James Kicklighter Explained
Birth Date: | June 26, 1988 |
Years Active: | 2006–present |
James Kicklighter (born June 26, 1988) is an American film director, producer, and writer from Bellville, Georgia.[1] [2]
Early life and education
Kicklighter's hometown is in Bellville, Georgia.[3] His father died from SARS when he was 12 years old.[4] He graduated from Georgia Southern University with a degree in Public Relations.
Career
He began his career at 18, as co-executive producer[5] of That Guy: The Legacy of Dub Taylor,[6] interviewing actress Dixie Carter, rocker John Mellencamp, director David Zucker, and actor Buck Taylor.[7] [8]
During his studies at Georgia Southern University, he collaborated with another student to film a documentary about the Golden Age of Radio for the Broadcast Education Association.[9] [10] While directing the film that became Theater of the Mind, he met Edith Ivey, who starred in his short film, The Car Wash.[11]
The Car Wash won the Audience Choice Award at the National Film Festival for Talented Youth.[12] [13]
His short film Followed,[14] based on the story by Will McIntosh, received an Audience Choice Award at the 2011 National Film Festival for Talented Youth,[15] and was screened by Dragon Con, The Rome International Film Festival, Garden State Film Festival and Central Florida Festival, with international press coverage.[16] [17]
His 2012 film Final Acts was a finalist in the Macon Shorts Competition, part of the Gateway Macon Initiative. The film won Grand Prize.[18]
His first feature film was the international crossover Desires of the Heart, which was produced by Jitenda Mishra[19] [20] and shot in Savannah, Georgia and Rajasthan, India in 2012.[21] [22] It was screened at film festivals in 2013 and 2014 including the Cannes Film Festival.[23] The film was released in theaters across India in November 2015.[24] [25] It received award for Best Foreign Film at the La Femme Festival in Los Angeles.[26] [27]
In 2015, he released the documentary A Few Things About Cancer.[28] The film won Best Short Documentary at the 2015 FirstGlance Los Angeles Film Festival.[29]
His music video "Branches" for solo artist Shel Bee won Best Music Video at the 2016 Garden State Film Festival[30]
After the 2016 Garden State Film Festival, Kicklighter directed the documentary Digital Edition, a profile on the future of journalism framed through The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.[31] [32] [33] [34] He was inspired to film the project after receiving an email from Bert Roughton, Jr., Senior Managing Editor of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
He was the Virginia filmmaker for Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign.[35] [36] [37] He filmed content for the campaign with public figures such as Michelle Kwan. He decided to direct the film The American Question after observing politics and voting during the campaign.
In 2017, he directed Angel of Anywhere, starring Briana Evigan, Ser'Darius Blain, David A. Gregory, and Axel Roldos.[38] [39] The project was a collaboration was a collaboration with director of photography Jonathan Pope.[40] [41]
He spoke about his start in filmmaking at the Directors Guild of America[42] and the importance of networking [43] in March 2018.
Kicklighter directed the feature documentary The Sound of Identity, profiling Lucia Lucas's performance of Don Giovanni at the Tulsa Opera for 2021 release.[44] [45] [46] It received a rating of 91% on the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes.
Kicklighter is set to direct a biopic about athlete and coach Erk Russell,[47] [48] [49] who revived the football program at Georgia Southern University.[50]
Personal life
Bag company JAMAH named The Kicklighter bag in his honor.[51] He currently resides in Los Angeles, California.[52]
Filmography
Notes and References
- Web site: Meet James Kicklighter, Film Director in Culver City - Voyage LA Magazine | LA City Guide. Local Stories. voyagela.com. May 2018 . Jun 14, 2021.
- Web site: New documentary examines first transgender singer in opera history to perform in a principal role. Christopher. Berinato. Savannah Morning News. Jun 14, 2021.
- Web site: Award-Winning Filmmaker James Kicklighter Directs Documentary "The Sound of Identity" . 2022-03-29 . ProductionHUB.com . 13 August 2021 . en.
- Web site: 2020-10-12 . Meet James Kicklighter Film Director . 2022-03-29 . SHOUTOUT LA . en-US.
- Web site: Video biography of character film actor premiers at museum | The Augusta Chronicle . Chronicle.augusta.com . 2016-09-26.
