Dustin Lance Black

screenwriter

Dustin Lance Black grew up in a devout Mormon military household in San Antonio, Texas. A remarriage occasioned a family move to Salinas, CA. He finished high school there, and became deeply immersed in the Central Coast’s theater world. He apprenticed with stage directors, worked on set and lighting crews, and acted. He graduated UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television with honors. Mr. Black started out as an art director before transitioning into directing documentaries, commercials, and music videos. The success of his documentary features *On the Bus* and the Saturn Award-winning *My Life with Count Dracula* (the latter about sci-fi legend Dr. Donald A. Reed) led to two years producing and directing the hit BBC reality series *Faking It*, which aired on TLC in the US. Back in the US, he wrote and directed the short film *Something Close to Heaven*, which garnered him industry attention, including the AMC channel documentary *Gay Hollywood*, wherein he was cited as one of “Five Filmmakers to Watch.” In 2004, he commenced work on the Emmy and Golden Globe Award-nominated television series *Big Love* as a writer and producer, working with the program for three seasons. The first season aired in the spring of 2006; the second aired in the summer of 2007; and the third airs in the winter of 2009. He was the sole Mormon writer and producer on the like-themed show. Mr. Black’s other works as writer include screenplays for *Pedro*, profiling the late AIDS activist and reality television star Pedro Zamora, which world-premiered at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival; the feature *A Life Like Mine*, which Paris Barclay will direct; and the big-screen adaptation of the celebrated Tom Wolfe book *The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test*.