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.
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
On this episode:Winston tastes good like a cigarette should!Cigarettes in SPACE!That’s just Barney’s voice nowThe Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were the LOUDEST ninjas!She’ll be fine. She’s Mary!The Rise of Jennifer…and more!
On this episode:It’s all Greek to me!”Father Karras” as “Son Dimmy”Ever notice how Dracula sounds A LOT like Bela Lugosi?”Count von Count doesn’t count!” (Um, actually … he does!)Favorite Foods in Film!… and more!
On this episode:This was a HARD minute!Doe the little man go out or in?Colonel Sanders’ Extra Crispy Christmas In Japan!A 2,000 + Year-Old Game of Telephone Called “The Bible”Why ARE they Greek?… and more!
On this episode:A Bummer from the Book of BlattyKarras doesn’t save the catDid Friedkin even pay Vinnie Russel?Me Tarzan, you Jane, I do declare!Our first message! Would you like to leave a message? theexorcistminute@gmail.com! …and more!
On this episode:Foyer……fo – YAY?Here’s the real thing – travel refreshed!Your last meal – a fun thought experiment!We get to talk about Jason Miller!Wait…LA has a subway system?…and more!
On this episode:That’s the way they became The Blatty Bunch!The Horse-Man!Head Canons!The Disney Version…and more!