JO
John Ottman
Composer, Editor, Actor, Producer, DirectorBorn July 6, 1964 (61 years)
John Ottman (born July 6, 1964) is an American film composer, director, and editor. He is best known for collaborating with director Bryan Singer, composing and/or editing many of his films, including Public Access (1993), The Usual Suspects (1995), Superman Returns (2006), Valkyrie (2008), and Jack the Giant Slayer (2013), as well as the X-Men film series. For his work on Singer's 2018 Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, Ottman won the Academy Award for Best Film Editing.
Ottman was born in San Diego, California. Growing up in San Jose, Ottman made many amateur films garnering local attention in the community. He attended De Anza College and then transferred to the School of Cinematic Arts of the University of Southern California, where he graduated in 1988. One of his first assignments was to provide original music for the computer game I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream. In 2007, Ottman appeared in the documentary Finding Kraftland for his agent Richard Kraft.
He is best known for his multitasking as editor and composer for Bryan Singer's films and, on a few occasions, producer roles to boot. The Usual Suspects, Apt Pupil, X2, Superman Returns (including adapting themes originally composed by John Williams), Valkyrie, Jack the Giant Slayer, X-Men: Days of Future Past, and X-Men: Apocalypse. Other notable films he worked on as a composer are Snow White: A Tale of Terror, the 2005 remake of House of Wax, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Fantastic Four and its sequel Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, The Invasion, and Astro Boy.
He also directed (in addition to editing and scoring) the 2000 horror film Urban Legends: Final Cut. He won a BAFTA Award for Best Editing for The Usual Suspects, as well as two Saturn Awards for Best Music for The Usual Suspects and Superman Returns. In 2019, he was nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Editing and won the ACE Eddie Award and the Academy Award for his work on Bohemian Rhapsody, a film Ottman saw through on his own after both directors' departure (Bryan Singer being fired and Dexter Fletcher beginning pre-production on "Rocketman" shortly after finishing the shoot). Ottman navigated the film's development in post and the tricky waters between the filmmaker and studio, working with producer Graham King and Dennis O'Sullivan. Upon Bohemian Rhapsody getting nominated for and winning its Best Editing awards, a scene of the band outside a pub went viral online after a post by Youtuber Thomas Flight, who was critical of the editing style. Ottman, aware of the clip, explained that for a test screening, a heightened pace for the first act was asked for by the studio. After the test, Ottman returned the scene to its original pace and design. Ottman regretted that he missed returning the scene outside the pub closer to his original version. The scene (directed by Fletcher) contained no master shot of the band at the table.
Description above from the Wikipedia article John Ottman, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Ottman was born in San Diego, California. Growing up in San Jose, Ottman made many amateur films garnering local attention in the community. He attended De Anza College and then transferred to the School of Cinematic Arts of the University of Southern California, where he graduated in 1988. One of his first assignments was to provide original music for the computer game I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream. In 2007, Ottman appeared in the documentary Finding Kraftland for his agent Richard Kraft.
He is best known for his multitasking as editor and composer for Bryan Singer's films and, on a few occasions, producer roles to boot. The Usual Suspects, Apt Pupil, X2, Superman Returns (including adapting themes originally composed by John Williams), Valkyrie, Jack the Giant Slayer, X-Men: Days of Future Past, and X-Men: Apocalypse. Other notable films he worked on as a composer are Snow White: A Tale of Terror, the 2005 remake of House of Wax, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Fantastic Four and its sequel Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, The Invasion, and Astro Boy.
He also directed (in addition to editing and scoring) the 2000 horror film Urban Legends: Final Cut. He won a BAFTA Award for Best Editing for The Usual Suspects, as well as two Saturn Awards for Best Music for The Usual Suspects and Superman Returns. In 2019, he was nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Editing and won the ACE Eddie Award and the Academy Award for his work on Bohemian Rhapsody, a film Ottman saw through on his own after both directors' departure (Bryan Singer being fired and Dexter Fletcher beginning pre-production on "Rocketman" shortly after finishing the shoot). Ottman navigated the film's development in post and the tricky waters between the filmmaker and studio, working with producer Graham King and Dennis O'Sullivan. Upon Bohemian Rhapsody getting nominated for and winning its Best Editing awards, a scene of the band outside a pub went viral online after a post by Youtuber Thomas Flight, who was critical of the editing style. Ottman, aware of the clip, explained that for a test screening, a heightened pace for the first act was asked for by the studio. After the test, Ottman returned the scene to its original pace and design. Ottman regretted that he missed returning the scene outside the pub closer to his original version. The scene (directed by Fletcher) contained no master shot of the band at the table.
