Kirk R. Thatcher (born February 14, 1962)[citation needed] is an American writer, producer, television and film director, an Internet video director, and a production designer.[1][2]
Thatcher began his career at eighteen, leaving UCLA Film School to work at George Lucas' special effects facility, Industrial Light and Magic (ILM). Thatcher was the production designer on David Fincher's first music videos and spent over a year creating the look for a number of Rick Springfield and The Motels videos.[3] Subsequently, Thatcher was hired by Leonard Nimoy to associate produce Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. In the film, he also portrayed a punk rock fan whom Kirk and Spock encounter loudly playing the song "I Hate You" on a boombox on a public bus. Spock incapacitates the punk using the Vulcan nerve pinch, to the delight of the other passengers. Thatcher wrote and performed the song, recording it with sound designer Mark Mangini.[4] Thatcher earns no additional money for the non-speaking role of "Punk" but does receive "like 8-cent residuals" for the song.[5]
Kirk Thatcher has also directed The Muppets' "Bohemian Rhapsody", which won the "Viral Video" category in the 14th Annual Webby Awards.[15] He has also directed 2015 Muppet Music videos "Jungle Boogie" and "Kodachrome."
^As he mentioned in a recent interview, he was once a competitive power lifter in high school and college, where known for his ability to lift cars. He has also learned to play the ukulele, which he can be seen holding in numerous interviews for Turkey Hollow. Plume, Kenneth (February 10, 2000). "Interview with Kirk Thatcher (Part 1 of 2)". IGN. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
