NALIP PROUDLY ANNOUNCES THE 2004 EDITION OF THE ANNUAL LATINO WRITERS LAB
April 22 - 25, 2004 - New York, NY
NALIP, New York International Latino Film Festival and the Writers Guild of America-East present: The Latino Writers LabT at the Roger Smith Hotel, 501 Lexington Street, NYC
Every movie in release, every film at a festival, every telefilm or DVD at Blockbuster began with a script. Every shooting script began as a first draft. Every first draft was a treatment or a concept. It seems like everyone has a screenplay but, the truth is, every producer and funder is looking for a good one. The more great screenplays that Latinos write, the more films will be made and the more writers will go on to careers writing and rewriting for film and television. This is the path to a louder Latino voice in media.
NALIP, in association with the WGAE and NYILFF, invites you to apply for this workshop that develops and promotes Latino writing talent. 20 emerging Latino writers of film and television will be selected for this 4-day, all-day workshop experience. Writers accepted to the workshop develop a viable television or movie project in a highly supportive, nurturing environment, alongside seasoned industry professionals. Networking lunches and dinners bring workshop participants together with agents, managers, industry executives, and visiting guest artists from east and west coasts.
Prior to the workshop, writers submit to the workshop's director one of the following: a series of 3-5 pitches of which one will be selected for development; a rough draft screenplay on which notes will be given; a stage play or short story for adaptation; or an existing treatment for rewriting. The workshop commences with a talk on story logic and structure, affecting characterizations, genre, tone, and pitching technique.
ADMISSION TO THE WORKSHOP
NALIP promotes outstanding Latino talent. Admission to the workshop is highly competitive, and limited to 20 NALIP member writers. Applicants are required to submit a resume and a copy of the treatment or screenplay they hope to workshop. Writing applicants primarily interested in developing a pitch are asked to submit a prior piece of dramatic writing. Writers adapting short stories and stage plays must also submit a writing sample unless they are themselves the authors of the material they are submitting for adaptation. Writers selected by the admissions committee are asked to familiarize themselves with the workshop projects prior to April 22.
Registration
· Please complete the attached application and send it, with your materials and payment to:
NALIP Writer's Lab, Attn: Octavio Marin, 2425 W. Olympic Blvd., Suite 600E,
Santa Monica, CA, 90404
· LWL writers will be selected based on the quality of their recent work, creativity, commitment to their careers in writing and dedication to sharpening their skills.
· Deadline for applications is Friday, March 5. Writers will be notified by April 1.
· Fee for the Lab is $250. This includes 4-day lab, lunches, coffee breaks, materials and networking reception. You must include a check or credit card number to apply, you will not be charged until you are accepted.
Special LWL rates are available for rooms at the Roger Smith Hotel for out-of-town writers. Six (6) lodging scholarships are available: Please send that request with your application.
Schedule
This intensive lab requires a real commitment of time. Please plan to attend the entire 4-day program in its entirey. Writers are required to read and review co-participants materials in advance, plus pre-screen 3 videos in order to be prepared for this program.
Thursday, 22 April: Registration and coffee - 9:00 a.m.
Lab - 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., including lunch roundtables and dinner break
Friday, 23 April: Networking and coffee - 9:00 a.m.
Lab - 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., including lunch roundtable
Networking Reception - 7:30 - 9:30 p.m.
Saturday, 24 April: Lab - 9:00 a.m. - 10 p.m., including lunch, screening and
dinner break
Sunday, 25 April: Lab - 9:00 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Workshop Director: Harrison Reiner. Staff Story Analyst (I.A.T.S.E.), CBS Movies of the Week and Mini-Series; Lecturer, CBS Diversity Institute; Instructor of Screenwriting, UCLA School of Film and Television; Instructor of Story Analysis and Script Development, UCLA Extension; Founding Director, Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival Writers Workshop and Desi Arnaz Memorial Scholarship; former Production Executive, Sovereign Pictures (co-distributors of Academy Award-winning motion pictures MY LEFT FOOT and CINEMA PARADISO). Also served as story analyst for Universal Pictures, Sherry Lansing Productions in association with Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros. Feature Animation, and Turner Network Television. BFA, NYU Tisch School of the Arts. MFA, Columbia University School of the Arts.
