features performances by Paul McCartney, The Who, Elton John, Billy Joel, and other music legends in a powerful tribute to unity, courage, and recovery.

First Assistant Director

Tenderness

Tenderness · 2009

MovieCrimeDrama

A hardened cop tries to unravel the past to discover whether a violent teenager was responsible for the murder of his family. A confused fifteen-year-old runaway becomes enthralled with the young man.

Unit Production Manager

Porn 'n Chicken

Porn 'n Chicken · 2002

Porn 'n Chicken

MovieComedyTV Movie

In 1996, five overworked Yale undergrads formed a club to watch porno films on weekends while ingesting mass quantities of fried chicken and Miller High Life. As the "Porn 'n' Chicken Club" gained members and notoriety, the hide-bound Yale Establishment ordered that the club be closed down. Defiantly, the original members scraped together enough money to produce their own X-rated movie – and much to the dismay of the faculty and administration, the club became more popular and renowned than ever.

First Assistant Director

Humor Me

Humor Me · 2017

With an interminable case of writer's block and a personal family crisis, playwright Nate is forced to move into his father's retirement community.

Producer

Madam Secretary

Madam Secretary · 2014

Madam Secretary

SeriesDramaWar & Politics

After years away from the CIA, Elizabeth McCord is pulled back into the political arena. The newly appointed Secretary of State is tough, fair, and smart, driving international diplomacy, wrangling office politics, and circumventing protocol as she negotiates global and domestic issues, both at the White House and at home.

Director

Elsbeth

Elsbeth · 2024

SeriesCrimeDrama

After her successful career in Chicago, Elsbeth Tascioni, an astute but unconventional attorney, utilizes her singular point of view to make unique observations and corner brilliant criminals alongside the NYPD.

Director

Evil

SeriesCrimeDrama

Skeptical forensic psychologist Kristen Bouchard joins priest-in-training David Acosta and technology expert Ben Shakir as they investigate supposed miracles, demonic possessions, and other extraordinary occurrences to assess for a scientific explanation or if something truly supernatural is at work.

Director

Furious

Furious · 2026

SeriesDramaCrime

FBI agent Alice Black is on the hunt for a mysterious and calculating female serial killer. Both walk their own paths toward justice, and as their lives start to intertwine, the line between right and wrong begins to blur.

Executive Producer

Good Times

Good Times · 2024

SeriesComedyAnimation

In this edgy, irreverent reimagining of the TV classic, a new generation of the Evans family keeps their heads above water in a Chicago housing project.

Associate Producer