My first experience as a freelance director (as opposed to directing material I developed) came from me meeting Steven Bochco at a birthday party of a mutual friend. I introduced myself and asked him why, in his expert opinion, haven’t black dramas succeeded on television. He said funny you should ask that since he was doing a black medical drama that fall and by asking I had just volunteered myself to work on the project.
The show was CITY OF ANGELS and the cast included Blair Underwood, Vivica Fox, Hill Harper, Maya Rudolph (great in a dramatic role), Viola Davis, Octavia Spenser, a young actress named Gabrielle Union,….I even got to work with Ossie Davis in a guest appearance.
As the creator of the modern television drama with shows like HILL STREET BLUES, LA LAW, NYPD BLUE and many more, Bochco runs a tight ship but it’s a fun cruise. Working there taught me television and I use those lessons everyday.
Steven and I became friends and we would hang out personally. When my then girlfriend would leave the table at dinner, he would grab my arm and tell me I was an idiot if I didn’t marry that girl right away. Two kids and over a decade later, he was very right.
I know it doesn’t look like it but we’re actually having fun together in this shot!
I’ve been lucky enough to work with Steven on several shows, but the MURDER IN THE FIRST experience was exceptional. It was old home week with some of the best crew people in the business who are always there for Steven, and an amazing cast including the very quick witted Taye Diggs; the awe-inspiring James Cromwell, who delivers two page monologues with the greatest of ease; and Tom Felton who is as nice in person as he is awful as his character. The entire cast was spectacular and we spent a lot of time pitching each other ideas for season two.
Me and Taye Diggs on the set of MURDER IN THE FIRST. Boy, that guy is handsome!
Me and Tom Fenton on the set of MURDER IN THE FIRST. Magical.
The show debuted to great ratings; I directed episode six. Check it out.
Talk about it on HEF – the Hudlin Entertainment Forum
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Coming Wed, September 3rd
Marcus Miller and I have been working together since I asked him to score the original HOUSE PARTY back in 1989. From BOOMERANG to the pilot of EVERYBODY HATES CHRIS, we had a lot of success together.
Our latest collaboration is BLACK MOVIE MUSIC, a celebration of black music in the movies from STORMY WEATHER through SHAFT, SUPERFLY, PURPLE RAIN all the way through to HAPPY! The music will feature the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, Marcus Miller and an all-star band, and all kinds of guest stars and cool video clips from your favorite movies. Here’s a video I did to give to give you a feel for the event:
This has nothing to do with my concert but here’s recent footage of Marcus Miller in Morocco jamming with Moustapha Baqbou at Festival Gnaoua et Musiques du Monde.
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Me and fellow director Allison Anders on the set of MURDER IN THE FIRST
James Cromwell and I on the set of MURDER IN THE FIRST
More beautiful smiles on HEF
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by Tambay A. Obenson
In what is maybe a most unexpected, although intriguing pairing, a Django/Zorro comic book is on its way to an on- or offline bookstore near you, courtesy of Dynamite Entertainment and DC Entertainment, as well as Quentin Tarantino, Matt Wagner, and Reginald Hudlin.
This will serve as a sequel to the film "Django Unchained," which will see our cowboy with the fast draw meet the legendary Zorro, in a story written by "co-plotted" (as the press release reads) by Tarantino, and will be co-plotted and written by Matt Wagner ("Mage," "Grendel," "The Shadow, Zorro"), while Reginald Hudlin (producer of "Django Unchained" the film), will work closely with Tarantino and Wagner as editor.
"I’m very very excited about both this story and the opportunity to work with Matt. It was reading his Zorro stories that convinced me what a good idea it was to join these two icons together. And the story idea we came up with is thrilling, and I think will be an exciting new chapter for both characters," says Tarantino.
Adds Wagner, "This project is an absolute thrill! When Quentin and I first met, it felt like we’d known each other for years. The give-and-take energy of our initial story sessions was just incredible! It’s a particular buzz to be writing Zorro once again…and especially to team him up with the magnetic lead character from Quentin’s most straight-up heroic movie, Django Unchained! The Wild West is never gonna be the same once these two come to town!"
"This series is the first time Quentin Tarantino explored the continuing adventures of one of the characters from his films," says Reggie Hudlin. "That he would do it in a comic book demonstrates his love and appreciation of the medium. Quentin is not just a comic collector – he’s got a spinner rack in his house!"
What Dynamite CEO/Publisher Nick Barrucci is calling "THE Cross-Over event of the year," is scheduled for a late 2014 release.
Talk about it on HEF – the Hudlin Entertainment Forum
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