Up late writing.

I have less than a week to go before my reading. Looking for stuff on the internets to distract from the butterflies.

This is funny. It’s subversive in a couple of ways, well done Ms. Skinner.

Oh, and I found this on Ta-Nahisi Coates’s blog – go read the comments – I love how some folk had no idea who Tyler Perry was…

-this is who he is in case you also don’t know-

This vid isn’t new, I actually posted it a while back on another incarnation of my site, but it’s good.

Watch it.

Here’s the blurb from TED:

Elizabeth Gilbert muses on the impossible things we expect from artists and geniuses — and shares the radical idea that, instead of the rare person “being” a genius, all of us “have” a genius. It’s a funny, personal and surprisingly moving talk.

The Sundance Institute along with the Writers Guild of America, West are sponsoring the reading with a dessert reception following.

Monday, December 5th at 7:30 pm
The 52nd Street Project
789 Tenth Avenue, New York, NY

RSVP required – email: sundancersvp@sundance.org – (seating is first come, first served)

I have nothing to add — just watched this vid, please.

The Hollywood Reporter also produced another good one last year with actors. I’ll post that one and the rest of this year’s director series after the jump below.

Awards Watch Roundtable: The Actors

Award Season Roundtable Series: The Directors Part 1 – (What makes a great director)

Award Season Roundtable Series: The Directors Part 3 – (Best and worst moments as a director)

Filmmaker Darren Aronofsky did a series of cautionary PSA’s for the Meth Project which are really disturbing and super-good.

I heard about them on the twitter and looked them up. The one I’m posting above feels the most successful to me. Here’s to hoping they impact the desired audience.

http://www.methproject.org/

Well.

If you wonder about me at all then you’re probably wondering what the hell has been going on over here…

“he don’t call, he don’t write…”

No posts? (save the occasional AdsIlike) No pics? No soaring overtures about indie film? No grand site refurbishments?!?

Nothing – nada. Why? Cause I’ve been in a wee hole… working.

Yep. Been working on you know what, and also on this (for a dear friend), oh and these kind folks over here take up a ton of my time too when I’m not paying attention (i love ‘em).

If you really wanna know what life feels like right now then take another gander at the lovely photo above.

I’m teetering but my master plan is going exactly according to my master plan… (i think) – Basically, I’m living the dream!!! (#yepsarcasm #forgivemeimtired) – I’m getting close though… (insert mounting glee here)

If you really really miss me – I post a few quickems over here and here.

And of course I’d never miss a moment to plug this page here. But never really this page.

So. There you go, mazel tov.

(and yes mama… i’m gonna call you soon. I promise.)

I have a GPS and this is exactly what it does. A smart and really really funny ad.

Boosted this from the Tumblr of Barry Jenkins, he says:

My man DeMorge Brown’s new webseries “Gumbel”. The first three minutes are spot on homage to flicks like Sexy Beast, very English, very LA, very damn funny

• “Sexy Beast-ish” – Check!
• “Very English” – Check!
• “Very LA” – I wouldn’t know… anybody?

Oh and “very damn funny” – Check!!

By the way, the sound design is spot on at the beginning (and the music)… digging it.

video via Kyle Reiter

The NBA’s cancelled another two weeks of the season.

GRRRRRR.

With all of this writing and teaching I’ve been doing… I’m slowly losing my mind. I need some basketball to soothe my soul and dull my mind.

Oh well, till then… enjoy this sweet Ad.

Geraldine Brezca, 2nd Assistant Camera, is known as Tarantino’s Camera Angel.

I love her.

“Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.”

—Steve Jobs
(1955-2011)

The Sundance Institute recently posted this great video featuring several of the fellows, advisers and actors from this summer’s 2011 Directors Labs and I thought I’d share it here with you.

I have to admit I watched it with a huge smile on my face because for me it was like seeing a photo album from a really cool family reunion you just came from and really really wishing you could go back… such a great place to take risks, learn and grow.

*Shout out to Sasha Freedman (producer, cameraman and editor on the video) for putting it all together… great stuff man.

When September came around I resumed my normal duties teaching a few editing courses in the undergraduate film department at NYU.

Additionally, this year I was asked to join the graduate film department teaching a “Directing Actors” class for the 2nd year directing students. Check out who else I’m joining this year on the faculty here.

Soooo…. with my writing on the feature, life and other work I’ve been a bit swamped.

I’m really enjoying all the teaching though. It always forces me to reexamine what I think I know when I have to explain it to someone else.

The directing actors course is especially gratifying because for me acting is where this life of storytelling began… It’s really wonderful to combine the two disciplines I love the most – Acting and Directing.

My NYU classmate, Writer/Director and Producer of Marketing & Distribution extraordinaire Stephen Dypiangco has teamed up with a colleague of his (Patrick Epino) in LA to form a new initiative called National Film Society.

Not sure exactly what it is but it seems bold, funny and definitely sounds dubious. All of which I love.

They’ve posted a few videos on topics like “Film School or No Film School?” (funny stuff), Film Festivals: Sex, Booze & Networking and also curated a few short films on their YouTube channel.

