Born in Los Angeles, CA. Talented director whose best films examine the relationship between man and nature in spectacular visual terms. A graduate of the UCLA Film School (and a classmate of Francis Ford Coppola), Ballard first gained notice for the documentaries he made for the U.S. Information Agency, BEYOND THIS WINTER'S WHEAT (1965) and HARVEST (1966), which was nominated for an Oscar . More documentaries followed -- THE PERILS OF PRISCILLA (1969), about a lost cat told from its point of view, and RODEO (1970), about bull rider Larry Mahan -- before UCLA classmate Francis Ford Coppola offered him the job of directing THE BLACK STALLION (1979). Ballard turned this adaptation of the Walter Farley novel into a moving and almost dreamlike visual experience. His next project was NEVER CRY WOLF (1983), based on Farley Mowat's experiences studying wolves in the Arctic, starring Charles Martin Smith. Since then, he has directed NUTCRACKER, THE MOTION PICTURE (1986) and WIND (1992), in which characters and story paled next to the awesome sailing sequences, FLY AWAY HOME (1996), DUMA (2005), and COLTER'S RUN (2008). Pauline Kael wrote, "The visual imagination Ballard brings to the natural landscape is so intense that his imagery makes you feel like a pagan -- as if you were touching when you're only looking."  Nominated for Documentary (Features) 1967: HARVEST - Producer 1 nomination