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Ken Burns

Birth Name:
Kenneth Lauren Burns
Birth Place:
Brooklyn, New York, United States
Profession
Producer, Director, Cinematographer, Writer, Actor, Camera department, Music department
Ken Burns

Fast Facts

  • Received the 1986 Erik Barnouw Award from the Organization of American Historians for his work in "Huey Long․"
  • Made his first documentary at the age of 17 after receiving an 8 mm camera for his birthday
  • Quote: "In so many films that I've done, short-sightedness is one of the major human themes․ We live for the moment․ No one's willing to do the necessary rolling up the sleeves until the catastrophe happens․"
  • Often creates an action sequence by filming a single piece of art at various angles
  • Is the brother of fellow documentary filmmaker Ric Burns
  • Turned down a chance to attend the University of Michigan so he could go to Hampshire College, where he was able to create a self-directed academic concentration instead of a traditional major

Awards

  • 1981Blue Ribbon Award - Documentary:Winner
  • 1981CINE Golden Eagle - Documentary:Winner
  • 1981Gold Hugo - Best Documentary:Nominated
  • 1982Oscar - Best Documentary, Features:Nominated
  • 1983Christopher Award - Best Documentary:Winner
  • 1983Erik Barnouw AwardWinner
  • 1985Red Ribbon Award - Documentary:Winner
  • 1986Oscar - Best Documentary, Features:Nominated
  • 1986Erik Barnouw AwardWinner
  • 1986Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Informational Special:Nominated
  • 1986Grand Jury Prize - Documentary:Nominated
  • 1987Christopher Award - Best Documentary:Winner
  • 1988CINE Golden Eagle - Documentary:Winner
  • 1990Blue Ribbon Award - Documentary:Winner
  • 1990CINE Golden Eagle - Documentary:Winner
  • 1990CINE Golden Eagle - Documentary Series:Winner
  • 1990Christopher Award - Best Documentary:Winner
  • 1991Silver FIPA - Documentary and Essay:Winner
  • 1991Humanitas Prize - Documentaries - Special Awards Category:Winner
  • 1991IDA AwardWinner
  • 1991PGA Award - Outstanding Producer of Television:Winner
  • 1991Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Informational Series:Winner
  • 1991Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Individual - Informational Programming:Winner
  • 1992Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Informational Special:Nominated
  • 1995PGA Award - Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television:Nominated
  • 1995Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Informational Series:Winner
  • 1995Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Individual Achievement - Informational Programming:Nominated
  • 1998Vision Award - Television:Winner
  • 1998Golden Space Needle Award - Best Documentary:Winner
  • 1998Grand Jury Prize - Documentary:Nominated
  • 1998Bronze Wrangler - Western Documentary:Winner
  • 1998Spur Award - Best Documentary Script:Winner
  • 2000Christopher Award - Best Documentary:Winner
  • 2001Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Non-Fiction Series:Nominated
  • 2001Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Cinematography for Non-Fiction Programming:Nominated
  • 2002Christopher Award - Television & Cable:Winner
  • 2007Christopher Award - Best Documentary:Winner
  • 2007Canal+ Award - Best Documentary:Winner
  • 2008DGA Award - Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary:Nominated
  • 2008IDA Award - Limited Series:Nominated
  • 2008Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Directing for Nonfiction Programming:Nominated
  • 2010Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Nonfiction Series:Winner
  • 2012Grierson AwardNominated
  • 2012Gold Hugo - Best Documentary:Nominated
  • 2012Audience Choice Award - Best Documentary Feature:Winner
  • 2012IDA Award - Best Feature:Nominated
  • 2012Video Source AwardNominated
  • 2013Black Reel - Best Documentary:Winner
  • 2013Cinema for Peace Award - Cinema for Peace Award for Justice:Nominated
  • 2013Independent Spirit Award - Best Documentary:Nominated
  • 2013Gabriel Award - Documentary:Winner
  • 2013OFTA Film Award - Best Documentary Picture:Nominated
  • 2013PGA Award - Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television:Nominated
  • 2013Bronze Wrangler - Western Documentary:Winner
  • 2013WGA Award (Screen) - Best Documentary Screenplay:Nominated
  • 2014Emmy - Best Documentary:Nominated
  • 2014Emmy - Outstanding Historical Programming - Long Form:Nominated
  • 2015PGA Award - Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television:Nominated
  • 2015Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series:Nominated
  • 2015Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series:Nominated
  • 2017Black Reel - Outstanding Television Documentary or Special:Nominated
  • 2017Clarion Award - Television Documentary Program - National:Winner
  • 2017IDA Award - Best Limited Series:Nominated
  • 2018BAFTA TV Award - Best International:Nominated
  • 2018Clarion Award - Television Documentary Series - National:Winner
  • 2018DGA Award - Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary:Nominated
  • 2018Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program:Nominated
  • 2020Bronze Wrangler - Documentary:Winner
  • 2022FOCAL Award - Best Use of Footage in a Sports Production:Winner
  • 2023IDA Award - Best TV Feature Documentary or Mini-Series:Nominated
  • 2023Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series:Nominated
  • 2023Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program:Nominated
  • 2026Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series:Nominated
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