Archie Gips is an American filmmaker and producer raised in New Rochelle, New York, who resides in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the wor ...
. He is a cofounder and partner/president of Unrealistic Ideas, a production company that specializes in nonscripted formats. His partners are
Mark Wahlberg
Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg (born June 5, 1971), former stage name Marky Mark, is an American actor, businessman, and former rapper. He has received multiple accolades, including a BAFTA Award, and nominations for two Academy Awards, thre ...
and Stephen Levinson.
Early life
Gips studied broadcast journalism at
Syracuse University
Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York. Established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the university has been nonsectarian since 1920. Locate ...
before moving to Chicago,
where he was trained at
The Second City
The Second City is an improvisational comedy enterprise and is the oldest ongoing improvisational theater troupe to be continually based in Chicago, with training programs and live theatres in Toronto and Los Angeles. The Second City Theatre o ...
and wrote several plays and sketch
shows, including the comedy revue ''Saturday Morning Live''.
He received his masters in film from
New York University
New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin.
In 1832, ...
's Tisch School of the Arts, where he won the top Graduate Screenwriting Student Award and New York Picture Company Award for Best Comedic Screenplay.
In an online interview, Gips says he was heavily influenced by his father,
Philip Gips
Philip Gips (March 28, 1931 – October 3, 2019) was an American graphic designer and film poster artist.
A native of The Bronx, Gips graduated from the Cooper Union, in addition to the Yale School of Art and Architecture.
His most notable work ...
a graphic designer who created iconic film posters for such films as ''
Rosemary's Baby'', and his mother,
Barbara Gips a copywriter who penned the classic ''
Alien
Alien primarily refers to:
* Alien (law), a person in a country who is not a national of that country
** Enemy alien, the above in times of war
* Extraterrestrial life, life which does not originate from Earth
** Specifically, intelligent extrate ...
'' tagline, "In space no one can hear you scream."
[
]
Career
His first feature-length film, ''Loveless in Los Angeles
''Loveless in Los Angeles'', an indie romantic comedy film completed in 2006 and written and directed by Archie Gips, stars Dash Mihok, Brittany Daniel, Navi Rawat, Geoffrey Arend, James Lesure, Chris Coppola and Stephen Tobolowsky
Stephen Ha ...
'', is a romantic comedy that takes place behind the scenes of a reality dating show. The plot and characters were informed by his work as a writer/producer for ''Blind Date
A blind date is a social engagement between two people who have not met, usually arranged by a mutual acquaintance.
Structure
A blind date is arranged for by a mutual acquaintance of both participants. The two people who take part in the blind ...
'', '' EX-treme Dating'' and ''The Fifth Wheel
''The 5th Wheel'' was an American dating reality series that aired in syndication from 2001 to 2004. The show was initially hosted by comedian Aisha Tyler, but when Tyler left after completing the first season, the remaining two seasons were host ...
''.
Gips wrote the animated feature, '' The Golden Blaze'', featuring the voices of Blair Underwood
Blair Erwin Underwood (born August 25, 1964) is an American actor. He made his debut in the 1985 musical film '' Krush Groove'' and from 1987 to 1994 starred as attorney Jonathan Rollins in the NBC legal drama series '' L.A. Law''.
Underwood has ...
and Neil Patrick Harris
Neil Patrick Harris (born June 15, 1973) is an American actor, singer, writer, producer, and television host. Primarily known for his comedic television roles and dramatic and musical stage roles, he has received multiple accolades throughout ...
. The film took top honors
at the 2005 Giffoni International Film Festival.
He co-directed and produced the documentary feature ''The Ambassadors of Hollywood'', which examines the lives of the costumed characters who work on Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood Boulevard is a major east–west street in Los Angeles, California. It begins in the east at Sunset Boulevard in the Los Feliz district and proceeds to the west as a major thoroughfare through Little Armenia and Thai Town, Hollywo ...
, and then wrote and directed ''Chloe and Keith's Wedding'', the first independent feature ever marketed solely as a viral video. A clip from the film, which depicts a bride and a priest being knocked into a pool during a wedding ring exchange by the best man, has been viewed by more than 100 million people online. Titled Worst Best Man Ever, Clumsy Best Man Ruins Wedding, or Wedding Ring Exchange Fail, the movie clip became a viral sensation, making several top ten best lists including #80 on Time.com's best 99 viral videos of all time and featured on Yahoo's and AOL's home pages. The clip was also aired on hundreds of television talk shows and news
broadcasts, most notably The Today Show
''Today'' (also called ''The Today Show'' or informally, ''NBC News Today'') is an American news and talk morning television show that airs weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on NBC. The program debuted on January 14, 1952. It ...
