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Mark Arnold is a comic book, animation and pop culture historian. He’s published 10 books and numerous articles in various publications.
His books include: "The Harveyville Fun Times!", "If You're Cracked, You're Happy: The Story of Cracked Magazine, Book 1 and Book 2", "Mark Arnold Picks on The Beatles", "Frozen in Ice: The Story of Walt Disney Productions: 1966-1985", "Think Pink! The DePatie-Freleng Story", as well as books on Total Television Productions, Dennis the Menace, The Monkees, and Alvin and the Chipmunks."
Mark’s latest books are about the music group, The Turtles, and a 2-volume MAD Magazine history, all of which came out in 2024. I’ve read both “Unconditionally Mad, Part 1,” and “Unconditionally Mad, Part B,” and can tell you they’re deeply and thoroughly researched histories of the ongoing seven decades run of Mad Magazine. If you want to know all about the people behind some of the most hilarious writing and drawing ever, as well as other pop culture sensations, I highly recommend you check out all of Mark’s books.
He's also produced and recorded DVD commentaries for Shout! Factory and Kino Lorber and has helped the Cartoon Art Museum and the Schnitzer Museum with various art shows. Mark also hosts the Fun Ideas Podcast.
funideasprod.wordpress.com/
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Michael Buzzelli calls himself a stand-up comedian and sit-down author. Michael’s performed comedy nationwide, most notably at three legendary clubs, the Ice House, the Comedy Store, and the Improv in Los Angeles.
As a writer, Michael has been published in various websites, magazines, and newspapers. He’s the theater & arts critic for ‘Burgh Vivant, Pittsburgh’s online cultural talk magazine. He’s also a Moth Grand Slam storyteller and actor.
As well, Michael has presented workshops on humor to the Romance Writers of America and the Pennwriters Conference. His short film, “Light’s Out,” is playing at film festivals worldwide.
Michael’s books, “Below Average Genius,” a collection of essays culled from his weekly humor column in the Observer-Reporter, and his romantic comedy, “All I Want for Christmas,” are on sale at Amazon.com. His short story, “Study Buddy,” is in a collection of LGBTQ romance stories entitled “Winter Break.”
I’ve read “All I Want for Christmas,” and “Below Average Genius,” and can tell you Michael is a wry, witty, and often laugh out loud writer of heartfelt stories regarding the human condition. I highly recommend you check out Michael’s work.
He’s also working on a full-length LGBTQ rom-com called “Why I Hate My Friends.”
https://www.instagram.com/michaelbuzzelli/
https://www.facebook.com/michael.buzzelli.58/
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Jeff Leisawitz burns with a mission— to inspire and teach Storytellers and Creatives of every flavor to open minds and connect hearts with their words and stories. Jeff is a Grand LIA, Cannes Lion Gold and Clio Gold award-winning Creative Consultant, critically acclaimed author, award winning music producer, internationally distributed screenwriter, and former college instructor. As a coach, keynote speaker and workshop facilitator based in Seattle, Jeff helps clients and students overcome internal blocks, tap into their creative potential, get published, land major sales and win awards. He has been featured in top podcasts, magazines and newspapers including: Script Magazine, Film Courage, The Guardian, Music Connection, Tiny Buddha, Huff Post, The Unmistakable Creative and more, including once before on StoryBeat.
Jeff’s latest book is The Magical Impact of Storytelling, which I’ve read and can tell you is an easy-to-read, highly motivating compendium of encouraging advice for anyone hoping to become their best creative self. If you’re looking for inspiration in your storytelling life, I urge you to check out The Magical Impact of Storytelling.
www.jeffleisawitz.com
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Mark Jonathan Harris is a three-time Oscar-winning and Emmy-nominated filmmaker, as well as an award-winning author of 10 books, a distinguished professor of film of four decades, and an acclaimed journalist. His newest book, Misfits, is a collection of wonderfully character-driven short stories.
