Andrew Shapter

Andrew Shapter (born William Andrew Shapter - Fort Worth, Texas) is an American writer, filmmaker and photographer. As a boy, Andrew "Andy" Shapter dreamed that he would one day grow up to be a filmmaker: a dream that would take time to reach. At 12 years old, his father invited him on a business trip to London and encouraged Andrew to learn how to use a still camera. From that day on, Shapter worked hard to become an accomplished self-taught photographer. After moving to Austin Texas in 1986 and enrolling in college at Texas State University in San Marcos, he studied Political Science. He eventually found work in the U.S. Senate and National Wildlife Federation in Washington, D.C. Despite the excitement of working in the nation's capitol, Shapter was still drawn to the arts. After realizing that his true talents had nothing to do with what he learned in college, Shapter began to collect cameras and experiment with lighting. After graduating from college in 1992, Shapter quickly began career as a professional photographer specializing in music and fashion photography. As Shapter began to garner recognition from magazine editors and ad agencies in New York and abroad, his career gained momentum that lead to work in other markets including Barcelona, London and Los Angeles. After working non-stop for nearly 15 years in the photography market, Shapter felt it was time to turn his attention to his very first passion, filmmaking. His first effort, the critically acclaimed 2006 documentary "Before the Music Dies" (featuring Dave Matthews, Eric Clapton, Erykah Badu, Elvis Costello, Bonnie Raitt, Questlove and many other prominent musicians) was a hit with music fans worldwide. His follow-up film "Happiness Is" is an exploration of the truths and myths of "the pursuit of happiness" in America, opening across the U.S. in 2009.