Visiting Filmmakers Series Online: Doug Spearman Masterclass in Directing

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Following his session on April 6, Doug Spearman generously provided us with VIEWING and READING lists

Films I talked about during the session

The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman - talking about the lives of black women

The Prince and The Show Girl - when I referenced how to make a single shot do more than just capture one character. How to make a single turn in to a five-person shot.

Sky Fall - The movie where I talked to Holden about cutting between dialogue and listener and setting up the relationship within the scene.

My Must Watch Movies

Dangerous Liaisons
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
1917
Booksmart
Double Indemnity
Lifeboat
The Godfather Pt 2
The Magnificent Ambersons
The Leopard
The Favorite
The Others
Psycho
The Lion In Winter
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Three Days of the Condor
Bonnie and Clyde
Last Tango in Paris
Suddenly Last Summer
A Rebel Without A Cause
East of Eden
Farewell My Concubine
Raise the Red Lantern
The Red Balloon.
Life Is Beautiful
Star Trek (the recent reboot)
Galaxy Quest
What's Up Doc?
Lost In Translation

Books

My First Movie: 20 Celebrated Directors Talk About Their First Movie

Michael Cain Acting in Film - freaking brilliant

You'll Never Eat Lunch In This Town Again - Julia Phillips (a lot of the ugly truths about getting movies made and trashing your career)

Hello, He Lied by Linda Obst - you might as well get over the romantic ideals about working in the motion picture industry.

Goldwyn, by E. Scott Berg - probably the best and most informative book about a Hollywood independent producer.

(It's not a book, but it's a great documentary on Hollywood and being a producer "The Kid Stays In The Picture" - Robert Evans, the producer of the Godfather and so many more fantastic films.)

Respect for Acting - Uta Haagen - The bible on acting in my opinion.

An Actor Prepares - Constantine Stanislavsky - if Uta is the new testament, the An Actor Prepares is the Old testament and the best foundation you'll have for understanding modern acting and where it comes from.

Monday, April 6, 2020 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM EDT
Online Location

Join Doug Spearman for a masterclass in directing, online.

In the summer of 1983 Doug started as the one and only intern/assistant producer to Charlie Rose when Charlie returned to television with his national show. Doug's responsibility was to research, greet, and host such political and journalistic luminaries as Colin Powell, Peter Jennings, then Vice President Bush, and Julian Bond.

From there Doug went on to writing, producing, and directing marketing and promotions campaigns at ABC, CBS and NBC. Doug also created and executed launch campaigns for Soapnet, UPN, and LOGO.

In 1991 Doug moved to Los Angeles to direct for the legendary ad men Ray Jacobs and Stefan Gerber. Doug's first assignments included directing such stars as William Shatner, Morgan Freeman, Halle Berry, and Martin Sheen.

At the same time, Doug pursued an acting career with guest starring roles on Star Trek Voyager, The Drew Carey Show, The Hughleys, Girlfriends and the ground-breaking LOGO show, Noah's Arc. His stage work includes the American premiere of The Ice Pick, the Tony Award-winning South Coast Rep's premier of The Hollow Lands and the critically acclaimed production of The Bacchae, playing Dionysus, at the 2010 Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland.

In 2006 he formed The Ogden Group Entertainment. Their first feature, Hot Guys with Guns, was released in April of 2014 by Wolfe. The script is included in the core collection at the Academy library.

Doug's second feature, From Zero to I Love You, is doing a festival run. An original pilot called The Natural Order of Things is in production. His third film, Delilah Underwood, begins shooting this year.

Our event is sponsored by Film at Mason, School of Art, Global Affairs and Global Programs, DKA at GMU, , CVPA's Kritikos Series: Arts in Context, University Life, Delta Kappa Alpha and Women and Gender Studies.

For more information:

Samantha Beach, Office Manager, Film at Mason, sbeach2@gmu.edu

Cynthia Fuchs, Director, Visiting Filmmakers Series at Mason cfuchs@gmu.edu