Los Angeles Now : Once the whitest city in America , Los Angeles is now the most
multicultural city in the history of the world. Once an empty, pastoral space, L.A. is now a disorienting megalopolis.
Los Angeles Now looks beyond Baywatch and Blade Runner to create a fresh and candid portrait of America 's second largest city. Using creative visuals and computer-generated imagery, director Phillip Rodriguez translates the city's vast array of moods and rhythms. Los Angeles Now abandons the polite P.C. language of '90s multiculturalism to explore challenging questions and provocative points of view, while providing a much-needed starting point for imagining our American future.
Q&A with the filmmaker and reception will follow the screening.
Admission is complimentary for members of your organization plus one guest each. No reservations are required. Please present this e-mail invitation for entrance. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.
LOCATION: The screening will take place at the SilverScreen Theater at the Pacific
Design Center located at 8687 Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood , CA , on the corner of Melrose Avenue & San Vicente Boulevard. The theater is on the second floor of the Pacific Design Center 's green building.
PARKING: Parking is available at a reduced rate of $6 in the Pacific Design Center
indoor and outdoor lots. Enter from San Vicente Boulevard just north of Melrose Avenue .
This screening is sponsored by MOCA, FIND, and the Pacific Design Center . New Film Works is a monthly screening series highlighting the best films from filmmakers working outside the mainstream. The series presents contemporary narrative and documentary features that have not yet received American theatrical distribution or release. The series aims to expand the understanding and appreciation of independent film as a contemporary art form.
For additional information, please call Julianna Brannum at FIND at 310.432.1211.
www.lafilmfest.com
www.FilmIndependent.org
What role should public media play in the American media landscape? What should a vibrant, sustainable public media ecology look like? The Center for Digital Democracy is holding a participatory caucus to outline what public media should be in the United States and how we can make it so. All of us are deeply concerned about the current state of the media, but unlike efforts in other countries, the U.S. has lacked an open, deliberative process to determine our public media needs and how to effectively meet them. The purpose of the caucus is to actively engage the independent media producing, distribution, activist, and funding community and those institutions that regularly use independent media such as libraries and museums in developing strategies to ensure a vibrant public media ecology.
Join panelists Aliza Dichter, Center for International Media Action, filmmaker Evangeline “Vangie” Griego, Anthony Riddle, Alliance for Community Media, and Jake Shapiro, Public Radio Exchange, who will provide an overview of independent media including a brief history of media production, distribution, and activism, along with examples of new production and distribution paradigms that are proving successful in generating audiences and revenues. The panel will be moderated by media consultant, Alyce Myatt.
The format of the Caucus will begin with the panel followed by a question and answer segment after which we will break into smaller working groups where the audience will participate in outlining public media needs and identifying strategies and tactics. We will then reconvene as a whole, with the groups reporting-out their key points. We will consolidate the information and determine specific action steps for moving forward.
The Caucus will take place on Sunday, October 16, 2005 , from 2:00pm to 5:00pm at California State University , Los Angeles , Music Building , Rm. 149, 5151 State University Drive, Los Angeles , CA 90032-8111
This is third in a series of caucuses the Center for Digital Democracy will be conducting around the country. (The first was held in San Francisco and the report can be found at http://www.democraticmedia.org/ddc/PublicMediaCaucus.php.)
We are working in concert with other local and national organizations and individuals to elevate the issue of independent public media and its critical role in civil society. We are particularly interested in combining the efforts and good thinking of the media makers with the work of media activists and reformers.
For more information and to RSVP, please contact Alyce Myatt, amyatt@nyc.rr.com, (212) 765-0193. Seating is limited, but we hope you are able to join us.
Mark your calendars and plan to attend Hollywood CPR's Introduction to the Entertainment Industry Crafts Orientation!
WHEN: THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2005 1:00 PM TO 6:00 PM
WHO: Interested potential new students ages 18 to 25 (17 & senior in high school okay) with priority for emancipated Foster Youth. Former students interested in furthering their craft skills or learning a new skill. Teachers/Social Workers/Community Youth Providers and/or others interested in learning about Hollywood CPR's programs and services.
WHAT: Introduction to all the craft classes offered by Hollywood CPR this fall:
--Cinematography
--Set Dressing/Decoration
--Upholstery/Drapery
--Stage Craft/Carpentry
--Set Lighting
--Grip
--Scenic Arts
--Set Painting
--CAD/Solidworks/Digital 3-D
COST: Tuition is based on a sliding fee scale according to income. Foster Youth and students from economically disadvantaged circumstances pay no tuition; others pay based on income.
