Todd Kessler

He is co-creator and show-runner of BLUE’S CLUES, one of the most successful series in the history of children’s television. He directed the pilot. To date he has completed 150 episodes which air in 30 countries. His work has garnered him the Peabody Award, 7 Emmy nominations, 2 Television Critics Association awards, 5 Parent’s Choice awards. He taught himself filmmaking through hands-on experience in every aspect of the craft. In 2005, on the advice of his teenage children who complained that there were no good films for them, he optioned the short story Keith and developed the project into this feature.

Director’s statement

“The first time I read the short story Keith, I realized the name Keith would be forever linked to that character for me. Keith was so powerful and provocative, I was certain I’d never again be able to meet someone with that name and not think of Ron Carlson’s fictional character. It was then that I knew I had to make a movie of this story. 5 years later it’s done. So many films for teenagers are hyped-up and unreal. My goal for KEITH was to tell a straight, honest, and direct story, without preaching or moralizing. I believe teenagers are in many ways more sophisticated and discerning than adults. They don’t like being told what to think. They don’t buy into simplistic answers. They like to dig into complex things and draw their own conclusions”.