Conversations from the Sundance Institute Labs | Rick Famuyiwa on Directing THE WOOD and DOPE
About this Event Recording
Go behind the scenes to learn from Sundance Institute Advisors in our Conversations from the Labs series. This collection of 90-minute videos will deepen your understanding of all the creative disciplines that are supported through our Labs including Feature Film Directing and Writing, TV Writing, Emerging Media, Documentary, Producing, Film Music, and Theater.
In this video, writer/director Rick Famuyiwa shares his approach to embracing - and subverting - genre in filmmaking. Reflecting on his experience writing and directing first THE WOOD and later DOPE, he recounts his creative journey; shares the power of truth and place in his writing process; and notes the challenges of shooting a love scene. He stresses the need to bring under-represented voices to the big screen and encourages directors to fight for their vision.
Other conversations in the series include those with editor Dylan Tichenor, actor/director Ed Harris, writer/director Karyn Kusama, writer/director/producer Kasi Lemmons, and others.
Event RecordingTeam
Rick Famuyiwa
Rick Famuyiwa is an alumnus of the USC School of Cinematic Arts and the Sundance Institute's Screenwriters and Directors Labs. His movie Dope premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, winning the Special Jury Prize for Editing, and screened at the Cannes Film Festival Directors' Fortnight.
Famuyiwa is currently executive producing Season 2 of The Chi for Showtime and directed two episodes of The Mandalorian for Disney+. He is also developing the feature film adaptations of the graphic novel, Black Hole, and the New York Times bestselling book, Children of Blood and Bone.