COVERS
ORIGINAL
T
Danny Bilson dbilson@gmail.com
Biography and Resume
Motion Pictures and Television
Danny Bilson?s production company, Pet Fly, has supplied 165 hours of original television episodes and pilots for major Hollywood studios. Pet Fly?s series include The Flash (Warner Bros./CBS), Human Target (Warner Bros./ABC), Viper (Paramount/NBC/First Run Syndication) and The Sentinel (Paramount/UPN). Bilson, along with his co-writer Paul De Meo created, and executive produced each of these series. Bilson directed the pilots as well as key episodes. The pair have written and produced several feature films, including cult favorites Trancers and Zone Troopers, the latter directed by Bilson. The team also penned the screenplay for Disney?s The Rocketeer, and contributed drafts for Paramount?s The Italian Job as well as Disney/Pixar?s John Carter. Recent projects include the screen stories for Sergeant Rock, a World War II adventure based on the DC Comics character at Warner Brothers as well Red Faction for Syfy and Company of Heroes for Sony Pictures.
Bilson is currently developing a television series based on the bestselling novel, Nocturnal as well as a screenplay for Oliver Stone. He also has a children?s animated property in development with Film Roman.
Video Games
In 1999, after a successful 20 years in motion pictures and television, Danny Bilson expanded his work into the world of video games. After serving as co-producer on the original version of Electronic Arts? The Sims, EA named Bilson VP of Intellectual Property Development, in 2000. During his time at Electronic Arts, Bilson provided executive creative direction, for major EA franchises including Harry Potter, James Bond 007, and Medal of Honor.
In 2008, Bilson joined THQ as Vice President Creative Development where he supervised production and set the vision for the company?s transition from licensed to owned IP. After being promoted to Senior Vice President later that year to run the internal studios, Bilson was elevated to Executive Vice President Core Games in 2009 to manage both product development and marketing as well as the entire Core Games business.
In his four year tenure at THQ, Bilson restructured the product development and marketing teams into an efficient unified entity. Under Bilson?s leadership, this new Core Games team attracted world class development talent, raised the quality bar across both marketing and product, and built a strong portfolio. Some of the titles developed under Bilson?s leadership at THQ include, Saints Row the Third, Darksiders, UFC, WWE, Warhammer 40K, Company of Heroes 2, Homefront, South Park: The Stick of Truth, as well as Evolve from Turtle Rock Studios.
Last year Danny completed production work on, Devil?s Third, a new first party game for Nintendo from Tomonobu Itagaki as well as narrative design for Zynga?s Empires and Allies reboot.
Theme Parks
Danny has worked with Walt Disney Imagineering as a creative consultant on Star Wars as well as Legends of Frontierland.
Graphic Novels
Danny and his long time writing partner recently re-launched The Flash comic book for DC as well as their original graphic novel, entitled Red Menace, the story of a blacklisted superhero set in 1953 Los Angeles.
Academia
Danny teaches narrative design for games, screenwriting, and IP development at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, where he has been a faculty member since 2005. He is leading the Advanced Games Project for the department in 2015-16.
Danny Bilson
Resume
- Motion Pictures -
?Company of Heroes? - Screenstory; Sony- 2012
?John Carter?- Screenplay (uncredited). Disney- 2012
?Dukes of Hazzard 2? ?Action Unit Director. Warner Brothers- 2007
?Sergeant Rock? ? Screen Story (adaptation of the DC Comics property); in development. Warner Brothers- 2005
?Fantastic Four?- Screen story (uncredited). Fox- 2005
?The Italian Job?- Screenplay revision (uncredited). Paramount Pictures- 2003
?The Rocketeer? ? Screenplay (adaptation of the graphic novel by Dave Stevens).
Disney - 1991
?The Wrong Guys? ? Original screenplay; Producer; Director.
New World Films- 1988
?Pulse Pounders: The Return of Jack Deth?- Original screenplay (segment). Empire Films- 1987
?Arena? ? Original screenplay. Empire Films - 1986
?Eliminators? ? Original screenplay. Empire Films - 1986
?Zone Troopers? ? Original screenplay; Producer Director. Empire Films - 1985
?Trancers?? Original screenplay; Producer. Empire Films- 1985
- Television-
?Red Faction: Origins? - Screenstory; SyFy- 2011
"Down to Earth" - Screenplay revision; Disney Channel Original Movie- 2007
?On the Road in America? ?Episode Director. New Line Television- 2007
Bilson is currently developing a television series based on the bestselling novel, Nocturnal, as well as, Morpheus an original drama for Sonar Entertainment. Spike Lee is currently in pre production on Bilson and DeMeo's feature script, The Last Tour is currently in pre production with Spike Lee directing.