STUDENTS: If you are interested in enrolling in Hollywood CPR's Entertainment Artists, Crafts and Technicians Training Program YOUR ATTENDANCE IS MANDATORY for the full orientation (1:00 PM - 6:00 PM). You will spend approximately 20 to 30 minutes in each class which will introduce you to many aspects of that craft and how it relates to the entertainment industry as a whole. At the end of the day you will be offered an opportunity to apply to the training program, ask questions and share your thoughts.
OTHER GUESTS: You may come at any time between 1:00 - 6:00 and visit the different craft areas to get an overview of our program.
CLASS SCHEDULE: Classes are Tuesday and Thursday from 1:00 - 6:00 pm (some schedules may vary depending on craft, field trip, etc.) and begin October 4, 2005
I have attached a brochure which you are free to print out and distribute to students/teachers/others you think would be interested in learning about our program.
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR POTENTIAL STUDENTS TO BE ON TIME! WE WILL START PROMPTLY AT 1:00 PM
PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL TO CONFIRM YOUR ATTENDANCE!!
Please visit our website for Directions. Of course if you have any questions please feel free to contact me and be sure to check the website as it has a lot of information as well.
We look forward to seeing you!!!
Laura Peterson
Hollywood CPR
9700 S. Sepulveda Blvd.
Los Angeles , CA 90045
310-258-0123
laura@hollywoodcpr.org
www.hollywoodcpr.org
Filmmaker Conference
Independent Film From Script to Screen
Sep 19-22, 293 Lafayette Street, NYC
www.ifp.org/conference
Everything You Need To Know About Making and Selling Your Film (40 panels and workshops!)
* Best practices for funding & navigating festivals
* Inspiring case studies from filmmakers
* Hands-on classes: Kodak, Apple, Canon, Panasonic
* How to turn a great idea into a successful film
* Network with 2000 filmmakers and industry execs
More: http://www.ifp.org/conference
- Established filmmaker?
- Just trying to break in?
Seasoned advice and winning strategies from industry execs with proven track records at: 7th Art Releasing; Arte France; BBC Storyville, Channel 4; Cinetic Media; Deutsch/Open City; Film Sales Co; Full Frame; HBO; Hot Docs; IFC; Paradigm; Paramount Classics; PBS; POV; Sony Pictures Classics; ThinkFilm; Tribeca Film Festival; Warner Independent; William Morris and many more added daily.
Panels: Global Independents: Financing Films Around the World, Future of TV and Film, Working With First-Time Filmmakers, Documentary Power Broker, Partnering Up: New Distribution Paradigm, Using State, Local, Federal and International Incentives: Big Breaks for Independents, Making Your First Feature, The Sleeper that Keeps on Marching (March of the Penguins), How We Made "Mad Hot Ballroom."
Making Your First Feature - Sept. 22nd - The Conference includes the day-long segment. Making Your First Feature will provide advice for amateur and seasoned filmmakers from pre to post-production.
Schedule/ Panelists: http://www.ifp.org/conference
EXPO & FILMMAKER LOUNGE (free)
Test drive the latest production technologies before they hit the street in hands-on demos from firms like Apple, Adobe, Canon, Dolby, Kodak, Panasonic and Sony. Speak with representatives from 8 Film Commission Offices around the country. It's really free, just show up!
TICKET PRICING AND DISCOUNTS
Panel Pass = $30 (single panel)
Day Pass = $50-$75 (depends on day) (6-13 panels)
Week Pass = $175 (36 panels; just under $5 each!)
Making Your First Feature = $75 (7 panels)
25% DISCOUNTS FOR THE FOLLOWING
Members of: IFP, AAWIC, AIVF, ACV, CineWomen, D-Word, DGA, FAF, IDA, WMM, DocuClub, FV/A, ImaginAsian, LIFILM, MediaRights, NAATA, NALIP, NewFest, NYWIFT, PGAE, ReelRoundtable, SAAFA, UAFW, WGAE, Subscribers to BlackFilm.com, Carmichael, Gen Art, HarvestWorks, FILMMAKER, Film Festivals Today, Film Threat, Moviemaker, Screenwriter, Scr(i)pt, WithoutABox and Students of: NYU, Columbia, SVA, NY Film Academy
TWO WAYS TO PURCHASE TICKETS
Web: http://www.ifp.org/conference
On-Site: starting September 18th at the Puck Building
To Documentary Filmmakers:
The Hartley Film Foundation is adding to its Great Minds Series collection and is looking for documentary filmmakers with a track record who have a passionate interest in a particular expert, or "great mind" in the fields of world religions, spirituality, ethics or well-being.
