Tonight, in a roundtable discussion moderated by David Ansen, a group of this year’s Spirit Awards Best Director nominees come together to discuss their nominated films, their craft, and the challenges of staying true to their vision. Join us as we welcome Lisa Cholodenko (The Kids Are All Right, Laurel Canyon), Debra Granik (Winter’s Bone, Down to the Bone), and John Cameron Mitchell (Rabbit Hole, Hedwig and the Angry Inch) to the Directors Close-Up.

For the final discussion on Wednesday, March 2, New Speakers have been Added:
Gregg Araki (Mysterious Skin, The Living End), David Ansen (Los Angeles Film Festival), Michael Arndt (Toy Story 3, Little Miss Sunshine), Lisa Cholodenko (The Kids Are All Right, Laurel Canyon), Lena Dunham (Tiny Furniture), Jay & Mark Duplass (Cyrus, Baghead), William Friedkin (The Exorcist, The French Connection), Michael Giacchino (Let Me In, Up), Debra Granik (Winter’s Bone), James Gray (Two Lovers, We Own the Night), Nicole Holofcener (Please Give, Friends with Money), John Cameron Mitchell (Rabbit Hole, Hedwig and the Angry Inch), Billy Ray (The Hunger Games, Breach), Matt Reeves (Let Me In, Cloverfield), Robin Swicord (The Jane Austen Book Club, Memoirs of a Geisha), and more. Learn more at
www.FilmIndependent.org/DirectorsCloseUp

Visit FIND’s web site for tickets.

One of the best parts of attending a film festival is the opportunity to listen to filmmakers and other guest speakers discussing a film after a screening. This year, the Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival has an outstanding group of directors, writers, and experts appearing after select films.

The GPJFF will screen a total of eleven films and five shorts at three Harkins theaters in the Valley: Harkins Camelview 5, Harkins Crossroads 12, and this year, Harkins Arrowhead 18. The Premiere Gala event takes place at Congregation Beth Israel on Saturday, February 12th at 7:30 PM, and the Festival continues with screenings at Harkins theaters through February 27th.

Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story is a film that’s getting a ton of buzz, from mentions in Sports Illustrated to Variety. Howie Siegel, of the Society for American Baseball Research, will be appearing at the 3 PM screenings of the film at Harkins Camelview 5 on Feb. 13 and at Chandler Crossroads 12 on Feb. 20. Marc Kligman, MLB Player Agent, will appear at Arrowhead 18 Feb. 20 at their 3 PM screening.

Against the Tide is a documentary that tells the little known story of Peter Bergson, a young activist, who tirelessly stood up against American Jewish leaders and challenged Washington in the late 30s and early 40s in an effort to save the Jews of Europe. The film is narrated by Dustin Hoffman. Fellow Phoenix Holocaust Survivor Association member, Paul Wieser, a Holocaust Scholar, will appear at the Camelview, Feb. 13 at 3 PM, and will lead the discussion at Chandler Crossroads on Feb. 16 at 7 PM.

On Valentines Day at 7 PM, you’ll love the musical hit The Klezmatics. Writer/Director, Erik Greenberg Anjou, will appear after the film at Camelview. Klezmatics is about the Grammy Award winning New York based Klezmer band whose restless energy, infectious concert performances and on-camera candor, make for a rousing behind the scenes documentary.

Berlin 36 plays Tuesday, Feb. 15 at 7 PM at Camelview and at Chandler Crossroads Wed. Feb. 16 at 3 PM. It is inspired by the true story of what happens when the Nazis conspire to replace Jewish high jumper, Gretel Bergmann, considered a top contender for the gold medal at the 1936 Summer Games in Nazi- controlled Berlin, with an unknown uber-athlete, who years later is the subject of a revelation that will have you shaking your head in disbelief. Dr. Murray Henner, ASU and Embry-Riddle University Professor will speak at Camelview, and the Arizona Republic’s own Film Critic, Bill Goodykoontz, will lead the discussion in Chandler.

Finally, Where I Stand: The Hank Greenspun Story is a “you’ve gotta’ see it to believe it” previously untold account of fearless American hero, Hank Greenspun – Las Vegas visionary, crusading newspaper publisher, target of the Watergate burglars and gun runner in Israel’s War of Independence. The writer and director, Scott Goldstein, best known for his work on television series, L.A. Law and Doogie Howser, M.D. will appear at the festival closing event on February 27 at a 2 PM screening at Chandler Crossroads. “I feel it’s my best work to date,” Goldstein recently confided, and corrected himself “for all of us who were involved. It’s about the power of the press,” Goldstein said.

Be sure to check out all the films on the website: http://gpjff.org. In addition, you can also follow the Festival on Facebook.com/greaterphoenixjewishfilmfest or @GPJFF on Twitter.

WHAT: The 15th Annual Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival
WHEN: Saturday, February 12th through Sunday, February 27th
WHERE: Congregation Beth Israel, 10460 North 56th Street at E. Shea Blvd., Scottsdale
Harkins Camelview 5, 7001 E. Highland Ave., Scottsdale
Harkins Chandler Crossroads 12, 2980 E. Germann Road, Chandler
Harkins Arrowhead 18, 16046 N Arrowhead Fountains Ctr. Dr., Peoria
Ticket Prices: $30 per person for Opening Gala
$9.50 for adults/$5 for students on all other dates
For more information about tickets, ticket packages or group discounts, call Bob Segelbaum at 602.908.8007.

