Person
Leighton Pierce
Directing · Born 1954-10-27 · Rochester, NY, USA
Biography
Leighton Pierce, born John Leighton Pierce, is an American experimental filmmaker who works with film, video, sound, and installation. He is also the Dean of the School of Film/Video at CalArts since the summer of 2014. He is best known for his impressionistic technique in video imagery that creates a hypnotic effect as well as his use of sound design. The motif of water is dominant in his work and gave the name to the video series "Memories of Water". Pierce looks for inspiration in his immediate surroundings. He has stated that "in the simplest terms, a film or a video can be considered to be a meaningful experience in time. As a filmmaker, I take that as my mission: through the use of image and sound, I am composing an experience for the audience".
Known for
Deer Isle #8: Going Out (in the morning)
Director
Everything's gonna be OK
Director
Sitting
Director
Hammock
Director
Blue Hat
Director
DECK
Director
The Back Steps
Director
Fall (3 parts)
Director
Glass
Director
50 Feet of String
Director
Filmography
- 2025CARBONDirector
- 2024Wasp RadialDirector
- 2023South Los Angeles StreetDirector
- 2022Everything's gonna be OKDirector
- 2018DECKDirector
- 2016Candle Loopedy LoopDirector
- 2014White AshDirector
- 2012Barbara Hammer Lends a HandDirector
- 2010SittingDirector
- 2010Retrograde PremonitionDirector
- 2010Sharp Edge BluntDirector
- 2010I Know, I KnowDirector
- 2008Stone MossDirector
- 2007Number OneDirector
- 2006My Person in the WaterDirector
- 2005HammockDirector
- 2004VisceraDirector
- 2003A Private HappinessDirector
- 2003Pink SocksDirector
- 200237th & Lex.Director
- 2002Water Seeking its LevelDirector
- 2002Fall (3 parts)Director
- 2002EvaporationDirector
- 2001Veiled RedDirector
- 2001The Back StepsDirector
- 2000WoodDirector
- 2000Folded Time, Take 17Director
- 1998GlassDirector
- 1997Memories of Water Parts #21, 6, and 27Director
- 1996Puppy-Go-RoundDirector
- 199550 Feet of StringDirector
- 1994Deer Isle #8: Going Out (in the morning)Director
- 1993Blue HatDirector
- 1992Red ShovelDirector
- 1992Deer Isle #5: The CrossingDirector
- 1991ThursdayDirector
- 1991Principles of Harmonic MotionDirector
- 1989You Can Drive the Big RigsDirector
- 1988What's Left is WindDirector
- 1987On the Road Going ThroughDirector
- 1986Red SwingDirector
- 1984These Are the Directions I Give to a StrangerDirector
- 1984The Miracle of ChangeDirector
- 1983And Sometimes the Boats Are LowDirector
- 1982Not Much TimeDirector
- 1981He Said Without MovingDirector
- 1980He Likes to Chop Down TreesDirector
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