KUDOS FOR ACTOR-DIRECTOR LAB PARTICIPANTS
(updated 9/25/12)
(updated 9/25/12)
Page Down or click on the link for entries concerning And, for those of you who have taken the Lab, please keep me posted of your new activities!
FEATURES
Lab actors Bitsie Tulloch and Adria Tennor played lovely roles in “The Artist,” which won the Best Picture Oscar and many other awards.
“Caroline and Jackie” starring Lab actor Bitsie Tulloch had its premier at Tribeca Film Festival.
Lab director Ava Duvernay’s film “Middle Of Nowhere,” which she wrote and directed, premiered in U.S. Dramatic Competition at 2012 Sundance Film Festival, where Ava won the Best Director prize. It will screen at the Toronto Film Festival, and the Los Angeles Film Festival. Scenes from “Middle Of Nowhere” were worshopped in the Lab. Ava’s first feature “I Will Follow” screened at the AFI Film Festival.
Lab director Steph Green is in production, directing “Run and Jump,” starring Will Forte.
Lab director John Dowdle is in pre-production for “The Coup,” starring Owen Wilson, Michelle Monaghan, and Pierce Brosnan.
Lab director David Jacobson is in post-production for his next feature, “Tomorrow You’re Gone,” starring Stephen Dorff, Michelle Monaghan, and Willem Dafoe.
Lab director Mark Landsman’s documentary “Thunder Soul” has been winning awards and playing in markets across the United States. It is available on Showtime On Demand and Netflix.
“Homebound” is in post-production, directed by Lab director Fanny Veliz and starring Jeremiah Ocanas who created the story. The cast includes Lab actors Renee Debevoise, Jessica Lancaster, and John Hoskins.
“Beverly Hills Chihuahua,” directed by Lab director Lev L. Spiro, has been released on DVD and Blu-ray.
Lab actor Jeff Lorch appears in a comedy road trip film “Pickin’ and Grinnin’,” which has had a limited theatrical release. http://www.facebook.com/PickinAndGrinninMovie
Lab director Sonja Schenk’s film "The Olivia Experiment” premiered at Dances With Films, and features Lab actors Marlene Okner, Robert DiTillio, Damien Burke http://www.danceswithfilms.com/slate_theoliviaexperiment.html
Lab director Adam Lipsius’s film “16-LOVE” is playing on iTunes.
Lab Actor Bobby Naderi stars in “The Taquacores” which premiered at Sundance 2010, and is now available on Netflix, Amazon, Target, Best Buy etc. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yt36AzQ6INU
“Daydream Nation,” written and directed by Lab Director Mike Goldbach opened theatrically in Los Angeles and New York, after premiering at the Toronto Film Festival. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDlv4Ooyjas, also http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117943667?refcatid=2863
Lab director David Zeiger’s film “Sweet Old World” is completed. Four Lab actors are in principal roles – Julia Rose as Ruth, Gwendolyn Oliver as Cynthia, Jacques Colimon as Ethan, and Eric Peter-Kaiser as Jimmie; plus Lab actors Melissa Strom and Johanna Watts in supporting roles. Scenes from “Sweet Old World” were workshopped in the Lab. http://sweetoldworld.com/
Lab director Steven Sprung directed “Dispatch,” which played on Showtime and is available on DVD http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005SDUVEE/ref=tsm_1_fb_lk
Lab director Gabriela Tagliavini’s film "Without Men" played at the Laemmele Sunset 5, starring Eva Longoria, Christian Slater – and Lab actor Kate del Castillo. A few months ago, she held a reading of the script at Two Lights Studio using our studio actors.
Lab director Suju Vijayan is in post-production for her film “The Playback Singer.”
Lab actors Michelle Gillette and Ben Duhl finished shooting “Here Comes the Night.”
Lab director Rachel Fleischer’s film “Without a Home” is available on DVD (www.withoutahomefilm.com).
“A New York Heartbeat,” written and directed by Lab director Tjardus Greidanus, is in post-production. Lab director Hugh Aodh O’Brien was stunt coordinator.
Lab actor Jeremiah Ocanas stars in “Ghostown: Drive By Chronicles,” which was directed by Lab director Kenneth Castillo and is now available on DVD. “Ghostown” won best feature at the Reel Rasquache Festival. Trailer at www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVd9THxc_kM
Lab director Stephanie Argy is co-director of “The Red Machine,” starring Lab actor Donal Thoms-Cappello, which had its world premiere at the Mill Valley Film Festival, and has won awards at the Sedona Int'l Film Festival, the Durango Independent Film Festival, Method Fest, and Cine Gear Expo. Most recently Stephanie and Alec and Donal went to Scotland for the international premiere of “The Red Machine” at the Edinburgh International Film Festival.
