Raised in Detroit, Michigan

Made film debut as an assistant director on "Hi, Mom!"

Feature co-directorial debut (with Brian De Palma and Robert Fiore), "Dionysus in 69"

Worked as an assistant film editor at NBC

Stayed at a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Nepal; told to leave after three months when the government suspected he was an CIA operative

Worked as an associate curator and head of the film department at the Whitney Museum in New York City

Wrote industrial film scripts in the Midwest

Wrote the screenplay, "The George Dunlap Tape"

Sold "The George Dunlap Tape" to Douglas Trumbull who re-worked it into the film "Brainstorm"

First story credit, "Brainstorm"

First screenplay credit, "Deadly Friend"

Penned the screenplay for Adrian Lyne's "Jacob's Ladder"

Received acclaim for his screenplay, "Ghost"

Wrote the screenplay for "Deceived" (credited as Derek Saunders)

Made directorial debut with "My Life"; also wrote the screenplay and produced

Penned the sci-fi feature, "Deep Impact"

Received a writing credit for the film, "Stuart Little 2"

Credited as a writer on the film, "The Last Mimzy"

Contributed re-writes for the screenplay adaptation of "The Time Traveler's Wife"