Ben Affleck, David O. Russell to Take Part in Film Independent Panel Series

Ben Affleck, David O. Russell and Benh Zeitlin will take part as guest speakers in Film Independent’s 12th annual Directors Close-Up series, which will be held every Wednesday from Feb. 6 to March 6 at the Landmark Theatres in West Los Angeles.

Also scheduled to take part in the series of panels are director Ruben Fleischer (Gangster Squad) and writer-directors Ira Sachs (Keep the Lights On), Julia Loktev (The Loneliest Planet) and Jill Soloway (Afternoon Delight).  

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Additional guests on Zeitlin’s panel are Steve Boeddeker, Bob Edwards and Zach Martin, the sound team behind Beasts of the Southern Wild; Fleischer’s panel will include editor Alan Baumgarten, production designer Maher Ahmed and costume designer Mary Zophres; Soloway’s will feature casting directors Courtney Bright and Nicole Daniels and actors Kathryn Hahn and Michaela Watkins along with, schedules permitting, Jane Lynch and Jessica St. Clair. Moderators will include Phil Benson of Skywalker Sound, screenwriter Robin Swicord and Film Independent at LACMA curator Elvis Mitchell.

“We are thrilled to bring together the directors of some of this year’s most fascinating work,” Film Independent director of education Maria Bozzi said.  

This year’s panels will cover the following topics:

Feb. 6 – Sound Advice: Moving Beyond the Picture

Feb. 13 – Ben Affleck: The Road to Argo

Feb. 20 – The Independent Spirit: A Directors Roundtable

Feb. 27 – The Creative Team: Executing the Vision

March 6 – The Actors: Getting Great Performances