Silas Howard with Indya Moore
Director
: Howard grew up in Vermont before moving to San Francisco, where he began exploring the arts scene, eventually playing guitar for noted queer rock group Tribe 8. It was there he met his frequent collaborator Harry Dodge, and the two opened gallery together.
Howard found his calling with his directorial debut By Hook or By Crook, co-written with Dodge. The film debuted at the Sundance Film Festival. By Hook or By Crook would go on to play festivals around the world, and pick up top honors at Outfest in 2001.
Fresh from his success, Howard threw himself headlong into directing short films, music videos and episodes of popular TV series like This is Us and The Fosters. He made history in 2015 when he became the first transgender director to helm an episode of Transparent. He’s also lent his talents to Pose and the forthcoming Netflix revival of Tales of the City. In 2018, he also returned to feature films with A Kid Like Jake. Starring Jim Parsons, Claire Danes, and Octavia Spencer, the movie deals with loving parents trying to cope with their child coming out as transgender…as a toddler.
Howard’s talent and visibility have helped raise the bar and break down barriers for transgender directors everywhere. For that matter, his work on Transparent, Pose, A Kid Like Jake and Tales of the City has provided a valuable contribution to the ever-enriching tapestry of LGBTQ stories in film and television.
As he told ScreenCrush:
