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Akiva Schaffer

Highest Rated: 94% Palm Springs (2020)

Lowest Rated: 16% The Watch (2012)

Birthday: Dec 1, 1977

Birthplace: Berkeley, California, USA

Although writer/director Akiva Schaffer attended film school at the University of California, Santa Cruz, he actually began collaborating with his comedic partners during his adolescence in Berkeley. In junior high, Schaffer concocted live comedy skits with fellow yuksters Andy Samberg and Jorma Taccone. These skits soon expanded into comedy shorts and music video parodies, work that was strong enough to win them an invitation to write material for the 2005 MTV Movie Awards. Jimmy Fallon was that year's host and was so struck by the group's material that he alerted "Saturday Night Live" producer Lorne Michaels. In no time, Samberg became a cast member while Schaffer and Taccone joined the writing staff. Schaffer's creative control over his material is considerable, as he directs, co-writes, and edits the so-called "Digital Shorts," some of the most successful skits in recent "SNL" history. The 2005 short "Lazy Sunday," for instance, went on to score millions of hits on YouTube before its removal for copyright infringement. After the success of his short "SNL" material, Schaffer set his sights on feature films, directing the 2007 comedy "Hot Rod," which starred Samberg, Sissy Spacek, Bill Hader, Danny McBride, and Will Arnett. That same year, Schaffer won an Emmy for the "SNL Digital Short" "Dick in a Box" along with his collaborators Samberg, Taccone, and Justin Timberlake.

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Highest rated movies

94% 89% Palm Springs Watchlist 83% 87% Brigsby Bear Watchlist 81% 79% Chip 'n' Dale: Rescue Rangers Watchlist 79% 65% Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping Watchlist 73% 59% Self Reliance Watchlist
72% 63% Neighbors
Watchlist
47% 35% MacGruber
Watchlist
39% 64% Hot Rod Watchlist
16% 39% The Watch
Watchlist
42% 7 Splinters in Time Watchlist

Filmography

Movies

Credit
73% 59% Self Reliance Executive Producer - 2023
81% 79% Chip 'n' Dale: Rescue Rangers Director - 2022
94% 89% Palm Springs Producer - 2020
No Score Yet 42% 7 Splinters in Time McFly (Character) - 2018
83% 87% Brigsby Bear Producer $532.6K 2017
79% 65% Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping Lawrence (Character),
Director,
Screenwriter,
Producer
$9.4M 2016
72% 63% Neighbors Toga 2 (Character) $150.1M 2014
16% 39% The Watch Casual Wanker No. 3 (Character),
Director
$34.4M 2012
47% 35% MacGruber Executive Producer $8.5M 2010
No Score Yet 18% Extreme Movie Screenwriter - 2008
39% 64% Hot Rod Director $13.9M 2007

TV

Credit
97% 72% I Think You Should Leave With Tim Robinson Executive Producer,
Director
2021 2023
97% 87% PEN15 Executive Producer 2021
75% 84% I'm Sorry Executive Producer 2019
95% 88% Brooklyn Nine-Nine Brett Booth (Guest Star) 2018
No Score Yet 91% Comedy Bang! Bang! Guest 2016
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Talk Guest 2016
No Score Yet No Score Yet Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen Guest 2016
33% 50% Party Over Here Executive Producer 2016
No Score Yet 61% Late Night With Seth Meyers Guest 2016
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Wendy Williams Show Guest 2011 2013
No Score Yet 57% Saturday Night Live Unknown (Guest Star),
Executive Producer,
Writer
2006-2011 2013