Vachon, Christine 1961(?)-

PERSONAL:

Born November 21, 1961 (some sources say 1962), in New York, NY; daughter of John Vachon (a photographer); companion of Marlene McCarty (a graphic designer); children: Guthrie. Education: Brown University, graduated c. 1983.

ADDRESSES:

Home—New York, NY. Office—Killer Films, Inc., 380 Lafayette St., Ste. 202, New York, NY 10003.

CAREER:

Movie producer and writer. Apparatus Films, cofounder, 1987; Killer Films, New York, NY, codirector, 1995—. Previously worked odd film jobs to learn the trade and as a freelance copy editor. Produced, coproduced, or served as executive producer on numerous films, including Tommy's, 1985; La Divina, 1989; He Was Once, 1989; Poison, 1991; Oreos with Attitude, 1991; Swoon, New Line Features, 1992; Nation, 1992; Geoffrey Beene 30, 1993; Dottie Gets Spanked (television), 1993; Go Fish, 1994; Postcards from America, 1994; Kids, 1995; Safe, 1995; Stonewall, 1995; Plain Pleasures, 1996; I Shot Andy Warhol, 1996; Kiss Me, Guido, 1997; Office Killer, 1997; Happiness, 1998; Velvet Goldmine, 1998; I'm Losing You, 1998; Wildflowers, 1999; Boys Don't Cry, 1999; Crime and Punishment in Suburbia, 2000; Fine and Mellow, 2001; Hedwig and the Angry Inch, 2001; Series 7: The Contenders, 2001; Women in Film, 2001; The Safety of Objects, 2001; Storytelling, 2001; The Grey Zone, 2001; Chelsea Walls, 2001; One-Hour Photo, 2002; Far from Heaven, 2002; Party Monster, 2003; Camp, 2003; The Company, 2003; A Home at the End of the World, 2004; A Dirty Shame, Fine Line Features, 2004; The Notorious Bettie Page, 2005; Mrs. Harris (television), 2005; Infamous, 2006; An American Crime, 2007; I'm Not There, 2007; Then She Found Me, 2007; Savage Grace, 2007; White & Rice, 2007. Has also worked on films as an assistant director.

AWARDS, HONORS:

Frameline Award for Outstanding Achievement in Lesbian and Gay Media, 1994; Outfest Achievement Award, for dedication to queer film; Muse Award for Outstanding Vision and Achievement by New York Women in Film and Television, 1996; Independent Features Project Gotham Producer Award, 1999.

WRITINGS:

(And director) A Man in Your Room (short film), 1984.

(And director) Days Are Numbered (short film), 1986.

(With David Edelstein) Shooting to Kill: How an Independent Producer Blasts through the Barriers to Make Movies That Matter, Avon Books (New York, NY), 1998.

(With Austin Bunn) A Killer Life: How an Independent Film Producer Survives Deals and Disasters in Hollywood and Beyond, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 2006.

SIDELIGHTS:

Christine Vachon collaborated with longtime journalist Austin Bunn to write Vachon's memoir A Killer Life: How an Independent FilmProducer Survives Deals and Disasters in Hollywood and Beyond. Focusing primarily on Vachon's independent filmmaking experiences via her production company, Killer Films, the authors also provide insider information on how to make an "Indie" film, aided by sidebar contributions from others working in the industry. Also included are numerous anecdotes about films and actors based on Vachon's many years in the industry. Noting that the authors provide "lessons … on a very human scale," Hollywood Reporter contributor Gregory McNamee went on to write: "Vachon is not above a little informed gossip, which is, after all, the coin of the realm. She tells tales about the curious ways of movie stars, who are very strange creatures with very strange requirements." Michelle Kung, writing in Entertainment Weekly, commented that the book "conveys [Vachon's] very real passion." A Publishers Weekly contributor referred to the memoir as "an immensely appealing view into the expensive reality of imaginative filmmaking." Mike Tribby wrote in Booklist that A Killer Life is "a fine, informative, entertaining addition to inside-Hollywood literature." In her review in the Library Journal, Carol J. Binkowski noted that those "within the film industry as well as film students and enthusiasts will find her book both informative and entertaining."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

BOOKS

Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television, Volume 26, Thomson Gale (Detroit, MI), 2000.

International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, Volume 4: Writers and Production Artists, 4th edition, St. James Press (Detroit, MI), 2000.

PERIODICALS

Advocate, October 10, 2006, Regina Marler, review of A Killer Life: How an Independent Film Producer Survives Deals and Disasters in Hollywood and Beyond, p. 80.

Booklist, September 1, 2006, Mike Tribby, review of A Killer Life, p. 36.

Daily Variety, September 22, 2005, Stuart Miller, "Persistence of Vision Keeps Trio on Track: Killer's Simple Plan for Survival: Just Make Movies," p. A8.

Entertainment Weekly, September 22, 2006, Michelle Kung, review of A Killer Life, p. 98.

Hollywood Reporter, December, 2005, Scott Tobias, "Outwit, Outlast: A Pair of Independent Film Producers Endures in Today's Ever-Changing Marketplace," p. 114; October 6, 2006, Gregg Goldstein "Producer Vachon's Life Is a Real ‘Killer,’" p. 6; October 18, 2006, Gregory McNamee, review of A Killer Life, p. 16.

Kirkus Reviews, July 15, 2006, review of A Killer Life, p. 717.

Library Journal, September 1, 2006, Carol J. Binkowski, review of A Killer Life, p. 150.

One Story, January 10, 2006, interview with and short story by the author.

Publishers Weekly, July 17, 2006, review of A Killer Life, p. 154.

Variety, November 6, 2006, Dade Hayes, review of A Killer Life, p. 34.

Village Voice, November 22, 2006, David Ng, review of A Killer Life.

ONLINE

AV Club,http://www.avclub.com/ (February 18, 2007), Nathan Rabin, review of A Killer Life.

GLBTQ.com,http://www.glbtq.com/ (February 21, 2007), interview with author.

Gothamist,http://www.gothamist.com/ (September 22, 2005), Aaron Dobbs and Lily Oei, "Christine Vachon, Killer Films," interview with author.

Internet Movie Database,http://www.imdb.com/ (February 21, 2007), information on author's film career.

Index Magazine,http://www.indexmagazine.com/ (February 21, 2007), Mary Clarke, interview with author.

IndieWire:People,http://www.indiewire.com/people/ (February 21, 2007), Maya Churi and Mark Rabinowitz "Decade: Christine Vachon— A Decade of Producing ‘Movies That Matter,’ Part 1," interview with author.

London Times Online Arts & Entertainment,http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/ (November 2, 2006), "Q&A with Christine Vachon."