I’ve read Misfits and can tell you the book comprises 12 dynamic stories about offbeat characters grappling with personal encounters as they try to live their disconnected lives. I highly recommend this insightful set of stories to you.
Mark started his professional career covering crime for the famed City News Bureau of Chicago. He also reported national news for the Associated Press before making TV documentaries.
For several years Mark was a contributing editor to New West magazine. He also wrote articles, essays, and reviews for national newspapers and magazines including: TV Guide, American Heritage, the New York Times, the L.A. Times and the Washington Post. He’s also published five award-winning novels for children.
Mark’s early films document some of the most important political issues of the 1960s. Huelga! is a portrait of Cesar Chavez’s United Farmworkers Union and the first year of the union’s historic Delano grape strike. The Redwoods, which won an Academy Award for Best Short Documentary, presents the Sierra Club’s successful case for establishing a Redwoods National Park. And The Foreigners explores the work of a group of Peace Corps volunteers confronting the contradictions of U.S. foreign policy as they try to bring social change in Colombia.
Two films Mark wrote and directed that explore the Holocaust won Oscars for Best Feature Documentary. The Long Way Home documents what happened to the survivors of the concentration camps immediately following their liberation. And Into the Arms of Strangers: Stories of the Kindertransport chronicles Britain’s rescue mission of 10,000 children shortly before World War II. The U.S. Library of Congress selected Into the Arms of Strangers for permanent preservation in the National Film Registry.
Among Mark’s other notable nominated and award-winning films are: Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives; Darfur Now; Breaking Point: The War for Democracy in Ukraine; and Foster. He was also a consulting producer for the 5-part, Peabody Award-winning series Asian Americans.
For 40 years, Mark taught filmmaking at the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California. He also taught for 7 years at the School of Film/Video at Cal Arts. In 2010, the International Documentary Association honored him with its Scholarship and Preservation Award for his educational work.
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Richard Walter is making his second appearance on StoryBeat. Richard is an author of best-selling fiction and nonfiction, a celebrated storytelling educator, screenwriter, script consultant, lecturer and retired professor who led the legendary screenwriting program in UCLA’s highly regarded film school for several decades. He’s written scripts for the major studios and TV networks; lectured on screenwriting and storytelling, and conducted master classes throughout North America, as well as in London, Paris, Jerusalem, Madrid, Rio, Mexico City, Beijing, Shanghai, Sydney and Hong Kong.
His latest novel,Deadpan, follows the misadventures of a vaguely antisemitic West Virginia Buick dealer who wakes up one day transformed into the world’s most popular Jewish comedian. I’ve read Deadpan and can tell you it is an exceptionally funny ride with very serious overtones. This is one of the most imaginative time and character-slipping stories I’ve read since Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse Five.
Richard’s other books include the novels Escape From Film School and Barry and the Persuasions. His non-fiction titles include: The Whole Picture: Strategies for Screenwriting Success in the New Hollywood; Screenwriting--The Art, Craft and Business of Film and Television Writing; and Essentials of Screenwriting. His books have been translated into eight languages.
In the interest of full disclosure, I’m proud to say that I was fortunate to have been one of Richard’s students while I was attending UCLA’s Graduate Screenwriting program.
You can find out much more about Richard and his work by subscribing to his podcast onSubstack, and his blog onMedium.
www.richardwalter.com.
https://www.facebook.com/ProfRichardWalter?mibextid=LQQJ4d
https://substack.com/@richardwalter
https://medium.com/@professorrichardwalter
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Heavy metal rock legend, Carl Canedy, and writer Phillip “Doc” Harrington, recently published Carl’s autobiography, Tales of a Wild Dog, Memoirs of a Rock Warrior. Since the age of 5, after observing a striking red drum set at a wedding reception, Carl was determined to play the drums. He received his first drum set in his early teens, immediately immersed himself in practice, and eventually developed his now-famous signature style. He also taught himself how to play guitar and piano, which would later come in handy in his role as a songwriter.
