The 2010 TIME 100

From time to time, there are people in the film industry who appear on the horizon with a unique vision. South African director Neill Blomkamp is one of those rare people. His amazing talent was apparent to me in his early commercials and short films, and it has gone on to exceed even my initial hopes.

Making the move into creating feature films is an impossible feat for almost any director, but Neill, 30, has proved himself the exception. His first feature, the improbable but utterly engaging alien-apartheid allegory District 9, has already brought him more acclaim than most filmmakers will ever achieve: a Golden Globe Award nomination, two BAFTA Award nominations and an Academy Award nod, among others. Neill's extraordinary talent is a force to be reckoned with, and I know that we all look forward to seeing what lies ahead for this game-changing filmmaker.

Scott is the director of films including Blade Runner and Robin Hood, coming in mid-May

TIME 100 Social-Networking Index: 1,113