Guest artist/instructors to include: Cari-Esta Albert (producer, THE TRUTH ABOUT CATS AND DOGS), Eddie Borges (agent, ICM), Carlos Carreras (agent, UTA), Marilyn Atlas (manager and producer, REAL WOMEN HAVE CURVES), Mark Subias (agent), Alfredo de Villa (writer-director, WASHINGTON HEIGHTS), David Ortiz (production executive, Warner Bros.), Tracy Poust (staff writer, WILL AND GRACE/NBC)
Required project materials -- submit by March 5, 2004:
* 3 copies of Completed application
* 3 copies of your work-in-progress (Treatment,
Script)
* OR 3 copies of a writing sample of prior dramatic writing, if you are a writer interested in developing a pitch, or in adapting short story/play that you have not written
* 1 page synopsis of Writer's Lab Project
* Brief essay describing why you want to participate and where you are on your work-in-progress
* Writer's bio or resume
* Proof of Script Registration ** wgaeast.org **
* Signed Waiver
* Request for Hotel Scholarship, if needed
* Must be a NALIP Member to Apply!
The Latino Writer's Lab is made possible through the generous support of: the Rockefeller Foundation, The Ford Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Writer's Guild of America- East, MTV Networks and the Roger Smith Hotel.
Application Form
Deadline is March 5, 2004
NAME____________________________________________________________________
ADDRESS_________________________________________________________________
CITY _________________________ STATE __________ ZIP____________________
E-MAIL_______________________________ TEL_______________________________
FAX ________________________________ CEL ________________________________
WORK-IN-PROGRESS TITLE: _________________________________________________
Number of Pages ________Genre ________________WGAE Registration # ____________
PRIOR CREDITS + Role on PROJECT:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Voy is a privately funded company that is aiming at the Hispanic marketplace in music, publishing and TV, with plans to launch a cable network in late 2004. Voy chairman-CEO Fernando Espuelas, a former co-founder and CEO of StarMedia Network, said Voy will finance some of its films, and seek partners on the ones that cost more than $10 million. The film venture, being overseen by Voy prexy Emilio Diez Barroso, is in the process of hiring a Hollywood-based production president. They are working with John Sloss and Robert Nathan of Cinetic Media to mobilize financing to get the first bunch of projects off the ground.
"Feature film will become an important part of Voy, and we will be looking to make films with and about Hispanics, with crossover potential," said Espuelas, who will officially announce the venture next week.
"There are few Latino executives in Hollywood at levels high enough to make the decisions, and many of the films that get made are beautifully shot arthouse films or pictures that depict negative stereotypes. By taking Latin components, be it producers, screenwriters and stars, we hope to fill that void."
Prinze has set up "Rave Train," a project he will look to star in. "Woman on Top" director Torres will develop and direct "Hip Hop Cinderella." Writer-producer Mary Sweeney ("The Straight Story") will develop and produce "Loving Pedro Infante," based on the Denise Chavez novel. "SWAT" star Rodriguez and Argentinean director Daniel Barone have pacted for a pair of pictures. Voy will also co-produce with Cherry Road Films "Blue Yonder," a script by J.B. Rogers. In addition, Voy will develop an animated film based on the Latino comicstrip "Los Kitos." That pic will be targeted to the Latino baby boomer market.
Read the full article at:
http://www.variety.com/story.asp?l=story&a=VR1117898553&c=1238
NALIP Member Produced Documentary on Vargas Llosa to Air in Spain
Mario Vargas Llosa: The Biography, shot in Digi Beta, in Peru, Madrid, Paris and London as a coproduction between POLO DE IMAGEM (Brazil), SOGECABLE and OFICINA DEL AUTOR (Spain), with production companies Iguana Films and Amazonas Films LLC, was produced by NALIP Member Olga Arana, directed by Mauricio Bonnett and written by Marcela Cuneo. Roberto
Viana Batista and Macarena Rey served as Executive Producers. According to the filmmakers, "It is a beautiful piece, that relates Latin American history and the magnificent life of a man that not only shaped Latin American literature but is a key element of our culture. The Biography is distributed by Canal Plus-Spain. Contact Olga Arana, OArana@aol.com, for more information.