After spending his formative years touring with the band Kelakos, in 1979, Carl joined forces with David “Rock” Feinstein to start the legendary Upstate, NY power trio, The Rods. The band quickly became a sensation in the northeast, landing a major recording contract with Arista Records. The Rods toured and played shows with the likes of no less than: Judas Priest, Ozzy, Motörhead, Metallica, Richie Blackmore, Blue Oyster Cult, and many others.
In the late 1980’s, Carl produced of some of heavy metal’s most iconic bands, including: Anthrax, Overkill, Exciter, Possessed, Helstar and many others. He also coached, developed, and mentored bands such as Roxx Gang and Young Turk.
The Rods had a resurgence in 2010 with their comeback album; Vengeance., which was followed by Brotherhood of Metal and the highly acclaimed Rattle the Cage. The Rods continue to tour and are currently putting the final touches on their 11th studio album. Carl has also released 2 albums under the moniker of Canedy.
Doc is a devoted culinarian and a dedicated heavy metal fan. A graduate of the esteemed Culinary Institute of America, he has spent the past 2 decades writing and arranging technical manuals for the baking industry. Doc views the 80’s heavy metal scene as monumentally historic and highly impactful. He seeks to chronicle as much of its stories, triumphs, and challenges as time permits. A massive Rods fan, Doc encouraged Carl to write his memoirs.
I’ve read Tales of a Wild Dog and can tell you it’s an intense, personal look at working within the gritty, full force world of Heavy Metal. If you’re a fan of the genre and want to know more about its origins and the people in it, be sure to check out Tales of a Wild Dog.
www.canedyband.com
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Christopher Akerlind, has designed lighting, and occasionally scenery, for over 650 productions of theater, opera, and dance across the U.S. and around the world, including 24 shows on Broadway.
Chris’s recent work includes Waiting for Godot at Theatre for a New Audience, Lynn Nottage’s play Clyde’s on Broadway and at the Mark Taper Forum, The Light in the Piazza, for which he won his first Tony, Paula Vogel’s play Indecent, winning him both the Tony and Drama Desk Awards, Rocky the Musical, which garnered him a Tony nomination, Sting’s musical The Last Ship, and The Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, for which he was also Tony nominated.
Among Chris’s other Broadway lighting designs are: August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson and Seven Guitars, Talk Radio, and the musical, Waitress.
Chris’s numerous shows not on Broadway include: Scene with Cranes for CalArts Center for New Performance; the premiere of M Butterfly for the Santa Fe Opera; and Martha Clarke’s devised pieces God’s Fool, Angel Reapers, and Cheri.
Chris has also received an Obie Award for Sustained Excellence, four Drama Desk Awards, the Michael Merritt Award for Design and Collaboration, two Chicago area Joseph Jefferson Awards, as well as numerous nominations for the Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel, and Outer Critics Circle Awards.
Chris has taught lighting design at schools like Cal Arts, USC, CMU, and his alma mater, Yale.
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Laura Pliskin is a talented art department coordinator who has contributed to some of the most visually stunning sets in film and television history.
Laura has worked on projects like "Twisters," "Drive-Away Dolls,", and "Out of the Furnace." She's also been part of blockbuster hits like "The Dark Knight Rises" and the critically acclaimed TV series "Mindhunter."
Laura's role involves managing logistics, coordinating art department schedules including between various departments, and ensuring that every detail aligns with the production designer's vision. Her meticulous attention to detail and ability to juggle multiple tasks make her an essential part of any production team.
Beyond her on-set responsibilities, Laura brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her role. She studied video game art at Carnegie Mellon University and used to co-own an event planning company, adding a diverse range of skills to her impressive portfolio.
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The writer, Jon Kremer, has lived in Bournemouth, a town on the south-coast of England, since he was a teenager, coinciding with the start of the 1960s. That famous decade of cultural change allowed him to experience many aspects of the UK music industry via both the ownership of his town’s original vintage vinyl shop, Bus Stop Records, which opened during 1967’s Summer of Love, and a long-standing friendship with ‘Year of the Cat’ singer-songwriter, Al Stewart.
