Eric Forsberg (born December 16, 1959) is an American writer. He wrote and directed the feature film ''
Mega Piranha'', as well as the writer of the feature film ''
Snakes on a Train'', one of the first
mockbuster
A mockbuster (also known as knockbuster or a drafting opportunity) is a film created to exploit the publicity of another major motion picture with a similar title or subject. Mockbusters are often made with a low budget and quick production to max ...
s produced and released by
The Asylum
The Asylum is an American independent film company and distributor that focuses on producing low-budget, direct-to-video films. It is notorious for producing titles that capitalize on productions by major studios, often using film titles and sc ...
. He also wrote the screenplays for ''
30,000 Leagues Under the Sea'' and ''
War of the Worlds 2: The Next Wave'', also for
The Asylum
The Asylum is an American independent film company and distributor that focuses on producing low-budget, direct-to-video films. It is notorious for producing titles that capitalize on productions by major studios, often using film titles and sc ...
.
He directed the film ''
Alien Abduction
Alien abduction (also called abduction phenomenon, alien abduction syndrome, or UFO abduction) refers to the phenomenon of people reporting their experience of being kidnapped by extraterrestrial beings and subjected to physical and psychologica ...
'' which aired on
Sci Fi Channel
Syfy (formerly Sci-Fi Channel, later shortened to Sci Fi; stylized as SYFY) is an American basic cable channel owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of Comcast's NBCUniversal through NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. Lau ...
, as well as
Night of the Dead which aired on
Chiller TV
Chiller (stylized as chiller) was an American cable and satellite television network that was owned by NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment Group subsidiary of NBCUniversal, all owned by Comcast. It later opened its own film production company as w ...
. Other writer and director credits include the political thriller ''
Torture Room'', and the stoner comedy ''
Sex Pot'' as well as ''Monster'', ''
Almighty Thor'', ''Arachnoquake'', and ''
Age of the Hobbits''. He also worked as a
Co-Producer and
assistant director on numerous films for
Christopher Coppola
Christopher R. Coppola (born January 25, 1962) is an American film director and producer.
Early life
Coppola was born in Los Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County, officially the County of Los Angeles, and sometimes abbreviated as ...
and
Alain Silver
Alain Silver is a US film producer, director, and screenwriter; music producer; film critic, film historian, DVD commentator, author and editor of books and essays on film topics, especially film noir, the samurai film, and horror films. Filmm ...
, including ''White Nights'', ''Bel Air'', and ''Palmer's Pickup''. In his early years Forsberg was an improvisational comedy instructor at
The Players Workshop
Created in 1971 by Josephine Forsberg, The Players Workshop was Chicago's only official school of improvisation for over a decade. Although it was never officially a part of The Second City cabaret theater, The Players Workshop was often referred ...
and
The Second City Training Center
The Second City Training Center was founded in the mid-1980s to facilitate the growing demand for workshops and instruction from the world famous The Second City theatre. Training Centers are located in Chicago, Toronto and Los Angeles. Satelli ...
in Chicago.
Biography
Eric Forsberg was born in Chicago on December 16, 1959. He is the son of improv director
Josephine Forsberg
Josephine Forsberg (January 28, 1921 – October 3, 2011) was an American comedian, teacher and author.
Biography
Josephine Forsberg, ex-wife of film director Rolf Forsberg, was hired by Paul Sills and Viola Spolin to join the original Second Cit ...
and filmmaker
Rolf Forsberg.
Before moving to Hollywood in 1997, Forsberg worked as a writer and director in the Chicago theater scene.
The original musical, ''
Knat Scatt Private Eye'', with
Steve Carell
Steven John Carell (; born August 16, 1962) is an American actor and comedian. He played Michael Scott in ''The Office'' (2005–2011; 2013), NBC’s adaptation of the British series created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, where Ca ...
, was among his more successful productions.
Forsberg also taught improvisation at
The Players Workshop
Created in 1971 by Josephine Forsberg, The Players Workshop was Chicago's only official school of improvisation for over a decade. Although it was never officially a part of The Second City cabaret theater, The Players Workshop was often referred ...
and
The Second City Training Center
The Second City Training Center was founded in the mid-1980s to facilitate the growing demand for workshops and instruction from the world famous The Second City theatre. Training Centers are located in Chicago, Toronto and Los Angeles. Satelli ...
where his students included
Stephen Colbert
Stephen Tyrone Colbert ( ; born May 13, 1964) is an American comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and television host. He is best known for hosting the satirical Comedy Central program '' The Colbert Report'' from 2005 ...
,
Amy Sedaris
Amy Louise Sedaris (; born March 29, 1961) is an American actress, comedian, and writer. Most recently, she has appeared in both ''The Mandalorian'' (2019–2020) and '' The Book of Boba Fett'' (2022) as Peli Motto. She played Jerri Blank in the ...
