Charles Rogers (director) explained
Charles Rogers (born July 5, 1987) is an American film director, screenwriter, producer and actor best known for his movie Fort Tilden (2014) and the TBS / HBO Max series Search Party which ran from 2016 to 2022. He also served as a writer for the Netflix comedy series, (2015), and (2017).
Rogers has earned notoriety and acclaim as one of the major LGBTQ showrunners in Hollywood. He has earned recognition from Forbes 30 Under 30, The Hollywood Reporter, and Variety.[1] [2] [3] In 2017 he was one of Out Magazine 100 most compelling LGBT people in 2017.[4]
Early life and education
Rogers is a graduate of the New York University Tisch School of the Arts MFA film directing program.[5]
Career
He was one of the filmmakers behind the multi-director feature film Black Dog, Red Dog, produced by James Franco and Rabbit Bandini Productions, starring Logan Marshall-Green, Chloe Sevigny, and Whoopi Goldberg, which premiered at the 2015 International Film Festival of Guanajuato.[6] [7] [8] The film was a class project at the NYU graduate film program, taught by Franco, wherein ten students adapted the poetry of Stephen Dobyns.[9]
In 2014 he co-wrote and co-directed Fort Tilden in collaboration with Sarah-Violet Bliss. Starring Bridey Elliott and Clare McNulty, the film premiered at SXSW, where it won the Grand Jury Award and was subsequently acquired by Orion Pictures. Fort Tilden centers on two inept best friends on a disastrous journey to the beach. It was released on August 14, 2015, theatrically and through video on demand.[10] [11] [12] [13] The film received generally positive reviews from major critics.[14] [15] [16]
Search Party
Rogers and Violet-Bliss reunited in 2016 for the comedy/mystery TBS television series Search Party, which they co-created along with Michael Showalter. The show stars Alia Shawkat, John Early, John Reynolds, Meredith Hagner and Brandon Micheal Hall as a group of New York hipsters who find themselves involved in a series of mysteries.[17] Search Party received critical acclaim,[18] [19] holding a 100% approval rating on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 20 reviews, with an average rating of 8.1/10.[20] On Metacritic, the first season holds a rating of 81 out of 100, based on 18 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[21] The second season premiered on TBS on November 19, 2017, and received positive reviews from television critics. It holds a 95% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes[22] and was called a "biting satire made for the Trump era" by Vanity Fair.[23] Both Violet-Bliss and Rogers have since signed an overall deal with HBO Max.[24]
Other film and TV work
Along with Jordan Firstman, he co-wrote and co-starred in the short film Men Don't Whisper, which was an official selection at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival[25] as well as the 2018 South by Southwest Film Festival.[26] The film follows a gay couple with masculinity issues who attempt to sleep with women. Produced by JASH, it also stars Fort Tilden and Search Party actors Bridey Elliott and Clare McNulty, and features a guest appearance by Saturday Night Live alum Cheri Oteri.[27]
In addition to his work on Search Party, Rogers has worked as a writer on the first and second seasons of the Netflix series Wet Hot American Summer, as well as for the second season of the Amazon series Mozart in the Jungle which won the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series โ Musical or Comedy.[5]
Other work
Rogers, along with comedian and multimedia artist Casey Jane Ellison, co-hosted the Earwolf produced limited series podcast The Problem with Charles and Casey which premiered on March 31, 2019. The podcast featured in-depth interviews with guests, including Louie Anderson, Jessica Williams, Starlee Kine, Jordan Firstman, and Chelsea Peretti, about a problem they are facing in their lives.[28] Rogers has appeared twice as a guest on The George Lucas Talk Show, first during the May the AR Be LI$$ You Arli$$ marathon fundraiser, and later on The George Lucas Holiday Special.
