JOE LEYDON. MA in Communication Studies, University of Houston BA in Journalism, Loyola University of New Orleans

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1 JOE LEYDON Academic Background MA in Communication Studies, University of Houston BA in Journalism, Loyola University of New Orleans Academic/Teaching Experience Instructor, School of Communication, University of Houston 2001 until present Media and Society (Comm 1301) Basic survey course, with emphasis on the development of Old Media (newspapers, film, radio, TV, etc.) and the evolution of New Media (Internet, podcasting, etc.). Writing for Print and Digital Media (Comm 2310) Fundamentals of writing and editing, with specific emphasis on Associated Press style. Some opinion writing (including reviews and editorials). Broadcast and Film Writing (Comm 2328) Fundamentals of writing for film and dramatic television. Introduction to Motion Pictures (Comm 2370) General survey course, with emphasis on specific genres (Westerns, science-fiction, film noir, etc.) and filmmakers (Francois Truffaut, Billy Wilder, Spike Lee, etc.). History of Cinema (Comm 3370) Introduction to history of motion pictures, with emphasis on specific classics from various eras. Social Issues in Journalism (Comm 4314) -- Lecture and discussion class designed to examine how public responses to and assumptions about contemporary events are reflected and shaped by the media. Social Aspects of Film (Comm 4370) For five years, I designed and taught course as a semester-long examination of war films throughout film history, from the World War I era ( Shoulder Arms ) to the first Gulf War ( Three Kings ). More recently, I have focused on cinema of the 1970s, examining how films of the New Hollywood era reflected, and were affected by, social, political and financial upheavals of the period.

2 Presidential Cinema (Comm 4397) Designed a Selected Topics class to focus on cinematic depictions of real and fictional U.S. Presidents, with emphasis on how each film may have reflected zeitgeist of its time. Instructor, Houston Community College 2001 until present History of Cinema (Drama 2366) -- Introduction to history of motion pictures, with emphasis on specific classics from various eras. The Art of Filmmaking (Drama 2367) More detailed examination of specific genres and filmmakers, with emphasis on international as well as U.S. cinema. Instructor, Sam Houston State University Specialized Writing (MCOM 3360) Class devoted to coverage and critical evaluation of film, television and other forms of entertainment. Screenwriting (MCOM 3375) Introduction to dramatic writing for film and television. Film History and Criticism (MCOM 4351) -- Introduction to history of motion pictures, with emphasis on specific classics from various eras. Students are required to evaluate key films. Writing/Editing Experience Ongoing Activities: Critic and regional correspondent for show business trade paper Variety (and Variety.com) since April Contributing Editor for Cowboys and Indians magazine (and CowboysIndians.com) since February 2003.

3 Work History: Author, Joe Leydon s Guide to Essential Movies You Must See (July 2004, Michael Wiese Productions). Contributing Critic for Leonard Maltin s Movie Guide, Film Critic/Entertainment Feature Reporter for KPRC-TV (NBC), Duties included film reviews, interviews with actors and filmmakers. Film Critic/Editor for The Houston Post, Duties included reviews, interviews, analytical essays and feature stories. Also, coverage of Toronto, Sundance, Palm Springs and Cannes film festivals. Film location stories throughout Texas and Louisiana. Coverage of home video and direct-to-video releases. Entertainment Staff Writer for The Dallas Morning News, Duties included interviews, news and feature stories, and reviews while covering theater, popular music, movies and television. Also served as interim entertainment editor, January-June Oversaw eight-person entertainment department staff and various contracted free-lancers. Assigned coverage, maintained schedules, edited copy. Film critic for Houston Examiner Newspapers, ; Dallas Journal- Express, ; San Francisco Examiner, ; MSNBC.com, ; FW Weekly, ; KLOL-FM, ; The Houston Press, ; KTRH-AM, ; KRIV-TV (Fox), Columnist and DVD critic for Stereophile Ultimate AV / Stereophile Guide to Home Theatre, Free-lance feature stories, essays and reviews for Los Angeles Times, Newsday, New York Daily News, The Boston Globe, The Toronto Star, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Austin American-Statesman, The (Nashville) Tennessean and The Houston Chronicle; IndieWire, CNN.com, Yahoo! and CultureMapHouston.com; MovieMaker, Film Comment, Take One, Life & Style Weekly, Houstonia and New Orleans magazines; Entertainment News Wire and the United States Information Agency. Book review editor for Moving Pictures magazine, Correspondent for Texas Entertainment News, syndicated TV series, season.

4 Awards, Honors Lifetime Achievement Award, Houston Film Critics Society, 2016 Houston Press Club Award for Best Critical Commentary, 1985, 1986 and 2003 Dallas Press Club Award for Arts Criticism, 1991 and 1994 Seminars, Panels, Film and TV Appearances National television appearances on Countdown with Keith Olbermann, At the Movies, Kudlow & Kramer and MSNBC Live, since Moderator of on-stage Q&As with actors (including Hal Holbrook, Elliott Gould, Patricia Neal and Scott Wilson) and filmmakers (including Norman Jewison, Gale Anne Hurd, Marc Webb and Leah Meyerhoff) at Nashville and Denver Film Festivals, since Moderator of on-stage Q&As with Shirley MacLaine (2010), Ethan Hawke (2011) and filmmaker Jorge Hinojosa (2012) at Houston Cinema Arts Festival. Moderator of Evolution of Women Behind the Camera panel with Nicole Kidman, Famke Janssen, Carrie Preston and Beth Grant at 2012 Nashville Film Festival. Interview subject for documentaries Junket Whore (1998) and The People vs. George Lucas (2010). Curator of retrospective tribute to Paul Newman at 2008 Denver Film Festival. Introduced 25 th anniversary screenings of Spike Lee s Do the Right Thing at Denver Film Festival and Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Guest lecturer on Latin American cinema for U.S. Department of Defense conference, Changing Trends in Latin America, hosted by Global Business Network, September Guest lecturer on The Rabbi as Portrayed in Film, sponsored by Congregation Emanu El Sisterhood at Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, March 2009.

5 Chair of panel discussions, mentor for filmmaking professionals at South by Southwest Film Festival, Judge for screenwriting competition, WorldFest/Houston International Film Festival, Moderator of panels and on-stage Q&As at Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, since Panelist at European Film Festival, University of Texas at San Antonio, 2005 and Feature Awards Jury member, Palm Springs Film Festival ( ) and Nashville Film Festival (2011).