Cap Gun Collective produced and Chicago director Matt Miller directed the webseries “Teachers,” and the relationship was so rewarding on both sides that Cap Gun extended the association by signing Miller to its roster of spot directors.
Miller and improv sketch troupe, The Katydids, conceived the webseries about the misdeeds and awkward interactions of six Midwestern elementary school teachers (the Katydids). The 24-episodes run between 30-seconds and 3-minutes.
The webisodes were first distributed through The Onion’s digital platform. Watch the series here.
“Teachers” has been so well received that the Katydids will be writing a half-hour “Teachers” pilot for cable’s “TV Land.”
Miller and Matt Abramson, Cap Gun executive producer and cofounder (with director Alex Fendrich), have known each other and stayed in touch over the years, “so when Matt approached us for ‘Teachers,’ we instantly knew it was a great fit for us.
“Early into production, we realized that he is an extremely talented film director and as shown in those episodes, he really knows how to get the best from everyone.”
Miller returns the compliments. “I felt great trust and comfort in working with Cap Gun from the start. Matt and I had a great time collaborating on ‘Teachers.’ I know Alex from the Second City scene and he’s often been a guest director at my on-camera classes around town.”
For the past 15 years, Miller has directed for Chicago theatres, including Steppenwolf, Lifeline and Profiles, and spent five years as a casting director for Paskal Rudnicke Casting.
He currently is an adjunct professor at DePaul University’s Theatre School and a faculty member at both the Second City Training Center and The Acting Studio Chicago.
Miller is also a 15-year company member of Barrel of Monkeys, a group that provides creative writing workshops for Chicago Public Elementary Schools that lack arts funding.
Miller is the latest addition to Cap Gun Collective’s directorial roster of Abteen Bagheri, Docter Twins, Alex Fendrich, Tom Haines, Tomas Mankovsky, Jeppe Rønde, Michael Sewandono and Spooner/Bonde.
