CURRICULUM VITAE

MITCHELL LIFTON

(06/02)

I. PERSONAL INFORMATION

ADDRESS:

260 Old Coach Road

Charlestown RI 02813

E-MAIL & URL:

ml26@umail.umd.edu

ml26@cox.net

http://www.inform.umd/mlifton

http://www.inform.umd/rosebud

http://www.inform.umd/rosebud/Digital

TELEPHONE/FAX:

Home: (401) 364-7305

BIRTHPLACE:

Aguascalientes, Mexico

CITIZENSHIP:

USA

MARITAL STATUS:

Married to Jacqueline Yves Peron (painter and collagist) Oct. 31, 1962; two children

EDUCATION:

Early Education in Mexico

Emigrated to the U.S. in 1939

Architectural Studies at the Ecole Speciale d'Architecture, Paris, 1949-51

Studies in Music Theory & Composition, U.C., Berkeley, 1951-53

(U.S. Army Service, 1953,

B.A. San Francisco State University, 1958

Graduate Work (ABD), Stanford University, 1958-64 (English, Theatre & Drama)

II. PROFESSIONAL CAREER—ACADEMIC

*Resident & Electronic Fellow, Maryland Institute for Technology in the Humanities, University of Maryland, College Park.2000-

*Professor of Comparative Literature (Film, New Media & digital Narration), University of Maryland, College Park; Member of Graduate Faculty. 1987-2002

*Co-creator & web master of “The Rosebud Project” a major digital film studies resource site. (Please see URL above)1996

Founding Director, University of Maryland Visual Press, University of Maryland, College Park, MD.1987-93

Visiting Professor of Comparative Literature and Interim Director, The Visual Press, University of Maryland, College Park, 1986-87

Professor of Communication & Theater, University of Notre Dame, 1978-86

Chair, Department of Communication & Theater, University of Notre Dame, 1978-84

Assistant Professor, University of California, Berkeley, 1964-66 (Dramatic Art)

Instructor, San Francisco State College San Francisco. California. 1961-64 (English and Humanities)

III. PROFESSIONAL CAREER—FILM, TELEVISION & NEW MEDIA

*Creator & Lead Interactive Designer, “Beckett Directs Beckett” Digital Edition. Ongoing. http://www.mith.umd.edu/beckett

*Lead Interactive Designer, “Cecilia”. An experimental interactive version of the film described below. Ongoing.

*Co-screenwriter and Associate Producer, "Cecilia", an original feature script for (and with) Irvin Kershner. To be directed by Irvin Kershner for Ophite Productions, & Deer Isle Productions. Not currently scheduled for production.

Director, Executive Producer and Head Story Editor, The Visual Press, an academically based professional film and television production unit. (1988-1993--Please see individual credits).

1968-1978 CEO, Head Producer & Story Editor, Lifton Productions, Ltd., London and Hollywood.

1966-78 Story Editor, Screenwriter, Film Makers Group, Hollywood. (Robert Wise, Mark Robson, Principals)

1975-78 Story Editor, Screenwriter, Atticus Productions, Hollywood. (Gregory Peck, Principal)

1974-75 Story Editor, Producer, and Casting Director, Algonquin Films, Ltd., London (Norman Jewison, Principal)

1955 Personal Assistant to Luis Buñuel, Mexico.

1955-56 Screenwriter, John Beck Productions, Hollywood, 1953-55

*Denotes positions currently held (06/02)

IV. PROFESSIONAL CAREER--OTHER

Staff Director, San Francisco Actor's Workshop San Francisco, 1961-65

In residence at Studio Apsome de Musique Électronique (Pierre Henry, Principal) Paris. 1960-61

Member, Production Staff, San Francisco's Actor's Workshop San Francisco. 1958-60

Resident Director, Interplayers Theatre San Francisco. 1954, 1956

V. PROFESSIONAL CREDITS

A. Film, New Media & Television Productions

Lead Interactive Designer & Author, “Beckett Directs Beckett Critical Digital Edition”. An interactive scholarly resource which digitizes the Beckett productions (detailed below) in the context of the scholarly apparatus of a critical edition. Published by Maryland Institute for Technology in the Humanities. 2000-

Lead Interactive Designer & Author. “1937: A Digital Memoir”. In progress.