If you are interested in producing a low-budget documentary with high production values on a Great Minds individual, please consult our grants page on our Web site at www.hartleyfoundation.org for information on how to submit a proposal and sample of your work. The Hartley Film Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to production, cultivation, support and distribution of the very best documentaries on world religions, spirituality, ethics and well-being.
If you have any questions, please feel free to call me at 203 226 9500.
In its eleventh year, the Women of Color Film Festival aims to provide a progressive showcase of films created by an underrepresented sector of the film industry. Each film entry must have a woman of color in at least one key creative role, e.g. director/producer, screenwriter. The festival will take place in March of 2006 at the Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley , CA and at Cinematheque in San Francisco , CA . For the first time last May we also collaborated with a non-profit Canadian film festival in Toronto to produce a curated program of shorts at Alucine, celebrating Latina and border breaking films.
Submissions Criteria: Films or videos may be of any length, genre and format, and must be less than 3 years old. Preview copy of submission must be in VHS format. Please do not send originals. We are not responsible for damage incurred during shipping. Please include a self-addressed stamped envelope if you would like your submission returned. Submissions will not be returned otherwise. Notification of programming decisions will be made by late January through email.
Priority post-mark deadline: Friday October 7, NO ENTRY FEE
Final post-mark deadline: Friday November 4
Domestic Entry fee: $10 for the first entry postmarked after October 7, $5 each additional entry (no one turned away for lack of funds).
Make checks payable to: Linda Charmaraman, c/o The Women of Color Film Project
*International entry fees are waived.
Online information and submission forms available at:
www.bampfa.berkeley.edu/pfa_programs/women_of_color/
Note: Website is currently being updated but the online app form is already usable
Send application materials and submissions to:
Women of Color Film Festival
c/o Pacific Film Archive
2625 Durant Avenue
Berkeley , CA 94720-2250
For more information, please e-mail: wocfilmproject@berkeley.edu.
¡A La Brava! Call For Submission EXTENDED!!!
In its second decade of production, the 11th Cine Sin Fin has cemented its reputation as the Original and Premier Film Festival in East Los Angeles . What started as a vision between brothers has exploded into an important catalyst for independent Chicano/a filmmakers and audiences alike.
The festival is produced by A La Brava Producciones Revolucionarias, Inc., a nonprofit collaboration with its roots in Boyle Heights , started in 1995 by twin brothers Ernesto and Eduardo Espinoza, and brothers Jaime and Marcos Gutierrez. Having grown up together in Boyle Heights and East L.A. , the foursome’s mission was two-fold: promote positive images of the Chicano experience, and provide a permanent venue to inspire Chicano filmmakers to move forward with their stories.
*NO Submission Fee
*Submission Deadline is EXTENDED Sep 30th, 2005
Send To: CINE SIN FIN, c/o ALB at 673 S. Fickett St , LA , CA 90023. Send film synopsis and filmmakers bio, VHS or DVD.
For more information, please contact Ernesto Espinoza at (323) 265 2344; alabrava@hotmail.com Schedule available at www.alabrava.com
WHEN: September 22, 2005 5:30 PM & 10:30 PM
Joins us for an evening of networking, seminars and the screening of "Innocent Voices," a film by
Luis Mandoki.
About ‘Innocent Voices’:
"Innocent Voices" is a political melodrama set during the civil war in El Salvador, and the title refers to the children who are both victims, and participants, in the carnage. Based on the life of screenwriter Oscar Torres, who grew up in El Salvador , "Innocent Voices" begins just as the government troops begin recruiting young children into their ranks to fight the guerrillas. Eleven-year-old Chava (Carlos Padilla) is already the "man of the house" after his father left, leaving his mother (Leonor Varela) and siblings. And that's how the story begins!
The program will start with the seminar: "Taking Care of your Business Health," followed by a great networking session and the screening.
Please RSVP via e-mail: vanesag@sbcglobal.net with September mixer on subject line. COST: Members $10, non-members $20.
