There are few actors as ‘hot’ as Ryan Gosling right now, the man has the work load of Ryan Reynolds with the industry cred Micheal Fassbender. Now he is looking to capitalize on that sizzle by making his directorial debut with How to Catch a Monster.

The film is neither a gritty noir about catching a serial killer, or a light-hearted sequel to How to Train Your Dragon, it is actually a dark fairy tale. Variety has the story, along with a former Gosling co-star who has been tapped for the lead:

Ryan Gosling will make his directorial debut with the dark fairy tale he wrote “How to Catch a Monster,” with Christina Hendricks set to star… [The] Story is set against the surreal dreamscape of a vanishing city and centered on a single mother of two being swept into a macabre and dark fantasy underworld while her teenage son discovers a secret road leading to an underwater town.

Wow, not at all what you might expect from the normally very serious actor. Conceptually it sounds a bit hectic, but if Gosling is half as good of a writer as he is an actor than there is a fair shot he can pull it off. A film like this will hinge on tone, so we will know very quick what kind of directing chops Gosling has. Also any film that casts the lovely Christina Hendricks as the lead already gets a +1.

This project is one we will be keeping a close watch on as it develops, so keep tuned to The Flickcast for any new updates.

America’s smartest little town, Eureka, is known for its brilliant minds. Although Salli Richardson-Whitfield is not the head of some secret military facility or medical staff in real life, she does run the show from time to time…literally. Who knew she could direct the cast as well as she directs Global Dynamics?

We had the opportunity to sit down with the woman who plays a mother, leader, and love interest. So in essence, a real woman. During the interview you could tell she had a lot in common with Allison Blake: she’s graceful under pressure, smart as a whip, and one classy dame.

The Flickcast: We heard you’ll get the opportunity to direct an episode of Eureka this season. What’s it like to direct?

Salli Richardson-Whitfield: It’s something I’ve been wanting to do. Last season I wanted to do it and then I was pregnant and it’s not the best time to be directing for my first time. I would have been hormonally a little difficult.

But they’ve been very generous in giving me this opportunity and I’ve been taking it very seriously … The thing on the show is, once you decide you want to direct, once you start paying attention, you realize everything you haven’t been paying attention to. So, every director that comes on finds me sitting there. As they turn around, they bump into me because I’m sitting there and I’m like, “Well why did you do that?”

If you happen to be an aspiring director then this is for you. Film Independent, the non-profit devoted to artists and independent filmmaking is now accepting applications for its 9th Annual Director’s Lab, an eight-week course designed to help directors who are in the midst of prepping films. Sound good? Well, read on to get all the latest details on the program, how to apply and other goodies.

FILM INDEPENDENT NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS
FOR 2010 DIRECTORS LAB

* Deadline is October 5, 2009  –

Film Independent’s 9th Annual Directors Lab is an intensive eight-week incubator designed to help directors who are prepping their feature films, and is sponsored by Kodak.

Taking place in Los Angeles during the winter, the Lab assists directors with strong, original voices develop new narrative feature films, improve their craft, and advance their filmmaking careers in a nurturing, yet challenging creative environment.

To apply, please visit: http://filmindependent.org/fellowships/filmmaker_labs/directors_lab

Application fee is $55 for Film Independent Members and $75 for Non-Members.