“What I’m thinking all the time while casting and while directing is ‘do I believe it?’” director Alexander Payne recently told Fresh Air’s Terry Gross about his latest, Nebraska, which has six 2014 Film Independent Spirit Award nominations (including Best Feature and Director) and six Oscar nominations (including Best Picture and Director).

This February 27, as part of our Directors Close-Up series at The Landmark—West Los Angeles, filmmakers and film lovers will have the opportunity to hear more first-hand insights from Payne about his work and the making of his acclaimed film. Payne is one of the latest additions to the DCU line-up featuring the artists behind some of the year’s most innovative work, along with actor/writer and Spirit Award nominee Julie Delpy (Before Midnight); writer John August (Frankenweenie) and Spirit Award nominee Bob Nelson (Nebraska). Delpy, August and Nelson all will be joining the February 19 Writing and Directing panel.

Below is the full lineup. For more information on the schedule and panelists, and to buy passes, go to our Directors Close-Up page or call 310.432.1213.

And stay tuned for more updates!

February 11 – The Force Behind Gravity

Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity)

February 19 – Writing and Directing


Scott Neustadter (The Spectacular Now), Julie Delpy (Before Midnight) and Bob Nelson (Nebraska), moderated by John August (Frankenweenie) 

February 27 – The Independent Spirit

Alexander Payne (Nebraska), moderated by David Ansen (Artistic Director, Los Angeles Film Festival)

March 5 – Casting and Directing Actors

Scott Cooper (Out of the Furnace) and Tom Bower (Out of the Furnace), moderated by Catherine Hardwicke (Twilight)

March 12 – Television: Directing Outside of the Lines

Ernest Dickerson (The Walking Dead, The Wire), Jeremy Podeswa (Boardwalk Empire, The Newsroom) and Jill Soloway (Afternoon Delight), moderated by Alan Poul (executive producer/director, The Newsroom)

By Natalia Torres / Intern Blogger