- Web site: Archive.is. https://archive.today/20120802140025/http://www.bpc.edu/news_and_info/news/2006/2006-09-sep/9-15_bpc_instructor_directs_documentary_about_western_film_actor_from_augusta.htm. dead. 2012-08-02.
- Web site: February/March 2011 by Macon Magazine . Issuu.com . 27 January 2011. 2016-09-26.
- Web site: NFFTY 2010 on Vimeo . Vimeo.com . 2010-08-12 . 2016-09-26.
- News: AFTRA Atlanta Members Interviewed for Student Doc . AFTRA Magazine . . Spring 2009 . April 11, 2012 .
- Web site: Archive.org. https://web.archive.org/web/20110715201908/http://romenews-tribune.com/bookmark/9841269. dead. 2011-07-15.
- Web site: McDougald . Mike . Southeast Georgians cross paths in a small world . 2022-03-29 . Northwest Georgia News . 9 October 2010 . en.
- Web site: National Film Festival for Talented Youth . Short Film Central . 2016-09-26.
- Web site: Our Organization . Nffty.org . 2016-09-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160923132734/http://www.nffty.org/about/our-organization . 2016-09-23 . dead .
- Web site: Zombies take over as movie begins filming in Macon | The Telegraph . Macon.com . 2010-12-12 . 2016-09-26.
- Web site: NFFTY 2011 Award Winners . Nffty.org . 2016-09-26 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20161008164000/http://www.nffty.org/festival-highlights/nffty-2011-award-winners . 2016-10-08 .
- Web site: AICN HORROR looks at new horrors: FOLLOWED Short Film! CANNIBAL: THE MUSICAL 13th (or so) . Aintitcool.com . 2016-09-26.
- Web site: Might of the Living Dead | Georgia Music . Georgiamusicmag.com . 2016-09-26.
- Web site: Archive.org. https://web.archive.org/web/20120327094833/http://gatewaymacon.org/macon-shorts.da. dead. 2012-03-27.
- Web site: OdAdmin . 2022-03-21 . Jitendra Mishra selected Jury for Japan's largest film festival – KINEKO 2022 . 2022-03-29 . Odisha News Odisha Breaking News Latest Odisha News . en-US.
- Web site: 2015-05-12 . Odisha-born producer Jitendra Mishra to promote ten films at Cannes fest . 2022-03-29 . The Indian Express . en.
- News: Ford . Rebecca . 13 August 2012 . 'All My Children's' Alicia Minshew Nabs Lead in 'Desires of the Heart' (Exclusive) . . 2016-09-26.
- Web site: 2012-09-22 . US actors to shoot in India . 2016-09-26 . Timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
- Web site: 2014-05-14 . Rajesh Rathi's 'Desires of the Heart' travels to Cannes Film Festival . 2022-03-29 . The Indian Express . en.
- Web site: Desires of the Heart Releasing on 6th Nov in India . Enewsodia.com . 2016-09-26.
- Web site: Odisha-born producer's Hollywood film 'Desires of the Heart' released . In.news.yahoo.com . 2015-11-06 . 2016-09-26.
- Web site: Desires of the Heart review (2015) . 2022-03-29 . en-US.
- Web site: Tilby . Darren . 2019-06-08 . Desires of the Heart review . 2022-03-29 . UK Film Review . en.
- Web site: Archive.org. https://web.archive.org/web/20150313063908/http://firstglancefilms.com/blog/2015/03/10/a-few-things-about-cancer/. dead. 2015-03-13.
- Web site: 2015 Los Angeles Award Winners – FirstGlance Film Festival . Firstglancefilms.com . 2014-06-20 . 2016-09-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160420000732/http://firstglancefilms.com/2015-los-angeles-award-winners/ . 2016-04-20 . dead .
- Web site: Garden State Film Festival 2016 Winners . Broadwayworld.com . 2016-09-26.
- Web site: Shorts: Digital Edition (2016) Crushed Celluloid. crushedcelluloid.com. 2016-05-19.
- Web site: Digital Edition (2016) short film review. screencritix.com. 2016-05-19.
- Web site: The Independent Critic - "Digital Edition" Follows the Changing World of Journalism. theindependentcritic.com. 2016-05-19.
- Web site: Digital Edition. indyred. 2016-05-19.
- Entertainment Weekly. Entertainment Weekly. 2016.
- Web site: Hillary Clinton Campaign. Jameskicklighter.com.
- Web site: Michelle Kwan if Working for Hillary Clinton. New York. 2016.
- Web site: Angel of Anywhere. Jameskicklighter.com.
- Web site: 2018-08-14 . Watch: Male Stripper Short 'Angel of Anywhere' by James Kicklighter . 2022-12-08 . firstshowing.net . en-US.
- Web site: The Independent Critic - "Angel of Anywhere" the Latest Kicklighter Flick . 2022-03-29 . theindependentcritic.com.
- Web site: Review . UK Film . 2017-09-07 . Angel of Anywhere short film . 2022-03-29 . UK Film Review . en.
- Web site: James Kicklighter at the DGA Directors Guild of America on Starting a Career in Film. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/TIoB3GSAme8 . 2021-12-21 . live. Jun 14, 2021. www.youtube.com.
- Web site: James Kicklighter on Networking in Filmmaking at the DGA — Directors Guild of America. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/QL0EEnxwYuQ . 2021-12-21 . live. Jun 14, 2021. www.youtube.com.
- Web site: Sacramento Opera Star Lucia Lucas Pushes Industry Boundaries — and Beyond. 2019-09-15. KQED. en-us. 2019-12-29.
- Web site: LUCIA'S VOICE Documentary To Feature First Transgender Lead In U.S. Opera. BWW News Desk. BroadwayWorld.com. en. 2019-12-29.
- Web site: 2019-04-09 . Breaking Film Industry News — Awards, Acquisitions, Festival Buzz, Grants, and More . 2019-12-29 . IndieWire . en.
- Web site: Archive.org . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120905002950/http://erkthemovie.com/ . 2012-09-05.
- Web site: Hunker'd Down by Bernie . 2012-09-02 . Bernie's Dawg Blawg: Erk Russell on the big screen . Berniesdawgblawg.com . 2016-09-26.
- Web site: 2006-09-08 . GSU grads to produce 'Erk' . dead . https://archive.today/20130203054341/http://www.statesboroherald.com/section/1/article/43779/ . 2013-02-03 . Statesboroherald.com . 2016-09-26.
- Web site: 2014-12-15 . First Class | Georgia Southern Magazine . News.georgiasouthern.edu . 2016-09-26.
- Web site: THE KICKLIGHTER . 2022-03-16 . JAMAH . en-US.
- Web site: Valdez . Jonah . 2021-12-20 . 6.2 earthquake strikes off Northern California coast, shattering windows and rattling nerves . 2022-03-29 . Los Angeles Times . en-US.
- Web site: 2011-06-15 . DI PASSAGGIO . 2022-03-30 . filmthreat.com . en-US.
- Web site: Reddish . David . James Kicklighter raises the curtain on a transgender opera star in 'The Sound of Identity' . 2022-03-30 . Queerty. June 2021 .
- Book: Lehmann, Courtney . Screen Adaptations: Romeo and Juliet: A close study of the relationship between text and film . 2014-09-26 . Bloomsbury Publishing . 978-1-4081-9876-6 . en.
- Web site: Rockett . Darcel . Do you share the same values as your neighbor? That's 'The American Question' . 2022-03-30 . chicagotribune.com. 10 January 2018 .
- Fall 2009 . Comm Arts Talk . Georgia Southern University Comm Arts Talk . Georgia Southern University.
- Web site: Archive.is . dead . https://archive.today/20120919074655/http://www.romenews-tribune.com/view/full_story/9485876/article-Rome-International-Film-Festival-features-%E2%80%98Rambling-Rose-%E2%80%99-wraps-up-today?instance=news_page_secondary_local . 2012-09-19.
- Web site: Zombie film with a heart . 2022-03-30 . www.statesboroherald.com.
- Web site: Desires Of The Heart Review . 2022-03-30 . IndyRed . en.
- Web site: The Independent Critic - "A Few Things About Cancer" Hits the Festival Circuit . 2022-03-30 . theindependentcritic.com.
- Web site: Angel of Anywhere – Review – The Utah Film Festival . 2022-03-29 . en-US.
- Web site: Ramos . Dino-Ray . Dec 21, 2020 . Shout! Studios To Distribute Docu 'The Sound Of Identity' Spotlighting Trans Opera Star Lucia Lucas . Jun 14, 2021.