About Random Acts of Flyness

Random Acts of Flyness is a late-night sketch comedy television series created by Terence Nance. It premiered on HBO on August 3, 2018 and offers various expressions of the Black American experience through a combination of heavily surreal vignettes, animated shorts, historical excerpts, and musical performances. The series is an amalgamation of dream-like sequences and reality that tackle issues like police brutality, identity, gender, sexuality and mental health in the black community.

Making / Production

Terence Nance is not just the creator, but also the writer, director, actor, and musician involved in the production of Random Acts of Flyness. The series sees HBO venturing into experimental storytelling, utilizing mixed media to tackle contemporary issues. The show's unique format includes live-action, animation, stop-motion animation, and even puppetry.

Actors

• Terence Nance: As the creator of the show, Nance appears in various roles across episodes, often as a version of himself navigating through the surreal landscapes of the show.
• Paul Sparks: Known for his role as 'Mickey', he brings a gripping intensity to his character.
• Dominique Fishback: Fishback acts in the 'Everybody Dies' segment, presenting a captivating take on her character.
• Jon Hamm: The Mad Men actor makes a guest appearance playing a white man attempting to market a product that helps other white people see through the experiences of black individuals.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• Despite maintaining a late-night slot, the series received a warm critical reception.
• The show blends elements of magical realism, borrowing elements from Nance's 2012 film An Oversimplification of Her Beauty.

Awards

In 2019, the series was nominated for a Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Series – Short Format.

Quotes

• "We're in a time where we need to step back from the binary." - Terence Nance
• "It's about exploring the beauty in us." - Dominique Fishback
• "This is a space to play around and not be defined." - Paul Sparks

Music, Soundtrack

• Multiple episodes of the series include a soundscape of jazz and hip-hop, providing a versatile musical backing.
• Episode 5, 'Young Gifted and Black', makes good use of its namesake song, originally by Nina Simone
• The score by experimental jazz musician, Nelson Bandela, enhances the series' avant-garde storytelling approach.