Scott Goldstein at Clementine in LA

Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards and the Los Angeles Film Festival, announced the program for its 10th annual Directors Close-Up series, taking place February 2 – March 2, 2011 at The Landmark – West Los Angeles. Writer/Directors James Gray (Two Lovers) and Robin Swicord (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), and Los Angeles Film Festival Artistic Director David Ansen will be moderators. Series panelists include writer/directors Lisa Cholodenko (The Kids Are All Right) Jay Duplass (Cyrus), William Friedkin (The Exorcist, The French Connection), Nicole Holofcener (Please Give), director Matt Reeves (Let Me In, Cloverfield), composer Michael Giacchino (Up, Star Trek), Skywalker Sound’s Douglas Murray (Let Me In, Cloverfield), Sound Designer Will Files (Let Me In, Cloverfield), with additional names to be announced.

Over the course of five consecutive weeks, guests will hear first-hand from prolific film directors whose originality, ingenuity, and talent have set them apart as leaders in their craft. Film Independent’s 2011 Directors Close-Up sponsors include Skywalker Sound, The Landmark Theatres, the Directors Guild of America, SAGIndie/Screen Actors Guild, and Cinedigm Digital Cinema.
“We are incredibly proud to celebrate 10 years of the Directors Close-Up series and are looking forward to another great year. The range of accomplished independent directors, writers, actors and filmmaking talent that have shared their stories and career advice with our attendees is truly amazing,” said Maria Bozzi, Film Independent’s Director of Education.

This year’s panels will cover the following topics:
February 2nd – Music and Sound Design
February 9th – The Creative Team: Bringing the Vision to Life
February 16th – Casting and Directing Actors
February 23rd – The Spirit of Independence: A Roundtable Discussion
March 2nd – Writing and Directing
All panels will take place at The Landmark – West Los Angeles (10850 West Pico Boulevard at Westwood Boulevard) on Wednesday evenings from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Series passes are currently available for a discounted rate of $99 for Film Independent members and $130 for the general public. After January 14, series passes will be $150 for Film Independent members and $180 for the general public. For more information on panel descriptions and participants, and to buy passes, please visit FilmIndependent.org or call 310-432-1222.

ABOUT FILM INDEPENDENT
Film Independent is a non-profit arts organization that champions independent film and supports a community of artists who embody diversity, innovation, and uniqueness of vision. Film Independent helps filmmakers make their movies, builds an audience for their projects, and works to diversify the film industry. Film Independent’s Board of Directors, filmmakers, staff, and constituents, are comprised of an inclusive community of individuals across ability, age, ethnicity, gender, race, and sexual orientation. Anyone passionate about film can become a member, whether you are a filmmaker, industry leader, or a film lover.
With over 250 annual screenings and events, Film Independent provides access to a network of like-minded artists who are driving creativity in the film industry. Film Independent offers free Filmmaker Labs for selected writers, directors, and producers; provides cut-rate services for filmmakers; and presents year-round networking opportunities. Film Independent’s mentorship and job placement program, Project:Involve, pairs emerging culturally diverse filmmakers with film industry professionals.
Film Independent produces the Los Angeles Film Festival, celebrating the best of American and international cinema and the Spirit Awards, a celebration honoring films and filmmakers that embody independence and dare to challenge the status quo.
For more information or to become a member, visit FilmIndependent.org.

Hayden shoots some video of a toy at CES

We started the day by visiting a new friend, Paul at his booth – the company is called Vablet and the product is EngederApps.com, the first enterprise content management system for the iPad.   They offer a cool stand for your ipad as well as software designed to make your ipad a showcase for your images or videos. They also allow you to comment on videos. So, if you are a filmmaker, you can post a scene and allow real time comments from your fans and then tweak the changes accordingly. They market to the entertainment industry as well as the health industry and financial advisors. I ran across some funny in funky jesters hats, a trick I myself have employed with clients back in the day at SuperComm in Atlanta (we used oversized straw fishing hats at the booth to remind folks about our launch event at Lulu’s Bait Shack.) Well one of the ladies handed me a pair of Telefingers gloves – which allow users to operate touch screens on iPhones and iPads, etc. Very cool. Later I saw some other brands as well. I got a pair of new ear plugs from www.listentoyourbuds.org.   They are on a mission against hearing loss. They hang around your neck and are less easy – no tangle, etc. Next I saw Jennifer at a booth with a Hello Kitty speaker hanging from her neck. I can’t find her card so if she contacts us we’ll do a video and demonstrate for you. We want to private label them for a friend’s urban lifestyle biz. At the SamSung booth, I finally met David Cohen, the Features Editor of Variety, after years of reading his articles.  I promised to hit him up when we get back to LA and tell him all about my passion project.  There at Samsung, we saw the world’s largest 3D TV (no price yet) and  I tried some of the 3D games and we got schooled on the Time Warner connectable TV’s.  They said they will be available in 2011. Bodymedia had a cool pedometer type thing that will track your movement all day as well as your sleep priced around $300.00. Two I missed from yesterday are http://Gulpfish.com for hiring and True 3D which had a 3D model that is hard to describe – but we shot a video. At launch flix, we are always losing our blue tooth headpieces so we were happy to see speaker phone units starting at $59.00 from http://SuperTooth.net that you just put in the car and forget the airpiece.  Then another company, http://Got2bwireless.com had those with texting capabilities that started closer to $200.00 but better than a ticket! Loved the EtchASketch iPhone and iPad protective cases – $39.99 for the larger case, from http://Getaheadcase.com. We hit the NetShelter party at Lavo at the Pallazo. Great old school 80’s tunes.  I met the Chipchick crew who had just gone to a tech fashion show at the Fashion Mall. Damn, how did I miss that one? All in all, a great CES.  Our cameraman will be there for the rest of the weekend, so we’ll have some videos up soon.

