FX has ordered a new comedy created by and starring Brian Jordan Alvarez. “English Teacher” will follow a high school English teacher in Austin, Texas, as he tries to balance the demands of parents and students “in a world where the rules seem to change every day,” a press release for the series reads.
In addition to Alvarez, Paul Simms will executive produce the series. Simms is best known for his work on other FX series including “What We Do in the Shadows” and “Atlanta.” He is the current showrunner of the comedic vampire series.
“Brian is an incredibly talented writer, actor and creator who has fully delivered on his vision for ‘English Teacher,’” Nick Grad, president of FX Entertainment, said in a press release. “Together with a creative team featuring Paul Simms and Jonathan Krisel, along with this brilliant cast, they have created a hilarious, original comedy that is fresh,...
In addition to Alvarez, Paul Simms will executive produce the series. Simms is best known for his work on other FX series including “What We Do in the Shadows” and “Atlanta.” He is the current showrunner of the comedic vampire series.
“Brian is an incredibly talented writer, actor and creator who has fully delivered on his vision for ‘English Teacher,’” Nick Grad, president of FX Entertainment, said in a press release. “Together with a creative team featuring Paul Simms and Jonathan Krisel, along with this brilliant cast, they have created a hilarious, original comedy that is fresh,...
- 11/16/2023
- by Kayla Cobb
- The Wrap
FX has ordered the comedy “English Teacher” to series, Variety has learned.
The show was originally ordered to pilot in June 2022. Created by and starring Brian Jordan Alvarez, the show is said to follow “a high school teacher in Austin who’s trying to balance the competing demands of the students and their parents in a world where the rules seem to change every day.”
Alvarez stars alongside Stephanie Koenig, Enrico Colantoni, and Sean Patton. Alvarez also serves as executive producer on the show along with Paul Simms, who is also an executive producer on the FX show “What We Do in the Shadows” and was previously an executive producer on “Atlanta.” Jonathan Krisel and Dave King also executive produce. FX Productions will produce.
Alvarez has appeared in a number of hit shows over the years. Those include “Jane the Virgin,” “2 Broke Girls,” “Get Shorty,” and the revival of “Will & Grace.
The show was originally ordered to pilot in June 2022. Created by and starring Brian Jordan Alvarez, the show is said to follow “a high school teacher in Austin who’s trying to balance the competing demands of the students and their parents in a world where the rules seem to change every day.”
Alvarez stars alongside Stephanie Koenig, Enrico Colantoni, and Sean Patton. Alvarez also serves as executive producer on the show along with Paul Simms, who is also an executive producer on the FX show “What We Do in the Shadows” and was previously an executive producer on “Atlanta.” Jonathan Krisel and Dave King also executive produce. FX Productions will produce.
Alvarez has appeared in a number of hit shows over the years. Those include “Jane the Virgin,” “2 Broke Girls,” “Get Shorty,” and the revival of “Will & Grace.
- 11/16/2023
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Horror fans will know him as one of the engineers from last year’s hit killer-doll movie M3GAN, while Nineties-sitcom aficionados will recognize him as Estefan from the revival seasons of Will & Grace. But to the very online, Brian Jordan Alvarez is also the mastermind behind the cult web series The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo, which followed the lives of an LGBTQ ensemble in a slightly off-kilter version of our own reality. With his internet comedy, Alvarez is always ahead of the game, finding ways to...
- 9/29/2023
- by Miles Klee
- Rollingstone.com
FX has commissioned a comedy pilot from Brian Jordan Alvarez.
The pilot is called “English Teacher.” Alvarez will star as Evan, a gay high school English teacher in Austin, TX, and his fellow teachers trying to balance the competing demands of the students and their parents in a world where the rules seem to change every day. Alvarez is writing the pilot and will also executive produce in addition to starring. Paul Simms is also attached to executive produce.
Alvarez has appeared in a number of hit shows over the years. Those include “Jane the Virgin,” “2 Broke Girls,” “Get Shorty,” and the revival of “Will & Grace.” He is also the creator and star of the YouTube sitcom “The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo.”
He is repped by CAA, Management 360 and Ziffren Brittenham Llp.
For Simms, this is his latest project with FX in recent years.
