Quick Snaps: Linklater Plus Three at UT

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Linklater and friends

I've missed John Pierson's master class at The University of Texas this year. I've enrolled in the master class several times, and have always enjoyed the guests from the film industry that Pierson interviews each week. He's brought a variety of speakers to Austin, from film-festival programmers to local film critics to actors such as Steve Buscemi to well-known filmmakers such as Kevin Smith and Ross McElwee. The "celebrity" speakers are always fun, but I naturally have a soft spot for the local guests ... one of my favorites was a very candid evening with Alamo Drafthouse founder Tim League a few years ago.

Last week's class was one I was especially sorry to miss: author Alison Macor, whose book Chainsaws, Slackers, and Spy Kids was recently published, discussed Austin film history with local filmmaker Richard Linklater. I hope this is one of the sessions that KUT recorded and will air this summer, as they've done with other sessions from Pierson's classes.

I found the above photo on Facebook last week -- it was taken right after the class ended. You might  remember that Debbie Cerda interviewed UT alum/filmmaker Tracie Laymon last year after her short suspense film Inside played Fantastic Fest. Laymon had mentioned that she interned for Linklater back in the day. Now Laymon is back in town (is she making a film here? I really ought to inquire), and went to last week's master class.

But wait, there's more. All four people in that photo are Austin filmmakers who have interesting things going on these days. On the far left, we have Jen White, whose movie Between Floors is currently touring the festival circuit. Jenn Brown reviewed the feature film when it played during (not part of) SXSW. Next to Jen is Bob Ray, whose Austin rollerderby doc Hell on Wheels I enjoyed (and reviewed) when it played SXSW 2007. Ray is just finishing up his latest film, Total Badass, which also screened locally during (not part of) SXSW this year. And then we have Laymon and Linklater ... I don't know what they're working on right now. If you have any hints, feel free to share them in the comments.

Special thanks to UT RTF Professor Charles Ramirez Berg, who took this photo, for giving me permission to republish it here. Ramirez Berg is also one of the founders of Austin Film Society along with Linklater ... and was my thesis advisor in graduate school. It's all connected here in Austin, isn't it?