, The Ellen DeGeneres Show
''The Ellen DeGeneres Show'' (often shortened to ''Ellen'' or ''The Ellen Show'') is an American daytime television variety comedy talk show that was created and hosted by its namesake Ellen DeGeneres. Debuting on September 8, 2003, it was pr ...
, Good Morning America
''Good Morning America'' (often abbreviated as ''GMA'') is an American morning television program that is broadcast on ABC. It debuted on November 3, 1975, and first expanded to weekends with the debut of a Sunday edition on January 3, 1993. ...
, and Inside Edition
''Inside Edition'' is an American news broadcasting newsmagazine program that is distributed in first-run syndication by CBS Media Ventures. Having premiered on January 9, 1989, it is the longest-running syndicated-newsmagazine program that is ...
and has been used in TV commercials throughout the world. In all, the film clip has been seen by more than 100 million people worldwide online and on TV. ''Chloe and Keith's Wedding'' had a limited theatrical release in fall 2012.
Gips also helped produce two features for Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...
. The Jon Chu
Jonathan Murray Chu (born November 2, 1979) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is best known as the director of 2018's '' Crazy Rich Asians'', the first film by a major Hollywood studio to feature a majority cast of As ...
feature film, '' Justin Bieber: Never Say Never'' and '' Katy Perry: Part of Me''.
In television, he serves as executive producer & showrunner for A&E's Wahlburgers. In 2015, Gips was nominated for an Emmy Award
The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
for Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program. He also executive produced TLC's Welcome to Myrtle Manor
''Welcome to Myrtle Manor'', also known as ''Trailer Park: Welcome To Myrtle Manor'', is an American reality television series on TLC that premiered on March 3, 2013, with filming of the first season taking place from August to November 2012. TL ...
, Style Network
Esquire Network was an American pay television network that was a 50/50 joint venture between NBCUniversal and the Hearst Corporation. The network carried programs aimed at a metrosexual audience centering on travel, cooking, sports and fashion ...
's XOX Betsey Johnson
''XOX Betsey Johnson'' is an American reality television series on the Style Network and debuted on May 12, 2013. The series follows Betsey Johnson and her daughter, Lulu, as they struggle to evolve their mother-daughter relationship, move on from ...
and WE tv
We TV (stylized as WE tv) is an American pay television channel. Owned by AMC Networks since its September 1997 launch, it is oriented mainly towards lifestyle and entertainment programming.
As of February 2015, approximately 85.2 million Ameri ...
's Braxton Family Values
''Braxton Family Values'' (abbreviated ''BFV'') is an American reality television series that airs on WE tv and premiered on April 12, 2011. It chronicles the lives of the Braxton sisters— Toni, Traci, Towanda, Trina and Tamar and their mot ...
. The first season of BFV was the #1 rated reality show on WE tv
We TV (stylized as WE tv) is an American pay television channel. Owned by AMC Networks since its September 1997 launch, it is oriented mainly towards lifestyle and entertainment programming.
As of February 2015, approximately 85.2 million Ameri ...
and the network ordered a 13-episode second season of the show after the third episode. Gips has directed, produced and written for ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
's Academy Awards
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
Red Carpet show and was a consulting producer for the A&E hit show, Duck Dynasty
''Duck Dynasty'' is an American reality television series that aired on A&E from 2012 to 2017. The series portrays the lives of the Robertson family, who became successful from their family-operated business, Duck Commander. The West Monroe, Lo ...
.
Gips formed Unrealistic Ideas, a non-scripted production company with partners Mark Wahlberg and Stephen Levinson. Gips serves as president and has executive produced several projects through Unrealistic Ideas including the hit HBO true crime limited documentary series, McMIllions
''McMillions'' (stylized as ''McMillion$'') is a documentary miniseries about the McDonald's Monopoly promotion scam that occurred between 1989 and 2001. Directed by James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte, the series details how the scam was per ...
