At NYU film school, Alan’s first short film, BRIEFLY…BRIAN, was awarded best student film of the year, screened at New York’s MUSEUM OF MODERN ART, and telecast on PBS, which helped him finance a second short, MEETING HALFWAY, later picked up by SHOWTIME.
WARNER BROS. liked what they saw and awarded him a summertime apprenticeship at the studio under director KEN RUSSELL on PADDY CHAYEFSKY’S ALTERED STATES.
Soon thereafter, the studio signed Alan to write STONYBROOK with producer TONY BILL, launching his career. He then wrote & directed a story about an aging Detroit Tigers slugger, TIGER TOWN for DISNEY starring ROY SCHEIDER. Later that year, TIGER TOWN went on to win the cable ACE award for best dramatic film and, coincidentally, the Detroit Tigers won the World Series.
After producing Disney’s THE BLUE YONDER starring PETER COYOTE and ART CARNEY, Alan penned the teleplay for NBC’s CROSSING THE MOB with JASON BATEMAN and MAURA TIERNEY, then wrote and directed DISNEY’s THE CHRISTMAS STAR starring ED ASNER, FRED GWYNNE and RENE AUBERJNOIS.
Soon thereafter Alan’s work caught the eye of director FRANCIS COPPOLA, who produced his writing & directing on 20th CENTURY FOX’s pilot of author S.E. HINTON’s beloved novel, THE OUTSIDERS. His pilot episode garnered the highest overnight ratings in Fox’s history at the time.
Alan wrote and directed the WARNER BROS. feature THE CRUSH, which marked the film debut of his young discovery, ALICIA SILVERSTONE. Then wrote and directed the UNIVERSAL PICTURES feature FLIPPER starring ELIJAH WOOD, PAUL HOGAN, ISAAC HAYES, and JONATHAN BANKS.
Alan has taught at USC SCHOOL OF CINEMATIC ARTS and is an active member of the WGA and DGA.