CREW

AKIVA SCHAFFER (Director) is a gifted writer and innovative force behind the camera, Schaffer is poised to lead a new generation of directors with his fresh vision of true comedy. This summer he makes his feature length directorial debut with “Hot Rod,” starring Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, Ian McShane, Sissy Spacek, Isla Fisher and Bill Hader. The highly anticipated film follows the journey of amateur stuntman Rod Kimble (Samberg), whose acerbic stepfather Frank (McShane) gives him no respect. When Frank falls ill, it's up to Rod to stage the jump of his life in order to save him. The plan: Jump fifteen buses on his motorcycle, raise the money for Frank's heart operation, and then kick his ass. Paramount Pictures will release the film August 3, 2007.

Schaffer is currently a writer/director for “Saturday Night Live” and recently received a Writers Guild Award for his work on the 2005/2006 season of the show. Along with his writing partners Andy Samberg and Jorma Taccone, he is responsible for creating the popular SNL Digital Shorts, which have re-invigorated the series and spurred many water-cooler moments over the past two seasons. Some of the most notable shorts include “D**k In A Box” (with Justin Timberlake), “Lazy Sunday” (a rap about “The Chronicles of Narnia”), “The Natalie Portman Rap” and “Peyton Manning’s United Way,” all of which Schaffer co-wrote and directed. Many of the videos have garnered unprecedented online interest and acclaim. As of April 2007, “D**k In a Box” was the all-time #4 video on YouTube.com with over 20 million views.

Schaffer, Samberg and Taccone, collectively known as “The Lonely Island,” have been friends since junior high school in Berkeley, CA. In 2000, the trio began writing, directing, and producing their own brand of comedy and showcasing it on their website www.thelonelyisland.com. Under the Lonely Island banner, Schaffer directed one of Channel101.com's longest running primetime shows, "The 'BU", a parody of “The O.C.,” and a sketch comedy pilot created for Fox titled "Awesometown." Additionally, he has directed music videos for the rock bands "We Are Scientists" and "Eagles Of Death Metal."

Thanks to their innovative contributions to “Saturday Night Live” and their previous work as “The Lonely Island,” WIRED Magazine honored Schaffer, Samberg and Taccone with a WIRED Rave Award for Television in 2006, alongside geneticists and fellow online pioneers. Honoring the mavericks, dreamers and innovators "changing your mind," the WIRED Rave award recognizes leaders in a wide range of categories including technology, business, television, industrial design and blogs.

Schaffer is a graduate of the film department of UC Santa Cruz.