Donal Lardner Ward launched his professional career with an acting role in Whit Stillman’s 1990 breakout indie, “METROPOLITAN,” and then went on to co-write, co-produce, co-direct and co-star in 1994 indie hit, “MY LIFE’S IN TURNAROUND,” with Eric Schaffer, Martha Plimpton, Phoebe Cates and John Sayles. Donal also co-wrote, co-produced and co-starred with Schaeffer in the 1996 Fox prime time series, “TOO SOMETHING.” He also co-wrote, directed and starred in 1999 Sundance premiere, “THE SUBURBANS,” with Jennifer Love Hewitt, Amy Brenneman, Craig Bierko, Bridgette Wilson, Will Ferrell and Ben and Jerry Stiller. In April, 2011 IFC Films released “THEY’RE OUT OF THE BUSINESS,” which he co-wrote, co-produced, co-directed, and co-starred in. Recent projects include the screenplays, “THE FARM,” for Phillip Seymour Hoffman; and “BOTTOMLESS BELLY BUTTON,” and “WITH OR WITHOUT YOU,” (which he is prepping to direct) for Ben Stiller’s Red Hour Films; and the HBO series, “HOW TO MAKE IT IN AMERICA.” Donal has been employed as a screen or television writer by Sony Pictures, Warner Brothers, New Line Cinema, Universal, Paramount, Fox, IFC, and HBO, as well as various independent producers.
We Only Know So Much
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Film
Writer
They're Out of the Business
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Film
(Comedy)
Actor/Co-director/Co-writer/Producer A decade and a half after their seminal indie film launched meteoric filmmaking careers, Splick and Jason find themselves staring at their own individual, pre-midlife crises. Having not spoken to one another since a late-nineties falling out, they're each grappling with the challenges of stalled careers and relationships, as the hands of time creep ominously past forty-o'clock. Splick's most recent TV show, centered around his character's perverse relationship with dessert foods, is unceremoniously cancelled by the network, forcing a return to his childhood bedroom at his mother's apartment in New York. Frustrated by a barrage of comments about the "good," "funny," movies he used to make with his old partner, Jason, Splick determines to seek him out and attempt a reunion. Written by Anonymous
Reel Paradise
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Film
(Documentary)
Miscellaneous Crew June, 2003. During the final month of their year-long stay in Fiji, indie-film gurus John and Janet Pierson and their two children host a documentary film crew. John's been showing free movies at the 288-seat 180 Meridian Cinema, in remote Natokalan Village on the island of Taveuni. Reality intrudes in paradise: their home is burgled, the local Catholic priest criticizes John's project, their daughter's behavior may be threatening the reputation of her friend, and John's prickly personality follows him. Against this backdrop, the Fijians laugh at the Three Stooges, Buster Keaton, and "Jackass: The Movie." John finishes the year with ten movies in ten days: do movies matter? Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com>
Looking for Jimmy
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Film
Actor Add a Plot »
Comic Book Villains
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Video
(Comedy)
Actor Told from the point of view from Archie, a comic book collector, this is the story of a rivalry between two comic book shop owners. One does it for the love of comics, while the other shop, run by a husband-and-wife team are in it strictly for the money. The situation brews to a head when a sneak collector, Conan discovers a large collection of perfectly-preserved classic comics, leading the two shops to vie to acquire them, along with a "villain" who hopes to steal them first. Written by Ryan McIntosh
The Royal Tenenbaums
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Film
by Wes Anderson (Comedy and Drama)
Actor Three grown prodigies, all with a unique genius of some kind, and their mother are staying at the family household. Their father, Royal had left them long ago, and comes back to make things right with his family. Written by MonkeyKingMA
The Suburbans
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Film
by Donal Lardner Ward (Comedy and Drama)
Actor/Director/Co-writer An 80's one-hit wonder band named The Suburbans reform for a special performance at one of the ex-member's wedding. At the wedding, a young record company talent scout happens to be in the audience and decides to give the now 40-ish performers a comeback push. The film attempts to take a satirical look at the music business of the 90's and compare it to the simpler 80's scene. Written by John Sacksteder <jsackste@bellsouth.net>
Split Screen
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Television
Writer Split Screen is an irreverent, sly, magazine format show which looks at the tremendous diversity within the world of independent filmmaking in the United States. Created, written and hosted by long-time producer/talent scout John Pierson, this half hour television series breaks through all the highbrow stuff to illustrate why independent moviemaking is so much fun. Pierson travels all over the country with noted actors and filmmakers, many of whom he helped discover. On Split Screen you will see: -Producer/Director/Actor Kevin Smith Uncensored-a rare in depth interview AND as a guest host of Split Screen -Cooking with actor Christopher Walken -Actors Matt Damon and Edward Norton using their film experience at the "World Series of Poker" -The man behind the original "Godzilla" monster -An archaeological dig to uncover filmmaker Cecil B Demille's buried movie set in the Los Angeles desert -A young filmmaker crashing his car in order to financing his film with the insurance money. -The ... Written by Anonymous
New York Daze
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Television
(Comedy)
Actor/Co-creator/Producer/Writer Eric, a writer that hardly ever writes, and Donny, a photographer that refuses to show his work in public, struggle with things like steady jobs and promotions that will ultimately interrupt with their dreams of being a writer and a photographer. Written by Danny Paikov <deepee@netvision.net.il>
My Life's in Turnaround
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Film
(Comedy, Drama and Romance)
Actor/Co-director/Co-writer/Producer Two Manhattan slacker dudes, best friends, want to make a movie about their lives. Splick drives a hack, Jason tends bar; each has a stuttering relationship with a down-to-earth woman. But neither has a clue how to make a movie. A friend in the industry sets up meetings for them with producers, which they blow. Things look up when Phoebe Cates and Martha Plimpton agree to star, but then they leave the city for other projects. Splick and Jason argue. Things look bleak. Will they repair their friendship? Will they reconnect to their lovers? Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com>
Metropolitan
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Film
(Comedy, Drama and Romance)
Actor In an apartment on Manhattan a couple of friends from the New York upper-class meet almost every night to talk about social mobility, play bridge and discuss Fourier's socialism; the cynic Nick, the philosophical Charlie, party girl Sally and austenite Audrey. They are joined by Tom. His background is much simpler and he is critical of their way of life. But he finds a soul mate in Audrey, who without his knowledge falls in love with him. Written by Mattias Thuresson
How to Make It in America
TV Series
Writer