Adrian Grenier at CES 2011

We had a blast at the first day of CES. We started with picking up our press passes and running over to catch Adrian Grenier (Vinne Chase of Entourage) at the Blackberry booth. Adrian has made a few documentaries lately and told us about SWFT, an environmental organization and without a doubt, he was the best thing I saw at CES.

Later we ran into tech guru and one of my original mentors, Mr. John Dvorak himself at the Verizon booth. John’s current endeavor, is No Agenda Show. He doesn’t have his name on his badge so keep an eye out for him! He was with Dave of CoolHotNot.

We liked the robots, see our video – there were dancing robots, cleaning robots and pet robots.

Lately we both keep losing our Blue tooth headsets, so we really liked Peter Fish’s blue tooth bracelets and ear buds, which hang around your neck for runners, super cool. They are trying to get a deal with Walgreens and I think they’d do well there.

We checked out Earth 911’s platform of users searching for recycling centers and I loudly noted that there wasn’t much activity in Texas, hint hint.

While checking out some small scale wind turbines, we bumped into the LA leader of the Keiretsu Forum, an angel investment group which was started by my friend Randy Williams ten years ago in the Bay area.

Later we met up with Aly Saxe a former employee of LAUNCH who’s now got her own successful tech pr shop, Ubiquity PR. She represents Pat Sullivan’s “multi-touch, interactive or motion graphics content” FlyPaper and Aly tells me big things are in store.  So proud of her!

Finally we wound up with the coolest executive at Verizon, my old coworker Rachelle Zoffer at the now legendary Method party. Method is doing some exciting projects with Google and an automotive biz, we’ll be keeping an eye on them and meeting up with cofounder David this Spring at the TED Conference. Check them out and tell them launch flix sent you.

Off to Day 2!

Ted Kroeber, Meg LeFauve, and Ron Yerxa Served as Lab Instructors -

Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards and Los Angeles Film Festival just wrapped its 10^th annual Producers Lab earlier this week with 14 filmmakers and 9 projects participating. Sponsored by Technicolor and Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the seven-week program took place in Los Angeles and was designed to help producers improve their craft, and move their current projects into production in a nurturing, yet challenging creative environment.

Film producers Ted Kroeber (American Gun, Splinter), Meg LeFauve (The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys, The Baby Dance), and Ron Yerxa (The Switch, Little Children) were this year’s Lab Instructors and advised the selected filmmakers on the craft and business of producing.  Lab advisors this year included: Effie T. Brown (Rocket Science), Cotty Chubb (Unthinkable), Scott Hamilton Kennedy (The Garden), In-Ah Lee (Yi Ye Taibel), Alix Madigan-Yorkin (Winter’s Bone), Michael Roiff (Waitress), Paula Schmit (Film Finances), and Robin Schorr (Peaceful Warrior).

Filmmakers were chosen based on the strength of their submitted script, business plan, and creative vision.  The Producers Lab is provided free to accepted producers, and upon completion, they become Film Independent Fellows, receiving year-round support including access to Film Independent’s annual film educational offerings, on-staff Filmmaker Advisor, and the Los Angeles Film Festival.

Recent projects developed through the Lab include Suzi Yoonessi’s Dear Lemon Lima, which premiered at the 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival; Morgan Stiff’s Mississippi Damned, which won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2009 Outfest Film Festival; Scott Prendergast’s Kabluey, which premiered at the 2007 Los Angeles Film Festival; Ted Kroeber’s American Gun, which was nominated for three Spirit Awards in 2007; So Yong Kim’s In Between Days, which was released by New Yorker Films in 2007; and Jessica Sanders’ After Innocence, which was short-listed for the 2006 Academy Awards.

The 2010 Producers Lab filmmakers and projects were:

1.   Before You Say Goodbye – A popular high school cheerleader learns how to love when her former childhood friend, an ostracized “promise-ring” kid, falls ill.

