We had the good fortune of connecting with Keith Randal Duncan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Keith Randal, every day, we about how much execution matters, but we think ideas matter as well. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
In 2000 I was working as an independent development producer for The Studios at Las Colinas when I started The Movie Institute (“MI”). Our first camp was inspired by Doris Olson and Bill Lee of the former Thornhill Productions. They were a connected production company of The Studios at Las Colinas so I worked with them extensively. As a movie nerd kid in Oak Cliff in the 70’s there weren’t many mentors around for me. It would have been great to have had one or two and that is why I started both Kamp Hollywood and The Movie Institute with my wife Martha Duncan as Co-Founder and the hope was to be able to give kids interested in movie production and acting a place to go every summer. It became successful and The Movie Institute grew to be a part time nonprofit endeavor with workshops and classes too. Now that I have semi-retired from media production I have been able to devote more time to MI to help it grow to help more kids. But the core is to mentor kids in both life skills and motion media production and performance.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I worked mainly in local corporate video in my career. Did a few local independent films. Made a living. The dream for me now is to make entertainment motion media and help our youth at the same time. That’s why the nonprofit The Movie Institute is here and why I am laser focused on shepherding its growth; to mentor youth and to invest in the local motion media industry. I had a fun and “gypsy” life as a media worker, but now, a new chapter in my life is focused on community service using the skills I have built all these years.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Haha! Wow… okay lets see: Dining were definitely go to Sea Breeze Seafood in Plano, Royal China in Dallas, for super great Tex-Mex it would be Mia’s in Oak Lawn and Kenny’s Wood fired Grill in Addison…
For drinks Th Library at the Melrose Hotel in Oak Lawn and for drinks and cigars the Elite Cafe in Addison.
For entertainment the Fort Worth Stockyards, The Perot Museum and Free Play Barcade.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Ray Harryhausen who’s work and work ethic inspired me to to jump into the crazy world of motion media

Website: www.movieinstitute.org

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keithrandalduncan/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheMovieInstitute/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/themovieinstitute

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