Video Games
In his four year tenure at THQ, Bilson restructured the product development and marketing teams into an efficient unified entity. Under Bilson’s leadership, this new Core Games team attracted world class development talent, raised the quality bar across both marketing and product, and built a strong portfolio. Some of the titles developed under Bilson’s leadership at THQ include, Saints Row the Third, Darksiders, UFC, WWE, Warhammer 40K, Company of Heroes 2, Homefront, South Park: The Stick of Truth, as well as Evolve from Turtle Rock Studios.
Last year Danny completed production work on Devil’s Third, a new first party game for Nintendo from Tomonobu Itagaki as well as narrative design for Zynga’s Empires and Allies reboot. Bilson is currently doing creative consulting for publishers as well as studios in both VR and traditional gaming.
Theme Parks
Danny has worked with Walt Disney Imagineering as a creative consultant on Star Wars Galaxy's Edge as well as Legends of Frontierland.
Graphic Novels
Danny and his long time writing partner re-launched The Flash comic book for DC as well as their original graphic novel entitled Red Menace, the story of a blacklisted superhero set in 1953 Los Angeles.
Academia
Danny is currently the Chair of the Interactive Media and Games Division of the USC School of Cinematic Arts, where he has been a faculty member since 2005. Danny teaches narrative design for games, screenwriting, and IP development. He also leads Advanced Games Production and is the Director of USC Games.
“Company of Heroes” - Screenstory; Sony- 2012
“John Carter”- Screenplay (uncredited). Disney- 2012
“Dukes of Hazzard 2” –Action Unit Director. Warner Brothers- 2007
“Sergeant Rock” – Screen Story (adaptation of the DC Comics property); in development. Warner Brothers- 2005
“Fantastic Four”- Screen story (uncredited). Fox- 2005
“The Italian Job”- Screenplay revision (uncredited). Paramount Pictures- 2003
“The Rocketeer” – Screenplay (adaptation of the graphic novel by Dave Stevens).
“The Wrong Guys” – Original screenplay; Producer; Director.
“Pulse Pounders: The Return of Jack Deth”- Original screenplay (segment). Empire Films- 1987
“Arena” – Original screenplay. Empire Films - 1986
“Eliminators” – Original screenplay. Empire Films - 1986
“Trancers”– Original screenplay; Producer. Empire Films- 1985
“Red Faction: Origins” - Screenstory; SyFy- 2011
"Down to Earth" - Screenplay revision; Disney Channel Original Movie- 2007
“It’s True” – (adaptation of the work by cartoonist Gahan Wilson); Executive Producer; Writer, Director. Paramount Television - 1998
“The Sentinel” –Series Creator; Executive Producer.
“Viper” –Series Creators; Executive Producer.
“Fast Forward” –Executive Producer; Director. Warner Bros. TV- 1992
“The Flash”- Series Creator; Executive Producer. Director. Warner Bros. Television – CBS – 22 episodes -1990-91
“Cyberforce”- Original pilot teleplay; Producers. Warner Bros. Television- 1988
“Kung Fu, The Next Generation”- Original Pilot Teleplay; Producers. Warner Bros. Television- 1987
THQ: Executive Vice President Core Games 2009- 2012. SVP Product Development 2008-2009. Vice President Creative Development 2008.
Big Fiction Studios, Partner-2006-2008
“Empires and Allies”- 2015
“Devil’s Third”- 2015
“Crysis” – (initial concept revisions and final script polish) 2005-07
“Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault” – 2004
“Command & Conquer: Zero Hour” – 2004
“GoldenEye: Rogue Agent” – 2004
“Need For Speed: Underground” – 2003
“Quiditch World Cup” – 2003
“Command & Conquer: Generals” – 2003
“Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” – 2002
“Medal of Honor: Frontline” – (additional design credit) 2002
“Medal of Honor: Allied Assault”- 2002
“Medal of Honor: Spearhead” - PC add-on – 2002
“Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” - 2002
“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” - 2001
“Black and White” – 2001
“The Sims”- (also Co-Producer) – 2000
“The Rocketeer”- Issue 4. IDG Comics 2012
“Red Menace” - Graphic Novel. Wildstorm / DC Comics, 2007
“The Flash: Fastest Man Alive” - Issues 1-8. DC Comics, 2006-7
“The Rocketeer: Cliff’s New York Adventure”- Graphic Novel. Dark Horse Comics, 199
Walt Disney Imagineering- creative consultant on Star Wars as well as Legends of Frontierland.
Consulting
Institute for Creative Technologies (ICT), a research project of the University of Southern California in conjunction with the Department of Defense. 1999-2005
Centra Technologies, Washington DC. 2005-Present
GLG Consulting- Dallas Texas 2012- Present
Coleman Research- New York 2014- Present