Luke's Thesis Wins the 2011 Oscar for best short!

*I adore Luke and hope you and I both get a chance to work with him soon cause he’s awesome and also deadly in his kindness and talent. Plus, he’s just really funny. Really.

Take a peek and enjoy the wisdom of these three (and their big hair). If you dig it then head on over and join their facebook page.

P.S. I’m truly humbled and still thrilled to be in the same ranks as so many talented emerging filmmakers from my actual class/year at NYU Grad Film:

I’m one of the lucky ones in terms of film school cause in my humble opinion this is really one of the prime reasons to go… the people you’ll meet and build with for the rest of your career.

Today “Men In Love” will begin a run at Urbanworld Film Festival here in New York City. I’m hoping to check out several films this weekend (including mine).

Indiewire put together a nice little preview of “Must See” films at this years festival. I was really honored to have MNL mentioned with such a exciting group of features and shorts.

Checkout the article here.

One of the shorts mentioned was from classmate, collaborator and emerging writer/director Nikyatu Jusu which I’m really excited to see. I’ve embedded her trailer above.

Come check us out this weekend!

You may ask be saying to yourself: “Keith, why is this bearded brother here? And why is he covering the uncoverable Bonnie Raitt?”

His name is Justin Vernon of Bon Iver. And well he’s here because he’s my current musical (and storytelling) hero. Amazing voice. Lyrics that plumb the soul. Musicality that wants for nothing.

If you don’t believe me then check out the video below:

“Skinny Love” – Bon Iver

He had me at “thank you very much”.

Listen to this man. Listen to him speak about story, character, relationships and setting… it’s all there. Any actor wanting to really create inspired performances will be telling their agent to call this man right now.

There are so many elements involved in directing… it’s not often you hear a director today talk with such nuance and authority about performance. Thanks McQueen, you made me a fan… without seeing a single frame…

[source]

This spot was directed by Spike Lee, and shot by Ellen Kuras with some camera operations by friend, classmate and frequent collaborator Daniel Patterson.

To commemorate the 10th anniversary of 9/11, State Farm partnered with award-winning director Spike Lee to film a touching tribute to thank the heroes of New York. Nearly 150 school children (ages 8-11) from the New York City area visited four firehouses and thanked the firefighters through song.

Download the full-track of Empire State of Mind (Part II) from iTunes here: http://st8.fm/ON2. Proceeds from the download benefit the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (http://www.firehero.org/).

[source]

Two young filmmakers went out during Hurricane Irene to document their Manhattan neighborhood.

[source]

This is fun.

A series of famous and sometimes iconic lines which were actually improvised versus being scripted.

Take a look…

[source]

I’m looking forward to the festival for a few reasons… First, I’ll actually be able to attend this one… See I’ve been particularly busy since the Labs so I haven’t had a chance to see “Men…” screen yet formally. (So come out and join me!)

UPDATE: Screening Times/Locations

Friday, September 16 @ 11am, Theater 9
Saturday, September 17 @ 1:30pm Theater 11

Secondly, in the shorts program I’ll be screening alongside former NYU classmates and cinematic collaborators Nikyatu Jusu (“Black Swan Theory”) and Randy Wilkins (“Homage to Bela, A Prelude”).

Check out their trailers below…

Black Swan Theory

Homage to Bela, A Prelude

Also, the festival has lined-up a few features I’ve been looking forward to seeing: “Kinyarwanda” directed by Alrick Brown, “Restless City” directed by Andrew Dosumnu and “Yelling To The Sky” by Victoria Mahoney.

Please come out and join me and watch what looks like a strong line-up films. Individual Tickets are $15 each or you can get an all-access pass online now.

Oh wait… Almost forgot to mention they’ve selected more than a few folks I admire for the jurors this year… check them out too.

Coverage is for cowards; You have to express courage. You have to choose in advance rather than wait to choose in the editing room. You have to be able to stage action, and that can be an unnerving process.

—Luca Guadagnino

Mr. Guadagnino… you had me at coverage.

It is by going down into the abyss that we recover the treasures of life. Where you stumble, there lies your treasure.

—Joseph Campbell

This Ad gave me goosebumps.

Maybe I’m just a believer… or maybe I’m happy the nation’s capitol is finally recognizing the work of a great man and a brother of mine.

Either way, Dr. King’s memorial is long overdue and his soaring words still fill me with hope and I remain humbled by what he (and of course the people along with him) accomplished in this life.

Update: A Dream Fulfilled, Martin Luther King Memorial Opens – NYTimes.com

After more than two decades of planning, fund-raising and construction, the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial has opened on a four-acre slice of the National Mall.

Philip Scott Andrews/The New York Times

Really looking forward to seeing this new film from Lars Von Trier…

Lars Von Trier is back with his new film, officially premiered in Cannes 2011.
Described as “A beautiful movie about the end of the world”, MELANCHOLIA tells the story pf two sisters (Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg), who find their relationship challenged as a nearby planet threatens to collide into the Earth.

Coming to theatres on May 2011

Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Alexander Skarsgård, Kiefer Sutherland, Charlotte Rampling, John Hurt