The pilot is called “English Teacher.” Alvarez will star as Evan, a gay high school English teacher in Austin, TX, and his fellow teachers trying to balance the competing demands of the students and their parents in a world where the rules seem to change every day. Alvarez is writing the pilot and will also executive produce in addition to starring. Paul Simms is also attached to executive produce.
Alvarez has appeared in a number of hit shows over the years. Those include “Jane the Virgin,” “2 Broke Girls,” “Get Shorty,” and the revival of “Will & Grace.” He is also the creator and star of the YouTube sitcom “The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo.”
He is repped by CAA, Management 360 and Ziffren Brittenham Llp.
For Simms, this is his latest project with FX in recent years.
- 6/1/2022
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
FX has ordered a pilot for “English Teacher” — a new comedy about a gay high school teacher in Austin, Texas — starring, written and executive produced by “Will & Grace” actor Brian Jordan Alvarez. Paul Simms will also executive produce.
Alvarez will portray Evan, a teacher who is trying to meet both the demands of his students and their parents in an ever-changing world. While not billed as a workplace comedy, “English Teacher” will also follow the lives of his fellow colleagues.
Alvarez — whose credits include “Jane the Virgin” and “Special” — is the creator of the YouTube miniseries “The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo,” starring himself as the title character alongside castmates Stephanie Koenig and Jon Ebeling. He’ll next be in the horror sci-fi film “Megan,” from producer-writer James Wan, and starring Allison Williams. Alvarez is also in pre-production for the romance movie “Boys Who Like Books,” which...
Alvarez will portray Evan, a teacher who is trying to meet both the demands of his students and their parents in an ever-changing world. While not billed as a workplace comedy, “English Teacher” will also follow the lives of his fellow colleagues.
Alvarez — whose credits include “Jane the Virgin” and “Special” — is the creator of the YouTube miniseries “The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo,” starring himself as the title character alongside castmates Stephanie Koenig and Jon Ebeling. He’ll next be in the horror sci-fi film “Megan,” from producer-writer James Wan, and starring Allison Williams. Alvarez is also in pre-production for the romance movie “Boys Who Like Books,” which...
- 6/1/2022
- by Natalie Oganesyan
- The Wrap
Queer filmmaker and social media star Brian Jordan Alvarez has released a trailer for this next feature-length project, the satire “A Spy Movie.”
The film is written and directed by Alvarez’s frequent collaborator and “The Flight Attendant” actor Stephanie Koenig. She and Alvarez lead an ensemble of mainstays from his past work — notably the resonant YouTube series “The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo” and the delirious adventure “Grandmother’s Gold.”
While Alvarez has appeared in commercial work like the “Will & Grace” reboot and the Netflix series “Special,” he made and keeps his name in digital culture. Last November, Alvarez went viral simply for nailing an Australian accent.
No stranger to an underwear selfie, his absurdist comedy is rooted in contemporary queer narratives. “Caleb Gallo” was widely disseminated in show business thanks to its accurate depiction of the young artistic hustle and for showcasing a particular brand...
The film is written and directed by Alvarez’s frequent collaborator and “The Flight Attendant” actor Stephanie Koenig. She and Alvarez lead an ensemble of mainstays from his past work — notably the resonant YouTube series “The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo” and the delirious adventure “Grandmother’s Gold.”
While Alvarez has appeared in commercial work like the “Will & Grace” reboot and the Netflix series “Special,” he made and keeps his name in digital culture. Last November, Alvarez went viral simply for nailing an Australian accent.
No stranger to an underwear selfie, his absurdist comedy is rooted in contemporary queer narratives. “Caleb Gallo” was widely disseminated in show business thanks to its accurate depiction of the young artistic hustle and for showcasing a particular brand...
- 10/28/2021
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
Hollywood may have a lack of imagination when it comes to the lives of gay people with disabilities, but Ryan O'Connell certainly doesn't. In O'Connell's new semi-autobiographical Netflix series, Special - which he created, wrote, and stars in - he plays Ryan, a gay man with cerebral palsy who gradually becomes emboldened to go after what he wants in life and in love.
