Wayne Kramer, a South African-born filmmaker, graduated from the Johannesburg School for Art, Drama and Music before making his feature film debut in 2003 with "The Cooler". This romantic drama, set in Las Vegas, tells the story of a professional casino jinx, played by William H. Macy, and the cocktail waitress, Maria Bello, who changes his luck.
The film was selected for competition at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival and opened the 2003 Los Angeles Film Festival, earning numerous award nominations, including an Oscar nomination for Alec Baldwin's portrayal of an old-school casino boss. Baldwin also won the National Board of Review's Best Supporting Actor award, and the film received nominations for Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, and Online Film Critics awards for both Baldwin and Bello.
Kramer's screenplay for "The Cooler" earned him a 2004 Golden Satellite Award nomination and a 2004 Edgar Allan Poe nomination, along with Frank Hannah. The film also received a 2003 Special Mention For Excellence in Filmmaking from the National Board of Review.
Following the success of "The Cooler", Kramer directed "Running Scared", a gritty action thriller for New Line Cinema, starring Paul Walker as a New Jersey mob foot soldier on a harrowing night-long chase to recover a gun used to kill a dirty cop. The film, released in 2006, has since become a cult favorite among action fans.
Kramer's next project was "Crossing Over", an ensemble drama about illegal immigration in Los Angeles, which he wrote, produced, and directed alongside Frank Marshall. The film, released by The Weinstein Company in 2009, stars Harrison Ford, Ray Liotta, Jim Sturgess, Ashley Judd, Cliff Curtis, Alice Eve, and Alice Braga.
Most recently, Kramer directed the black comedy ensemble "Pawn Shop Chronicles", released by Anchor Bay in 2013, starring Paul Walker, Matt Dillon, Brendan Fraser, Elijah Wood, Thomas Jane, Vincent D'Onofrio, and Lukas Haas.
Kramer's upcoming project is the dystopian sci-fi love story "Ecstasia", based on his novel, with Scott Eastwood attached to star.
