Rod Gailes OBC – Writer, Director, Producer

An emerging figure on the NY film scene and artist for social change, Rod Gailes OBC is a native of MOTOWN, a University of Michigan graduate and is an alumnus of the prestigious NYU graduate film program.  There he studied under noted filmmakers, Raoul Peck and Nancy Savoca before directing the award winning classic, “Twin Cousins.”  A Regional Student Academy Award Finalist, winner of the HBO Short Film Competition, and best short film in New York’s Urbanworld Film Festival, the film went on to further acclaim, winning the Ft. Lauderdale Film Festival and was featured at the Kodak Emerging Filmmaker Showcase in Cannes.  It won the Theme & Insight Award at the Angelus Awards in LA and has been recognized by a host of award granting organizations.  Recently featured on “BET J’s the Best Shorts”, fellow NYU alum, Spike Lee, calls the film, “A beautifully photographed, masterfully directed portrait of childhood.”

Drawn from the eponymous feature script about life behind the wall of Black Fraternity culture, the controversial picture,“pharaoh jones,” cemented his reputation as a provocative storyteller of rare vision and honesty. Filmmakers agree: Urbanworld Film Festival founder, Stacy Spikes, calls it: “an incredible film.” “Rod Gailes OBC is a spirited filmmaker with tremendous breakout potential. He is definitely one to watch.” -John Singleton-, and Reginald Hudlin says “Rare. Real. Authentic. I loved everything about every frame.”

After working with director, Spike Lee, for several years and directing acclaimed original stage productions (THE PEOPLE COULD FLY, SOUL STRETCH), OBC moved on to groundbreaking work in New York’s theatre community with “I AM Because We ARE”, “Revolution, Romance, & War,” and “Thin Black Line.”  That work continues in 2010 when OBC brings to the stage International Fringe Festival Hit, “UNSPEAKABLE,” a dramatic fantasia on the life of comedian, Richard Pryor currently being produced for Broadway.

OBC recently completed post-production of his  independent feature film debut, “Camouflage,” a provocative look at coming of age in Harlem, USA.  The other is as a contributing director to the collaborative feature, produced by the New York film collective The Leagues, “6 Things I Never Told You,” which made its European premiere in Berlin in May 2009.

2005 marked OBC’s first foray into HIV education efforts with the teen focused “The Hard Way,” featuring the voice talent of comedian, Wanda Sykes.  The film premiered on MTV’s Overdrive website and was the impetus for a new series of dangerously sexy shorts.  The first, “Earl’s Post Prison Playdate” is the flagship film in Phase One of the HIV Testing Advocacy Initiative Executive Produced by Rod Gailes OBC for the League of Awareness, an underground film collective charged with elevating community response to societal concerns.

Touring colleges around the nation, OBC has furthered his reputation as a provocative storyteller of rare honesty.  A writer/director/producer for both the stage and screen & a revolutionary artist for social change, Rod Gailes OBC seamlessly creates repeat viewing entertainment from provocative subject matter.  OBC is currently developing the pop/folk musical, “COLORS: Dream Of the MASTA”.