It's rare we see the stories of gay or disabled people play out on TV, full stop. Portrayals that reveal honest, able-yet-imperfect people with human wants and needs, whose relationships don't revolve around what others them, are ever rarer. So, to watch a gay man with cerebral palsy lose his virginity to a gentle, patient partner - a sex worker played beautifully by Brian Jordan Alvarez (of NBC's Will & Grace and The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo on YouTube) - charts new territory for queer representation altogether.
It's rare we see the stories of gay or disabled people play out on TV, full stop. Portrayals that reveal honest, able-yet-imperfect people with human wants and needs, whose relationships don't revolve around what others them, are ever rarer. So, to watch a gay man with cerebral palsy lose his virginity to a gentle, patient partner - a sex worker played beautifully by Brian Jordan Alvarez (of NBC's Will & Grace and The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo on YouTube) - charts new territory for queer representation altogether.
- 6/8/2019
- by Chris Roney
- Popsugar.com
The first season of “The F Word: A Foster-to-Adopt Story” was all about preparing to foster a child, the countless considerations that go into such a big decision, and the challenges of navigating the system as a queer couple. The short form series, released in 2017 and subsequently nominated for a Gotham Award, was uncommonly personal, exceedingly charming, and somehow turned a complicated topic into a contemporary family comedy. At its heart were filmmaker Nicole Opper, who now goes by Nico, and their partner Kristan Cassady, whose charming banter and committed partnership provided a refreshing portrait of a loving queer couple living in San Francisco. At season’s end, they were about to meet their baby for the first time. In Season 2, a third character has entered the picture: Their adorable baby J.
The second season of the docu-series, which finished airing on Soul Pancake last week, takes a broader approach to the topic of foster-to-adopt.
The second season of the docu-series, which finished airing on Soul Pancake last week, takes a broader approach to the topic of foster-to-adopt.
- 6/7/2019
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
Freeform began production in June on Good Trouble, the spinoff to the critically acclaimed drama The Fosters, in Los Angeles. The series, which was announced earlier this year, will follow Callie (Maia Mitchell) and Mariana (Cierra Ramirez) as they embark on the next phase of their young adult lives in Los Angeles.
Joining Maia Mitchell and Cierra Ramirez as series regulars are fellow neighbors at The Coterie apartment complex: Tommy Martinez (Riverdale) who will portray Gael, a socially conscious and politically active graphic designer; newcomer Zuri Adele who will portray Malika, a whip-smart former foster kid with a pension for social justice; and Sherry Cola (I Love Dick) who will portray Alice, a first-generation Asian American who manages the apartment complex. Roger Bart (Desperate Housewives) will portray conservative Judge Wilson for whom Callie is clerking.
Rounding out the cast are Emma Hunton (Happy Endings), who will portray Davia, a no...
Joining Maia Mitchell and Cierra Ramirez as series regulars are fellow neighbors at The Coterie apartment complex: Tommy Martinez (Riverdale) who will portray Gael, a socially conscious and politically active graphic designer; newcomer Zuri Adele who will portray Malika, a whip-smart former foster kid with a pension for social justice; and Sherry Cola (I Love Dick) who will portray Alice, a first-generation Asian American who manages the apartment complex. Roger Bart (Desperate Housewives) will portray conservative Judge Wilson for whom Callie is clerking.
Rounding out the cast are Emma Hunton (Happy Endings), who will portray Davia, a no...
- 8/13/2018
- by Roger Newcomb
- We Love Soaps
Freeform has finalized the cast of Good Trouble as production begins on its The Fosters spinoff. Tommy Martinez, Zuri Adele, Sherry Cola and Roger Bart will be series regulars, with Emma Hunton and Ken Kirby set to recur.
The series follows Callie (Maia Mitchell) and Mariana (Cierra Ramirez) as they embark on the next phase of their young-adult lives in Los Angeles.
Martinez (Riverdale) will play Gael, a socially conscious and politically active graphic designer. Newcomer Adele is Malika, a whip-smart former foster kid with a pension for social justice. Cola (I Love Dick) is set as Alice, a first-generation Asian-American who manages the apartment complex. And Bart (A Series of Unfortunate Events) will be conservative Judge Wilson, for whom Callie is clerking.
Rounding out the cast are Hunton (Happy Endings) as Davia, a no-holds-barred teacher who also lives at The Coterie, and Ken Kirby (The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo...