Controversies
In January 2024, TheWrap published allegations that Rogers drugged and sexually assaulted a Search Party production assistant in 2020. According to TheWrap, Rogers was cleared of wrongdoing by HBO Max's investigation into the incident in 2020, which found no evidence to corroborate the allegations. During the investigation, the production assistant retracted his claims and sent Rogers an email exonerating him, as he believed his claims to be related to "severe" psychotic delusions he was experiencing during that timeframe. He later alleged that the network gaslit him into making a retraction. Rogers has also denied the allegations.[29] [30]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|
2010 | Naked Easter | Director / Writer | Short film |
2012 | Oysters Rockefeller | Director / Writer | Short film |
2013 | Autumn Whispers | Director / Writer | Short film |
2013 | Bad Friends | Director / Writer | Short film |
2014 | Fort Tilden | Director / Writer | Feature film debut |
2015 | Black Dog, Red Dog | Director / Writer | |
2017 | Men Don't Whisper | Writer | Short film |
|
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|
2011 | The Actress | Director | Episode: "Denise" |
2012 | Tech Up | Director / Writer | TV series |
2015 | | Staff writer | 5 episodes |
2016-2022 | Search Party | Creator / Writer | 50 episodes |
2017 | | Writer | Episode: "Lunch" |
|
Recognition
Awards and nominations
Year | Association | Category | Project | Result | Ref. |
---|
2014 | | Audience Choice Award | Fort Tilden | | |
2014 | | Grand Jury Award - Narrative Feature | | |
2014 | Athens International Film Festival | Best Picture | | |
2014 | | Best Feature Film | | |
2016 | | Breakthrough Series - Longform | Search Party | | |
|
Notes and References
- Web site: 30 Under 30 2017: Hollywood & Entertainment. Forbes. 1 March 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20171201044636/https://www.forbes.com/30-under-30-2017/hollywood-entertainment/#296a9777514f. 1 December 2017.
- Web site: Hollywood's Power Showrunners: Ones to Watch. hollywoodreporter.com. 6 October 2017. 1 March 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180108233441/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/hollywoods-power-showrunners-watch-1045772. 8 January 2018.
- Web site: 10 TV Writers to Watch in 2016. Variety Staff. 14 June 2016. variety.com. 1 March 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180109063731/http://variety.com/gallery/tv-writers-to-watch-2016-the-walking-dead/#!2/sarah-violet-bliss-and-charles-rogers. 9 January 2018.
- Web site: OUT100 2017. 8 November 2017. out.com. 1 March 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20171229040716/https://www.out.com/out100-2017/2017/11/08/out100-2017#slide-49. 29 December 2017.
- Web site: Charles Rogers . 2024-06-13 . Forbes . en.
- Web site: Perro negro, perro rojo / Black Dog, Red Dog. giff.festivalgenius.com. 1 March 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180301124126/http://giff.festivalgenius.com/2015/films/perronegroperrorojoblackdogreddog_jamesfranco_giff2015. 1 March 2018.
- Web site: ยป home2015eng. www.giff.mx. 1 March 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170704162236/http://giff.mx/?page_id=9350. 4 July 2017.
- Web site: Black Dog, Red Dog. 1 March 2018. 1 March 2018. www.imdb.com. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170824182943/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2171791/. 24 August 2017.
- Web site: Black Dog, Red Dog. rottentomatoes.com. 1 March 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20171209082513/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/black_dog_red_dog/. 9 December 2017.
- Web site: Kolmar. Jim. SXSW FILM AWARDS ANNOUNCED!. 20 July 2015. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20150814164058/http://www.sxsw.com/film/news/2014/sxsw-film-awards-announced. 14 August 2015.
- Web site: Schedule - sxsw.com. SXSW Schedule 2014. 1 March 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170911072041/http://schedule.sxsw.com/2014/events/event_FS14991. 11 September 2017.
- Web site: SXSW 2014 Winner 'Fort Tilden' Gets U.S. Distribution From Orion. Dave. McNary. 18 March 2015. variety.com. 1 March 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180109063840/https://variety.com/2015/film/news/fort-tilden-distribution-sxsw-orion-1201455504/. 9 January 2018.
- Web site: Exclusive Poster for SXSW Winner 'Fort Tilden' Shows an Angsty Millennial Summer. Kaeli Van. Cott. 29 June 2015. indiewire.com. 1 March 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20160505021439/http://www.indiewire.com/article/exclusive-poster-for-sxsw-winner-fort-tilden-shows-an-angsty-millennial-summer-20150629. 5 May 2016.
- News: Webster. Andy. Review: 'Fort Tilden,' a Comic Odyssey to the Beach. The New York Times. August 13, 2015. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180108233804/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/14/movies/review-fort-tilden-a-comic-odyssey-to-the-beach.html?_r=0. January 8, 2018.