Free light menu and cash bar!
When: Monday, September 19th at 7:30 PM
Where: Millennium Film Workshop, 66 East 4th St. (between 2nd Ave. & the Bowery)
VIDA Filmworx invites you to celebrate the culmination of our "Haciendo Peliculas/Making Movies" Screenwriting Workshop at our very first Screenplay Reading. Join us for an evening of words and images as we read excerpts from the works of our emerging screenwriters:
--Annie Venesky
--Courtney Young
--Love Hudson
--Illiam Carrillo
--Izzy Ruiz
We'd love to share the diversity and excitement of our stories with our friends, family and community, so please RSVP to: info@vidafilmworx.org to let us know you're coming. Refreshments will be served.
Hope to see you there!
A celebration of New Orleans to benefit the musicians who are victims of Hurricane Katrina -- Wednesday September 14th, 2005 at 8:30 p.m. Proceeds to go the MUSICARES FOUNDATION Hurricane Relief Fund
In cooperation with NARAS, Grammy-nominated Cuban singer/songwriter/guitarist Juan-Carlos Formell is dedicating the Los Angeles concert of his 10-city CD release tour to a benefit for the musicians who have been victims of Hurricane Katrina.
Formell's new CD, Cemeteries & Desire, (Narada Records) is a tribute to New Orleans and a prophetic meditation on the intertwined themes of love and death, inspired by extended stays in the Crescent City. The title refers to the streetcar lines that used to run through the city.
The tour, which begins at Yoshi's in Oakland and continues through the entire West Coast and the Midwest , was supposed to end in New Orleans . Juan-Carlos has described New Orleans as being intimately culturally linked to his native city of Havana :"Arriving in New Orleans , I suddenly understood that the entire Caribbean was a house, and each of its ports a door; and then I saw that the sea was a sky and the islands were clusters of stars that connected to make a galaxy."
The CD was recorded at the celebrated Piety Street Recording, in New Orleans 's historic Ninth Ward, which is now under 20 feet of water from the levee break.
All proceeds will be given to the MUSICARES Hurricane Relief Fund.
Location: TANGIER CLUB
Address: 2138 Hillurst Ave. (corner of Los Feliz Blvd ) Los Angeles , CA 90027
When: Wednesday September 14 th @ 8:30 p.m. -- one set
Tel. # 323-666-8666
Cover Charge: $10 or less
For further information: Mario Martin, Narada Records 414-961-8350 martinm@narada.com
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With Latinos/as becoming prominent fixtures in the Indie, Film Festival and Documentary circuits, NALIP Executive Board Member/Conference 7 Co-Chair—and “public media advocate”—Cynthia Lopez makes her voice loud and clear with an article written about her in the September 2005 issue of AIVF’s: The Independent.
Eyes Wide
Cynthia López is the Master Marketer Behind P.O.V.
BY KATE BERNSTEIN
L-R: PBS president Pat Mitchell, Eve Ensler, and Cynthia López (courtesy of PBS)
Cynthia López is not a publicist. She does not believe in creating hype. Instead, López describes herself as a public media advocate. As director of communications and marketing at P.O.V. American Documentary, the PBS series, public relations has come to mean something wholly different from the usual marketing campaigns launched by film and television properties.
“I have friends that design campaigns for studios,” says López. “That’s not what I want to do. I want to have real conversations about painful things that happen in this country and find solutions as to how those things should never happen again. I don’t even like calling my staff people publicists, that’s not what they do. We do not just publicize shows, we think about the concept of the documentary, we think about how that concept works and what kind of conversation we want to have about it.”
For every documentary that shows on P.O.V., Cynthia and her team develop what she calls a “public awareness campaign.” Each film is looked at individually to identify the primary audience, the secondary audience, and any niche audiences that the filmmaker hopes to affect and address. After that, the campaign is tailored specifically to attract those audiences. This serves not merely to secure P.O.V. viewers, but also to inform them of the issues raised in the community the film depicts. And one of
López’s main goals is to lead audiences to documentaries that might help them better understand issues in their own lives.
P.O.V.’s publicity initiatives then very often extend to facilitating educational workshops and discussions in the communities that each film addresses.
“In my sixteen years in media, I’ve seen amazing films go unnoticed,” López says. “Amazing films that get distribution contracts and have no marketing money behind it. No one knows the film was even on television. So for us, marketing does play a pivotal and instrumental role in not only seeing the film but using the information in the film.”
