Outside the Box [Office], Breakwater Studios, and Netflix, invite you and a guest to attend

A Special Advance Screening of

THE BADDEST SPEECHWRITER OF ALL

Directed by Ben Proudfoot & Stephen Curry
Edited by Nick Garnham Wright and Tim Johnson Featuring Dr. Clarence B. Jones
Produced by Stephen Curry, Erick Peyton, and Ben Proudfoot

Followed by a Q&A with SCA Alumnus Ben Proudfoot

7:00 P.M. on Monday, November 2nd, 2026

The Eileen Norris Cinema Theater at the Frank Sinatra Hall
3507 Trousdale Parkway, Los Angeles, CA 90089

FREE ADMISSION. OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. RSVPs REQUIRED.

FOOD AND DRINKS ARE STRICTLY PROHIBITED IN THE AUDITORIUM.

CLICK HERE TO RSVP
 

About The Baddest Speechwriter of All

Directed by 4x NBA Champion Stephen Curry and 2x Academy Award®-winner Ben Proudfoot, THE BADDEST SPEECHWRITER OF ALL is rivetingly told by 95-year-old Clarence B. Jones — Juilliard-trained clarinetist, music copyright lawyer, and ultimately Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s trusted lawyer and speechwriter. Personally recruited by Dr. King in the early days of the Civil Rights Movement, the headstrong attorney was forced to choose between the security of his successful life or a path of purpose that would forever alter history. From the steps of Juilliard to the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, Jones reflects on the decisions that led him to advise Dr. King and help craft the first seven paragraphs of the iconic “I Have a Dream” speech.

Provided courtesy of Breakwater Studios and Netflix. Running time: 29 minutes. 

About the Guest

BEN PROUDFOOT (Producer, Director, SCA Alumnus)

A two-time Academy Award®-winning director and entrepreneur, Ben Proudfoot is the creative force behind Breakwater Studios. A landmark partnership with The New York Times produced 16 collaborations with over 10 million views, including A Concerto is a Conversation, which was nominated for Best Documentary Short at the 93rd Academy Awards®, and The Queen of Basketball, which won the Oscar for Best Documentary Short at the 94th Academy Awards®. On March 10, 2024, Proudfoot won a second Academy Award®, this time for The Last Repair Shop.

Proudfoot views real-world impact as a film’s highest achievement, advocating for The Queen of Basketball Lusia Harris' legacy as an unsung basketball pioneer, and inspiring a $15M capital campaign for the repair facility featured in The Last Repair Shop.

Today, Breakwater Studios has expanded to multiple Los Feliz facilities, where Proudfoot leads a full-time filmmaking staff producing original and commissioned documentaries with partners like Google, UNICEF, and L’Oréal Paris. Proudfoot was named one of Forbes "30 Under 30" for innovation in the brand-funded documentary space. He hails from Halifax, Nova Scotia, and is a graduate of the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts. Proudfoot is an accomplished sleight-of-hand magician and has performed at The Magic Castle in Los Angeles.

About Outside the Box [Office]

Outside the Box [Office] is a weekly showcase for upcoming releases highlighting world cinema, documentary and independent film titles. The series draws from around the globe to present movies that may challenge, inspire or simply entertain.

To view the calendar of screenings, click here

To SUBSCRIBE to our MAILING LIST for upcoming free screenings and events, e-mail the word "Subscribe" to: aago@cinema.usc.edu

Check-In & Reservations

This program is open to all eligible individuals. The USC School of Cinematic Arts operates all of its programs and activities consistent with the University’s Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor.

This screening is free of charge and open to the public. A reservation confirmation will automatically be sent to your e-mail account upon successfully making an RSVP through this website. Doors will open at 6:30 P.M.

All SCA screenings are OVERBOOKED to ensure seating capacity in the theater, therefore seating is not guaranteed based on RSVPs. The RSVP list will be checked in on a first-come, first-served basis until the theater is full. Once the theater has reached capacity, we will no longer be able to admit guests, regardless of RSVP status.

Accessibility Needs

Individuals with disabilities who need accommodations to attend this event may contact Alessandro Ago, Assistant Dean, Programming and Special Events, at aago@cinema.usc.edu or 213-740-2330. It is requested that individuals requiring accommodations or auxiliary aids such as sign language interpreters and alternative format materials notify us at least seven days prior to the event. Every reasonable effort will be made to provide reasonable accommodations in an effective and timely manner.

Parking

On-campus parking at the University of Southern California is limited. We recommend buying a day pass for the Royal Street Structure, located at the intersection of Royal Street and W. Jefferson Blvd. Parking passes are $20/car. For more information about parking at USC, please visit USC Transportation Website:

https://transnet.usc.edu/index.php/daily-and-hourly-parking/
https://transnet.usc.edu/index.php/about-us/entrance-hours/