Xavier Burgin is an Emmy-nominated writer/director from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts. He’s the director of Shudder’s first original documentary, Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror. He’s a Sundance Lab Fellow, HBO Alumni, Ryan Murphy Half Fest Mentee, Top 50 Academy Nicholl Screenwriting Fellowship Alumni, and Screencraft Feature Winner.
Xavier’s feature documentary, Horror Noire expounds on the history of Black Americans in horror cinema. It is the first original documentary produced by AMC Networks’ Shudder streaming service. The film currently holds a “100% Fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes. Horror Noire has been listed as one of the “Best Horror Movies of 2019” from USA Today, Entertainment Weekly, Shondaland, Harper’s Bazaar, and more. It had its world premiere at American Cinematheque’s Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood, along with screening at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film won a Trailblazer Award from FEARnyc Film Festival and was a best documentary nominee for the Detroit Film Critics Society.
Xavier directed Episode 204: Lights Out and Episode 207: Okay In the Silence of the Emmy winning series, Giants, an Issa Rae Color Creative and TV One series. Xavier’s work was nominated for an Emmy in the “Outstanding Directing for a Digital Drama Series” category.
Xavier has written multiple projects he is attached to direct and/or is currently in development. Xavier’s interactive story, Tina & The Gucci Flip Flop, earned him a significant following online thanks to its raunchy, but relatable humor. Xavier developed the short form story into SANKOVA, an animated series focusing on the adventures of young, black adults in an afro-futuristic, mega-city utopia based on black internet culture.
On Time, a story focusing on the unfair treatment of single mothers by police and the judicial system, is a 2019 Academy Nicholl Fellowships Top 50 Screenplay. It is the winner of Screencraft’s Drama Competition and is a top 5 finalist for The Atlanta Film Festival. The proof of concept short film premiered on HBO and Issa Rae’s Color Creative Channel. Late Registration, a comedy series focusing on black students at predominantly white colleges, was a selection for The Sundance Institute’s Youtube New Voices Lab.
A Family Reunion, Xavier’s southern, gothic mystery horror about a young boy at a family reunion who fights to stop his grandmother from sacrificing a loved one to an African deity for generational wealth and eternal prosperity, was chosen for the Sundance Beta Workshop.
Xavier shadowed on the set of American Horror Story as a member of Ryan Murphy’s Half Foundation. He’s been a semifinalist for ABC|Disney’s Directing and Writer Programs, Sony’s Diverse Director’s Program, and Viacom’s Emerging Directors Program. Xavier has also been a finalist for the Commercial Directors Diversity Program. Olde E, his thesis film, was a semifinalist for the 43rd Student Academy Awards. It is currently playing on Omeleto, where it has amassed over 300K+ views. Other, his film about Black America’s two voices, has been featured on Shadow & Act, Bossip, and Colorlines.
Xavier has worked with AMC, Shudder, Kevin Hart’s LOL Network, Baron Davis’ No Label, Stage 3 Productions, Bazelevs, Google, D.C. Comics, and Lenovo.
Que The Lights © 2010 Xavier Burgin Los Angeles, CA www.quethelights.com