A 60’s music highlight was meeting the Beatles at the height of Britain’s Beatlemania. The story of Jon and Al finding themselves in the backstage company of John Lennon moments after the Fabs had first performed “She Loves You” live for an audience, days before the record’s release, became known as ‘The Men from Rickenbacker’. The tale of two teenagers pretending to be representatives of Rickenbacker guitars and needing to talk with the Beatles, eventually was retold many times in books, magazines, newspapers, tour programs, and on TV and radio.
Jon’s first book, Bournemouth A Go! Go! – A Sixties Memoir, visited the story in-depth, as it takes a look back at the Bournemouth music scene in the early 60’s, featuring future members of The Police, King Crimson and Emerson, Lake, and Palmer - Andy Summers, Robert Fripp, and Greg Lake.
A long-time fascination with the often obscure or overlooked key history-making moments that created and energized the story of pop and rock led to Jon writing the book, Chain Reaction, Rock ‘n Pop’s Magic Moments. I’ve read Chain Reaction and can tell you it’s a fascinating exploration of how artists influence one another as they build out their careers, especially so in the music industry.
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My guest today, the noted muralist, John Cerney, is a Salinas, California native whose artwork can best be described as ‘giant cut-out plywood art’ that’s ordinarily viewed from the comfort of your car. There’s a sense of Norman Rockwell to his work, with a dash of Christo.
After earning an art degree from Cal State Long Beach in 1984, John worked in Southern California as a portrait artist, rendering finely detailed pencil drawings. His patrons were television producers, actors, and writers, with such clients as the late comedian John Candy and baseball star Reggie Jackson.
Wanting to reach a larger audience, John would periodically relocate to Central California and convince a farmer to allow him to paint a mural on his barn, just for practice. This led to commissions from local businesses. A major shift happened when he added cutout plywood pieces to his barn murals. Eventually, he abandoned barns and walls altogether, concentrating on the cut-outs themselves.
When the scale of his work got much larger, it attracted ad agencies and businesses from around the country. By then he had a blueprint for the way to create his art installations, which he still does to this day. John splits his time working on commissions from clients across the country and his own personal projects that allow him to explore his unusual form of public art. John’s work can be found in 23 states around the U.S. And his work has been featured in National Geographic Magazine, Smithsonian Magazine, and the New York Times.
https://www.johncerneymurals.com/
Instagram: @johncerney
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Veteran theater and film actor James Sutorius has performed for the most prestigious regional and repertory theater companies including The Old Globe, La Jolla Playhouse, Center Theatre Group, South Coast Repertory, and Pasadena Playhouse. He’s also performed at Lincoln Center, Yale Repertory, Long Wharf Theatre, Seattle Repertory, and many more. In 2007, he won two San Diego Theatre Critics Awards for his performance as George in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" and for his multiple supporting roles in John Strand's play "Lincolnesque."
James made his Broadway debut in 1973 in "The Changing Room." In his very first entrance as a member of a rugby team, he had to walk downstage and strip off all his clothes! Instead of finding the experience terrifying, he actually found it liberating. And he played Laertes opposite Sam Waterston's Hamlet at the Vivian Beaumont Theater, alongside a cast of rising stars including Jane Alexander, Mandy Patinkin, George Hearn and John Heard. Most recently James was seen on Broadway in Aaron Sorkin's play "The Farnsworth Invention" that was directed by Des McAnuff and produced by Steven Spielberg.
James was the voice for Ragu Spaghetti Sauce for 17 years, spawning the national catchphrase "Now, THAT'S Italian!" He continues to pitch other products for Coca Cola and Wrangler Jeans. He also lends his distinctive voice to audio books and short story anthologies on tape.