Coproducer. "Beckett Directs Beckett," a televison production of the final theatrical texts of Waiting for Godot and Krapp's Last Tape. Directed by Walter Asmus upon the stage direction by, and with the authority of, Samuel Beckett, for the Visual Press, Cameras Continentales, FR-3, La SEPT, SFP, WGBH, PBS, and Portugese National Television. Partial production funding (25%) by NEH grant ($404,000). Winner of Blue ribbon, American Film & Video Festival.

Coproducer, Story Editor, "The Brecht Project" a feature/television project based on the life of Bert Brecht. Previously under development by Cameras Continentales, Paris, the BBC, Nordisk Films, DR, WDR, and STV-1, Stockholm. First draft scripts by Jorge Semprun and Michael Hastings, and Klaus Pohl. Project subsequently cancelled.

Coproducer & Story Editor, "The Dream of Progress" a four part international television series on the popular image of science since Jules Verne. With Athanase, SA, Paris, and Rosebud Productions, Brussels. Project cancelled.

Program Consultant, "Human Origins" a three part television series for NOVA & the BBC. Hosted by Dr. Donald Johanson. Directed by Peter Jones, Mike Gumpton, and Leonora Johansen.

Program Consultant, "Proust", a television drama by Alan Bennett for the BBC and Cameras Continentales, Paris. Directed by David Minton and Alan Bennett, with Alan Bates.

Program Consultant "Climate and Man," a multi-segment television series on the inter-relationship of world weather patterns and phenomena to various social, political and economic consequences of same. Produced by the Vision Group, London, and Cameras Continentales, Paris, for London Weekend.

Advisory Board, "The World of Chemistry," a 26 part Educational Series by the Dept. of Chemistry, University of

Maryland, College Park, and outside producers. Funded at 2.8 million by The Annenberg/CPB Project.

Screenwriter & Story Editor, "Phenomena!" Original screen story & treatment for Robert Wise.

Screenwriter & Story Editor, "Sister". Original screen story & treatment for Gregory Peck.

Associate Producer, "Billy Two-Hats". A Norman Jewison production. Directed by Ted Kotcheff for United Artists. Starring Gregory peck, Jack Warden, Desi Arnaz, Jr.

Screenwriter & Story Editor, "Decline". Original screen story & treatment for Norman Jewison.

Developer, packager & coproducer, "The Hired Hand". Directed by Peter Fonda for Universal Pictures. Starring Fonda, Warren Oates, Verna Bloom.

Screenwriter, "Warwheels" Original feature-length screenplay. Currently with Patrick Palmer.

"Keeper of the Fires." University of Notre Dame/Saint Mary's College, 1981. Thirty-minute film documenting the construction and emplacement of a major sculptural work by Mark di Suvero. Writer,cameraman, editor, producer and director.

Producer, Director, Screenwriter, Editor "The Nuclear Dilemma'" a six-part educational videotape series distributed by The Paulist Press, 1985

Screenwriter,"Yerma." Feature-length Screenplay, for John Beck, Hollywood.

Screenwriter, "The Man Who Thought He Was Dead." Feature length Screenplay, for John Beck , Hollywood.

"Jesus Christ Superstar," Universal Pictures, 1974. A Robert Stigwood-Norman Jewison Production Directed by Norman Jewison. London Casting Director.

B. Film--Television Development Projects

(As independent producer and/or as story editor, responsible for the origination and/or development of the following film & television projects:)

"Beckett Directs Beckett," by Samuel Beckett (1986-93)

"The Brecht Project," by Jorge Semprun, Michael Hastings and Klaus Pohl 1990-94)

"Human Origins," by Donald Johanson (1993)

"Let the Sun Rise: the Music of South Africa," by Robert Bilheimer (1990)

"Armies of the Night," by Norman Mailer (1968)

"Les Eblouissements," by Pierre Mertens (1992)

"The Cynics," by Anatoly Mariengoff (1993)

"My Talks With Dean Spanley," by Alan Sharp (1992-93)

"A Fall of Moondust," by Arthur C. Clarke (1969)

"City of the Dead," by Herbert Lieberman (1992)

"The Violin," by Louise de Vilmorin

"Landscape in Concrete," by Jakov Lind

"The Riddle of the Sands," by Erskine Childers

"The Man Who Wasn't With It, by Herbert Gold

"Waiting for Cordelia," by Herbert Gold

"The Death of Artemio Cruz," by Carlos Fuentes

"The Blue Hotel," by James Agee

"The Discriminating Thief," by David Leitch

"The Hired Hand," by Alan Sharp

"Billy Two Hats," by Alan Sharp

"Death in Venice," by Thomas Mann

"El Callado Dolor De Los Tzotiles," by Ramón Rubín

C. Theatrical Credits

"Arms and the Man," Interplayers Theatre, San Francisco, 1954; Actor, Assistant Director.