The series follows Callie (Maia Mitchell) and Mariana (Cierra Ramirez) as they embark on the next phase of their young-adult lives in Los Angeles.
Martinez (Riverdale) will play Gael, a socially conscious and politically active graphic designer. Newcomer Adele is Malika, a whip-smart former foster kid with a pension for social justice. Cola (I Love Dick) is set as Alice, a first-generation Asian-American who manages the apartment complex. And Bart (A Series of Unfortunate Events) will be conservative Judge Wilson, for whom Callie is clerking.
Rounding out the cast are Hunton (Happy Endings) as Davia, a no-holds-barred teacher who also lives at The Coterie, and Ken Kirby (The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo...
- 6/11/2018
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
In a year when the growing role of Netflix in Hollywood raised age-old fears about the death of cinema, the question of what is television versus a movie versus a web series grew ever murkier. As younger audiences become increasingly blasé about the difference, preferring streaming sites to the movie theater experience, production companies are scrambling to engage them with quality online content. At the same time, the internet remains the easiest way for emerging filmmakers to get their work seen without having to rely on meddling middlemen or jaded gatekeepers.
Read More:Jerry Seinfeld, Demetri Martin and Female Bros: The 16 Best Web Series Of 2016
IFC Comedy Crib, Stage 13, Super Deluxe, and Vimeo all ramped up their original content production this year, and underrepresented filmmakers are taking risks and reaping the rewards. As a result, there are more high-quality web series to choose from than ever before.
Here are the...
Read More:Jerry Seinfeld, Demetri Martin and Female Bros: The 16 Best Web Series Of 2016
IFC Comedy Crib, Stage 13, Super Deluxe, and Vimeo all ramped up their original content production this year, and underrepresented filmmakers are taking risks and reaping the rewards. As a result, there are more high-quality web series to choose from than ever before.
Here are the...
- 12/29/2017
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
Nick Horton Oct 6, 2017
Nick has dug up 10 highly recommended gems from the digital online world for your viewing pleasure...
It’s no secret that the gap between premium television (paid for by and broadcast on traditional networks and/or the big online players like Netflix and Amazon) is getting smaller. Not in terms of budgets, but in terms of creativity, talent and opportunity. Increasingly the next big thing might come from the online world, and that wouldn’t be such a strange thing. Broad City and Insecure, two celebrated Us comedy series, both had their origins online, with sketches by Abbi and Ilana, and Issa Rae’s Awkward Black Girl. The celebrated Fleabag was a BBC Three digital show.
See related The Punisher yanked from Nycc by Netflix after gun violence Iron Fist season 2: Elektra writer takes over as showrunner Luke Cage season 2: new image reveals another familiar...
Nick has dug up 10 highly recommended gems from the digital online world for your viewing pleasure...
It’s no secret that the gap between premium television (paid for by and broadcast on traditional networks and/or the big online players like Netflix and Amazon) is getting smaller. Not in terms of budgets, but in terms of creativity, talent and opportunity. Increasingly the next big thing might come from the online world, and that wouldn’t be such a strange thing. Broad City and Insecure, two celebrated Us comedy series, both had their origins online, with sketches by Abbi and Ilana, and Issa Rae’s Awkward Black Girl. The celebrated Fleabag was a BBC Three digital show.
See related The Punisher yanked from Nycc by Netflix after gun violence Iron Fist season 2: Elektra writer takes over as showrunner Luke Cage season 2: new image reveals another familiar...
- 10/3/2017
- Den of Geek
Digital star Brian Jordan Alvarez, who produced, directed, and starred in The Gay And Wondrous Life Of Caleb Gallo, has signed with CAA for representation.
Prior to the popular and critically-acclaimed Caleb Gallo (see below), which as was nominated for a Gotham Independent Film Award, Alvarez was noted for creating various online sketches about life as a gay man. His work on YouTube also led to a deal to develop Caleb Gallo for television alongside Lionsgate as part of the studio’s proclaimed $25 million annual commitment to the influencer sphere.
Visit Tubefilter for more great stories.
Prior to the popular and critically-acclaimed Caleb Gallo (see below), which as was nominated for a Gotham Independent Film Award, Alvarez was noted for creating various online sketches about life as a gay man. His work on YouTube also led to a deal to develop Caleb Gallo for television alongside Lionsgate as part of the studio’s proclaimed $25 million annual commitment to the influencer sphere.