On TV, James’ break came when he starred as investigative reporter Mike Andros in The Andros Targets. He’s also appeared on such well-known TV series as Dynasty, Cannon, Kojak, St. Elsewhere, Family Ties, 21 Jump Street, Murder, She Wrote, L.A. Law, The X Files, Judging Amy, and many others. And he was a regular on Bob Crane’s short-lived sitcom, The Bob Crane Show.
Additionally, he’s appeared in such notable TV movies as: A Death in Canaan, A Question of Love, Skokie, Space, and On Wings of Eagles. In feature films, James can be seen in Dancing as Fast as I Can starring Jill Clayburgh and Windy City with John Shea and Kate Capshaw.
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Novelist John David Bethel was a speechwriter to Cabinet Secretaries at the Departments of Commerce and Education during the Bush 41 and 43 administrations. He also served as a press secretary and speechwriter to members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. Additionally, David worked as a communications strategist for a number of national and international public relations firms, including Burson Marsteller and Cohn & Wolfe.
He began his career in government and politics in 1972 as a speechwriter for the Legacy of Parks program in the Executive Office of the President in the Nixon Administration. He joined the staff of California Congressman Burt Talcott and later Nevada Senator Paul Laxalt as his Press Secretary and speechwriter. He helped craft the speech Senator Laxalt gave nominating Ronald Reagan to be President. David also wrote the lead article celebrating the second inauguration of President Reagan called We the People, An American Celebration.
David also spent many years in the world of business as a writer in various capacities, writing books, speeches, opinion pieces and white papers for such companies as Monsanto, the Sheraton Corporation, UniRoyal as well as the Urban Land Institute, the American Forest and Paper Association, and others.
David is an award-winning novelist whose books include Evil Town, Hotel Hell, Unheard Of, Holding Back the Dark and A Washington Trilogy. Recently, he published Mapping the Night, which I’ve read and can tell you is a terrifically exciting murder mystery thriller set in New York City and featuring characters more comfortable in the night than the day, with wonderful twists that include government intrigue.
www.johndavidbethel.com
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TV and movie editor, Tim Stepich, was captivated by the films and TV shows of his youth in the 1970s. By the time he was in high school, he set his sights on working in show business. Tim’s abiding interest in editing goes back to when, as a teen, he’d make music montages on his home stereo.
He studied television and film at Emerson College in Boston, where he worked in all aspects of film and video production but enjoyed editing the most. A few years later, Tim made his move to Hollywood with the goal of turning editing into his specialty.
Within a year he got his first editing job and ever since has worked in various genres, including episodic TV, commercials, and music videos.
He edited his first short film, Hate *a Comedy, directed by Drew Daywalt and Dave Schneider, which was a huge success on the festival circuit.
Tim’s feature credits include the critically acclaimed Happy Holidays, and the multi-award-winning black comedy horror film, Lucky, directed by some guy named Steve Cuden. For the record, because of working together on the complex edit of Lucky, Tim and I have been friends for more than 20 years.
Tim had a long and satisfying “day job” working for E! Entertainment Television, editing episodes of the iconic True Hollywood Story, and Wild On. He currently edits for the syndicated entertainment news show Access Hollywood.
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Okema T. Moore is an Emmy Nominated PGA producer and rising director. She’s created unscripted and branded content for Lifetime, Netflix, and Disney/Marvel, including: Beat Bobby Flay and The Kitchen on Food Network, Oprah’s Color of Care, Founding In Color on Peacock, and Nomad with Carlton McCoy on CNN. Most recently, she developed and produced Down in the Valley for STARZ, and was lead producer on Chocolate with Sprinkles for the AFI’s Directing Workshop for Women, which won the HBO award at the American Black Film Festival.
Okema was a Directing Fellow for Minorities In Film’s Branded Lab, a semi-finalist for The Blackhouse Producer’s Lab, a 2nd rounder for the Sundance Producer’s Track, and a fellow for both the Stowe Story and the Black Magic Creative Producers Labs. She was a finalist for the PANO production microgrant, received a writing fellowship to create her first TV Pilot with Writer’s Boot Camp & Women Going Places. And her short script had a live staged reading at the Essence Film Festival in 2024.