"The Seagull," Interplayers Theatre, San Francisco, 1954; Actor, Assistant Director.

"Madwoman of Chaillot," Interplayers Theatre, San Francisco, 1955; Actor, Assistant Director.

"Blood Wedding," Stage Society, Hollywood, 1956; Director.

"The Ticklish Acrobat," San Francisco Actor's Workshop, 1957; Stage Manager.

"The Waltz of the Toreador," San Francisco Actor's Workshop, 1958; Assistant Director.

"The Iceman Cometh," San Francisco Actor's Workshop, 1959; Assistant Director.

"Three Modern Japanese Noh Plays," San Francisco Actor's Workshop, 1959; Director.

"The Balcony," San Francisco Actor's Workshop Studio, 1959; Director.

"The Ginger Man," San Francisco Actor's Workshop. 1960; Director.

"The Trial of Lucullus," San Francisco Actor's Workshop, 1963; Director.

"Three Men on a Horse," University Theatre, University of California, Berkeley, 1964 Director.

"The Misanthrope," University Theatre, University of California, Berkeley,1965; In repertory for a neo-classical season conducted in conjunction with department-wide class offerings on related subjects. Toured to selected campuses of UC system. Director.

Served as producer on 27 other theatrical productions.

VI. PRINT PUBLICATIONS

A. Poetry

"Song," Poems & Pictures, 1956

"Night Love," Transfer, 1958

B. Translations

Albert Camus, "Reunion at Tipasa," San Francisco Review, 1959

Giorgio di Chirico, Hebdomeros (Excerpts),Stolen Paper Review, 1959

Various Film Reviews, Film Quarterly,1959-60

"Do We Really Need the Theatre?" Courier, V. 53, No. 1, Spring, 1979. Notre Dame, Indiana.

"Lone Star State," Commentar 1 (3), 1979

"Whatever Happened to Falstaff?" Commentar 2 (5), 1980

"Honni Soit Qui Malibu," Commissioned by Harper's Magazine, March, 1976

"Triumph of the (Mediated) Will: Some reflections on the Politics of Shadows," Forum, International Center for Integrative Studies: Volume 14, Number 3. June, 1984.

VII. COURSES TAUGHT

*New Media Production—University of Maryland, College Park

*The Art & Science of Digital Narration--University of Maryland, College Park

Beginning Digital Narration--University of Maryland, College Park

Digital Strategies--University of Maryland, College Park

Screenwriting--University of Maryland, College Park

Film in a Global Society--University of Maryland, College Park

Film Form & Culture--University of Maryland, College Park

Eastern European Film--University of Maryland, College Park

The Musical As Ideology--University of Maryland, College Park

*The Americanization of World Culture: Communication, Technology, & Social Performance (Seminar & undergraduate version)--University of Maryland College Park

Shadow play: An Introduction to Film--University of Maryland College Park Honors Program

*Film/Opera; Opera/Film (Seminar & undergraduate version) University of Maryland College Park

The Problems of Adaptation--University of Maryland College Park

Introduction to Film Studies--University of Maryland College Park

* Text & Film in Production (Seminar)--University of Maryland College Park

*The Cultural Meaning of Television (Seminar)--University of Maryland College Park

*Film as Communication: Theory & Practice (Seminar)- University of Maryland College Park

Screenwriting--University of Notre Dame

Advanced Screenwriting--University of Notre Dame

Studies in National Cinemas: French Film since the New Wave--University of Notre Dame

