Duane Graves | |
---|---|
Born |
San Antonio, Texas, United States |
Occupation(s) | Film director, screenwriter, editor |
Years active | 2000–present |
Duane Graves is an American film director, writer, producer, cinematographer and editor who has produced a body of work spanning multiple genres. [1] In 2023, Deadline Hollywood announced he was named one of Coverfly's best up and coming screenwriters. [2] His career began with the documentary Up Syndrome, which premiered at the Slamdance Film Festival in 2001. [3] A portrait of his childhood friend born with Down syndrome, [4] Up Syndrome won numerous awards, including the National Media Award from the National Down Syndrome Congress in 2002, [5] and the Grand Prize at the 2006 Movies Askew Film Festival hosted by Clerks (film) director Kevin Smith. [6] He formed Greeks Films with film school peer, actor and filmmaking partner Justin Meeks in 2001. [7]
Graves then co-wrote/co-directed his first narrative film with Meeks, The Wild Man of the Navidad, a 70's-inspired creature feature based on real-life journals and starring Meeks. [8] The film premiered at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival [9] and later Fantastic Fest, [10] before being released internationally by IFC Films in 2009, [10] and again in 2021 by MPI Media Group. [11]
In 2011, Graves and partner Meeks were two of 26 Austin filmmakers selected - including Jay Duplass, Bob Byington, Ben Steinbauer, David Zellner and others - to remake Richard Linklater's acclaimed 1991 debut feature Slacker (film). [12] Graves and Meeks' segment in the Slacker 2011 anthology was photographed in the same location and with the same actress some twenty years after the original. [13]
Graves' sophomore effort - the cannibal-themed horror Butcher Boys (2012 film) - was written and produced by Kim Henkel, co-creator of the original The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), and loosely based on Jonathan Swift's satirical 1729 essay A Modest Proposal. [14] It debuted at the 2012 Fantasia International Film Festival under the original moniker Boneboys, [15] before being released in North America as Butcher Boys by Phase 4 Films in 2013. [16]
Graves then served as editor [17] for the award-winning [18] short film Black Metal, written and directed by Kat Candler. [19] Black Metal, about a husband, father and musician struggling with the guilt and blame of a tragic and senseless murder, premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, [20] as well as the 2013 SXSW Film Festival. [21]
Also in 2013, Graves co-wrote/co-directed the horror Western Kill or Be Killed (2015 film), also starring partner Meeks and featuring genre icons Michael Berryman, Pepe Serna, Edwin Neal, and Luce Rains. [22] [23] Originally titled Red on Yella, Kill a Fella, it premiered at the 2015 Dallas International Film Festival [24] before being acquired by RLJE Films for wide release in 2016. [25]
Most recently, Graves and Meeks served as executive producers of Dane Sears's The Hopewell Haunting, a period ghost story released in 2023 by MPI Media Group/Dark Sky Films. [26] [27]
Graves is currently based in Austin, Texas. [7]
Duane Graves grew up in San Antonio, Texas. [4] He attended The University of Texas at Austin [28] and Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. [10]
Duane Graves | |
---|---|
Born |
San Antonio, Texas, United States |
Occupation(s) | Film director, screenwriter, editor |
Years active | 2000–present |
Duane Graves is an American film director, writer, producer, cinematographer and editor who has produced a body of work spanning multiple genres. [1] In 2023, Deadline Hollywood announced he was named one of Coverfly's best up and coming screenwriters. [2] His career began with the documentary Up Syndrome, which premiered at the Slamdance Film Festival in 2001. [3] A portrait of his childhood friend born with Down syndrome, [4] Up Syndrome won numerous awards, including the National Media Award from the National Down Syndrome Congress in 2002, [5] and the Grand Prize at the 2006 Movies Askew Film Festival hosted by Clerks (film) director Kevin Smith. [6] He formed Greeks Films with film school peer, actor and filmmaking partner Justin Meeks in 2001. [7]
Graves then co-wrote/co-directed his first narrative film with Meeks, The Wild Man of the Navidad, a 70's-inspired creature feature based on real-life journals and starring Meeks. [8] The film premiered at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival [9] and later Fantastic Fest, [10] before being released internationally by IFC Films in 2009, [10] and again in 2021 by MPI Media Group. [11]
In 2011, Graves and partner Meeks were two of 26 Austin filmmakers selected - including Jay Duplass, Bob Byington, Ben Steinbauer, David Zellner and others - to remake Richard Linklater's acclaimed 1991 debut feature Slacker (film). [12] Graves and Meeks' segment in the Slacker 2011 anthology was photographed in the same location and with the same actress some twenty years after the original. [13]
Graves' sophomore effort - the cannibal-themed horror Butcher Boys (2012 film) - was written and produced by Kim Henkel, co-creator of the original The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), and loosely based on Jonathan Swift's satirical 1729 essay A Modest Proposal. [14] It debuted at the 2012 Fantasia International Film Festival under the original moniker Boneboys, [15] before being released in North America as Butcher Boys by Phase 4 Films in 2013. [16]
Graves then served as editor [17] for the award-winning [18] short film Black Metal, written and directed by Kat Candler. [19] Black Metal, about a husband, father and musician struggling with the guilt and blame of a tragic and senseless murder, premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, [20] as well as the 2013 SXSW Film Festival. [21]
Also in 2013, Graves co-wrote/co-directed the horror Western Kill or Be Killed (2015 film), also starring partner Meeks and featuring genre icons Michael Berryman, Pepe Serna, Edwin Neal, and Luce Rains. [22] [23] Originally titled Red on Yella, Kill a Fella, it premiered at the 2015 Dallas International Film Festival [24] before being acquired by RLJE Films for wide release in 2016. [25]
Most recently, Graves and Meeks served as executive producers of Dane Sears's The Hopewell Haunting, a period ghost story released in 2023 by MPI Media Group/Dark Sky Films. [26] [27]
Graves is currently based in Austin, Texas. [7]
Duane Graves grew up in San Antonio, Texas. [4] He attended The University of Texas at Austin [28] and Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. [10]