Kevin Fitzmaurice Comer graduated from the University of Cincinnati with honors in electrical engineering.  As a project manager for NASA, Comer designed, constructed and launched an experimental rocket.  Upon moving to New York City, he embarked on his post-graduate studies in film at Brooklyn College.  He founded Psychonaut Productions in 2002 in Los Angeles and produced the award-winning short film Parallel Passage, and was invited to participate in the inaugural Marché du Film Producer’s Network at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival. A veteran of music video and commercial production, Comer has worked with some of the biggest commercial production houses such as RSA, @radical.media, The Directors Bureau, Streetgang, Paranoid US, Cente Service, Day-O, Filmbug, Duroo, B2 Studios, Firefly, Humble, MTV, and Washington Square Films, amongst others. He has produced and line produced high caliber commercials, promos, music videos, and viral videos for clients such as BMW, Lexus, Hyundai, Honda, GM/Daewoo, Soft Bank (with Brad Pitt and Cameron Diaz), Shiseido, L’Oreal (with Eva Longoria), McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, Disney (with Hillary Duff), Samsung, Zoosk and Google; music videos for U2, Green Day, Red Jump Suit Apparatus, The National, as well as F/X promos for The Riches, The Shield, Nip/Tuck and Sons of Anarchy. Comer is also the Head of Production at Evolution LA and oversees viral campaigns produced for studio films, including Bruno, I Love You Beth Cooper, Marley & Me, etc. Comer recently produced Tesla Popped my Cherry, a comedic short film by the McAllen brothers, currently in post-production. In 2009, he line-produced Sparks, a short film directed by Joseph Gordon-Levitt and written by Elmore Leonard, which premiered in competition at the Sundance Film Festival. In addition to Before You Say Goodbye, Comer has three features in development, and is currently in pre-production on a film based on John Patrick Shanley’s celebrated play, Down and Out.

Lulu Brud moved to Los Angeles at the age of nineteen after realizing her degree in Theater from University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill was not going to make a career happen and she needed real life experience. At the age of twenty, Brud launched a theater company, Little Bird Theater Company, which developed and produced the very popular and highly attended one-act festival called MIXTAPE. Her aim was to align herself with new writers and directors, creating a strong talent pool. In January of 2009, Brud bought the rights to an award winning play she starred in called F*cking Art. For the following year and a half, Brud worked closely with the writer, Bekah Brustetter, to develop a feature length version of the play that has now come to be known as Before You Say Goodbye. Brud has also starred in the horror film Cold Blood Canyon and had a small role in Gravedancers, along with many other shorts, independents and web-series. She is currently optioning new properties to develop more projects as she hopes to continue to act, produce, write, and direct for her entire life. She has studied extensively with Lesly Kahn, Marjorie Ballentine, Allen Barton at the Beverly Hills Playhouse, Judith Weston, Warner Loughlin and Nancy Banks. In 2011, Brud will star in the title roll of Tennessee Williams’ play “Baby Doll” on the Main Stage at the Elephant Theater.

2.  Brute Force – The story of Apple Records’ notoriously irreverent recording artist, Stephen Friedland, aka Brute Force.

Andrew Fuller received a degree in Political Science from Colgate University in 2003, and moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career the film business where he began working in feature development at Village Roadshow Pictures.  Fuller went on to serve as entertainment adviser for The Bahamas Film Studio, where he liaised on deals such as Disney’s Pirates Of The Caribbean 2 & 3, in addition to consulting on localized tax incentives, soft money financing, and alternative insurance products serving as credit enhancing mechanisms both for single pictures and film slates budgeted up to $150 Million.  In 2007, after heading up the creative division at a wireless start-up company, where he acquired numerous properties and produced short form, viral-driven animated and live action content, Fuller formed Razor Films (www.razorfilmsla.com).  Predicated upon the synthesis of classic Hollywood storytelling with the opportunities of a constantly changing industry and marketplace, the company focuses on making artistically appealing, yet commercially viable, independently financed feature films with breakout and award potential.  Razor’s current slate of films in various stages of development and production include Brute Force, a music documentary, The Last Highway, a concert film and several novel adaptations.

3.  Free Ride – Based on a true story, Free Ride is a captivating tale about a single mother and her two daughters trying to survive and make a life for themselves amidst the mother’s rise in the glamorous Florida drug trade in the late 1970’s.

Susan Dynner began her career at the age of fifteen as a band photographer when she started photographing bands such as The UK Subs, Minor Threat, Dead Kennedys, Black Flag as well as UB40, Psychedelic Furs, Squeeze and many more.  Her photos have been published on album covers, in books, on t-shirts, and in magazines.  After earning her degree at University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dynner moved to Los Angeles, where she held various positions at Touchstone, Richard Donner Productions, and Wolfgang Petersen’s Radiant Productions.  Later, she joined Charlie Sheen and Nick Cassavetes’ Ventura Films as VP of Creative Affairs, before leaving to join Steve Herzberg as a Producer and VP of Development/Production for Prairiefire Films, who had deals with Sony and AOL.  In 2000, Dynner teamed up with producer Mark Mathis, and together they formed Stillwater Films.  There, they produced the feature film Brick, which won the Special Jury Prize for Originality of Vision at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival, and was released by Focus Features.  Most recently, Dynner formed Aberration Films, and released Punk’s Not Dead, a documentary feature that she directed, produced and shot.  The film, which premiered at the AFI SilverDocs Film Festival, has received much acclaim.  Celebrated by critics from Variety to The Hollywood Reporter to the LA Times, it went on to screen at many more prestigious festivals, including Melbourne, Copenhagen, Buenos Aires, San Francisco, and AFI Dallas, before its theatrical run (32 US cities and worldwide distribution).  Dynner just completed post-production on the feature documentary, Exxxit: Life After Porn (scheduled to be released in winter, 2010), and was recently hired to direct the narrative feature film, Blank Nation. Aberration Films currently has several other projects in various stages of development, including Free Ride, written and to be directed by Shana Sosin.