Film & Television Production I & II--University of Notre Dame

Advanced Film & Television Production--University of Notre Dame

Sponsored Production--University of Notre Dame

Acting for Film & Television--University of Notre Dame

*The Theory of Signs--University of Notre Dame

*Language, Image & Ideology--University of Notre Dame

Generic Studies in Film--University of Notre Dame

Media in Contemporary Society--University of Notre Dame

European Film Since the 60's--University of Notre Dame

Sophmore Core Course (Interdisciplinary)--University of Notre Dame

Film Theory & Criticism--University of Notre Dame

*Studies in Contemporary French Theatre--U.C., Berkeley

University Theatre--U.C.,Berkeley

Advanced Directing--U.C. Berkeley

Dramatic Literature of Western Europe--U.C., Berkeley

Advanced Acting--U.C., Berkeley

Beginning Acting--U.C.,Berkeley

Introduction to Theatre--U.C., Berkeley

Introduction to Dramatic Literature--U.C., Berkeley

Directing--S.F. State College

English Composition--S.F. State College

Introduction to the Humanities--S.F. State College

*Denotes Graduate Level Course

VIII. GRANTS, HONORS AND AWARDS

Fellow & Electronic Fellow, Maryland Institute for Technology in the Humanities. 2000-

Center for Teaching Excellence, University of Maryland. Instructional Improvement Grant of $2,500 to enable VR modeling on “Rosebud Project” web site, 1997.

Smithsonian Institution Co-Production Funding award to the Visual Press, $150,000, 1990

Blue ribbon Award from the American Film & Video Festival for "Beckett Directs Beckett".1989 (Co-Producer)

Development Financing, "The Brecht Project", $380,000 from Caméras Continentales, Paris; the BBC, London; Nordisk Film, Copenhagen;DR, Danish Television, Copenahgen; SVT, Swedish Television, Stockholm; RTP, Portuguese Radio & Television, Lisbon; WDR, Cologne, 1989

NEH Media Programs Grant to Visual Press ($404,000) for production of "Beckett Directs Beckett"Project. (See Below) Balance of Production Budget for "Beckett Directs Beckett" project, total $1.7 million, from: PBS; WGBH,Boston; La SEPT;FR-3; Caméras Continentales; SFP; RTP.

*Board Member and Consultant, Forum for Psychoanalytic Study of Film, Washington, DC, 1986-

Member, Committee for Yiddish Film Project. YIVO Institute for Yiddish Research, New York,1985

Jesse H. Jones Faculty Research Travel Grant, University of Notre Dame, 1985.

Advisory Panel for Film, Television, and Video, Indiana Arts Commission, 1984-85

Chair, Academic Advisory Board, Samuel Beckett Theatre Project. Chicago,1984-85.

Honors for Artistic Achievement. "Nothing Immoral" Project, Institute for Scholarship in the Arts and Humanities,University of Notre Dame,1984.

American Broadcasting Company Grants ($5,000 each) for equipment acquisition. 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984.

Faculty Research Grant, University of Notre Dame. 1981.

Library Acquisition Grant, University of Notre Dame. ($10,000) for upgrading of Film and Media Collection, 1982.

Member, Community Advisory Panel. Michiana Arts and Sciences Council, 1980-83.

Distinguished Foreign Fellow. Adolf-Grimme Institute for Media

Studies, Marl, Federal Republic of Germany, 1981-85.

Faculty Research Grant, University of Notre Dame. 1982. Lilly Foundation Grant ($500,000) for Theatrical Facility Renovation, University of Notre Dame, 1981.

Founding chairman and Director, International Planning Group for Advanced Communication Research, 1980-85 (An adjunct qroup of international scholars in Communication and related disciplines. Scholars from nine countries form the group.)

Member of Production Staff, San Francisco Actor's Workshop, San Francisco, 1958-61. Re-affiliated as Director, 1963.

Member, Board of Directors and Production Staff, Interplayers Theatre, San Francisco,1953-56.

* Positions Currently held.

IX. ACADEMIC ADMINISTRATION & GOVERNANCE

*Member, MITH Internal Advisory Board 1999-2002

MITH/NEH Grant Writing Committee, 1998

*CMLT Future Planning Committee, 1998-

*Committee for Humanities Applications of New Technologies, 1998-

*Chair, Departmental Digital Technologies Committee, 1997-1999

*Web-Master, Departmental Web Site, 1997-

Director of Undergraduate Studies, Dept. of Comparative Literature, University of Maryland, College Park, 1995-1997

Co-Chair, Curriculum Committee, Program in Comparative Literature, University of Maryland, College Park, 1993-96

*Core member, Dean's Committee on Media Studies, University of Maryland, College Park, 1993-

Director, The Visual Press, University of Maryland, College Park 1987-1993

Chair, Department of Communication & Theatre, University of Notre Dame, 1978-1984

College of Arts & Letters College Council, University of Notre Dame, 1978-1984

Chair, Film & Video Curriculum Committee, University of Notre Dame, 1979-1984

Chair, Departmental Appointments & Promotions Committee, University of Notre Dame, 1978-1984

