Average ROI: -54%
ROI Rank: 901
 
Well, Charlie Kaufman may not be in the top 10%, but at least he’s not in the bottom 10% either. And hey, being on the B-List is still better than being on the C-List or the D-List…or the Z-List if that even exists.
 

Charlie Kaufman is an American screenwriter, producer, and director known for his unconventional and surreal approach to storytelling. He was born on November 19, 1958, in New York City. Kaufman began his career as a television writer before transitioning to film. He gained critical acclaim for his screenplays for Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. In 2008, he made his directorial debut with Synecdoche, New York. Kaufman’s work often explores themes of identity, memory, and the human condition. He has been nominated for four Academy Awards and has won numerous other awards for his contributions to the film industry.
 

November 19, 1958.
 

Charlie Kaufman was born in New York City, New York.
 

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Average ROI: 412%
ROI Rank: 98
 
Well, Chris Renaud may be ranked 98th in the Fresh Kernels Database, but at least they’re not on the Z-List with the likes of Tommy Wiseau. And hey, a 98th percentile ranking means they’re doing better than 95% of the other directors in the database. Not too shabby for an F-Lister!
 

Chris Renaud is an American film director, animator, and voice actor. He is best known for co-directing the Despicable Me franchise and The Secret Life of Pets. Renaud has also worked on several other animated films, including The Lorax and Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who!. He has received numerous awards for his work in animation, including an Annie Award for Best Directing in a Feature Production. Renaud continues to work in the animation industry and is currently directing the upcoming film, Sing 2.
 

February 4, 1966
 

Chris Renaud was born in Baltimore, Maryland.
 

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Average ROI: -32%
ROI Rank: 845
 
Well, Christopher Guest may not be in the top 10%, but at least he’s still on the A-List of directors. And hey, 845 out of nearly 2,000 isn’t too shabby – that’s like being in the top 43%!
 

Christopher Guest is a British-American actor, comedian, writer, and director. He is best known for his mockumentary films, including “This Is Spinal Tap,” “Waiting for Guffman,” “Best in Show,” and “A Mighty Wind.” Guest has also appeared in numerous films and television shows, including “Saturday Night Live” and “The Princess Bride.” He has been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song and has won a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album.
 

February 5, 1948.
 

Christopher Guest was born in New York City, New York.
 

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Average ROI: -98%
ROI Rank: 1,028
 
Well, Claude Lanzmann may not be at the top of the Fresh Kernels Database in terms of ROI, but hey, at least they’re not at the bottom! They’re in the top 50%, which is better than being in the bottom 50%…or being on the F-List, for that matter.
 

Claude Lanzmann (1925-2018) was a French filmmaker and journalist best known for his documentary film “Shoah” (1985), which chronicles the Holocaust through interviews with survivors, witnesses, and perpetrators. Lanzmann also directed several other documentaries, including “Sobibor, October 14, 1943, 4 p.m.” (2001) and “The Last of the Unjust” (2013). He was awarded numerous honors for his work, including the Legion of Honor and the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. Lanzmann passed away in July 2018 at the age of 92.
 

November 27, 1925.
 

Claude Lanzmann was born in Bois-Colombes, France.
 

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Average ROI: NA
ROI Rank: NA
 
Well, let’s just say Costa-Gavras is so far down the list that he’s practically in the negatives. His ROI percentage is probably lower than the chance of finding a needle in a haystack. Sorry, Costa-Gavras, looks like you’re stuck on the F-List for now.
 

Costa-Gavras is a Greek-French film director and producer known for his politically charged films. He was born on February 12, 1933, in Loutra-Iraias, Greece. He began his career as a film director in France in the 1960s and gained international recognition for his films Z (1969) and Missing (1982), both of which won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Costa-Gavras has directed over 20 films throughout his career, many of which deal with political and social issues. He is considered one of the most influential filmmakers of the 20th century.
 

February 12, 1933.
 

Director Costa-Gavras was born in Loutra-Iraias, Greece.
 

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Average ROI: 587%
ROI Rank: 44
 
Well, Damien Chazelle may be on the B-List, but with a 44th place ranking and an average ROI of 400%, he’s definitely A-List in our hearts (and wallets)!
 

Damien Chazelle is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He was born on January 19, 1985, in Providence, Rhode Island. Chazelle is best known for his work on the critically acclaimed films Whiplash and La La Land, both of which earned him Academy Award nominations. He also directed the Neil Armstrong biopic First Man. Chazelle began his career as a filmmaker while studying at Harvard University, where he made his first feature film, Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench. He has since become one of the most promising young directors in Hollywood.
 

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Damien Chazelle was born in Providence, Rhode Island.
 

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Average ROI: NA
ROI Rank: NA
 
Well, let’s just say Daniel Burman’s ROI ranking is so low, it’s like trying to find a needle in a haystack…if the haystack was made up of 1,999 other directors. And with a status of F-List, it looks like he’s not even trying to find that needle. Sorry, Daniel.
 

Daniel Burman is an Argentine film director, screenwriter, and producer. He was born on August 29, 1973, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Burman is known for his films that explore Jewish identity and culture in Argentina. He has directed several critically acclaimed films, including “Lost Embrace,” “Family Law,” and “The Tenth Man.” Burman has won numerous awards for his work, including the Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival.
 

August 29, 1973.
 

Daniel Burman was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
 

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Average ROI: 288%
ROI Rank: 186
 
Well, Darren Aronofsky may be a B-List director, but he’s in the top 10% when it comes to ROI in the Fresh Kernels Database. I guess he’s not so ‘Black Swan’ after all!
 

Darren Aronofsky is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He was born on February 12, 1969, in Brooklyn, New York. Aronofsky attended Harvard University, where he studied film and social anthropology. He is known for directing films such as “Pi” (1998), “Requiem for a Dream” (2000), “The Fountain” (2006), “Black Swan” (2010), “Noah” (2014), and “Mother!” (2017). Aronofsky’s films often explore themes of obsession, addiction, and the human condition. He has been nominated for numerous awards, including an Academy Award for Best Director for “Black Swan.”
 

February 12, 1969.
 

Darren Aronofsky was born in Brooklyn, New York.
 

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Average ROI: NA
ROI Rank: NA
 
Well, David Leaf may not be at the top of the Fresh Kernels Database in terms of Average ROI, but at least he’s not a rotten tomato! And hey, being on the C-List isn’t so bad – it’s still better than being on the D-List, right? Let’s just say he’s in the top 50%…or maybe the top 75%…or…okay, we have no idea where he ranks, but we’re sure he’s doing just fine.
 

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June 15, 1960
 

David Leaf was born in New York City.
 

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Average ROI: 297%
ROI Rank: 179
 
Well, David Silverman may be on the F-List, but at least he’s in the top 10% of directors in terms of ROI. So, he’s like the cool kid in detention – still not great, but better than the rest.
 

David Silverman is an American animator and director, best known for his work on the long-running animated television series, The Simpsons. He has directed numerous episodes of the show and served as a supervising director for several seasons. In addition to his work on The Simpsons, Silverman has also directed the films Monsters, Inc. and The Simpsons Movie. He has won several awards for his work, including an Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program for The Simpsons.
 

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David Silverman was born in New York City, USA.
 

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