“Another Harvest Moon,” directed by Lab director Greg Swartz, is now is on Starz and MoviePlex, having played at many festivals. “Another Harvest Moon” stars Doris Roberts, Anne Meara, Piper Laurie, Cybill Shepherd, and Ernest Borgnine. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAUZsRj9MYw
“Transmission,” written and directed by Lab director Owen Dara, is in post-production after shooting in Ireland, with Lab actors Jessica Lancaster and Jeremiah Ocanas in lead roles. Scenes from “Transmission” were workshopped in the Lab.
VIDEOS AND WEB SCREENINGS
Lab director and actor John Beck directed, produced, shot, and edited the viral video “7 Minutes of Terror” about the Mars Curiosity mission. John also wrote the music. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ki_Af_o9Q9s
Lab director Eric Champnella directed “Red” for Funny or Die, starring Jesse Tyler Ferguson. http://FunnyOrDie.com/m/70kz
A first look at “H+,” the forthcoming Warner Premiere/Dolphin Ent. digital series, produced by Bryan Singer. The cast includes Lab actors: Caitriona Balfe, Marjo-Riikka Mäkelä and Samuli Vauramo.http://www.youtube.com/hplusdigitalseries
“No Kids No Cry” was nominated for an Imagen Award – Best Web Series. Written and directed by Lab actor Jeremiah Ocanas, featuring Jeremiah and Lab actors Fanny Veliz and Jessica Lancaster and Lab director Owen Dara.www.youtube.com/nokidsnocry.
“Tyranny,” the creation of Lab actor/director John Beck, is available at http://www.koldcast.tv/#/show:tyranny. The cast includes Lab actors Kieren Van Den Blink, Bitsie Tulloch, John Burton, Jr., Jay Lewis, Kurt Hargan, and John Beck. www.tyrannymovie.com. Blog at http://www.tyranny.tv.
Web series The Best Friend has launched, co-produced and starring Lab actor Allie Smith, with episodes directed by Lab director Tarique Qayumi. The pilot was directed by Lab director Dani De Carlo. http://www.thebestfriend.tv New episodes will continue to be released through November. You can watch those here: http://www.koldcast.tv/show/the_best_friend.
Lab director Mathew Cullen won a Grammy for Black Eyed Peas “Boom Boom Pow,” in the category Best Short-form Music Video. The previous year Mathew won the Best Short-form Music Video Award for Weezer's "Pork and Beans."
Lab director Rene Cruz’s award winning "Parts Art" web series for Lexus was nominated for a "Streamy" Award (the equivalent of an Academy Award for Internet Series) in the Branded Entertainment Series category.
Lab director Samuel Albis’ short documentary for the Make a Wish Foundation can be seen at www.youtube.com/watch?v=drs1bGKQKxo
Lab director Mike Dow is executive producing “I <3 Vampires” through Disney’s Take 180. Lab actors Sean Foley, Ruthie Frank, and John Hoskins have appeared in Take 180 productions. http://www.take180.com/show/I_Heart_Vampires/h1a
Lab director Craig Oullette has five new films up at www.TrespassingOnTheLot.com.
SHORTS
Lab director Phil McCarty finished the principal production on his short "The Learning Curve," an adaptation of a David Sedaris piece, starring Matthew Gray Gubler, and with a featured role played by Lab actor Jay Lewis.
Lab director Michael Callahan is in post-production for “We're Having Sex” with Lab actor Brandon Bales in a lead role. http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1286290527/were-having-sex
Lab director Craig Ouellette had two shorts playing at the Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema – "Rations" and "Countdown to DEATH!"
Lab director Holle Singer’s short “Bang” is a finalist in competition for best short of The Woodstock Film Festival Lab director. “Bang” was made for the Electric Shorts Film Competition http://www.electricshorts.com/vote/bang_hollesinger.php
Lab director Daniela De Carlo co-directed “Qualquer Gato Vira-Lata (Any Stray Cat)” which screened at UCLA.
Lab director Beth Dewey’s "The Agency" screened at the American Cinematheque's Egyptian Theater as part of the "Locals" shorts program.