4.  Half Truth – Two unlikely friends from the rural South – Donell, a black, teenaged outcast, and Johnny, a white, enigmatic runaway – form a tenuous bond as they escape their troubled pasts on a wild cross-country adventure.

Wade Gasque was chosen for Film Independent’s 2009 Directors Lab and 2008 Screenwriters Lab with his feature screenplay, Half Truth. He’s a semifinalist for this year’s Nicholl Fellowship. In 2009, he was one of six finalists out of 2,000 entrants in the Netflix FIND Your Voice Competition. Film directing credits include the teaser trailer for Half Truth with SteakHaus Productions (Weather Girl, By Hook or By Crook) and the short film The Hardest Job in the Business with Marvin Acuna (The Great Buck Howard, Touched).  Other directing credits include the 2006-7 season of City at Peace-LA, a non-profit that uses the performing arts to empower a diverse group of teens from across Los Angeles. As resident director for the stage musical, The Ohmies, he won Best Musical Play of 2006 by the Beverly Hills Outlook. He has directed The Ohmies at the Geffen Playhouse, The Skirball Cultural Center, and the Falcon Theatre, as well as a national tour in 2006. He was also co-director of The Ohmies Live on DVD produced by Herzog Cowen (Anchorman, HBO:First Look Series) in 2005.  Gasque has directed numerous solo shows and short plays in Los Angeles and New York. He wrote/directed the full-length play, The Allegory of Golf, with a run at the Flatiron Playhouse in New York in 2002, and his short plays I Do Not Wish to See the Needle and The Sweater Issue won Buffalo’s Maxim Mazumdar New Play Competition and the Cleveland New Works Festival, respectively.  Before working as a stage and commercial actor for over 10 years, he received theatre scholarships to both Marymount Manhattan College and the College of Charleston and won the South Carolina Archibald Rutledge State Scholarship for Playwriting.

Dominic Ottersbach is a co-founder of Steakhaus Productions, an award-winning film production company dedicated to bringing bold, new visions to movie audiences everywhere.  Dominic and co-founder Steak House have more than 20 combined years of experience in production management, line-producing and producing, with a specialty in physical production, and taking projects from paper to festival.  Recent projects include Sunset Strip The Movie (in production), Secret Lives of Dorks for Steven J. Wolfe, and Chain Letter, The Hustle and Night Tales for Deon Taylor and Jamie Foxx (No Brainer Films). Previous production experience includes coordinating on The Matrix Reloaded/Revolutions and several Nickelodeon, Sony and WB cartoon series.  Steakhaus Productions produced the indie favorite By Hook or By Crook, a Sundance premiere and five-time best feature winner. Their films have long enjoyed success on the festival circuit, including Los Angeles Film Festival, Tribeca, Outfest and four films at Sundance. Their popular documentary about passionate Dolly Parton fans, For the Love of Dolly, broadcasts on MTV’s Logo. Most recently, their indie romantic comedy, Weather Girl, premiered at Slamdance 2009 and sold to Screen Media, Regent and Lifetime.  Their current film 6 Month Rule is in post-production and they are developing several other projects including: The Summer We Drowned, Half Truth, Dish and Skirt, which were invited to participate in the FIND labs, Fast Track and the Sundance Independent Producers Conference.

5.  Hey, Hey Johnny! – When Will Kennedy finds a dead body outside his bedroom window, the search for the anonymous boy’s identity forces him to become a new man.  As mystery unfurls, Will discovers what it means to be alive, what it means to be in love, and what it means to lose both.

Nicholas Citton is a writer/director/producer currently based in Los Angeles. He recently completed his studies at Columbia University’s Graduate Film Program. While in school, he co-created the comedy series, This Space for Rent, which was developed with the National Screen Institute of Canada and the Canadian Broadcasting Company. The show aired on CBC Television, and was nominated for numerous awards. This past year, Citton’s feature, That Burning Feeling, was selected for The Canadian Film Centre’s Comedy Lab and developed alongside Just for Laughs Canada. The project is currently in pre-production with Resonance Films. Nicolas has several television and film projects presently in development, including Lust for Life, another comedy series with CBC Television.

Jason James is an award-winning producer/director based in Vancouver, BC.  He got his start as an associate producer on the TV drama Da Vinci’s Inquest, and went on to co-create his own comedy TV series for the CBC, This Space For Rent. Most recently, James produced Carl Bessai’s feature film Repeaters, which premiered at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival.  Last year, he produced two critically acclaimed features with director Carl Bessai: Cole and Fathers & Sons .  He also produced Unnatural & Accidental, which premiered at the MoMA in New York, played the 2006 Toronto and Vancouver International Film Festivals, and was released theatrically by Odeon Films in January 2007. James has several television and film projects presently in development, including Lust for Life, another comedy series with CBC Television, and That Burning Feeling, a feature with frequent collaborator, Nicolas Citton.

6.  Poppies and Olives – Three women’s journeys collide in the Arab-Israeli port city of Jaffa.  Layla investigates her Palestinian roots; Tali finds meaning in her art; and Ronit contemplates deserting the army.

Keren Michael’s first feature film, Ha’Meshotet (The Wanderer), premiered at the Directors Fortnight at Cannes in May 2010 and was nominated for Cannes’ prestigious Caméra d’Or. Michael began her film career as an assistant director and has worked extensively with the Israeli production company Movie Plus as well as with directors Amos Gitai and Joseph Cedar. In 2008, Michael co-founded The Mouth Agape, an Israeli independent film production company. Michael graduated from The Camera Obscura Film School in Tel Aviv.

