XAVIER L. BURGIN

Xavier Burgin is an Emmy-nominated writer/director from USC Cinema. He wrote on Starz’s wrestling drama, Heels. He’s written for the WWE, CryptTV, Amazon Studios, The Discovery Channel, and Paramount. He directed AMC Network’s Horror Noire, Adult Swim’s Juneteenth Holiday Special, and the BET series, Giants. Xavier is the dubbing director for Netflix’s sumo sports drama, Sanctuary.

Xavier grew up down south in Mississippi. Grandma’s TV would switch between SEC football, wrestling, movies, anime, and Playstation games. He’d ride off into the countryside on his bike for the day, then return home to watch Toonami before Bible study. Xavier’s love for storytelling grew from his fascination with religious myths. He loves the intersection between gods, angels, demons, and mortals. As a child, he wondered if these fantastical stories could exist. Now, he chooses to be the hand that writes them.

Xavier developed Sankova, a sci-fi comedy, with Justin Simien’s Culture Machine at Paramount. He wrote a horror feature for CryptTV and the WWE. He directed the English Dub of Sanctuary, a Netflix sports drama about a young sumo wrestler. Xavier’s film, Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror, expounds on the untold history of Black Americans in the genre. The documentary premiered on horror streamer, Shudder. Xavier earned a Daytime Emmy nomination for his directorial work on the BET show, Giants. He directed Juneteenth With Open Mike Eagle, an Adult Swim Special about the national holiday’s history.

Xavier’s shadowed on the TV series American Horror Story, The Ms. Pat Show, and Sacrifice. He’s participated in numerous industry programs, including: Starz Take The Lead Writing Program, Rideback Rise Fellowship, Paramount’s Viewfinder Program, Netflix’s Dubbing Initiative, The Sundance Labs, HBO’s Short Film Showcase, Berlinale Talents, The Commercial Directors Diversity Program, and Ryan Murphy’s Director Shadow Program. Xavier’s collaborations also include D.C. Comics, Lenovo, LOL Network, and Stage 3 Productions.

Xavier’s feature documentary, Horror Noire, expounds on the history of Black Americans in horror cinema. The film, currently streaming on Shudder, has been covered by the A.V. Club, The Hollywood Reporter, The Guardian, Slash Film, The Verge, Entertainment Weekly, and more. It was featured in an educational screening hosted by The Toronto International Film Festival. It includes interviews from Jordan Peele, Keith David, Tony Todd, Rachel True, Paula Jai Parker, Richard Lawson, and more prominent actors, filmmakers, and scholars in the horror genre. It currently holds a “Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Xavier directed Episode 204: Lights Out and Episode 207: Okay In the Silence, of the Emmy nominated series, Giants, currently on Issa Rae’s Color Creative. Xavier’s work has been nominated for an Emmy in the “Outstanding Directing for a Digital Drama Series” category. The series has been picked up for television via TV One.

Xavier is a fellow of The Sundance Institute’s YouTube New Voices Lab where his series, Late Registration, was selected. Xavier shadowed on the set of American Horror Story as a member of the RMTV Half Foundation, a diversity mentorship program created by Ryan Murphy (American Horror Story, Scream Queens). Xavier has also been a semi-finalist for ABC|Disney’s Directing and Writer Programs, Sony’s Diverse Director’s Program, and Viacom’s Emerging Directors Program.

Xavier’s feature script, On Time, has won The Screencraft Drama Competition and The Film Empire Diversity Screenplay competition. It was a finalist in the Hollywood Talent Summit Screenplay competition and a quarterfinalist in the Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay competition.

On Time, Xavier’s proof of concept for his feature script of the same name, is an HBO short film finalist, Audience Award Social Political Film Festival Jury Winner, netted him a Best Director award at Sunscreen Film Festival West, and won Best Actress at Poland’s Grand Off Film Festival. It premiered on HBO and has been seen on Cinemax and Spectrum. Olde E, his thesis film, was a semi-finalist for the 43rd Student Academy Awards and chosen for Ryan Murphy’s Director’s showcase. Other, his film about Black America’s two voices, has been featured on Shadow & Act, Bossip, and Colorlines.

