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  • Biography
IMDbPro

Nelson Cabrera(I)

  • Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
  • Production Department
  • Visual Effects
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Nelson Cabrera was raised in New Jersey and found the filmmaking bug at the early age of 12. He started his career in New York City as an assistant editor while attending the SVA and later at NYU for filmmaking. Cabrera emerged onto the production scene as a 1st Assistant Director working alongside notable directors such as Rocky Morton, Noam Murro, Frank Todaro, Erich Joiner, Leslie Dektor, Michael Bay, Tony Kaye, Ridly Scott, Bob Giraldi, Lance Accord and Bryan Singer. On the feature side he has titled some numerous motion pictures including episodic television as part of the production team. Cabrera made the jump to directing in the summer of 2005. Since then he has won numerous international awards including Silver and Bronze Cannes Lion, 2 Silver ANDYs and has worked with agencies like Crispin & Porter+Bogusky, Grey, BBDO, JWT, Merkley, Cole Weber, Zubi, La Comunidad to name a few. Alex Bougsky had this to say about Nelson, "We like his approach, which is to go to school on a project, find the right inspiration, formulate a solid plan and execute it in a pretty methodical way." (Shoot Mag March 07). He has been creating, designing, managing and shooting interactive work for the past 2 years. In 2010 Cabrera worked for Ford on an interactive campaign collaborating with agency the website, shooting 3 national spots CGI through the MILL NYC and viral videos for YouTube that have over 800,000 hits. Cabrera is one on a handful of US directors that successfully works in both the General and Hispanic markets. As a professional photographer he has several other projects in the works, including two books due out next year, a Photo Essay of the American Buckaroo and a Photo Essay titled "KING" on Elvis impersonators working and living in Las Vegas. In late 2011 Cabrera is in development of several TV shows for network television.

Awards: 2 Cannes Lions, 3 Silver ANDY Award, 2 Emmy Awards, Gold and Silver NY Film Festival, 2 Silver International Automotive Advertising Awards (IAAA), 2006 Mobius Award, Gold Cresta Award, a FAB Award and FIAP and 12 AHAA (Top National Hispanic Awards). 2004 New Director's Showcase for SHOOT Magazine, Shortlisted at Cannes by CFP-F/Shots for Young Directors Award. The Ford "True Love" spot was named one of Adweek's Best Spots of the 2005. 2 time Finalist at the London International Advertising Awards.
  • More at IMDbPro
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  • Known for

    Lock Up (1989)
    Lock Up
    6.4
    • Second Unit or Assistant Director
    • 1989
    Promo Poster
    Space Cowboys
    6.5
    • Visual Effects
    • 2000
    Mimi Rogers and Tom Berenger in Someone to Watch Over Me (1987)
    Someone to Watch Over Me
    6.1
    • Production Department
    • 1987
    Lean on Me (1989)
    Lean on Me
    7.4
    • Second Unit or Assistant Director
    • 1989

    Credits

    IMDbPro

    Second Unit or Assistant Director



    • Fame
      TV Movie
      • second unit director
      • 2004
    • High Sierra Search and Rescue (1995)
      High Sierra Search and Rescue
      7.7
      TV Series
      • first assistant director
      • 1995
    • Sylvester Stallone and Sharon Stone in The Specialist (1994)
      The Specialist
      5.6
      • second assistant director (uncredited)
      • 1994
    • Luke Perry in 8 Seconds (1994)
      8 Seconds
      6.7
      • second assistant director (uncredited)
      • 1994
    • Hulk Hogan, Robert Hy Gorman, and Madeline Zima in Mr. Nanny (1993)
      Mr. Nanny
      3.9
      • first assistant director
      • 1993
    • Kevin Spacey, Jonathan Banks, and Ken Wahl in Wiseguy (1987)
      Wiseguy
      7.8
      TV Series
      • second assistant director
      • 1990
    • Tales from the Crypt (1989)
      Tales from the Crypt
      8.0
      TV Series
      • assistant director
      • 1989–1990
    • Timothy Hutton, Nick Nolte, and Armand Assante in Q&A (1990)
      Q&A
      6.6
      • second second assistant director
      • 1990
    • Mickey Rourke in Johnny Handsome (1989)
      Johnny Handsome
      6.1
      • second second assistant director (uncredited)
      • 1989
    • Lock Up (1989)
      Lock Up
      6.4
      • second assistant director
      • second unit director
      • 1989
    • A Man Called Hawk (1989)
      A Man Called Hawk
      7.4
      TV Series
      • second assistant director
      • 1989
    • Lean on Me (1989)
      Lean on Me
      7.4
      • second second assistant director
      • 1989
    • Mickey Rourke and Debra Feuer in Homeboy (1988)
      Homeboy
      5.8
      • second second assistant director (uncredited)
      • 1988
    • Eddie Murphy in Coming to America (1988)
      Coming to America
      7.1
      • additional second assistant director (uncredited)
      • 1988
    • Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalley, Billy Barty, Warwick Davis, Kevin Pollak, Kate Greenfield, Ruth Greenfield, Jean Marsh, Rick Overton, and Pat Roach in Willow (1988)
      Willow
      7.2
      • second second assistant director (uncredited)
      • 1988

    Production Department



    • Amnesia (1994)
      Amnesia
      6.4
      • production coordinator
      • 1994
    • Mimi Rogers and Tom Berenger in Someone to Watch Over Me (1987)
      Someone to Watch Over Me
      6.1
      • production assistant
      • 1987
    • Daryl Hannah, Robert Redford, and Debra Winger in Legal Eagles (1986)
      Legal Eagles
      6.0
      • production assistant
      • 1986
    • Kane & Abel (1985)
      Kane & Abel
      7.8
      TV Mini Series
      • production assistant (1985)
      • 1985
    • Jackie Gleason and Art Carney in Izzy & Moe (1985)
      Izzy & Moe
      6.3
      TV Movie
      • production assistant
      • 1985
    • Debbie Allen, Lee Curreri, Cynthia Gibb, Erica Gimpel, Bill Hufsey, Carlo Imperato, Valerie Landsburg, and Gene Anthony Ray in Fame (1982)
      Fame
      7.1
      TV Series
      • production assistant (uncredited)
      • 1985
    • Turk 182 (1985)
      Turk 182
      6.0
      • production assistant
      • 1985
    • Richard Gere in The Cotton Club (1984)
      The Cotton Club
      6.6
      • production staff
      • 1984
    • Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas in Miami Vice (1984)
      Miami Vice
      7.6
      TV Series
      • production staff (uncredited)
      • 1984

    Visual Effects



    • Publicity Poster
      Pearl Harbor
      6.3
      • visual effects (uncredited)
      • 2001
    • Promo Poster
      Space Cowboys
      6.5
      • visual effects coordinator
      • 2000
    • Arnold Schwarzenegger in True Lies (1994)
      True Lies
      7.3
      • visual effects (uncredited)
      • 1994
    • Gérard Depardieu in 1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992)
      1492: Conquest of Paradise
      6.4
      • visual effects (uncredited)
      • 1992
    • Sean Connery, Harrison Ford, Denholm Elliott, Michael Byrne, Alison Doody, and John Rhys-Davies in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
      Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
      8.2
      • visual effects (uncredited)
      • 1989
    • Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn in *batteries not included (1987)
      *batteries not included
      6.6
      • visual effects coordinator (uncredited)
      • 1987

    Personal details

    • Official sites
      • Official Site
      • Official Site

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