Steven Spielberg uniform bearing the rank of a Life Scout. Spielberg stated he made Indiana Jones a Boy Scout in honor of his experience in Scouting. For his career accomplishments, service to others, and dedication to a new merit badge Spielberg was awarded the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. Steven Spielberg received the AFI Life Achievement Award in 1995. In 1998, he was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit with Ribbon of the Federal Republic of Germany. The Award was presented to him by President Roman Herzog in recognition of his film "Schindler's List" and his Shoa-Foundation. In 1999, Spielberg received an honorary
Steven Spielberg yes, and I got an idea to do a Western. I made it and got my merit badge. That was how it all started." At age 13, while living in Phoenix, Spielberg won a prize for a 40-minute war film he titled "Escape to Nowhere"… using a cast composed of other high school friends. That motivated him to make 15 more amateur 8 mm films. In 1963, at age 16, Spielberg wrote and directed his first independent film, a 140-minute science fiction adventure called "Firelight", which would later inspire "Close Encounters". The film was made for $500, most of which