Watch Xavier on TEAFLIX, where he sits down with Dr. Angie and Ruth McCartney discussing everything from being Emmy® nominated to his upbringing in Alabama.

PRODUCED  WORK 

Portfolio: http://www.quethelights.com

WRITTEN BY

Give Me Back My Daughter - A Lifetime Original Movie | Feature Film | Logline: Renee (Gabourey Sidibe) fights to retrieve her daughter from the juvenile dependency system when they’re left homeless after a job loss and eviction. 

Screener: https://vimeo.com/1073434441

PW: gmbmd

Heels Season 2 - Starz | Staff Writer | Two brothers in the deep south vie for national attention and the future of their father’s wrestling promotion. 

https://youtu.be/9IlbpApgpOQ?si=7xvMDHKQ06ShLN7k

DIRECTED BY

Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror - An AMC Network, Shudder Documentary | The documentary features Jordan Peele, Tony Todd, Rachel True, & more discuss the history of Black Americans in horror from the 1900s to today. 

Screener: http://www.vimeo.com/xay/horrornoire    
PW: horrornoire

Juneteenth w/Open Mike Eagle: An Adult Swim Special - Open Mike Eagle hosts a discussion about Juneteenth between episodes of The Boondocks and Black Dynamite. June 19th is the day freedom came to the last slave states in the USA.

https://vimeo.com/xay/juneteenth

A Little Closure - A man returns from the afterlife to find closure with his fiancé and the only person who can help him is his best friend. | Featured on Fox Soul TV’s Screening Room w/Vivica A. Fox

http://www.vimeo.com/xay/alittleclosure

Giants 204: Lights Out - A citywide blackout unexpectedly brings everyone together, strengthening some bonds and threatening others. |  Emmy Winning Digital Series, Seen On: TVOne, BET+

http://www.vimeo.com/xay/giants204

Giants 207: Okay In the Silence - Malachi returns home to Georgia in an attempt to get his life back on track. | Emmy Winning Series, One Hour Special, Seen On: TVOne, BET+

http://vimeo.com/xay/giants207

On Time - A mother must make a difficult decision when she’s late for a job interview. | Seen On: HBO, Issa Rae Presents

http://www.vimeo.com/xay/ontime

Olde E - A rising basketball star is on the brink of recruitment. But his father pushes him too far. | Ryan Murphy Director’s Showcase

http://www.vimeo.com/xay/oldee

Other - A Short Film About Black America’s Two Voices | Featured on Shadow & Act, Bossip

http://www.vimeo.com/xay/other

Beta Eta - 50 Years of Friendship | Feature Documentary - Members of one of the oldest black fraternities in the United States celebrates fifty years of history at the University of Alabama.

Film Link - http://vimeo.com/xay/bh50

Password: bh50 

Marvel Of Nature: A Google Comedy Sketch -  A high-energy guide takes us inside the world of computer programming.

http://www.vimeo.com/xay/marvelofnature

Sankova: Mood Reel - Set thousands of years into the future, an afro-futuristic world emerges as an advanced civilization after the collapse of the American Empire.

https://vimeo.com/xay/sankova

Hooked - A Contemporary Fairy Tale | The entire cast of Neverland comes to college as James Hood fights for the love Wendy Darling. | Directed by Xavier B.,  Written by Christopher Encell

http://www.vimeo.com/xay/hooked

Outta Pocket | Episode 7 | “Don’t Make Me Stretch These Jeans’

http://www.vimeo.com/xay/outtapocket

A DATE WITH BLACK TWITTER - A Romance Comedy | Branded, Narrative Content for Blavity

http://www.vimeo.com/xay/blacktwitterdate

Mr.Hall's Interview - A Film About Workplace Discrimination

http://www.vimeo.com/xay/mrhallsinterview

FLYING HIGH - A Friendly Tuna’s Story | Animated Children’s Show

https://vimeo.com/xay/flyinghigh

Directing Reel: http://www.vimeo.com/xay/directingreel