Lab director Anna Mastro’s “Bench Seat: A Musical” premiered at the LA Shorts Fest.
Lab director Brenda Lee Lau’s “Deadbeat” has been screening at festivals in Dallas, Park City, Las Vegas. www.deadbeatmovie.com
Lab director Michelle Steffes was presented with the Academy Qualifying Award for Fiction at the USA Film Festival Short Film Competition, for her film, “The Interview” (which had been workshopped in the Lab).
Lab Director Bill Totolo’s short film “Deep Cover” will screen at Cannes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAEk-VqBs-k
Lab actor Julie Gawkowski’s documentary short film "Obligation to Endure" was an official selection of the Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival.
Lab director Vance Malone directed “The Poodle Trainer,” which screened at 2010 Sundance in the category of U.S. Documentary Short. The 70 short films screened were selected from over 6,000 submissions.
Lab director Brian Krinsky has been invited to participate in the 2010 Film Independent's Directors Lab with the feature version of his short “Dish.”
The category of Best Live Action Short at the 2009 Academy Awards included two Lab directors – Steph Green, for “New Boy” and Reto Cafi for “Auf der Strecke (On the Line)”
The Two Lights Cinema Randomly Scheduled, More-or-Less Ongoing Festival of Shorts and Features! Since 2004 we’ve been screening shorts that have directors or actors (or both!) from our Studio. For descriptions of previous programs go to the Two Lights Cinema link of the Special Events page.
On March 13th we screened this program:
ONION directed by Lab actor Juha Hippi
ERIKA & SALLY directed by Lab director Hanna Andersson
LUCKY BOY directed by Lab director Thor Gold
DIVERSION directed by Lab director Chris Folkens
DEADBEAT directed by Lab director Brenda Lee Lau
THE ROMANTIC directed by Lab director Steven Nevius
the light dances across the sky directed by Studio director Kajsa Ribbing and written by Lab director Kenny Hargrove
MOVING TAKAHASHI directed by Lab director Josh Soskin
Lab director Jocelyn Jansons’ short film “Baby Monitor” screened at Albuquerque Film Festival www.abqfilmfestival.com
Lab director Josh Soskin directed "Love Stinks," featuring Lab actor Donal Thoms-Cappello, which played as part of the New Filmmakers LA Film Festival at the Gower Studios on Sunset in Hollywood, is now on-line in a special web version at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUQaLZQst1s
Lab director Patrick Massett wrote and directed “The Seer,” featuring Lab actors Marybeth Massett and Boo Arnold.
Lab director Sarah Adina Smith’s short film "The Sirens" screened at Zero Film Festival at the Downtown Independent theater. After the screening, The Chapin Sisters performed on the roof-top. www.friendofafriend.la/TheSirens
The 2009 AFI Directing Workshop for Women included Lab directors Dominika Waclawiak (“Gosia’s Witch”) and Alexa-Sascha Lewin (“The Honeysting”). The 2007 AFI DWW included Lab director Jasmine Kosovic, whose film “Kate Wakes” (workshopped in the Lab) is now available. The 2006 AFI DWW included Lab director Tanisha White and Lab director Michelle Steffes, whose film “Driftwood” featured Lab actor Adam Van Conant. Lab director Camille Cellucci’s film “Grace,” which she made through the 2005 AFI Directing Workshop for Women, was selected to be part of Method Fest.
In addition to her AFI DWW short, Lab director Jasmine Kosovic has completed EASTER SUNDAY, which stars Jennifer Jason Leigh.
TELEVISION
Lab director Carlos Avila has launched the website for "Tales of Masked Men," his new lucha libre documentary which airs on PBS. http://www.talesofmaskedmen.com
Three Lab directors were nominated for Emmy Awards. Semi Chellas, nominated twice for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series – as co-writer (with Matthew Weiner) of two episodes of “Mad Men.” Jessica Sharzer as writer-producer on “American Horror Story” - which got 17 nominations! And Valeri Pfahning on the team nominated for Special Visual Effects, for “The Walking Dead.”
Lab director Colleen McGuinness is now a writer on “30 Rock.”
Lab director Jessica Sharzer is Supervising Producer and staff writer on “American Horror Story.”
Lab actor Bitsie Tulloch is a regular on “Grimm,” which is about to enter its second season.
Lab director Norman Buckley directed “The Pregnancy Project” for Lifetime, which won two Imagen awards – for Best Primetime Program: Special or Movie of the week, and for the lead actress.