Visit Tubefilter for more great stories.
- 8/8/2017
- by Geoff Weiss
- Tubefilter.com
Thanks to the success of shows like High Maintenance and Insecure, TV producers have their eyes on the indie web series world, and another show born out of that community is set to make a big leap. Stupid Idiots, created by Stephanie Koenig, is ready to make a big leap after inking a development deal with Paramount Television and Anonymous Content.
Stupid Idiots is centered around the friendship between its two protagonists, portrayed by Koenig and Brian Jordan Alvarez. While they bicker with each other constantly, they also support one another as they navigate exasperating and hilarious encounters with the outside world. Six “chunks” of the show are available on Alvarez’s YouTube channel, where he and Koenig previously teamed up as the co-stars of The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo.
Koenig will join the growing ranks of web series creators who have landed TV deals. Beyond the two programs mentioned above,...
Stupid Idiots is centered around the friendship between its two protagonists, portrayed by Koenig and Brian Jordan Alvarez. While they bicker with each other constantly, they also support one another as they navigate exasperating and hilarious encounters with the outside world. Six “chunks” of the show are available on Alvarez’s YouTube channel, where he and Koenig previously teamed up as the co-stars of The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo.
Koenig will join the growing ranks of web series creators who have landed TV deals. Beyond the two programs mentioned above,...
- 7/18/2017
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
The third season of SeriesFest culminated today in an awards ceremony recognizing some of the best independent television currently in production.
In the drama category “Up North,” created by Emil Pinnock & Damaine Radcliff, picked up four awards including Best Actor, Best Director and Best Pilot, while also winning the overall Audience Award (voted on by festival attendees). The pilot digs into the brutal reality of the New York prison system, as an innocent teenager gets arrested for a crime he didn’t commit.
Read More: Morgan Spurlock, Tim Heidecker, and TV Sneak Peeks Set For SeriesFest 2017
In comedy, the original series “Giving Up,” created by Kris Lefcoe, was recognized for Best Pilot and Best Director, while Brian Jordan Alvarez’s “The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo” won the award for Best Writing. “Ppl: Wizard Oz” was the winner of the inaugural Unscripted prize.
In addition, the digital shorts...
In the drama category “Up North,” created by Emil Pinnock & Damaine Radcliff, picked up four awards including Best Actor, Best Director and Best Pilot, while also winning the overall Audience Award (voted on by festival attendees). The pilot digs into the brutal reality of the New York prison system, as an innocent teenager gets arrested for a crime he didn’t commit.
Read More: Morgan Spurlock, Tim Heidecker, and TV Sneak Peeks Set For SeriesFest 2017
In comedy, the original series “Giving Up,” created by Kris Lefcoe, was recognized for Best Pilot and Best Director, while Brian Jordan Alvarez’s “The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo” won the award for Best Writing. “Ppl: Wizard Oz” was the winner of the inaugural Unscripted prize.
In addition, the digital shorts...
- 7/2/2017
- by Liz Shannon Miller
- Indiewire
For those feeling conflicted by both mourning the loss of “Bored to Death” while tiring of neurotic male protagonists, your dream series has arrived. The amateur Brooklyn detective comedy gets a radical spin in “Bkpi,” a delightfully wacky new short form series from writer/director Hye Yun Park. The series, which is produced by Super Deluxe, is in the middle of a triple-header festival run, playing La Film Festival, Outfest, and Frameline all in the span of a few weeks.
Read More: ‘Will & Grace’ On Speed: Gotham-Nominated Web Series ‘The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo’ Is A Surreal Ride
The series stars Park, Dina Shihabi (“Madam Secretary”), and Celine Justice as three badass, working-class women of color who start a private investigation firm to solve minor crimes affecting their Brooklyn neighborhood. But this isn’t some tired parody of hipster Brooklyn filled with beards and skinny jeans; the world of “Bkpi” looks much more like the actual Brooklyn than anything you’ll see on television currently.
“I could not bare to watch another white-washed portrayal of Brooklyn where wealthy millennial hipsters hash out their lives, while working class people witnessing the gentrification of the borough are sidelined to store keepers with funny accents,” said Park. “I wanted to shatter that misrepresentation and have 3 strong, independent women of color stomp around Brooklyn, giving no fucks and claiming their powers.”