Deb Shoval has received grant funding from The Sparkplug Foundation, The Fund for Wild Nature, The Fund for New Technologies and The Leeway Foundation for her work as a playwright/theater director.  Shoval received a second Leeway grant to research and write her first feature screenplay, Poppies and Olives, which was chosen as an Emerging Narrative Script for the IFP Market. Shoval is currently completing her thesis work for an MFA in Film Directing at Columbia University, where she received a Columbia Women in Film (CWIF) Fellowship in 2009-2010. She was recently named one of the “Heeb Hundred,” Heeb Magazine’s “hundred people you need to know about.”

7.  Saigon/24 – Life in contemporary Saigon as seen through the eyes of a group of young people living in Saigon/24, a dilapidated eastern block style apartment building with an unpredictable charm.

Elizabeth Ai was born in Nashville, grew up in Chicago and currently resides in Los Angeles. She studied at the University of Southern California and went on to work for New Line Cinema, Merv Griffin Entertainment, and the William Morris Agency, then founded an art-based non-profit group for LAUSD inner-city youth called Reaching to Embrace Arts.  Since then, she has been writing and producing short films, music videos, reality web content, documentaries and narrative features. Dirty Hands: The Art & Crimes of David Choe, a documentary she produced, won the 2008 SDAFF Grand Jury and SFIAFF Special Jury Prize. In 2009 she worked with Stephane Gauger to produce a period feature film on French painter Paul Gauguin. A master thesis film she produced, Crown Prince of Heaven, premiered at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival and is a 2010 Weisman Award recipient.  Elizabeth is a 2010 Film Independent Project:Involve and Producer’s Lab fellow and just finished Producing a hip-hop dance narrative feature in Vietnam on local street teens called Saigon/24 with writer/director Stephane Gauger.

8. Stem – A brilliant stem cell researcher goes to visit her sick mother in Scotland and discovers that it is not just cells that sometimes need to go back in order to go forward.

Matthew Medlin hails from rural Northern California, and moved from San Francisco to New York City in 2002 where he worked his way up the production ranks in the commercial and independent film scene. He has produced a myriad of creative projects, ranging from commercials and music videos to new media campaigns, to feature and short narrative films. In 2005, Medlin was the cofounder of a Brooklyn-based filmmaking collective entitled Radius 5 Films, and produced his first feature in 2006. Working closely with artist Doug Aitken in 2007 and 2008, he helped produce Sleepwalkers, a massive public art piece that was projected onto the exterior of the MoMA in New York City, and Migration which debuted at the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh and showed at Sundance in 2009. After moving to Los Angeles in 2008, Medlin dived directly into independent films first with Obselidia, and more recently Losing Control (currently in post production).  Additionally, he had a hand in the film Night Catches Us, which was in competition at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, and has several projects slated to begin production in the coming year.

Chris Byrne has worked in the American film industry for fifteen years as an actor, stuntman, military tech advisor, camera assistant/operator, director and producer in both independent and studio features.  This followed a twelve-year stint in Special Forces in both British and US armies.   Byrne’s broad range of onset experience gives him an invaluable, practical understanding of what is needed to make a successful film.  He has worked closely with some of the greatest directors of our times – his credits (as an actor) include James Cameron’s Titanic, Costas Gavras’ Mad City, and John McTiernan’s Basic (for which he also provided military tech advice).  His credits as a camera assistant include Luke Wilson’s Wendell Baker Story and Jeb Stuart’s Blood Done Sign Thy Name.  Additionally, he has directed and produced his own award-winning WW2 short film The Table.

9.  Valley of Saints – In beautiful, war-ravaged Kashmir, a poor boatman and a young scientist team up to save a forgotten casualty: the environment.

Nicholas Bruckman is a New York-based film and media producer and graduate of the New Media department at SUNY Purchase  His thesis film on Kashmir earned him the Statewide University Chancellor’s Award. His directorial debut, La Americana, won 7 awards at over 30 international film festivals and was broadcast on various networks in the U.S., Europe and Asia.  As part of the film’s outreach campaign, Bruckman spoke at leading institutions and universities on immigrant rights and immigration reform.  Additional producer credits include Bronx Princess (POV 2009) and The New Recruits (PBS 2010).  In addition to independent film, Bruckman produces corporate media projects around the world for Fortune 500 and nonprofit clients, in countries including Bolivia, Venezuela, Israel, Kuwait, the UK and India.  He is an alumnus of the IFP Rough Cut Labs and Independent Film Week, and his work has been funded by numerous foundations including NYSCA, Cinereach, and The Fledgling Fund.  Bruckman was recently named a 2010 Film Fellow by the New York Foundation for the Arts.

ABOUT FILM INDEPENDENT

Film Independent is a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts organization that champions independent film and supports a community of artists who embody diversity, innovation, and uniqueness of vision. Film Independent helps filmmakers make their movies, builds an audience for their projects, and works to diversify the film industry. Film Independent’s Board of Directors, filmmakers, staff, and constituents, is comprised of an inclusive community of individuals across ability, age, ethnicity, gender, race, and sexual orientation. Anyone passionate about film can become a member, whether you are a filmmaker, industry leader, or a film lover.