,
Tim Meadows
Timothy Meadows (born February 5, 1961) is an American actor and comedian. He was one of the longest-running cast members on ''Saturday Night Live'', where he appeared for ten seasons and for which he received a nomination for the Primetime Emm ...
, and
Rachel Dratch
Rachel Susan Dratch (born February 22, 1966) is an American actress, comedian, and writer. After she graduated from Dartmouth College she moved to Chicago to study improvisational theatre at The Second City and ImprovOlympic.
Her breakthrough r ...
. Forsberg also worked to create a school/family concert for the
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) was founded by Theodore Thomas in 1891. The ensemble makes its home at Orchestra Hall in Chicago and plays a summer season at the Ravinia Festival. The music director is Riccardo Muti, who began his tenu ...
. His performance credits include Silas Brimfire at the
Bristol Renaissance Faire.
Soon after Forsberg arrived in Los Angeles, he began working with director
Christopher Coppola
Christopher R. Coppola (born January 25, 1962) is an American film director and producer.
Early life
Coppola was born in Los Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County, officially the County of Los Angeles, and sometimes abbreviated as ...
and producer
Alain Silver
Alain Silver is a US film producer, director, and screenwriter; music producer; film critic, film historian, DVD commentator, author and editor of books and essays on film topics, especially film noir, the samurai film, and horror films. Filmm ...
. Following that he started writing
screenplays and directing feature films for
David Michael Latt
The Asylum is an American independent film company and distributor that focuses on producing low-budget, direct-to-video films. It is notorious for producing titles that capitalize on productions by major studios, often using film titles and sc ...
and
David Rimawi
The Asylum is an American independent film company and distributor that focuses on producing low-budget, direct-to-video films. It is notorious for producing titles that capitalize on productions by major studios, often using film titles and sc ...
at
The Asylum
The Asylum is an American independent film company and distributor that focuses on producing low-budget, direct-to-video films. It is notorious for producing titles that capitalize on productions by major studios, often using film titles and sc ...
.
Eric Forsberg was a founding member of
The Second City Training Center
The Second City Training Center was founded in the mid-1980s to facilitate the growing demand for workshops and instruction from the world famous The Second City theatre. Training Centers are located in Chicago, Toronto and Los Angeles. Satelli ...
in Los Angeles where his students included
Brian Stepanek and
Masi Oka. Forsberg lives in Southern California with his wife Karen and his daughter Lola. He is a founding member of the production company Cerebral Experiment.
Filmography
Writer and director
*''
Mega Piranha'' – (2010),
Syfy,
The Asylum
The Asylum is an American independent film company and distributor that focuses on producing low-budget, direct-to-video films. It is notorious for producing titles that capitalize on productions by major studios, often using film titles and sc ...
*''
Sex Pot'' – (2009),
The Asylum
The Asylum is an American independent film company and distributor that focuses on producing low-budget, direct-to-video films. It is notorious for producing titles that capitalize on productions by major studios, often using film titles and sc ...
*''
Monster'' – (2007),
The Asylum
The Asylum is an American independent film company and distributor that focuses on producing low-budget, direct-to-video films. It is notorious for producing titles that capitalize on productions by major studios, often using film titles and sc ...
* ''
Torture Room'' – (2007), Cerebral Experiment
*''
Night of the Dead'' – (2006), Cerebral Experiment
*''
Alien Abduction (film)'' – (2005),
The Asylum
The Asylum is an American independent film company and distributor that focuses on producing low-budget, direct-to-video films. It is notorious for producing titles that capitalize on productions by major studios, often using film titles and sc ...
*''Andy'' – (1985),
Players Workshop
Created in 1971 by Josephine Forsberg, The Players Workshop was Chicago's only official school of improvisation for over a decade. Although it was never officially a part of The Second City cabaret theater, The Players Workshop was often referred ...
Writer
*''
Age of the Hobbits'' (2012),
The Asylum
The Asylum is an American independent film company and distributor that focuses on producing low-budget, direct-to-video films. It is notorious for producing titles that capitalize on productions by major studios, often using film titles and sc ...
*''
Arachnoquake'' (2012 – story),
Active Entertainment
Active may refer to:
Music
* ''Active'' (album), a 1992 album by Casiopea
* Active Records, a record label
Ships
* ''Active'' (ship), several commercial ships by that name
* HMS ''Active'', the name of various ships of the British Royal ...
/
SyFy
*''
Almighty Thor'' (uncredited) – (2011),
The Asylum
The Asylum is an American independent film company and distributor that focuses on producing low-budget, direct-to-video films. It is notorious for producing titles that capitalize on productions by major studios, often using film titles and sc ...