Mission accomplished. The experience of watching “Bkpi” is akin to that of watching “Wonder Woman,” albeit on a much smaller scale. It is utterly thrilling to see a group of strong women kicking ass and getting shit done, all while cracking jokes and taking care of their neighbors and each other. Park is an energetic and charismatic ringleader, rocking a shaved head and cracking dirty jokes. It’s refreshing, but also a bit disorienting (in a good way) to realize just how rare images like this are.
Read More: Lgbt Superheroes: Why ‘Wonder Woman’ Could Never Have Been The Lesbian Avenger We Still Need
Park is no stranger to the short form series, having produced two seasons of the wryly self-mocking “Hey Yun,” a play on her name. She also had a viral hit with “First Kiss NYC,” where she invited total strangers to kiss on camera. The sweetly mesmerizing short reveals so much about human vulnerability, and the imaginary barriers we put between ourselves and others. It clearly struck a chord: It’s been viewed nearly 8 million times on YouTube and was picked up by Jill Soloway’s Wifey TV.
The cast and crew of “Bkpi” were 95% women, many of whom were queer and trans women of color. “It was the first time I experienced a synergy from having the humans behind the camera reflect the humans on camera,” said Park.
Check out this short exclusive clip for a taste of “Bkpi”:
“Bkpi” plays Outfest in Los Angeles on July 7. It is produced by Super Deluxe.
Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
Related storiesViral Videos at Sundance: Why Super Deluxe Belongs At Film Festivals (And Watch Their Short, 'Deer Squad')Vancouver Web Fest Announces Official Selections for Fourth Annual FestivalDracula-Based Web Series 'Mina Murray's Journal': 'Doctor Who' Writer Re-Vamps Vampire Classic...
Read More: ‘Will & Grace’ On Speed: Gotham-Nominated Web Series ‘The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo’ Is A Surreal Ride
The series stars Park, Dina Shihabi (“Madam Secretary”), and Celine Justice as three badass, working-class women of color who start a private investigation firm to solve minor crimes affecting their Brooklyn neighborhood. But this isn’t some tired parody of hipster Brooklyn filled with beards and skinny jeans; the world of “Bkpi” looks much more like the actual Brooklyn than anything you’ll see on television currently.
“I could not bare to watch another white-washed portrayal of Brooklyn where wealthy millennial hipsters hash out their lives, while working class people witnessing the gentrification of the borough are sidelined to store keepers with funny accents,” said Park. “I wanted to shatter that misrepresentation and have 3 strong, independent women of color stomp around Brooklyn, giving no fucks and claiming their powers.”
Mission accomplished. The experience of watching “Bkpi” is akin to that of watching “Wonder Woman,” albeit on a much smaller scale. It is utterly thrilling to see a group of strong women kicking ass and getting shit done, all while cracking jokes and taking care of their neighbors and each other. Park is an energetic and charismatic ringleader, rocking a shaved head and cracking dirty jokes. It’s refreshing, but also a bit disorienting (in a good way) to realize just how rare images like this are.
Read More: Lgbt Superheroes: Why ‘Wonder Woman’ Could Never Have Been The Lesbian Avenger We Still Need
Park is no stranger to the short form series, having produced two seasons of the wryly self-mocking “Hey Yun,” a play on her name. She also had a viral hit with “First Kiss NYC,” where she invited total strangers to kiss on camera. The sweetly mesmerizing short reveals so much about human vulnerability, and the imaginary barriers we put between ourselves and others. It clearly struck a chord: It’s been viewed nearly 8 million times on YouTube and was picked up by Jill Soloway’s Wifey TV.
The cast and crew of “Bkpi” were 95% women, many of whom were queer and trans women of color. “It was the first time I experienced a synergy from having the humans behind the camera reflect the humans on camera,” said Park.
Check out this short exclusive clip for a taste of “Bkpi”:
“Bkpi” plays Outfest in Los Angeles on July 7. It is produced by Super Deluxe.
Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
Related storiesViral Videos at Sundance: Why Super Deluxe Belongs At Film Festivals (And Watch Their Short, 'Deer Squad')Vancouver Web Fest Announces Official Selections for Fourth Annual FestivalDracula-Based Web Series 'Mina Murray's Journal': 'Doctor Who' Writer Re-Vamps Vampire Classic...