Of course, in order to achieve that goal, López does incorporate a traditional publicity methodology to her promotion. The standard press kit for a mainstream marketing campaign—press
release, fact sheet, composite card, and slide—is still her bread and butter. Her office sends out 15,000 pieces of mail each year.
López tries to ensure that every P.O.V. filmmaker gets the same amount of television, print, and radio interviews whether they’re established or not. Yet, her department at P.O.V. is discriminating as to the outlets on which she encourages her filmmakers to appear.
“If you talk to some publicists, they’ll say they tried to get a P.O.V. filmmaker and [that filmmaker] wouldn’t do it. Usually because the context in which they wanted to have the conversation was not something acceptable to us,” says López. “But 90 percent of time, we’ll work very closely with very mainstream outlets to have the right conversation.”
Perhaps one of the best examples of P.O.V. and López’s marketing philosophy is their campaign for Two Towns of Jasper . The 2003 documentary by Marco Williams and Whitney Dow explores race relations in America by depicting the white and black communities in Jasper, Texas where, in 1998, a local black man was tied to the back of a pickup and dragged to his death by three white men.
“When I first took the project, people were like, ‘Cynthia how are you going to promote this?’ And I said we’re not going to promote this—this is somebody’s son that died, dismembered on a road. We’re not going to promote that. We are promoting a conversation of racism in America ,” López says. “For me, it was about having a conversation about what racism means, what race relations means, and how to bridge those gaps. When we have black kids saying horrible things about the white community and white kids saying horrible things about the black community, there’s work to be done. The whole campaign that we built [for Two Towns ] was to do that work.”
In fact, even without the marketing dollars and requisite celebrity draw that often back major productions, López was able to “converse” about Two Towns of Jasper in the most mainstream of media outlets, including “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and “Nightline with Ted Kopple.”
“I remember when Marco and Whitney came in, I asked them, ‘If you had a marketing dream what would it be?’ They gave us a list of what they wanted. I said give us six months to a year, we’re going to make a piece of this dream come true,” remembers López. “They laughed.”
After nine months of negotiating contracts, López and the filmmakers were walking onto the Harpo lot in Chicago . The full hour of “Oprah” as well as her half hour after-show were both dedicated to Two Towns of Jasper . The filmmakers and Oprah talked about the film, the horrific events it explores, and racism in general. For “Nightline,” López partnered with the producers to create a segment called “ America in Black and White,” in an effort to raise public awareness about the issues important to the filmmakers.
The Two Towns of Jasper filmmakers Marco Williams (left) and Whitney Dow on “The Oprah Winfrey Show”
“What I really liked about working with Cynthia was that it wasn’t P.O.V. imposing, and it wasn’t them simply doing what we said—it was a collaboration,” says Marco Williams. “As an independent filmmaker, that’s what you really want. It’s like making a film—you work with a great camera person, you work with a great editor. You want someone who’s very experienced. Cynthia was fantastic. She never deterred from her sense of responsibility. Her department takes the time to understand what your film is about, it’s not just brash attention.”
While every filmmaker might not make it onto “Oprah,” P.O.V. filmmakers do tend to reach the audience they want to address. Carlos Sandoval, the creator of Farmingville , a documentary that explores the immigration debate following the attempted murders of two Mexican day laborers in Long Island, had similar things to say about working with López and P.O.V.
“Cynthia had us develop a dream list of places we wanted coverage, nothing was off limits. One goal that was really important to me was reaching out to the Latino market,” says Sandoval. “Cynthia arranged to get us on Spanish-language radio stations across the country. We also wanted to hit communities that were experiencing a sudden flux of Latino immigrants so that Farmingville could be an object lesson. I knew Cynthia had delivered when a guy at a car wash told me in Spanish he recognized me from an early morning news show.”
In fact, for Sandoval’s campaign, López received a 2004 PRISM Award honoring excellence in issue-oriented public relations campaigns within the entertainment industry. Indeed, throughout her work at P.O.V., López has influenced a diverse set of communities—immigrant field workers, Mormons, Haitians. Most have been brought into the P.O.V. viewing universe with careful outreach of the highest caliber, often resembling political activism more than film publicity. And because P.O.V. is a nonprofit, and therefore does not have the advertising budgets of other films campaigns, Cynthia and her team have been happily forced to think outside the box and come up with more creative campaigns and grassroots marketing.
