We Speak Entertainment
AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL TO HONOR WALTER HILL AND KEENEN IVORY WAYANS FOR ITS 24TH ANNIVERSARY

Austin, TX – September 6, 2017– Austin Film Festival & Writers Conference (AFF), the premier festival that champions the writers’ contributions to film, television, and new media, announced today two distinguished awardees to be honored during its 24th Anniversary this October 26 – November 2. Legendary writer/director/producer Walter Hill will receive AFF’s Extraordinary Contribution to Film Award, and groundbreaking comedian/writer/director/producer Keenen Ivory Wayans will receive AFF’s Extraordinary Contribution to Television Award. Hill and Wayans join previously announced Distinguished Screenwriter award recipient Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester By The Sea).
For over 40 years, Walter Hill has served as a writer, director, and producer on a wide array of films, and has become known as one of the foremost action filmmakers in Hollywood. In addition to co-producing the science fiction blockbuster Alien, Hill wrote and directed notable films including 48 Hrs., The Warriors, The Driver, Southern Comfort, Last Man Standing, Geronimo, Wild Bill and The Long Riders. Hill has contributed to television as well, receiving both the Emmy and DGA Awards in 2005 for his work directing the HBO neo-western Deadwood.
In addition to accepting the Extraordinary Contribution to Film Award during this year’s AFF, Hill will participate in ‘A Conversation with Walter Hill’ moderated by Shane Black (writer/director The Nice Guys, Iron Man 3, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang), who cites Hill as an influence on his own career.
Keenen Ivory Wayans created, launched, and hosted the landmark 1990’s variety series, In Living Color. The irreverent, Emmy-winning series broke racial barriers and showcased Wayans’ scathing social humor. In Living Color also introduced the public to countless now-famous actors, musicians, and comedians including Damon Wayans, Jamie Foxx, Jim Carrey, and Jennifer Lopez.
Outside of television, Wayans has had a successful career writing, directing, and acting in films. He co-wrote 1987’s Hollywood Shuffle with actor/director Robert Townsend; wrote, directed, and starred in 1989’s blaxsploitiation parody I’m Gonna Git You Sucka; and directed the horror spoof Scary Movie, which remains one of the most successful feature films directed by an African-American.
Hill, Wayans, and Lonergan join a roundup of panelists confirmed to speak at this year’s Writers Conference, including the writers of films A Ghost Story, Arrival, Blade Runner: 2049, Girls Trip, Kong: Skull Island, Kubo and the Two Strings, Logan, Moana, Star Trek Beyond and television shows American Gods, I Love Dick, Power, Queen Sugar, The Deuce, The Wire, This is Us, Twin Peaks, and Underground. The full list can be found at www.austinfilmfestival.com.
We Speak Podcast
Rocky Kramer’s Rock & Roll Tuesdays Presents “Ace of Space” On Tuesday, April 22nd, 2025 7 PM PT on Twitch

Rocky Kramer will be hosting “Ace of Space” on this week’s episode of Rocky Kramer’s Rock & Roll Tuesdays on Twitch. Tune into Twitch on Tuesday, April 22nd, 2025 at 7 PM PT for this amazing show.
Rocky Kramer is a guitar virtuoso, often being compared to the greatest guitar players in the world. Rocky has performed on shows with some of the greatest musicians on the planet including Ozzy Osbourne, John Lodge, Steve Vai, Leland Sklar, Kenny Aronoff, Tommy James, Verdeen White, Ten Years After, BuckCherry, Rick Wakeman and more.

Rocky’s first studio album, “Firestorm” is now available worldwide through Allied Artists Music Group, together with an epic music video of his #1 Global DRT Chart topper single, “Rock Star”, that also picked up a Best Rock Performance nod at the 2019 Hollywood Music In Media Awards (“HMMA”).
Rocky Kramer recently returned to the studio to record his sophomore album “Alone In The Rain” which will be released later this year.
Rocky Kramer was recently cast in The Mutt Productions/ Allied Artists rock n’ roll time travel comedy adventure “Rockin’ In Time” where he will play the film’s lead character, Lars Olsen. The film is being directed by Aaron Lee Lopez (of the “Teenage Girl” franchise) and is being produced by multi-platinum and six-time Grammy Award winning musician turned motion picture producer, Kurt Wipfli.
Watch Rocky Kramer’s “Rock Star” Music Video here:
Watch Rocky Kramer’s Rock & Roll Tuesdays “Ace of Space” on April 22nd, 2025, at 7 PM PT on Twitch here:
http://www.twitch.tv/rockykramer
The official website for Rocky Kramer may be found at http://www.RockyKramer.com
Visit Rock & Roll Tuesdays with Rocky Kramer on IMDB here:
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