Okema proudly serves on the board of New York Women in Film & TV and The Black TV & Film Collective. She is committed to lifting while she climbs, building up women, queer, IPOC, Caribbean and Black creatives.
She also happens to be a very fine actress.
www.moorethanenuff.com
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Steve Skrovan has worked as a stand-up comedian, actor, and TV comedy writer since the early eighties. He’s written for many shows, most notably, Seinfeld, Hot in Cleveland, Til Death, Wendell and Vinnie, School of Rock, and the entire nine-year run of Everybody Loves Raymond, a show which he has also adapted internationally in Russia, Israel, and India.
He currently writes a Substack blog called Bits & Pieces, an anthology of humorous stories and essays.
Steve is also the co-director, writer and producer of An Unreasonable Man a documentary about the career of legendary consumer advocate and third-party presidential candidate, Ralph Nader, which was not only an official selection of the Sundance Film Festival but also made the “shortlist” for Academy Award consideration in the documentary category.
In 2005, Steve co-produced the TBS environmental special “Earth to America.”
Additionally, Steve co-hosts the weekly radio show Ralph Nader Radio Hour, which runs on Pacifica’s KPFK 90.7 FM in Los Angeles and various other independent radio stations, as well as being available on all podcast platforms.
He is also a board member of the non-partisan public interest organization Public Citizen in Washington DC.
WEBSITES:
Bits & Piecespodcast platforms
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This is Paul Chitlik’s second appearance on StoryBeat. Paul has written for all the major networks and studios in both English and Spanish. He was story editor for The New Twilight Zone, and staff writer for the Showtime sitcom, Brothers.
He’s directed episodes and been coordinating producer for “Real Stories of the Highway Patrol” and “U.S. Customs Classified.” He wrote and produced “Alien Abduction,” the first network movie shot on digital video for UPN. He wrote, produced, and directed “Ringling Brothers Revealed” a special for The Travel Channel, which was right up his alley because years earlier he’d been a roustabout for Circus Vargas.
Paul has written features for Rysher Entertainment, NuImage, Promark, Mainline Releasing, and others. Most recently he wrote, produced and directed “The Wedding Dress,” for Amazon Prime.
Paul was nominated for a Writers Guild of America award for his work on "The Twilight Zone" and a GLAAD Media Award nomination for Telemundo’s "Los Beltrán.” He also won a Genesis Award for a Showtime Family movie.
Paul has taught in the MFA programs at UCLA, the University of Barcelona’s film school ESCAC, Cuba’s film school EICTV, Chile’s film school UNIACC, The University of Zulia in Venezuela, The Panamerican University in Mexico City, The Story Academy of Sweden and as a clinical associate professor at Loyola Marymount University.
Paul’s latest novel is Lies, All Lies. I’ve read Lies, All Lie, and found it to be one of the most entertaining works of fiction about behind-the-scenes Hollywood I’ve had the pleasure to peruse.
He’s also the author of one of the most indispensable, must-read books for anyone interested in writing screenplays, teleplays, plays, and even novels, called Rewrite.
For the record, I was one of Paul’s students during my days in graduate school at UCLA. Without question, Paul’s teachings have remained exceptionally influential on me for both my own writing and in my subsequent years as a college professor of screenwriting.
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The noted author and teacher, Joseph B. Atkins, is a veteran writer and professor emeritus of journalism at the University of Mississippi.
Joe’s latest book, Harry Dean Stanton: Hollywood’s Zen Rebel, won the Bronze Award for biography from the Independent Publisher Book Awards in 2021.
Regarding Joe’s novel, Casey’s Last Chance, Edgar Award-winning author Megan Abbott called it, “…pitch-perfect vintage noir.”