With over 250 annual screenings and events, Film Independent provides access to a network of like-minded artists who are driving creativity in the film industry. Film Independent offers free Filmmaker Labs for selected writers, directors, and producers; provides cut-rate services for filmmakers; and presents year-round networking opportunities. Film Independent’s mentorship and job placement program, Project:Involve, pairs emerging culturally diverse filmmakers with film industry professionals.

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For more information or to become a member, visit FilmIndependent.org.

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Highlights:

Script/book reading

GPS navigation

Monitoring multiple email accounts

Sunday during #scriptchat I saw some buzz about writers wanting iPads for the holidays. It didn’t really hit me that I could add to the conversation until yesterday when a family member called me to ask questions about my new iPad. I realized I could share a few thoughts. I still see it as a toy, unfortunately, it has not yet advanced my business productivity, per se.

The main reason I purchased my iPad was to advise a production company client who asked me for my opinion on how they could make money on applications. The second reason I wanted one was to read scripts and books. It should be super handy on a future production.

When I took my iPad out of the box, I got an error message that my MacBook was not a new enough model to sync with the iPad. I was pretty irritated about that and only solved it because we had another MacBook in the office that was newer than mine. What do you do if you have a PC or an old Mac and no other options, I have no idea!

So, my schedule, contacts, photos and documents wouldn’t easily sync. Luckily I had already signed up for Mobileme.com for about $100 a year. I had wanted a way to share my schedule with my team and that was the most cost effective solution I could find. Now, I’m maximizing my account by using it to sync all of the above with my iPad. However, I still can’t figure out how to access my iTunes account on my iPad! Someday when I get my next intern, we’ll figure it out.

Yes, pictures are beautiful on the iPad but not a reason to buy one. Speaking of pictures, I wish I could organize the icons on my iPad so they didn’t cover up my wallpaper photo, but I don’t know how. Can this be done? Bueller?

I LOVE the way I can read on my iPad. I was always hesitant to print scripts, but it was awkward to read them on the computer. Now I can load up a few scripts and I’m done.

I also love being able to easily check multiple email accounts.

I also have already used the iPad Locator. I returned my new iPad within the first week to upgrade to 3G and forgot to wipe it out first. So, the iPad Locator allows you to do just that, remotely.

We are house hunting and I have been annoyed at using Google on my iPad to not have the ability to zoom into the listings like I can on my computer. Also, when I sign into my housing listings website service, it does not keep me logged in nor does it retain sign in information and periodically I have to sign in while using the application. I don’t know if this issue is with the listings web site or iPad but I wish they would get this fixed soon.

On the other hand, I love using my iPad as a GPS. I didn’t have one, and driving around in LA without a GPS is just plain stupid. It really makes my life easier.

Not all videos play on the iPad, some give errors.

Why can’t I use Skype on the iPad yet? L Come on! It’s really just an oversized iPhone, I should also be able to tie in my number and lose the phone altogether, just use a blue tooth for calls.

As for Twitter, I usually like TweetDeck. However, it keeps crashing on the iPad, so I’m not that excited about it, yet. I think the regular Twitter app is doing a better job right now.

I use iPad Friendly for Facebook right now. It’s OK except if I post something and want to delete it, I can’t – I have to run for my computer. That’s not ideal if you are doing social media for business, and many people using an iPad are, I would guess.

I am desperate for a great note taking application with a stylus. I bought a stylus and after much research, I broke down and paid for an application called Notes Plus. Of course I would later find out I have the “wrong” stylus and I need to find a capacity one. Annoying!

I am also annoyed that I don’t have Word and Excel on my iPad. What’s that all about? Figure it out, guys.

I love watching movies on my iPad. I got an NetFlix subscription when I got my iPad and have used it pretty frequently. It’s easier, lighter than the laptop and I’m more motivated to get more use out of the iPad, so there you go! Unfortunately I’m a little disappointed with the NetFlix inventory. I guess I thought they had way more films then they actually do. I would love to see more classic comedies, that’s for sure.   NetFlix should include a wish list section so I can just list everything I want to see and then they can alert me when they get it. Right?

It’s been interesting to note what companies web sites look like on the iPad. Have you checked what yours looks like? Go to the Apple Store and see.

So, that’s my little iPad update for all you would be Santa’s. I hope this helps. May all your holidays be merry and remember to go off the grid, too, even if just for a little bit.

Debby Ryan

Article by LANA BERKOWITZ, Houston Chronicle. This story is about Debby Ryan, the star of 16 Wishes, which is out on DVD in a Special Edition for a limited time only  this month at retailers everywhere. When Disney Channel star Debby Ryan heard the words “parade” and “Texas,” she did not hesitate to say yes to the Thanksgiving invitation.

Ryan, who plays Bailey Pickett on The Suite Life on Deck, will be the celebrity co-host for KHOU’s broadcast of the H-E-B Holiday Day parade that begins at 9 a.m. Thanksgiving Day at Minute Maid Park.

The 17-year-old said the network people know that she is obsessed with parades. And when it comes to appearances in Texas, Ryan said: “I’m totally already packed and ready to go.”

Ryan lived in Killeen and Germany before her family settled in the Dallas/Fort Worth area when she 10 years old. When she landed the role in the comedy series starring Dylan and Cole Sprouse, Ryan and her mother moved to Los Angeles.