- 6/21/2017
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
The Tribeca Film Festival announced programming today for its N.O.W. (New Online Works) section, an inspired array of established and emerging creators who are pushing the boundaries of online storytelling.
Read More: Tribeca 2017 Set to Open With ‘Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives’ Premiere Event at Radio City Music Hall
Top-lining the section is the premiere of “Awake, A Dream from Standing Rock,” a documentary from the Oscar-nominated team of Josh Fox and James Spione and Executive Producer Shailene Woodley. The project is a collaboration with indigenous filmmaker Myron Dewey about the Native-led resistance against the Dakota Access Pipeline. Eli Roth’s Crypt TV will premiere “Monster Madness,” a series of several character shorts; and Op-Docs, The New York Times’ award-winning forum for short, opinionated documentaries, will screen three films at the Festival.
Read More: Tribeca 2017 Lineup: New Films From Alex Gibney, Azazel Jacobs and Laurie Simmons...
Read More: Tribeca 2017 Set to Open With ‘Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives’ Premiere Event at Radio City Music Hall
Top-lining the section is the premiere of “Awake, A Dream from Standing Rock,” a documentary from the Oscar-nominated team of Josh Fox and James Spione and Executive Producer Shailene Woodley. The project is a collaboration with indigenous filmmaker Myron Dewey about the Native-led resistance against the Dakota Access Pipeline. Eli Roth’s Crypt TV will premiere “Monster Madness,” a series of several character shorts; and Op-Docs, The New York Times’ award-winning forum for short, opinionated documentaries, will screen three films at the Festival.
Read More: Tribeca 2017 Lineup: New Films From Alex Gibney, Azazel Jacobs and Laurie Simmons...
- 3/24/2017
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
Rookie Blue vet Missy Peregrym has copped a new, mysterious role on Syfy’s Van Helsing.
Peregrym has joined Season 2 in the series regular role of Scarlett Harker, someone who has a enigmatic past and holds the potential to turn the tables on the vampires, according to our sister site Deadline.
RelatedSyfy to Launch Cosplay Competition Series Hosted by Yvette Nicole Brown
“We are so lucky and happy to have Missy join the Van Helsing team this season” showrunner Neil Labute said in a statement. “The series thrives on female energy and power and we’re getting two barrels full with Missy’s talents.
Peregrym has joined Season 2 in the series regular role of Scarlett Harker, someone who has a enigmatic past and holds the potential to turn the tables on the vampires, according to our sister site Deadline.
RelatedSyfy to Launch Cosplay Competition Series Hosted by Yvette Nicole Brown
“We are so lucky and happy to have Missy join the Van Helsing team this season” showrunner Neil Labute said in a statement. “The series thrives on female energy and power and we’re getting two barrels full with Missy’s talents.
- 3/15/2017
- TVLine.com
Aymar Jean Christian is part of the inaugural class of Peabody Fellows, distinguished media scholars who provide fresh perspectives and commentary on behalf of the Peabody Media Center, the outreach and media production arm of the prestigious awards program based at the University of Georgia. He is an assistant professor of communication studies at Northwestern University.
You know you’re a TV nerd when your most anticipated awards announcements are the Writers Guild Awards. TV is a writer’s medium. Every TV fan awaits the Emmys, and some even bother to care about the Golden Globes, but most don’t know the major Guilds give out statues to television producers.
Nerdier still, I’m most interested in the nominees almost nobody writes about: web original short form comedies and dramas.
So while you probably could not imagine my disappointment when the WGA released their nominees for original short-form new media this year,...
You know you’re a TV nerd when your most anticipated awards announcements are the Writers Guild Awards. TV is a writer’s medium. Every TV fan awaits the Emmys, and some even bother to care about the Golden Globes, but most don’t know the major Guilds give out statues to television producers.
Nerdier still, I’m most interested in the nominees almost nobody writes about: web original short form comedies and dramas.
So while you probably could not imagine my disappointment when the WGA released their nominees for original short-form new media this year,...
