Director Brett Ratner credits his success to not taking no for an answer.
From convincing the dean of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts to accept him when he was only 16 to pleading with Universal Studios to let him direct the comedic drama “The Family Man” in 2000, his life story is one of determination and triumph.
Ratner, 40, shared stories of some of his biggest career challenges with a crowd of about 250 people in the University Auditorium Tuesday night at a presentation sponsored by Accent.
“I’m here to tell you that if I can do it, anybody can do it,” Ratner said.
Ratner, director of the “Rush Hour” trilogy, “X-Men: The Last Stand,” “The Family Man” and more than a 100 music videos, said he knew he wanted to be a director and attend NYU’s film school after he watched Martin Scorsese’s “Raging Bull” when he was 10.
Ratner was accepted to NYU after meeting with the dean and showing him less-than-admirable grades but a lot of passion. He made connections allowing him to swiftly enter the entertainment industry.
Among those connections were director Steven Spielberg, who financed one of Ratner’s student films and eventually became a mentor to him, and hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons.
“It’s important to have mentors in whatever area you study,” Ratner said. “Get someone who will let you pick their brain.”
It was soon after Simmons held a premiere of Ratner’s student film that Ratner got the opportunity to network with artists and start directing music videos.
The Miami native went on to direct videos for Madonna, Mariah Carey, Diddy, Jessica Simpson and the Wu-Tang Clan.
His big break came in 1997, when he was asked to replace the original director for “Money Talks,” a feature film starring Chris Tucker and Charlie Sheen.
Ratner told the audience one of his biggest challenges came after he read the script for “The Family Man.”
He pleaded with Universal Studios to let him direct the movie, but that wasn’t the hardest part of his project.
Ratner wanted Nicolas Cage to play the leading role, but he was told it would never happen. Still, he continued to pursue Cage.
As a result of Ratner’s passion, Cage eventually signed on to do the movie.
Ratner was paid $24,000 to attend the event, according to UF’s Student Government Finance Office.