Texas is well-represented on the Disney lot. Selena Gomez and Jennifer Stone of Wizards of Waverly Place,Mitchel Musso of Hannah Montana plus Demi Lovato and Tiffany Thornton of Sonny With a Chance have Lone Star State connections. Also there are extras and people behind the scenes who share Texas roots.

“I love L.A. people. They are very artistic and very fun, but there’s nothing quite like someone who understands craving a good sweet tea and staying home to watch the college game. It’s definitely a different life,” Ryan said. After the parade, Ryan will spend time with family in San Antonio.

Ryan loooooves parades, she says, and this will be her first time as a commentator. “I have a lot of opinions, and I do love to talk,” she said.

Ryan, who starred in and recorded music for the Disney Channel film 16 Wishes, is not sure which path her future will take.

“I actually started out to get into dramatic film acting,” Ryan said, but she has come to love the art of sitcom.

“I’m really finding this amazing magic in the sitcom world that I’m loving and kind of not wanting to leave behind,” she said. “But I would love to expand into producing. Developing maybe a pilot or even like a movie for television. Something like that would really be fun to do.” For the rest of the article, click here.

In the last session of the Filmmaker Forum, Anne Thompson moderated this panel, who said that effect from piracy is more severe on independent filmmakers. The MPA said the studios have a infrastructure in place to protect their content.

The Cinetic Rights Management representative said that digital distribution piracy has become a scapegoat for films that underperform.

The Hurt Locker was sited.

Avatar was the most downloaded pirated movie and sold the most copies too.

Filmmakers and musicians who focus on ways to connect with fans overall experience are most successful.

Hulu.com was created to monetize pirated content. They gave the example of selling bottled water. People do buy fancy water even though they can get it free.

The MPA rep said what keeps him up at night is  that consumers are getting used to getting content from one place – and thinking I can get whatever I want – for free.

Unthinkable with Samuel Jackson went from #3200 to 863 to #3 on IMDB a few weeks before commercial release.

The Unthinkable producer said they expected 800,000 dvd sales but got around 450,000. Producer said “Maybe it didn’t hurt” that it was available on the Internet on pirated sites.

9 inch Nails music ex.  He connects w/ his fan base. Make people feel good about your work and content.

Give them a real reason to buy. 9 Inch Nails put 36 tracks on line for free with a creative commons license and said if you “Want” pay $5 for all 36 songs, then for $10 get a CD, for $75, get deluxe package and for $2500 limited quality available, get the ultra deluxe which they sold out of.

There’s a lot of evidence that VOD doesn’t impact theatrical.

Rainn Wilson has been tweeting about his last film in production, Super. Interesting to see how that affects its success when its finally released. Twitter users seem to want stuff NOW.

On June 30 the MPA seized 9 web sites.

I have to say, I was again struck by the fact that independent filmmakers really have their work cut out for them and yet, there’s something exciting about being able to break the mold and come up with your own model.

At the networking event, I talked to the president of the Association of Film Commissioners International, film commissioners from Lake Tahoe and Utah, (where they just shot 127 Hours,) and someone from the American Humane Society who said they would come when you film anything with animals.

Also met the CEO of the Creative Coalition in NY who brings together artists and entertainers to learn about pressing issues so they can better inform and influence the community and nation.

Finally, I met Thiago Bento, the CEO of Lumiart Brasil. He gave me their short called Piece of Paper. I enjoyed seeing their work, and there were no sub titles, which I appreciated. Check out more at their web site.

I missed Saturday but you can read the keynote address by Lionsgate co-COO and president of its Motion Picture Group, Joe Drake here. Thanks to Film Independent for putting on another great event for our community.

Stephanie & Filmmaker Ondi Timoner at the 2010 Filmmaker Forum

I really enjoyed lunch at the Filmmaker Forum. FIND sets it up so that different industry executives, producers, etc. are spread out at different tables that have signs with their names and then attendees get to sit with people they are interested in talking to and learning from.

I had lunch with filmmaker Ondi Timoner of the unforgettable documentary, We Live in Public. I first saw her and her film at the LA Film Festival in 2008. She’s working on Into the Unknown with Honda, and Library of Dust. I haven’t seen her film Dig yet, either but she and everyone at our lunch table insisted I see it.  (I also noticed a full page ad in the LA Times for Cool It listing her as a Director. Looks like an interesting flick.)

Also I was excited to meet Wendy Cohen from Participant Media at lunch. She worked on Waiting for Superman and spoke on the marketing panel that followed lunch. I’ve always been so impressed with Participant (Oceans, The Cove, An Inconvenient Truth, The Kite Runner, The Informant – it goes on and on.)

Marketing panel thoughts

Think about outreach

Made in LA case study, they tied in activism with film screenings.

Be where conversations are happening.

Add widgets for Facebook and Twitter.

Wendy discussed the FoodInc hashtag example from Participant. They used #foodinc whenever discussing food or foodie related tweets, and their tag was used by others, which also promoted their film.

She says, be a source of other related information, not just info on your film.

A strategic high-level publicist can be hugely important to a film.

You need an advocate, someone besides you who really loves your film.

Blue Lite Jazz example came up a few times during the day. They just earned a significant amount on Kickstarter.

Who is your audience?

Tomorrow I’ll post the final part of this 3 part report.