Description above from the Wikipedia article John Ottman, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
John Ottman Filmography
| 2017 | The Gifted (TV Series) · as Composer |
| 2016 | X-Men: Apocalypse · as Original Music Composer |
| 2016 | The Nice Guys · as Original Music Composer |
| 2015 | Battle Creek (TV Series) · as Composer |
| 2014 | X-Men: Days of Future Past · as Original Music Composer |
| 2014 | Non-Stop · as Original Music Composer |
| 2013 | Jack the Giant Slayer · as Original Music Composer |
| 2011 | The Resident · as Original Music Composer |
| 2011 | Unknown · as Original Music Composer |
| 2010 | The Losers · as Original Music Composer |
| 2009 | |
| 2009 | Orphan · as Original Music Composer |
| 2008 | Valkyrie · as Original Music Composer |
| 2007 | The Invasion · as Original Music Composer |
| 2007 | Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer · as Original Music Composer |
| 2006 | Superman Returns · as Original Music Composer |
| 2005 | Kiss Kiss Bang Bang · as Original Music Composer |
| 2005 | Fantastic Four · as Original Music Composer |
| 2005 | House of Wax · as Original Music Composer |
| 2005 | Hide and Seek · as Original Music Composer |
| 2004 | Cellular · as Original Music Composer |
| 2003 | |
| 2003 | Gothika · as Original Music Composer |
| 2003 | X2: X-Men United · as Original Music Composer |
| 2002 | Trapped · as Original Music Composer |
| 2002 | Pumpkin · as Original Music Composer |
| 2002 | |
| 2002 | Eight Legged Freaks · as Original Music Composer |
| 2002 | Round Up: Deposing 'the Usual Suspects' · as Composer |
| 2002 | |
| 2001 | Bubble Boy · as Original Music Composer |
| 2000 | Urban Legends: Final Cut · as Original Music Composer |
| 1999 | Lake Placid · as Original Music Composer |
| 1998 | Apt Pupil · as Original Music Composer |
| 1998 | Fantasy Island (1998) (TV Series) · as Composer |
| 1998 | Halloween H20: 20 Years Later · as Original Music Composer |
| 1998 | |
| 1997 | Incognito · as Original Music Composer |
| 1997 | Snow White: A Tale of Terror · as Original Music Composer |
| 1996 | The Cable Guy · as Original Music Composer |
| 1995 | The Usual Suspects · as Original Music Composer |
| 1993 | Public Access · as Original Music Composer |
| 2026 | |
| 2018 | |
| 2016 | |
| 2014 | |
| 2013 | |
| 2008 | |
| 2006 | |
| 2003 | |
| 2000 | |
| 1998 | |
| 1995 | |
| 1993 |
| 2018 | Bohemian Rhapsody · as Live Tv Director |
| 2016 | X-Men: Apocalypse · as Confused Tech |
| 2000 | Urban Legends: Final Cut · as Mental Patient |
| 2017 | Star Trek: Discovery (TV Series) · as Consulting Producer |
| 2016 | X-Men: Apocalypse · as Co-Producer |
| 2013 | Jack the Giant Slayer · as Associate Producer |
| 2008 | Valkyrie · as Executive Producer |
| 1998 | Apt Pupil · as Associate Producer |
| 2017 | Star Trek: Discovery (TV Series) |
| 2000 |
| 2024 | Chasing Notes · as Self |
| 2019 | The Oscars · as Self - Winner |
| 2016 | X-Men: Apocalypse Unearthed · as Self |
| 2015 | |
| 2010 | |
| 2006 | Halloween: 25 Years of Terror · as Self |
| 2006 | Film Noir: Bringing Darkness to Light · as Self |
| 2002 | Round Up: Deposing 'the Usual Suspects' · as Self |