Chris Paine
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Radio: Bio of Chris Paine
July 23, 2006
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Chris Paine is the director of "Who Killed the Electric Car?" He drove a GM EV1 electric car from 1998-2003. After GM confiscated his EV1, he bought a Toyota RAV4 EV—which were briefly available for sale. He still drives it.
"Who Killed the Electric Car?" is Paine's first feature documentary as director. Previously he was an executive producer on "Faster," about MotoGP, the world's fastest motorcycle race (with narration by Ewan McGregor), and Mark Neale's "William Gibson: No Maps for These Territories" (featuring Bono). "No Maps" was named best documentary by the Los Angeles New Times in 2001. Chris has directed segments for the MTV/Initial television series "BUZZ" as well as the personal documentary "Return to the Philippines." He assisted writer/producer Michael Tolkin on the feature films starting with Robert Altman’s "The Player" (1992), and "The New Age" (1994) and "The Rapture" (1991). He has also produced short subjects including "Mailman," which premiered at the 1995 Sundance Festival. His improvisation experience included two seasons with the Los Angeles performance group "Theatersports".
Before becoming a full-time filmmaker, Paine founded Internet Outfitters which became AppNet/Commerce One in 1999, one of the early players in California's internet boom. The firm created marketing and customized software services for corporate customers and nonprofits. He merged the firm to AppNet, Inc. as part of an IPO in 1999. Paine served as president of AppNet's operation in southern California until the firm merged with Commerce One in 2000. Paine also co-founded the robotics developer Mondo-tronics in San Rafael with Roger Gilbertson. Mondo-tronics provided its nickel titanium "muscle wire" to NASA's Mars Pathfinder mission.
On the activist front, Paine worked on the Nuclear Freeze and the Nevada Nuclear Test Site actions in the 1980s as well as protests at the Concord Naval Weapons Yard during the U.S.-backed contra war in Nicauragua. He also shot footage for the California Coastal Commission to fight a proposed freeway bypass around Devils' Slide. Currently, Paine supports the work of the Rainforest Action Network, Conservation International, and the Amazon Conservation Team.
Year-End Roundup with Robert Dreyfuss, James Ridgeway, Julia Whitty, and Others
Robert Dreyfuss, Mother Jones correspondent
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