Web Series Imitates Art Imitates Life of James Franco

The go-to online outpost for Hollywood celebrities looking to create atypical content outside the confines of a bureaucratic studio system has long been Funny or Die. Will Ferrell and Adam McKay’s comedy video website functions like a playground for entertainment industry elite. James Franco was one of the first to get in the sandbox.

James Franco Teaches Acting debuted in early 2008. The three episode web series features Franco, dripping with self-deprecating cool, dropping some Lee Strasberg knowledge on the audience and his little brother, Davey. It’s entertaining, and apparently some institutions of higher learning also find it educational.

The powers that be at Columbia University have tapped the movie star, conceptual artist, fiction writer, grad student, and cipher

and his collaborator/editor Tyler Danna to teach a Master Class. It’s called ‘Editing James Franco…with James Franco.” From CNN from MovieLine:

The course, taught by Franco’s frequent collaborator/editor Tyler Danna, will have 12 of the film school’s students creating a 30-minute documentary using footage from Franco’s career.

Franco, 32, will provide the footage — largely taken from short films he has directed — and lecture students via Skype as well as attend the class when possible. Each classroom session will also be taped for inclusion in the final documentary.

Rumor has it Harvard’s School of Executive Education is also trying to add Will Ferrell to its teaching roster. The Ivy League institution wants him to lead a course regarding tenants’ rights aimed at students enrolled in the Real Estate Program