Lab director Hanelle Culpepper’s latest feature, “Deadly Sibling Rivalry,” played on Lifetime, following her first feature film, “Within,” which also premiered on Lifetime.
Lab director Lorena David exec produced new TV show "My Ride Rules" which premiered with back-to-back episodes on Speed Channel. http://www.speedtv.com/programs/my-ride-rules
Lab director M.F. McDowell’s pilot, “La Fontaine,” won Best Drama at the Banff World Media Festival, and was officially selected to screen at the ITV Fest in Los Angeles. http://itvfest.org/video.php?v=202
Lab director David Hogan directed “Behemoth,” shown on the SyFy channel.
“Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie,” directed by Lab director Lev L. Spiro won the Emmy Award for Best Children’s Program.
The latest documentary from Lab director Ava DuVernay, “My Mic Sounds Nice,” chronicling the art and issues of women hip hop artists, premiered on BET.
Lab director Tom Curran’s documentary “The Silence” was broadcast on Frontline. www.pbs.org/frontline/the-silence
A number of directors have directed television episodics since they took part in the Lab –
Tara Nicole Weyr (Desperate Housewives)
Michael Ruscio (True Blood)
Norman Buckley (The Client List, Switched at Birth, Pretty Little Liars, Gossip Girl, Melrose Place, 90210, Chuck, Make It or Break It, Privileged, Greek, Middleman, The O.C.)
Steven Sprung (Community, Happy Endings)
Brian Krinsky (Undercover Boss)
Jay Torres (Life, Desperate Housewives)
Carlos Avila (Cold Case, Foto-Novelas 2)
Lev L. Spiro (Everybody Hates Chris, Minutemen, Weeds, Ugly Betty)
Fred Toye (Fringe, Lost, Brothers and Sisters, Ghost Whisperer, The 4400, Moonlight, Chuck, Sarah Connor Chronicals, Invasion, Alias)
Karen Gaviola (Nikita, Alphas, Blue Bloods, Off the Map, Chase, NCIS:LA, Miami Medical, Private Practice, Castle, Dark Blue, Lie to Me, Criminal Minds, Brothers and Sisters, Frozen, Without a Trace, Journeyman, Cane, The Unit, Lost, Law and Order, Bones, Prison Break, Justice, Alias, CSI:Miami, CSI:NY, Cold Case)
Robert McNeill (Chuck, Samantha Who?, The Nine, Las Vegas, What About Brian, Desperate Housewives, Medium, Supernatural, Everwood)
Brad Tanenbaum (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation)
Hanelle Culpepper (Guilty or Innocent?)
Peggy Rajski (ER)
Babu Subramaniam (ER, The Division, Strong Medicine, One Tree Hill)
Leslie Kolins Small (Roommates, What I Like About You, Abby, Reba, Girlfriends, Titus)
Tom Moore (Judging Amy)
A number of Lab actors have appeared recently in television series:
Adria Tennor (Scandal, Mad Men, Harry’s Law)
Michelle Gillette (Weeds, The Office, Criminal Minds)
Steven Lee Allen (Mad Men)
Annie Dudek (Covert Affairs, House M.D., Mad Men, Big Love, Numb3rs, Bones, How I Met Your Mother, Invasion, Desperate Housewives, Less Than Perfect, Charmed)
Erryn Arkin (CSI)
Boo Arnold (Justified, CSI New York, Nip/Tuck, 24, Criminal Minds, Southland, Monk)
Slem Richardson (Detroit 1-8-7)
Melissa Strom (Rizzoli & Isles, Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior, Desperate Housewives)
Chip Sickler (Modern Family)
Kate del Castillo (Weeds, The Cleaner)
Morgan Vukovic Walsh (Happy Endings; It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia)
Seleh Victor (GCB)
Phil Kaufman (Harry’s Law)
Julia Rose (House)
Netta Most (Criminal Minds)
Jessica Lancaster (The Forgotten)
Dono Knowlton (Criminal Minds)
Blake Reed (Days of Our Lives)
Jennifer Cortese (Cougar Town, Criminal Minds)
Chip Sickler (Brothers and Sisters, Lie to Me)
Kevin Cotteleer (Criminal Minds)
Gwendolyn Oliver (Prison Break)
Bitsie Tulloch (Outlaw, House M.D., Quarterlife, Lost, Cold Case)
