Steven-Charles Jaffe (born 1951) is an American film producer, director, and screenwriter known for his work on such films as Motel Hell (1980), Near Dark (1987), Strange Days (1995), and the Best Picture-nominated romantic fantasy film Ghost. He is a long-time friend and collaborator of directors Nicholas Meyer and Kathryn Bigelow, and has worked with them on films like Time After Time (1979), Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991), and K-19: The Widowmaker (2002). He is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Life and career Jaffe was born and raised in New York state, the son of Herb Jaffe, a successful literary agent. At an early age, he wanted to be a novelist, and later an architect. His father entered the film industry while Jaffe was in high school, and became an executive at United Artists after selling his agency to ICM Partners.
While attending the University of Southern California to study linguistics, Jaffe developed an interest foreign films from directors like François Truffaut, Akira Kurosawa, and Michelangelo Antonioni. His first job in the industry came when he was involved in the making of a behind-the-scenes documentary of the1972 drama film Fat City through producer Ray Stark, who had established a scholarship at USC in his son's name. Stark proposed a promotional film that would intersperse behind-the-scenes footage with footage of real boxers on whom the film was based. Jaffe worked closely with director John Huston during production.
On the verge of being drafted with only one semester of school left, Jaffe flew to Amsterdam where he stayed for a year. While there, he served as an assistant director on the film Lifespan and as a personal assistant to its director Alexander Whitelaw. His father, upon leaving his position at United Artists, convinced Jaffe to join him in Spain for the film The Wind and the Lion after an initial refusal to avoid accusation of nepotism.
Jaffe was an associate producer on the 1977 horror film Demon Seed. In 1980, he co-wrote and co-produced Motel Hell with Robert Jaffe.
Jaffe formed long-term collaborative partnerships with directors Nicholas Meyer and Kathryn Bigelow, serving as a second unit director and producer on Time After Time, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, and Strange Days. He was an executive producer on the 1990 film Ghost, which won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and was nominated for Best Picture.
In 2008, he formed the independent production company Helix Films with producers Gaukhar Noortas and Kevin Foo. He wrote, produced, and directed Gahan Wilson: Born Dead, Still Weird, a documentary based on the life of the eponymous cartoonist.
Filmography Year TitleProducerDirectorWriter1980Motel HellThose Lips, Those Eyes 1983Scarab1987Near Dark1989The Fly II1991Company BusinessStar Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country1995Strange Days2008It Was a Dark and Silly Night2013Gahan Wilson: Born Dead, Still Weird
Executive producer Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins (1985) Plain Clothes (1988) Ghost (1990) The Informant (1997) The Weight of Water (2000)
Second unit director Time After Time (1979) The Day After (1983) Flesh and Blood (1985) Ghost (1990) Company Business (1991) Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991) Strange Days (1995)
Associate producer Demon Seed (1977) Time After Time (1979)
Other credits Year Title Role1975The Wind and the LionAssistant to producer1978Who'll Stop the RainLocation manager2002K-19: The WidowmakerCo-producer
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