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Jeff Van Hanken
Jeff Van Hanken
Writer of political and cultural features for both daily newspapers and monthly magazines. Writer, director and producer of short films and feature films. Produced, The HOLA Film Project, a collaborative project that matched recently arrived young men from Los Angeles’ Rampart district with film industry professionals. One of the shorts, The Test, won Best U.S. Short at the Los Angeles International Latino Film Festival. Other festivals played include those in Havana, Buenos Aires, London, New York, San Diego, as well as screening on KCET, Southern California’s premier public broadcasting channel. Script for feature film, The Legend of Billy Fail, was named a semi-finalist in the Chesterfield Writer’s Film Project and given a top 10 percent nod in the Academy of Arts and Sciences Nicholl Fellowships. Short stories appearing in on-line journals, Word Riot and Ascent Aspirations. Interests include overlooked or otherwise marginalized communities, and the ways that members of these communities look to define themselves against traditional notions of mainstream society. Further interests include linking narrative construction with measurable healthful mental and physical benefits.
Education and Degrees Earned
- Duke University, B.A., Comparative Literature, 1988
- University of Texas at Austin, M.F.A., Film Production, 2005
Previous Teaching Experience
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Teaching Assistant, University of Texas at Austin
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Instructor, University of Oklahoma
Previous Relevant Work Experience
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Editorial writer/columnist – The Shreveport Journal
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Columnist – Tulsa People
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Producer – The Legend of Billy Fail, The HOLA Film Project
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Director – Bella! Bella! Bella!
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Owner/President – Healthy Boy Pictures
Professional Affiliations
- Board Member, Oklahoma Center for Poets and Writers
- Board Member, Oklahoma Arts Institute Film Workshop