Kynan Dias is an actor and award-winning screenwriter, born in Honolulu and raised in Las Vegas. Inspired at an early age by great American playwrights such as Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller, and Edward Albee, Kynan taught himself to write feature-length screenplays as a 14-year-old high school student. He earned a B.A. in film from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he pursued acting, screenwriting, and directing. Later, Kynan earned his MFA in screenwriting from the University of California, Los Angeles, where he developed a love for writing TV sitcoms that were further nurtured during his time studying improv comedy at the Upright Citizens Brigade.
As a writer, Kynan’s films tend to live within the thin space between the humorous and the tragic, in sarcastic dramas and in comedies that hurt. As an actor, he is often hired to cry in comedies. With Lester Ryan Clark, Kynan co-hosts a series of film history podcasts on the TruStory.FM network that are meticulously researched yet lean heavily on improvised comedy.
Teaching at UNLV FILM since 2008, Kynan has developed a wide variety of courses in film production, directing, acting, screenwriting, and film studies, being especially proud of building classes such as Women in Comedy and Queer Cinema. His research interests include animation history, studio system economics, queer coding in classic film, and foregrounding previously unsung collaborators within major film authors’ historiographies.
Captain Howdy loves Cheez Whiz and Spam! It’s canon!The Olivier of motion capture!”You don’t have any Oscars! Nobody likes you!”Kynan riddles me about animated Oscar nominees!Getting Uncanny Valley vibes up in this uncanny attic…Flames….on the side of
On this episode of The Exorcist Minute:……………..SUSPENSE!We attempt to discover the name of the hooky-stick-pull-down-thing!Aglets, ferules, ramekins and zarfs!It’s perfectly normal to extend your minimus in public…Is it Mike Myers or Michael My
On this episode of The Exorcist Minute:Please write in and tell us if we’re cool!Chris MacNeil is a MOOD.We talk about Color Theory until we’re blue in the face!🎵SOMEONE TO RUIN MY SLEEP🎵Drag queen – esque lyrics? We just can’t let it go…We gush about h
On this episode of The Exorcist Minute:SOOO many awesome visuals in this minute!The SCENE You’ve Never Seen!Birthday memories…The Shining is a good movie, Stevie! Just accept it!Dr. Phil is a doctor in the way that Captain Howdy is a captain…Yes! I me
HOWDY folks! We all got together for a quick little Ex-mas special – a gift from us to you! Thanks so much for listening, and we hope you have an EXCELLENT holiday, and happy new year!On this very special holiday episode of The Exorcist Minute:We turn the
On this episode of The Exorcist Minute:We are Star Wars experts…from a certain point of view…Have you heard about this movie, “The Exorcist?”Why do you drive in a parkway, but you never SHUT THE FUCK UP WHY DO YOU NEVER SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!!🎵It was the
On this episode of The Exorcist Minute:I like pizzas, too, but I’m not gonna marry one!Divorce? No WAY! Smoking? No problem!We break down the history of depicting divorce in tv and filmHot take – I’m starting to think this Captain Howdy fella is not such
On this episode of The Exorcist Minute:Choose your own adventure! (You died.)Roll for initiative! (You died.)Does your mom call you weird names? Contact the law firm of Stinkpot, Bearface, Dumbbird and Rags.Boobela!THIS SUNDAY, SUNDAY, SUNDAY! REGAN’S BIR
On this episode of The Exorcist Minute:That’s the power of cinema, baby!After this hot dog, nothing will ever be the same again…”Howdy” sounds a lot like “Howard.” COINCIDENCE???….yes.Where did this moody, despondent teenager come from?Captain Howdy,
On this episode of The Exorcist Minute:Well, HOWDY, folks! The namesake of our opener!Basements, Garages and Attics, Oh, My!Scary Stories To Lay Awake And Think About In The DarkDid anybody else just camp out in the living room??The Big Bad Wolf is Pazuzu