Among his other notable works, Joe authored the nonfiction Covering for the Bosses: Labor and the Southern Press. And his novella, Crossed Roads, was a finalist in the Pirate’s Alley Faulkner Awards in New Orleans. Joe also edited and contributed to the short story collection Mojo Rising: Contemporary Writers, Vol. II.
His articles and short stories have appeared in The Oxford American, Noir City, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, USA Today, Baltimore Sun, In These Times, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and the Guadalajara Reporter.
Joe’s feature film screenplay, Memphis Tango, was a finalist in the 2021 Final Draft Screenplay Competition and Toronto and Vancouver independent film festivals. He served as a congressional correspondent for Gannett News Service in Washington, D.C. and worked for several newspapers across the U.S. South.
I’ve read both Harry Dean Stanton: Hollywood’s Zen Rebel and Casey’s Last Chance and can tell you that Joe has remarkable range. His book on Harry Dean Stanton is a fascinating, in-depth look at one of the most beloved yet unsung actors Hollywood has ever produced. And Casey’s Last Chance is a ripping, action-filled, page-turner. I highly recommend both books to you.
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Ryan Raddatz is a Los Angeles-based TV writer and producer who has worked on numerous broadcast sitcoms and kids shows including: The Neighborhood on CBS and WordGirl on PBS. And he’s developed more than a dozen pilots at various networks.
Ryan won two Daytime Emmys for his writing on WordGirl and another three for his work on the Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Before writing and producing, Ryan made a living as an actor and composer while failing to make a living playing in indie-rock and bluegrass bands.
Ryan Raddatz on IMDB https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1347221/
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Filmmaker and author, Dan Mirvish’s recent feature, 18½, starred Willa Fitzgerald, John Magaro and Bruce Campbell as the voice of Nixon. The award-winning film played in 25 festivals, had a 60-city theatrical release, played on 7 airlines and is now available on Starz.
Prior to that, Dan directed Bernard and Huey, scripted by Oscar and Pulitzer Prize-winner Jules Feiffer. It starred Oscar-winner Jim Rash and David Koechner.
Dan’s film Between Us, an adaptation of the hit Off-Broadway play, starred Julia Stiles, David Harbour, Taye Diggs and Melissa George. He was mentored by Robert Altman on his first film, Omaha (the movie), which led him to co-found the upstart Slamdance Film Festival. And his film Open House prompted the Academy Awards to rewrite their rules on the Best Original Musical category.
Dan co-wrote the critically acclaimed novel I Am Martin Eisenstadt. And he wrote two editions and recorded an audiobook of his non-fiction book, The Cheerful Subversive’s Guide to Independent Filmmaking.
Dan is a graduate of USC’s renowned film school and is a member of the Director’s Guild of America.
Of note, he’s also worked as a speechwriter for U.S. Senator Tom Harkin.
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Max Kinnings has written the feature films, Act of Grace, Alleycats, and The Pagan King, as well as various film projects currently in development including a film adaptation of his critically acclaimed play, Wireless Operator.
He’s the author of four novels, Hitman, The Fixer, Sacrifice, and Baptism. I’ve read Baptism and can tell you it’s a tremendously exciting thriller in the vein of Lee Child, John Grisham, Dan Brown, John Le Carre, and many other great novelists.
Max is also the ghost writer of comedian and actor Rik Mayall’s bestselling spoof autobiography, Bigger Than Hitler Better Than Christ. Max’s work will form the basis of a one-hour documentary he’s writing and presenting on BBC Radio 4, due for broadcast in June 2024, which is the tenth anniversary of Rik Mayall’s passing.
Max was part of the writing team for the award-winning Sony PlayStation game, Little Big Planet 3.
Prior to his writing career, Max spent twelve years devising advertising and marketing campaigns for music festivals, tours, comedy shows and West End theatre productions. He holds a PhD. in Creative Writing from Brunel University, London, where he also teaches.
- Visa fler