/
SyFy
*''
MILF
MILF (, as if read as "milf") is an acronym that stands for "Mother I'd Like to Fuck". This abbreviation is used in colloquial English, instead of the whole phrase. It connotes an older woman considered sexually attractive, typically one who has ...
'' (story credit)- (2010),
The Asylum
The Asylum is an American independent film company and distributor that focuses on producing low-budget, direct-to-video films. It is notorious for producing titles that capitalize on productions by major studios, often using film titles and sc ...
*''
War of the Worlds 2'' – (2008),
The Asylum
The Asylum is an American independent film company and distributor that focuses on producing low-budget, direct-to-video films. It is notorious for producing titles that capitalize on productions by major studios, often using film titles and sc ...
*''
30,000 Leagues Under the Sea'' – (2007),
The Asylum
The Asylum is an American independent film company and distributor that focuses on producing low-budget, direct-to-video films. It is notorious for producing titles that capitalize on productions by major studios, often using film titles and sc ...
*''
Snakes on a Train'' – (2006),
The Asylum
The Asylum is an American independent film company and distributor that focuses on producing low-budget, direct-to-video films. It is notorious for producing titles that capitalize on productions by major studios, often using film titles and sc ...
*''Blackhorse: History of the 11th Cavalry'' – (2005),
US Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
*''The Aquanauts'' (TV)- (1999–2000),
Village Roadshow
Village Roadshow Limited is an Australian company which operates cinemas and theme parks, and produces and distributes films. Before being acquired by private equity company BGH Capital, the company was listed on the Australian Securities Ex ...
,
Animal Planet
Animal Planet (stylized in all lowercase since 2018) is an American multinational pay television channel owned by the Warner Bros. Discovery Networks unit of Warner Bros. Discovery. First established on June 1, 1996, the network is primarily ...
Stage
Playwright and director
*''PLAYS & MUSICALS FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES''
*Jimmy Sweeter Visits Candyland – Children's Theater of
The Second City
The Second City is an improvisational comedy enterprise and is the oldest ongoing improvisational theater troupe to be continually based in Chicago, with training programs and live theatres in Toronto and Los Angeles. The Second City Theatre o ...
– (1980)
*The Wondrous Tales of Baby Clown Foo – Children's Theater of
The Second City
The Second City is an improvisational comedy enterprise and is the oldest ongoing improvisational theater troupe to be continually based in Chicago, with training programs and live theatres in Toronto and Los Angeles. The Second City Theatre o ...
– (1981)
*Tales of Young King Arthur – Children's Theater of
The Second City
The Second City is an improvisational comedy enterprise and is the oldest ongoing improvisational theater troupe to be continually based in Chicago, with training programs and live theatres in Toronto and Los Angeles. The Second City Theatre o ...
– (1981)
*Santa and the Christmas Gnomes – Children's Theater of
The Second City
The Second City is an improvisational comedy enterprise and is the oldest ongoing improvisational theater troupe to be continually based in Chicago, with training programs and live theatres in Toronto and Los Angeles. The Second City Theatre o ...
– (1981)
*Swash Buckler and the Gems of Chaos – Children's Theater of
The Second City
The Second City is an improvisational comedy enterprise and is the oldest ongoing improvisational theater troupe to be continually based in Chicago, with training programs and live theatres in Toronto and Los Angeles. The Second City Theatre o ...
– (1982)
*The Adventures of Sinbad – Children's Theater of
The Second City
The Second City is an improvisational comedy enterprise and is the oldest ongoing improvisational theater troupe to be continually based in Chicago, with training programs and live theatres in Toronto and Los Angeles. The Second City Theatre o ...
– (1983)
*Knat Scatt Private Eye (children's version) – Children's Theater of
The Second City
The Second City is an improvisational comedy enterprise and is the oldest ongoing improvisational theater troupe to be continually based in Chicago, with training programs and live theatres in Toronto and Los Angeles. The Second City Theatre o ...
– (1984)
*Monkey Kings and Other Things – Children's Theater of
The Second City
The Second City is an improvisational comedy enterprise and is the oldest ongoing improvisational theater troupe to be continually based in Chicago, with training programs and live theatres in Toronto and Los Angeles. The Second City Theatre o ...
– (1986)
*Mississippi Mark and his Crazy Caliope Company – Children's Theater of
The Second City
The Second City is an improvisational comedy enterprise and is the oldest ongoing improvisational theater troupe to be continually based in Chicago, with training programs and live theatres in Toronto and Los Angeles. The Second City Theatre o ...
– (1987)
*The Fast Paced Comedy of the King some Clowns and a Couple of Bad Guys – Children's Theater of
The Second City
The Second City is an improvisational comedy enterprise and is the oldest ongoing improvisational theater troupe to be continually based in Chicago, with training programs and live theatres in Toronto and Los Angeles. The Second City Theatre o ...