, Roku’s Run This City, HBO’s The Murders at Starved Rock, and HBO Max’s Wahl Street in which he also appears on camera. Gips was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Documentary Or Nonfiction Series for McMillions, a Critic’s Choice Real TV Award for Best Business Show for Wahl Street, an IDA Documentary Award for Best Short Form Series for Run This City and a News and Documentary Emmy Award for Outstanding Crime and Justice Documentary for Murders at Starved Rock.
Filmography
Director
*''Chloe & Keith's Wedding''
*''The Ambassadors of Hollywood''
*''83rd & 84th Annual Academy Awards Red Carpet Show'' (segments)
*''Loveless in Los Angeles
''Loveless in Los Angeles'', an indie romantic comedy film completed in 2006 and written and directed by Archie Gips, stars Dash Mihok, Brittany Daniel, Navi Rawat, Geoffrey Arend, James Lesure, Chris Coppola and Stephen Tobolowsky
Stephen Ha ...
''
Writer
*''Chloe & Keith's Wedding''
*''Loveless in Los Angeles
''Loveless in Los Angeles'', an indie romantic comedy film completed in 2006 and written and directed by Archie Gips, stars Dash Mihok, Brittany Daniel, Navi Rawat, Geoffrey Arend, James Lesure, Chris Coppola and Stephen Tobolowsky
Stephen Ha ...
''
*'' The Golden Blaze''
*''The Fifth Wheel
''The 5th Wheel'' was an American dating reality series that aired in syndication from 2001 to 2004. The show was initially hosted by comedian Aisha Tyler, but when Tyler left after completing the first season, the remaining two seasons were host ...
''
*''Blind Date
A blind date is a social engagement between two people who have not met, usually arranged by a mutual acquaintance.
Structure
A blind date is arranged for by a mutual acquaintance of both participants. The two people who take part in the blind ...
''
Producer
*'' Katy Perry: Part of Me''.
*'' Justin Bieber: Never Say Never''
*'' Wahlburgers''
*''Welcome to Myrtle Manor
''Welcome to Myrtle Manor'', also known as ''Trailer Park: Welcome To Myrtle Manor'', is an American reality television series on TLC that premiered on March 3, 2013, with filming of the first season taking place from August to November 2012. TL ...
''
*''Duck Dynasty
''Duck Dynasty'' is an American reality television series that aired on A&E from 2012 to 2017. The series portrays the lives of the Robertson family, who became successful from their family-operated business, Duck Commander. The West Monroe, Lo ...
''
*''XOX Betsey Johnson
''XOX Betsey Johnson'' is an American reality television series on the Style Network and debuted on May 12, 2013. The series follows Betsey Johnson and her daughter, Lulu, as they struggle to evolve their mother-daughter relationship, move on from ...
''
*''Tamar & Vince
''Tamar & Vince'' is an American reality television series that debuted on September 20, 2012, and airs on WE tv. It is a spin-off of ''Braxton Family Values''. In June 2013, ''Tamar & Vince'' was renewed for a ten-episode second season that p ...
''
*''Braxton Family Values
''Braxton Family Values'' (abbreviated ''BFV'') is an American reality television series that airs on WE tv and premiered on April 12, 2011. It chronicles the lives of the Braxton sisters— Toni, Traci, Towanda, Trina and Tamar and their mot ...
''
*''Top Chef
''Top Chef'' is an American reality competition television series which premiered on Bravo on March 8, 2006. The show features chefs competing against each other in culinary challenges. The contestants are judged by a panel of professional che ...
''
*''Loveless in Los Angeles
''Loveless in Los Angeles'', an indie romantic comedy film completed in 2006 and written and directed by Archie Gips, stars Dash Mihok, Brittany Daniel, Navi Rawat, Geoffrey Arend, James Lesure, Chris Coppola and Stephen Tobolowsky
Stephen Ha ...
''
*''Last Comic Standing
''Last Comic Standing'' was an American reality television talent competition show on NBC that aired from June 1, 2003, to August 9, 2010, then again in 2014 and 2015. The goal of the program was to select a comedian from an initially large group ...
''
*''McMillions
''McMillions'' (stylized as ''McMillion$'') is a documentary miniseries about the McDonald's Monopoly promotion scam that occurred between 1989 and 2001. Directed by James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte, the series details how the scam was per ...
''
*’’ Wahl Street’’
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gips, Archie
American film producers
American male screenwriters
Writers from New York City
Year of birth missing (living people)
Living people
Syracuse University alumni
Tisch School of the Arts alumni
Film directors from New York City
Screenwriters from New York (state)