Gregory Vahanian (Hawthorne, Entourage, Young and the Restless)
Starletta Dupois (Lost, Cold Case)
Debbie Campbell (House, Ghost Whisperer, Castle, Chuck, Young and the Restless)
Lilly McDowell (Curb Your Enthusiasm)
Noah Harpster (Community, Dollhouse, Eastwick, Big Love, CSI)
Johanna Watts (Star Trek Enterprise, CSI: Miami, and the “Cold Case” episode directed by Karen Gaviola)
Kieren Van Den Blink (Wolverine & the X-Men, Numb3rs)
Greg Wayne (Veronica Mars)
Patrick Pitts (Close To Home)
Johnnie Phillips (Mental, Pushing Daisies, Bones, Boston Legal, Numb3rs, Las Vegas)
Ryan Bathe (Bones, Medium, Boston Legal, Brothers and Sisters, How I Met Your Mother)
Steven Lee Allen (ER, Lost, CSI, The Practice)
Wayne Pere (Life, Ghost Whisperer, Numb3rs, Blind Justice, Eyes)
Robert DiTillio (General Hospital)
Caroline Bielskis (Two and a Half Men, Criminal Minds – an episode directed by Lab director Karen Gaviola; Days of our Lives, Passions)
Ivo Nandi (CSI, Weeds, Monk, Without a Trace, Alias, E-ring)
Marc Casabani (CSI: NY, Lost, E-ring)
William August (My Big Fat Obnoxious Boss)
Chris Backus (Will and Grace, The O.C.)
Kathryn Avery-Hansen (Untold Stories from the ER)
Olivia Hack (Avatar: The Last Airbender, Bratz, Cold Case, Family Guy, Gilmore Girls)
Sean Foley (Boomtown, Monk)
Alyson Lyon (Curb Your Enthusiasm)
Amanda Sickler (Charmed)
Sonya Maddox (In Treatment, Malcolm in the Middle)
Lab actors with commercials running (that we know of): Melissa Strom, Tobias Jelinek, Irina Costa, Karen Bethzabe, Jeff Elam, Ben Weber, Blake Reed, Cynthia Boorujy, Alexandra Nowak, Netta Most, Atim Udoffia, Tim Ryan, Gwendolyn Oliver, Jessica Lancaster, Sandy Shimoda, Gregory Vahanian, Debbie Campbell, Patrick Pitts, Dono Knowlton, Kevin Cotteleer, Andrew Patrick Ralston, Chip Sickler, Jared Santinelli, Ruthie Frank, Johanna Watts, Joel King, Kathleen Lague, Sonya Maddox.
THEATER
Lab actor Selah Victor performed in “Long Day’s Journey into Night” at the Crossley Theatre.
Geoff Ward performed in “The Cannibal King” in the Hollywood Fringe Festival, at The Hudson Theater.
Lab actor Adria Tennor appeared in “Sarah’s War” at Freedom Theatre West at the Hudson Theatre.
Lab director Ben Rock directed Shakespeare’s “Richard III” at the Sacred Fools Theater. Lab actor Donal Thoms-Cappello was featured. Last year Ben directed Bertolt Brecht’s “Baal,” at Sacred Fools Theater, also with Donal in the cast.
Lab actor Julia Rose performed in a staged reading of "Cries from the Heart," for a benefit for Human Rights Watch in Santa Monica. Also in the cast were Annette Bening, Julian Sands, Greg Germann, and Vincent Kartheiser. http://www.takepart.com/news/2011/04/18/cries-from-the-heart-a-star-studded-benefit-for-human-rights-watch
Lab actor Tyler Pierce played Hap in “Death of a Salesman” at San Diego’s Old Globe.
Lab actor Starletta Dupois performed in a London production of “Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry. Starletta has now played all the female roles in that play!
OTHER NEWS
Lab director Vince Duque was accepted into the 2012 ABC/Disney Directing Fellowship.
Lab director Mathew Cullen, a co-founder of Motion Theory, has joined forces with Guillermo Del Toro and Guillermo Navarro, to launch Mirada. The new company hopes to be a collaborative space for filmmakers and artists to work with its creative team to explore the possibilities of transmedia and multidisciplinary storytelling—what Del Toro calls "an imaginarium."
Lab director Kamran Pasha’s second novel “Shadow of the Swords,” has been published by Washington Square Press. His first novel “Mother of the Believers” was published in 2009. Kamran’s blog is at http://www.kamranpasha.com/blog/