Member, Dean's Committee on Concentrations, College of Arts & Letters, University of Notre Dame, 1982

Chair, College Interdisciplinary Modules Planning Committee, University of Notre Dame, 1981

Member, Dean's Committee on Media Studies, College of Arts & Letters, University of Notre Dame, 1981

Member, College Search and Screen Committee for Dean of the College of Arts & Letters, University of Notre Dame, 1981-82

Chair, Departmental Committee on Film & Media Studies, University of Notre Dame, 1984- 1986

Member, President's Advisory Board, Notre Dame Institute for International Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame, 1985

*Position(s) currently held

X. PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

Digital Dialogues Lecture/Discussion Series: “Visual Literacy”. MITH, University of Maryland, College Park, S 2001.

Invited Lecture & Presentation: “The Coming Age of the Cyberbards” at the State of the Arts Conference, College Park, 1998.

Invited Lecture: “Kieslowski’s Cinema” National Gallery of Art, Washington DC, 1997

Symposium Member: “On Kieslowski’s Dekalog”, Sponsored by the National Gallery of Art & The Forum for the Psychoanalytic Study of Film, Washington, DC, 1997

Invited Lecture: "The Evolution of the Screenplay: writing, re-writing and their problems", European Community Media Masters Program, Rome, 1996

Invited Lecture: "Casting in the Development Process", European Community Media Masters Program, Rome, 1996

Seminar Leader, "On the Assessment of Material for Production", European Community Media Masters Program, Rome, 1966

Invited Lecture: "Instant Fireplace: the university (almost) out in the cold", University of Miami, 1990

Invited Lecture: "The Public Purse & The Sow's Ear: Funding the Arts in the 80's" Fellows and Faculty of Porter College, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1983

Head Judge, Theatre Complex Design Competition, University of Notre Dame School of Architecture, 1982

Outside Evaluator, Southern Illinois University, 1980

Invited Lecture:"Media Education in the Liberal Arts Curriculum," University of Notre Dame College Council, 1981 College of Arts & Letters Advisory Council, University of Notre Dame, 1981

Film & Theatre Panel at Symposium "Towards a Transparent Language," Folger Shakespeare Library/University of Maryland, College Park, 1981

Leader, Staff Seminar, "The Centrality of Theory in the Practice of Film-making," British National Film & Television School, Beaconsfield, England, March 3-5, 1981

Leader, Seminar for Institute Fellows, "Objective and Subjective Factors in Media Perception," Adolf-Grimme Institute for Media Studies, Marl, Federal Republic of Germany, February 27-28, 1981

Invited Lecture "Empirical Media Studies: A Dead End," Adolf-Grimme Institute for Media Studies, Marl, Federal Republic of Germany, February 27, 1981

Leader, Staff Seminar "The Relationship and Implications Of Intermittance in Film and Video Perception," Institut National des Arts du Spectacle et Techniques de Difussion, Brussels, Belgium, February 25-26, 1981

Invited Lecture "Intermittance dans la Projection Cinématographique et les Donnés de la Perception Humaine," Institut National des Arts du Spectacle et Techniques de Difussion, Brussels, Belgium, February 25, 1981

Invited Paper, "Towards a Theory of Media Perception," Universidad Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico City, November 17-20, 1980

Invited Lecture "Cinema as Darkness," University of Maryland Division of Arts & Humanities Lecture Series, "Problems in Aestehtics," College Park, MD, October, 1980

Leader, Faculty Seminar "Film & Perception," College of Arts & Letters, University of Notre Dame, April 15-17, 1980

Invited Paper "Film and Translation," and Panelist at the Symposium "Translation& Ethnic Community," University of Maryland, College Park, MD, February 27, 1980

Invited Paper "Narrative as the Translation of Time," at Symposium "Narrative Forms in Art," University of Notre Dame Department of Art, February 6, 1980.

XI. LANGUAGE & COMPUTER PROFICIENCY

Near Native Speaker in French; descending degrees of proficiency in Spanish, Russian, Italian.

(Macintosh) Proficient in:

Adobe Premiere

Adobe After Effects

Adobe Photoshop

Commotion

Final Cut Pro

Director

DVD Authoring

Electric Image

Dreamweaver

Cleaner

Some proficiency in C++, HTML, and VRML