Gary Fleder made a smooth transition first from student films to television and then to features. His student short "Terminal Round", a 8-minute look into boxing, appeared at the Mill Valley (California) Film Festival in 1988 and his USC thesis project "Air Time" (1991) opened eyes to his talent at the 1992 Sundance Festival. A 48-minute thriller written by pal Scott Rosenberg, "Air Time" related the story of an ex-con threatening a late-night radio-talk-show psychologist. He returned to the world of boxing when he helmed "Animal Instinct" (1992), a 30-minute documentary detailing three years
Directorial debut, "Terminal Round", 8-minute short shown at Mill Valley (CA) Film Festival
Worked as commercial director in both Chicago and Minneapolis
1992
Short film "Air Time" debuted at Sundance Festival; first collaboration with writer Scott Rosenberg
1992
TV directing debut, the "Seance" episode of HBO's "Tales From the Crypt"; written by Scott Rosenberg
1992
Returned to boxing (subject of "Terminal Round"), directing "Animal Instinct", a 30-minute documentary about Brooklyn boxer Philip Paolina (shown at 1993 Sundance Festival)
