ABOUT

BIO

Xavier Burgin is an Emmy-nominated writer/director from USC Cinema. He wrote on Starz’s wrestling drama, Heels. He’s written for the WWE, CryptTV, Amazon Studios, The Discovery Channel, Lifetime, and Paramount. He directed AMC Network’s Horror Noire, Adult Swim’s Juneteenth Holiday Special, and the BET series, Giants. Xavier is the dubbing director for Netflix’s sumo sports drama, Sanctuary.

Xavier grew up in Mississippi. The TV would switch between football, wrestling, movies, anime, and Playstation. He’d ride off into the countryside on his bike, then return home to watch Toonami before Bible study. Xavier’s love for storytelling grew from his fascination with religious myths about gods, demons, and mortals. His younger self wondered if these stories could exist. Now, he writes them.

Xavier developed Sankova, a sci-fi comedy, with Justin Simien’s Culture Machine at Paramount.

He’s a staff writer on Season 2 of Heels, a southern wrestling drama created by Starz. The series recently premiered on Netflix.

He wrote a horror feature for CryptTV and the WWE.

He wrote a social drama feature for Lifetime.

He directed the english dub of Sanctuary, a Netflix sports drama about a young sumo wrestler.

Xavier’s film, Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror, expounds on the untold history of Black Americans in the genre. The documentary premiered on horror streamer, Shudder.

Xavier earned a Daytime Emmy nomination for his directorial work on the BET show, Giants. 

He directed Juneteenth With Open Mike Eagle, an Adult Swim Special about the national holiday’s history.

Xavier’s shadowed on the TV series American Horror Story, The Ms. Pat Show, and Sacrifice.

He’s participated in numerous industry programs, including: Starz Take The Lead Writing Program, Rideback Rise Fellowship, Paramount’s Viewfinder Program, Netflix’s Dubbing Initiative, The Sundance Labs, HBO’s Short Film Showcase, Berlinale Talents, The Commercial Directors Diversity Program, and Ryan Murphy’s Director Shadow Program. Xavier’s collaborations also include D.C. Comics, Lenovo, LOL Network, and Stage 3 Productions.

RESUME

LIFETIME – Feature Writer

CRYPT TV/WWE – Horror Feature Writer

NETFLIX – Sanctuary Season 1, Dubbing Director

STARZ – Heels Season 2, Staff Writer

AMAZON STUDIOS – Horror Feature Writer

ADULT SWIM – Juneteenth w/Open Mike Eagle, Director

DISCOVERY CHANNEL – Doc Horror Writer

AMC NETWORK – Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror, Director

STARZ Take The Lead Writing Program

Final Draft Big Break Category Winner

Rideback Rise Fellow

2019 DAYTIME EMMY NOMINATION – Outstanding Directing in a Series

Berlinale Talents

Academy Nichol Screenwriting Competition Top 50

Sundance New Voices Lab

Ryan Murphy’s Half Initiative 

Commercial Director Diversity Program

HBO Short Film Showcase

43rd Student Academy Awards Semifinalist 

Project Greenlight Commercial Winner

Screencraft Drama Feature Winner

Fox Soul TV

Issa Rae Short Film Sundays

OTHER AWARDS —

Winner, The Film Empire Diversity Screenplay Competition. Winner, Ivy
Film Festival Screenplay Competition. Winner, Audience Awards. Winner,
ISA’s Table Read My Screenplay. Finalist, Audience Awards Social Justice
Competition. Finalist, The Industry Next. Semi-Finalist, ABC | Disney
Directing Program. Semi-Finalist, Sony Diverse Directors Program.
Semi-Finalist, ABC | Disney Writing Program. Semifinalist, HaydenFilms
Screenwriting Competition.

FESTIVALS —

Toronto International Film Festival, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Black
Warrior Film Festival, Day of Black Docs, Overlook Film Festival, Salem
Horror Fest, Sitges International Film Festival, American Black Film
Festival, SAG AFTRA Short Film Showcase, New Voices in Black Cinema, Los
Angeles International Shot Film Festival, Bronzelens Film Festival,
Black Harvest Film Festival, Sidewalk Film Festival, Fox Soul TV,
Urbanworld Film Festival, BESLA Film Festival