Dubbed “The Black Sundance,” the Hollywood Black Film Festival (HBFF) is an annual 4-day celebration of Black Cinema drawing together established filmmakers, popular film and TV stars, writers, directors, industry executives, emerging artists, and diverse audiences from Southern California and around the world. HBFF’s INFOTAINMENT CONFERENCE features a wealth of informational panels and workshops covering a wide variety of topics which include: film production, distribution and marketing, pitching, writing for television and film, in addition to specific programs designed to inform and educate actors.
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Aaron Speiser has been training and coaching actors for over 25 years. Working with the most acclaimed actors, directors, and producers in the industry, Mr. Speiser helps actors by bringing his vast experience and depth of knowledge of the craft of acting to his students in a simple, straightforward, practical and inspirational way.
Aaron Speiser coaches Will Smith and Virginia Madsen, both of whom have recently been nominated for Academy Awards with Mr. Speiser’s help. He has also coached Jennifer Lopez from the beginning of her career. LL Cool J, Mandy Moore, The Rock (Dwayne Johnson), Brooke Shields, Jeff Foxworthy, Shanny Sossamon, Ashley Johnson, Shawn, Marlon, and Kim Wayans are some of the accomplished actors who round out the list.
Working with such renowned directors as Oliver Stone, Michael Mann, F. Gary Gray, Adam Shankman, Wayne Wang, and Peter Berg. to name a few, has enabled Mr. Speiser to bring the latest Film and Television techniques to his studio and clients.
Mr. Speiser started his professional career in New York and then went to earn a Masters Degree of Fine Arts in Acting from Brandeis University in Boston. After graduation he studied with Uta Hagen, Bill Hickey, and his mentor Kenneth McMillan at HB Studio in New York. Mr. Speiser worked as a professional actor and director in numerous stages and TV productions for 15 years before moving on to teaching. This feature film, Talking About Sex, which he directed, produced, and co-wrote won Best Film Award at the Breckenridge Film Festival.
