Austin Kolodney
Biography
Austin Kolodney is an American writer, director, and producer emerging as a creative voice in contemporary cinema. Based in Los Angeles, he has built his career by blending sharp storytelling with genre versatility, working across comedy, shorts, digital series, and feature filmmaking. Before gaining recognition as a screenwriter, Kolodney wrote and directed content for outlets such as Funny Or Die, Syfy, Audible, Almost Friday TV, and Comedy Central, with several of his short films, like Two Chairs, Not One, and Kiwi, earning selection as Vimeo Staff Picks.
Kolodney’s most notable recent achievement is writing Dead Man’s Wire, a true-crime feature inspired by the 1977 Tony Kiritsis hostage crisis, which attracted prominent talent, including director Gus Van Sant and actors such as Bill Skarsgård, Dacre Montgomery, Colman Domingo, Al Pacino, and Cary Elwes. The project showcases his ability to craft gripping, character-driven narratives that appeal to both audiences and established filmmakers.
In 2025, Kolodney was highlighted as one of Variety’s Screenwriters to Watch, reflecting his rising profile in the industry and growing influence as a storyteller. As he continues developing new projects, including scripts across varying genres, his blend of humor, historical insight, and dramatic intensity positions him as a distinct and evolving creative force in modern film.