– (1988)
*Dr. Stagemaster's Amazing Imagination Machine – Candlelight Dinner Theater – (1989)
*Fantastic Fantasy Factory – Candlelight Dinner Theater – (1990)
*MenuMania – Candlelight Dinner Theater – (1992–93)
Plays and musicals
*And So They Fell – Performer's Arena – (1981)
*A Dozen Idiots (co-writer) – Performer's Arena – (1981)
*
Knat Scatt Private Eye –
Theatre Building Chicago/
Players Workshop
Created in 1971 by Josephine Forsberg, The Players Workshop was Chicago's only official school of improvisation for over a decade. Although it was never officially a part of The Second City cabaret theater, The Players Workshop was often referred ...
/Avalon Theater Company – (1986)
*A Tribute to Vincent van Gogh by the Impressionists' Circle – Performer's Arena – (1988)
*Time Machine –
Theatre Building Chicago/New Tuners – (1994)
*Cannibal –
Theatre Building Chicago/Writer's Bloc New Play Festival – (1995)
Director
*
The Bacchae
''The Bacchae'' (; grc-gre, Βάκχαι, ''Bakchai''; also known as ''The Bacchantes'' ) is an ancient Greek tragedy, written by the Athenian playwright Euripides during his final years in Macedonia, at the court of Archelaus I of Macedon. ...
(by Euripides – Performer's Arena – (1981)
*
The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth Beorhthelm's Son (by
JRR Tolkien) – Performer's Arena – (1981)
*''
Rhinocéros'' (by
Eugène Ionesco) – Performer's Arena – (1982)
*
A Thousand Clowns – Performer's Arena – 1983
*
The Man in the Glass Booth
''The Man in the Glass Booth'' is a 1975 American drama film directed by Arthur Hiller. The film was produced and released as part of the American Film Theatre, which adapted theatrical works for a subscription cinema series. The screenplay was a ...
(by
Robert Shaw – Performer's Arena – (1984)
*Marat Sade (by
Peter Weiss
Peter Ulrich Weiss (8 November 1916 – 10 May 1982) was a German writer, painter, graphic artist, and experimental filmmaker of adopted Swedish nationality. He is particularly known for his plays ''Marat/Sade'' and ''The Investigation'' and hi ...
) – Performer's Arena – (1984)
*
What the Butler Saw (by
Joe Orton) – Performer's Arena – (1985)
*Sketch Comedy Revues/Grad Shows –
The Players Workshop
Created in 1971 by Josephine Forsberg, The Players Workshop was Chicago's only official school of improvisation for over a decade. Although it was never officially a part of The Second City cabaret theater, The Players Workshop was often referred ...
performed on
The Second City
The Second City is an improvisational comedy enterprise and is the oldest ongoing improvisational theater troupe to be continually based in Chicago, with training programs and live theatres in Toronto and Los Angeles. The Second City Theatre o ...
stage – (1983–1992)
*
Fright Fest Fright Fest or FrightFest may refer to:
*Six Flags Fright Fest, a Halloween event at Six Flags parks.
* FrightFest (film festival), a British film festival, also known as Film4 Fright Fest.
*"FrightFest", a Halloween event at the Elitch Gardens Th ...
– (1991–1996),
Six Flags Great America
Six Flags Great America is a amusement park located in Gurnee, Illinois, within the northern Chicago metropolitan area. The amusement park originally opened as Marriott's Great America on May 29, 1976, as one of two theme parks built by the ...
, JPM Productions, Inc.
*
Bristol Renaissance Faire – (1990–1997)
*Comedy Revues at the
Second City Training Center
The Second City Training Center was founded in the mid-1980s to facilitate the growing demand for workshops and instruction from the world famous The Second City theatre. Training Centers are located in Chicago, Toronto and Los Angeles. Satelli ...
Chicago –
The Second City
The Second City is an improvisational comedy enterprise and is the oldest ongoing improvisational theater troupe to be continually based in Chicago, with training programs and live theatres in Toronto and Los Angeles. The Second City Theatre o ...
– (1987–1992)
*Comedy Revues at the
Second City Training Center
The Second City Training Center was founded in the mid-1980s to facilitate the growing demand for workshops and instruction from the world famous The Second City theatre. Training Centers are located in Chicago, Toronto and Los Angeles. Satelli ...
Los Angeles – The Improv – (1999–2003)
References
External links
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Forsberg, Eric
1966 births
Living people
Writers from Chicago
American male screenwriters
American film directors
20th-century American dramatists and playwrights
Renaissance fair performers
American male dramatists and playwrights
Screenwriters from Illinois
20th-century American male writers