The Richard Lawson Studios Master Class Series Will Close August With Director Neema Barnette

The Richard Lawson Studios will close its Self Tape Master Class Series for the month of August with director Neema Barnette. Classes take place every Saturday morning at 10 AM PST via Zoom Webinar.

Richard Lawson Studios (RLS) was founded in Los Angeles, California in 2005 by veteran actor, Richard Lawson. RLS uses a complete approach that includes traditional scene study, exercises, audition classes, and combines them with on-camera instruction, filmmaking, and business administration to form a whole, comprehensive course of study. The approach is based upon moment-to-moment spontaneous work, inspired by imagination, passion, and purpose.

On August 29th, Master Teacher Richard Lawson will be joined by director Neema Barnette. Fifteen actors will be given the opportunity to have their self-tape auditions be assessed and redirected by Mr. Lawson and Ms. Barnette.

Prominent, innovative and prolific, director, writer, and producer Neema Barnette has engaged audiences with a body of compelling socially and politically charged work that defies the narrow stereotypes of African-Americans usually depicted in entertainment for over thirty years. Barnette has earned the respect of peers and critics alike by winning countless accolades.

Starting out as a young theater director, at the age of 24 Neema got accepted into the Women's Directing Workshop at AFI. Neema went from Harlem to Hollywood and soon after made history by becoming the first African American Woman to ever direct a sitcom, What's Happening Now? Neema made history again when Frank Price, then Chairman of Columbia Studios, gave her a three-year housekeeping deal, which made her the first African American to receive a three-picture deal from a major studio.

Neema's most recent credits include: in 2019, 2 episodes of Paradise Lost, a mini-series for Spectrum & Paramount Television starring Nick Nolte, Barbara Hersey & Josh Hartnett, now airing on the Spectrum network. In 2020, 2 episodes of Genius Aretha for Imagine Entertainment, National Geographic & Fox Television,

In 2016, Neema was chosen by Ava DuVernay and Oprah Winfrey to be producing director of Queen Sugar (a new series). Besides directing two episodes, Neema trained all the women chosen to direct the series, none of which had ever directed TV, resulting in TV directing careers for all of them. In 2017, the 1st season of Queen Sugar was nominated for a Peoples Choice Award & multiple NAACP Image Awards. The series is now on its fourth season.

Also in 2016, Neema directed two episodes of a series for VH1, The Breaks, and 2 additional episodes of Being Mary Jane.

In 2018, Neema directed Luke Cage for Marvel & Netflix, Blind Spot for NBC, The Good Cop for Netflix, the 4th & 5th seasons of Bosch for Amazon, the 2nd Season of Midnight Texas for NBC, 2 episodes of Raising Dion for Netflix, and Love Is for The OWN Network.

Former TV credits include The Cosby Show, China Beach, Frank's Place, and Gilmore Girls.

Neema's directing awards and accolades include Emmy Award, Peabody Award, NAACP Image Award, DGA Nomination, American Black Film Festival, Urban World, AFI, Sundance, Real Sistas, Women in Radio & TV, International Monitor Award, Sojourn Truth Award, Pan African Film Festival, among many others.

Neema began 2019 by directing 2 episodes of Ambitions, for Will Packer & Oprah Winfrey for The Own Network. Additional credits can be seen on IMDB

Neema's feature films include Civil Brand, Woman Thou Art Loosed On The 7th Day, Scattered Dreams, Better Off Dead, Run For The Dream: The Gail Devers Story, Sin & Redemption, All You've Got and My Super Sweet 16: The Movie.

This event has multiple enrollment tiers:

Working actors receiving a verbal in class assessment: $55 (SOLD OUT)

Working actors receiving a post class written assessment: $30 (SOLD OUT)

Observing Students: $20

Enrollment is available via Eventbrite: rlsneemabarnette.eventbrite.com

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