- 2/19/2017
- by Aymar Jean Christian
- Indiewire
For the second year in a row, the Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association (Galeca) have rallied around an obvious favorite: “Moonlight.” Last year, Todd Haynes’s “Carol” swept Galeca’s Dorian Awards, and from its prominence amongst the nominees announced today, “Moonlight” will likely do the same.
Read More: The 20 Best Queer Films on Netflix Right Now
Not restricted to films with explicit queer themes, the films nominated for film of the year are “Jackie,” “Manchester by the Sea,” “La La Land, “20th Century Women,” and “Moonlight.” The nominees for Lgbtq Film of the Year are “Being 17,” “Closet Monster,” “Moonlight,” “Other People,” and “The Handmaiden.”
Judging by its very strong Oscar chances, the enthusiasm for “Moonlight” has overshadowed all other worthy queer films. “The Handmaiden” was notably absent from the Oscar short list for Best Foreign Language Film, and the other three Dorian nominees are not in contention at all.
Read More: The 20 Best Queer Films on Netflix Right Now
Not restricted to films with explicit queer themes, the films nominated for film of the year are “Jackie,” “Manchester by the Sea,” “La La Land, “20th Century Women,” and “Moonlight.” The nominees for Lgbtq Film of the Year are “Being 17,” “Closet Monster,” “Moonlight,” “Other People,” and “The Handmaiden.”
Judging by its very strong Oscar chances, the enthusiasm for “Moonlight” has overshadowed all other worthy queer films. “The Handmaiden” was notably absent from the Oscar short list for Best Foreign Language Film, and the other three Dorian nominees are not in contention at all.
- 1/12/2017
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
Of the seismic cultural shifts that occurred in 2016, Hollywood finally embracing web series may be a tiny victory. But try telling that to the creators (a more succinct term for the writer-director-producer-actors thriving in the medium) who have turned their scrappy little web series into big-budget television deals.
Like Issa Rae, creator of the long-running YouTube series “Awkward Black Girl,” who just received a Golden Globe nomination for her new HBO show, “Insecure,” a vibrant comedy that puts black women front and center.
Or Ben Sinclair and Katja Blichfeld, the married co-creators who successfully adapted their web series, “High Maintenance,” for HBO. The stoner comedy that raised the bar for online storytelling preserved its indie charm; the six episodes of elegantly-woven vignettes held true to the spirit of the first online episodes, as each revealed little surprises in the lives of believable characters.
Read More: The Best of 2016: IndieWire...
Like Issa Rae, creator of the long-running YouTube series “Awkward Black Girl,” who just received a Golden Globe nomination for her new HBO show, “Insecure,” a vibrant comedy that puts black women front and center.
Or Ben Sinclair and Katja Blichfeld, the married co-creators who successfully adapted their web series, “High Maintenance,” for HBO. The stoner comedy that raised the bar for online storytelling preserved its indie charm; the six episodes of elegantly-woven vignettes held true to the spirit of the first online episodes, as each revealed little surprises in the lives of believable characters.
Read More: The Best of 2016: IndieWire...
- 12/21/2016
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
It’s a great pitch: A comedy about bulimia. It sells itself. So well, in fact, that more than one person had the idea. “When I saw ‘The Skinny,’ I had a meltdown,” Angela Gulner, creator and star of “Binge,” told IndieWire. “I was like: ‘My story has been told. There’s no room for it anymore.’ But then I calmed down a little bit.”
Read More: How ‘The Skinny’ Creator Jessie Kahnweiler Got From YouTube to Sundance (Hint: Jill Soloway Helped)
She realized that there was room for more than one eating disorder comedy. The success of Jessie Kahnweiler’s “The Skinny” (the web series premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was co-produced by Jill Soloway) did not mean the failure of “Binge.” Quite the opposite — it meant there was an audience for her story.
Not only that, but such a universal and pressing issue deserves more than one story.
Read More: How ‘The Skinny’ Creator Jessie Kahnweiler Got From YouTube to Sundance (Hint: Jill Soloway Helped)
She realized that there was room for more than one eating disorder comedy. The success of Jessie Kahnweiler’s “The Skinny” (the web series premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was co-produced by Jill Soloway) did not mean the failure of “Binge.” Quite the opposite — it meant there was an audience for her story.
Not only that, but such a universal and pressing issue deserves more than one story.
- 12/3/2016
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
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