Kieth Merrill is a writer, producer and director of motion pictures. He is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and Director’s Guild of America. He is a two-time Oscar Nominee and winner of an Academy Award for his film, The Great American Cowboy. His films have received numerous festival honors and other awards including an Emmy nomination.
Members of the LDS Church are familiar with Merrill’s work because ofthe films he created for the Legacy Theater on Temple Square in Salt Lake City. LEGACY and THE TESTAMENTS. Merrill also directed Mr. Krueger’s Christmas, a church classic familiar to many.
“There is no such thing as retirement for moviemakers,” Merrill says and remains active in writing, producing and directing films. Merrill is the chief creative officer and co-founder of Audience Alliance Motion Picture Studios, a film company dedicated to the production of highly entertaining films in all genre that embrace virtues and values.
Merrill wrote and directed the Sacramento Temple Youth Celebration. The production involved 5000 youth from 81 stakes.
Merrill is a graduate of Brigham Young University and the former president of BYU Alumni Association .He is a recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award from Brigham Young University.
Merrill served as a missionary in Denmark. He describes himself as,“A country boy from the farmlands of Utah lucky enough to marry a sophisticated, city-slicker, California dream-girl and BYU Sweetheart, Dagny.” Kieth and Dagny have been married 46 years and reside in the Sierra Foothills of Northern California. They have 8 children and 33 grandchildren.
Here are links to Kieth Merrill on line Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kieth_Merrill
IMDb https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0581303/
Blog https://kiethsworld.blogspot.com/
Filmography ___
Writer / Producer / Director
Films by Kieth Merrill
Olympic Glory Director Amazon Co-Writer/Director/Producer ** Passion for Life
Director/Co-Producer Ozarks – Legacy and Legends Director/Co-Producer/Writer Zion Canyon – Treasure of the Gods Director/Producer/Writer Yellowstone Director/Co-Producer/Writer Polynesian Odyssey
Director/Co-producer/Co-writer Alamo – The Price of Freedom Director/Producer/Co-writer Niagara – Miracles, Myths and Magic Director/Co-producer/Co-writer Grand Canyon – The Hidden Secrets Director/Co-Producer/Writer
Testaments
Writer/Director Witness Director/Producer/Writer Legacy Writer/Director/Co-producer San Francisco, The Movie
Director/Producer/Writer
12 Dogs of Christmas Windwalker Director/Producer/Co-writer Harry’s War Director/Producer/Writer Take Down Director/Producer/Co-writer Three Warriors Director/Co-writer Rivals Writer
DEVELOPMENT AND PRE-PRODUCTION Fabulous Five – The Lost Battalion
Writer/Director/Producer Train to Potevka
Writer/Director/Producer Christmas Jars Writer/Director/Producer Drive Wild Run Hard
Writer/Executive Producer
Wild West – The Mini Series Director/Co-Producer On The Way Home Director/Co-writer Cherokee Trail Director/Co-writer Mr. Krueger’s Christmas Director Kenny Rogers and the Cowboys Director film unit
The Great American Cowboy Director/Producer/Co-writer * Wheels of Fire Director/Co-Producer Indian Director/Co-Producer/Writer Matter of Winning Director/Co-writer
In addition to the productions listed, Mr. Merrill has written, produced and directed over twenty five documentary, commercial, and short for clients including the United States Information Agency, Kaiser Steel, RJ Reynolds Co. National Bankamericard, Readers Digest Inc. and others. Merrill has also produced an impressive list of TV Commercials, including “Service on the Run”, winner of the Cleo. LIVE THEATER “It Came To Pass” – Oakland Temple Pageant “More Precious Than Gold” – Sacramento Temple Youth Celebration
The films of Kieth Merrill have won many honors, awards, and international citations. A partial list follows:
Academy award nomination: Best Short Film, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Winner’s circle-LaGeode International IMAX-format film festival.
Academy award, “Oscar”, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Western Heritage Wrangler Award Silver Phoenix: Atlanta International Film Festival
Western Heritage Wrangler Award National Cowboy Hall of Fame.
International IMAX film festival. 1st Place
Jury Award, Best Director – Yubari Fantastic Festival, Japan ’91 Premio Aj La Mejor Festival de Cine Ecologico/Canary Islands Best Director: American Indian Film Festival Award of Excellence: Film Advisory Board Golden Halo Award: Southern California Motion Picture Council
Wild West – Ten Hour Mini Series – Warner TV
Emmy Nomination Television Academy
Documentaries, shorts and other films:
Gold Medal: Venice International Film Festival Bronze Venus Medallion: Virgin Island Film Festival CINE Golden Eagle: (Four-time winner (1975-77) Cup of the city of LaBaule France: Cidalc International Film Festival First Prize documentary: Festival of Tech films, Budapest, Hungary Wrangler Award (Three times) The Chris Award: Columbus Film Festival Silver Medal: International Film and TV Festival of New York
Cleo Award – “Service on the Run” Best Public Service 1992
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