- News: Walsh. Katie. Review: 'Fort Tilden' rips into millennial culture with a beach day from hell. Los Angeles Times. August 13, 2015. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20150928093157/http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-fort-tilden-movie-review-20150814-story.html. September 28, 2015.
- Web site: Movie Review: Fort Tilden -- Vulture. Edelstein. David. Vulture. 7 August 2015 . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20150928035700/http://www.vulture.com/2015/08/movie-review-fort-tilden.html. 2015-09-28.
- News: 'Arrested Development' Alum Alia Shawkat to Star in Jax Media Comedy . The Hollywood Reporter . 22 March 2015 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160622175136/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/arrested-development-alum-alia-shawkat-803850 . 22 June 2016 .
- Web site: 'Search Party' has fun with mystery-story twists . Robert . Lloyd . Los Angeles Times . November 20, 2016 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20161206145110/http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/la-et-st-search-party-review-20161121-story.html . December 6, 2016 .
- Web site: 'Search Party Is the Post-Thanksgiving Bingewatch You Need . Tom . Philip . Gentlemen's Quarterly . November 28, 2016 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170928193604/https://www.gq.com/story/search-party-is-the-post-thanksgiving-bingewatch-you-need . September 28, 2017 .
- Web site: Search Party. Rotten Tomatoes. November 23, 2016. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20161124031811/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/search_party/s01/. November 24, 2016.
- Web site: Search Party - Season 1. Metacritic. November 23, 2016. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20161121232252/http://www.metacritic.com/tv/search-party-2016. November 21, 2016.
- Web site: Search Party: Season 2 - TV Reviews - Rotten Tomatoes. www.rottentomatoes.com. 1 March 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20171126221759/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/search_party/s02/reviews/?type=top_critics. 26 November 2017.
- Web site: Search Party Season 2 Is a Biting Satire Made for the Trump Era. Richard. Lawson. vanityfair.com. 16 November 2017. 1 March 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180226153907/https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2017/11/search-party-season-2-tbs-review. 26 February 2018.
- Web site: 2021-02-09. 'Search Party' Renewed for Season 5 at HBO Max. 2021-02-10. The Hollywood Reporter. en.
- Web site: Sundance Announces 2018 Shorts, Special Events and New Indie Episodic Lineups. Peter. Debruge. 4 December 2017. variety.com. 1 March 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180213192200/http://variety.com/2017/film/news/sundance-announces-2018-indie-episodic-program-shorts-special-events-lineup-1202629877/. 13 February 2018.
- Web site: SXSW 2018 Schedule . 2018-03-14 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180208011733/https://schedule.sxsw.com/2018/films/117910 . 2018-02-08 . dead .
- Web site: Men Don't Whisper. 14 February 2017. 1 March 2018. www.imdb.com. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180301124126/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt6527474/. 1 March 2018.
- Web site: The Problem with Charles & Casey podcast on Earwolf. 2020-04-08. 2020-03-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20200311100631/https://www.earwolf.com/show/the-problem-with-charles-casey/. dead.
- Web site: 'Search Party' PA Accuses Showrunner Charles Rogers of Sexual Assault. 8 January 2024. 22 February 2024.
- Web site: Berry . Alex . 2024-06-13 . Charles Rogers accused of sexual assault by 'Search Party' PA . 2024-06-13 . NME . en-GB.
- Web site: 30 Under 30 2017: Hollywood & Entertainment. Forbes. 1 March 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20171201044636/https://www.forbes.com/30-under-30-2017/hollywood-entertainment/#296a9777514f. 1 December 2017.
- Web site: OUT100 2017. 8 November 2017. out.com. 1 March 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20171229040716/https://www.out.com/out100-2017/2017/11/08/out100-2017#slide-49. 29 December 2017.
- Web site: Hollywood's Power Showrunners: Ones to Watch. hollywoodreporter.com. 6 October 2017. 1 March 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180108233441/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/hollywoods-power-showrunners-watch-1045772. 8 January 2018.
- Web site: 10 TV Writers to Watch in 2016. Variety Staff. 14 June 2016. variety.com. 1 March 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180109063731/http://variety.com/gallery/tv-writers-to-watch-2016-the-walking-dead/#!2/sarah-violet-bliss-and-charles-rogers. 9 January 2018.