Olatunde Osunsanmi

Olatunde Osunsanmi (born October 23, 1977) is an American film and television director and producer. He is known for his work on Universal's horror film The Fourth Kind and for the TNT dystopian drama Falling Skies, as well as being director or producer on several episodes of Star Trek: Discovery.

Olatunde Osunsanmi
Born (1977-10-23) October 23, 1977
United States
Occupation(s)Film and television director, producer
Years active2000–present

Life and career

Osunsanmi was born in the United States to parents who had immigrated from Nigeria.[1] He graduated with a Masters of Fine Arts degree from Chapman University's Dodge College of Film and Media Arts.[2] His first foray in the industry was with a short film he wrote and directed, entitled Etat. The feature explored the 1970s political climate of his parents’ native Nigeria.

He went on to direct and co-pen the low-budget horror film The Cavern, before being approached by Universal Studios to direct, produce and write the alien-invasion/horror film The Fourth Kind. The film claims to be based on "actual case studies" occurring in Nome, Alaska in 2000, and included in the film is footage of Osunsanmi interviewing a "Dr. Abigail Tyler" at Chapman University in Orange, California.[2][3] In 2013, he directed the serial killer film Evidence, starring True Blood's Stephen Moyer.[4]

He has since switched to directing episodic television, such as instalments of Under the Dome, The Last Ship, Extant, Sleepy Hollow, Minority Report, Gotham, Blindspot and Star Trek: Discovery.

In 2022, Osunsanmi signed a multi-year overall deal with CBS Studios.[5]

Falling Skies

In summer 2014, Osunsanmi directed his first hour of television with TNT's fourth season drama Falling Skies, entitled "Saturday Night Massacre". He was originally hired for only one episode, but another director was forced to depart episode 4.11, "Space Oddity", due to personal matters, and the cast and crew lobbied for Osunsanmi to return, and he did. He replaced outgoing director/co-executive producer Greg Beeman for the series' fifth and final season.[6] He directed the final season premiere, "Find Your Warrior"; as well as episodes "Hunger Pains" and "Non-Essential Personnel". He lastly directed the series' final episode, "Reborn".[7]

Gotham

Osunsanmi is credited for directing Season 3, Episode 13 of the TV series, Gotham, titled "Mad City: Smile Like You Mean It". The episode aired on January 23, 2017.[8][9]

Star Trek: Discovery

Osunsanmi directed Episode 4 (titled "The Butcher's Knife Cares Not for the Lamb's Cry", aired October 8, 2017), Episode 13 (titled "What's Past Is Prologue"; aired January 28, 2018), Episode 18 (titled “Point of Light”; aired January 31, 2019), Episode 23 (titled “Such Sweet Sorrow”; aired April 11, 2019), Episode 30 (titled "That Hope Is You, Part 1"; aired October 15, 2020) and Episode 31 (titled "Far From Home"; aired October 22, 2020) of the TV series, Star Trek: Discovery.[10][11] He also directed the Star Trek: Short Trek episode "Calypso" (a Star Trek: Discovery inter-season short film).

Filmography
Year Title Credit Notes
2009 The Fourth Kind Director
Writer (Screenplay)
2013 Evidence Director
2015-6 Sleepy Hollow Director Episode 37: "This Red Lady from Caribee"
Episode 42: "Kindred Spirits"
2016-18 Timeless Director Episode 18: "The Darlington 500"
2017-21 Star Trek: Discovery Co-executive producer 8 episodes
Executive producer 16 episodes
Director Episode 4: "The Butcher's Knife Cares Not for the Lamb's Cry"
Episode 13: "What's Past Is Prologue"
Episode 18: "Point of Light"
Episode 28–29: "Such Sweet Sorrow"
Episode 30: "That Hope Is You, Part 1"
Episode 31: "Far from Home"
Episode 42: "That Hope is You, Part 2"
Episode 43: "Kobayashi Maru"
Episode 44: "Anomaly"
Episode 54: "Species Ten-C"
Episode 55: "Coming Home"
2017 After Trek Himself
2018-9 Star Trek: Short Treks Director Episode 2: "Calypso"
Episode 8: "The Girl Who Made the Stars"
2021 The Ready Room Himself Aftershow
Episode: "That Hope Is You, Part 2"
2022 The Man Who Fell to Earth Director Episode 9: "As the World Falls Down"
Episode 10: "The Man Who Sold The World"

References
  1. Osunsanmi, Olatunde. "Sci-Fi Director Olatunde Osunsanmi Tackles the Science Behind the Fiction With Hollywood TV & Film Successes". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. Coker, Matt (November 17, 2009). "How Chapman University's Logo Got a Cameo in "The Fourth Kind"". OC Weekly. Retrieved August 25, 2015.
  3. Woerner, Meredith (27 June 2014). "Fact Check: Are These Horror Films Really "Based On Actual Events"?". Gizmodo. Gizmodo. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
  4. "OLATUNDE OSUNSANMI FILMOGRAPHY". Fandango. Retrieved August 25, 2015.
  5. Andreeva, Nellie (February 23, 2022). "'Star Trek: Discovery' EP Olatunde Osunsanmi Inks CBS Studios Overall Deal With Drama 'Myth' As First Project". Deadline Hollywood.
  6. Beeman, Greg (September 1, 2014). "BEAMING BEEMAN". Retrieved August 25, 2015.
  7. "Episode Title: (#510) "Reborn"". The Futon Critic. Retrieved August 25, 2015.
  8. "Gotham" Mad City: Smile Like You Mean It (TV Episode 2017), retrieved 2017-10-30
  9. "Olatunde Osunsanmi". IMDb. Retrieved 2017-10-30.
  10. "The Butcher's Knife Cares Not for the Lamb's Cry". IMDb. Retrieved 2018-05-18.
  11. "What's Past is Prologue". IMDb. Retrieved 2018-05-18.
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