Sandoval continues, “[For my film], she had to be Ginger Rogers to the networks’ Fred Astaire—doing it all as well as them, but backwards and in heels. Given the budgetary constraints she and her staff had, they came up with some really creative solutions.”
“In mainstream outlets, experimentation is very limited because they want to ensure the final quotient is something they can see at the end,” says López. “You have huge advertising budgets and you saturate the top ten markets where the film is opening theatrically. You buy bus ads, subway ads, and on-air ads.”
López convinced Ted Koppel (between filmmakers Marco Williams and Whitney Dow) to help publicize The Two Towns of Jasper
Affording none of that, López and her department hit the phones—calling community centers and reaching out to academics, journalists, and influential people in the communities the film depicts. López believes that even while mainstream films can spend millions on memorable ad campaigns to bring people
to theatres or to a seat in front of the television, reaching out to niche audiences P.O.V.-style can bring the filmmakers’ vision directly to their preferred viewers. Yet, there is more than just dollars and innovative advertising tactics that sets López’s brand of public relations apart from traditional marketing.
“When I first started working at P.O.V. I said I wouldn’t lie. I’ve worked in places where they lie, they skew demographics, they say they’ve gotten different markets, and they haven’t. I won’t and don’t do that,” López says. It helps that the integrity and quality of the work on P.O.V. makes it easy for López to stay true to her word. Although the emphasis is on public awareness and not publicity, and market demographics matter much less than niche community outreach, the numbers of media placements (not to mention the quality of the placements) López has brought to P.O.V. during her five years as communications director speak for themselves. When she first arrived, the program was getting 660 press placements a year. Now, it has 5400 placements a year—a roughly 700 percent increase. It’s no wonder that López was appointed vice president of P.O.V. last year. The same attention and impressive results she garnered for P.O.V. filmmakers, she is working to attain for P.O.V. at large.
“When I came to P.O.V., I was like ‘Oh gosh, the amount of effort we have to make to get an outlet to call us.’ I told the team that it was going to take years to build the types of relationships where when an outlet needs the best documentary on a topic, they think of P.O.V.,” says López. “We’re at that place now. [And] it wasn’t because the content wasn’t there before, but one of the things I brought to P.O.V. was my ability to systematize in a different way. I’ve assisted in overall strategic planning from the beginning.”
López has been able to help brand P.O.V. as a broadcaster of cutting-edge programming and has helped to construct a new look for the organization. In her vice presidential role, she is working with a brand development company to restructure how P.O.V. is perceived. López says that one of the main problems is that sometimes an audience will see a P.O.V. film on PBS but not know it is a P.O.V. film. Her goal is to make sure that by the program’s 20th anniversary in two years, every person recognizes and understands what a P.O.V. documentary looks like. To that end, López will venture outside of PBS to create collaborative partnerships with other organizations and corporations. She has already helped facilitate a P.O.V. deal with Netflix.
“Cynthia brings strategic knowledge of corporate practices, independent media issues, and public policy that is invaluable in an organization dedicated to promoting the use of nonfiction in the public interest,” says P.O.V. Executive Director, Cara Mertes. “Her savvy approach to her work combines the best of the nonprofit and for profit worlds. The awareness of P.O.V. as a center for high-quality production and presentation, as well as being PBS’s premiere series for independent documentary, has reached an entirely new level under her guidance.”
Looking at the trajectory of López’s career, it is easy to see exactly how she came to be the well-honed Ginger Rogers of public television. Early on, López balanced her nonprofit media work with jobs in mainstream media outlets, working as an ad sales executive at Harris Publications, a company that publishes over 200 magazines. There she learned the advertising techniques that she would later transform into grassroots guerilla marketing strategies for future film projects.
The promotional initiative for P.O.V.’s current season concludes this month with Tod Lending’s Omar & Pete , a documentary about two Baltimore men who have been in and out of prison for more than 30 years. The film follows the two friends after what they hope will be their final release. The men, however, end up taking very different paths. López saw Omar & Pete as a perfect opportunity to discuss issues surrounding rehabilitation in America and was able to build on the marketing efforts made for a previous P.O.V. film, What I Want My Words To Do To You (2003), about women in prison, for which López enlisted actress Glenn Close to do promo work. “I like when we’ve established some work, and we can take it to a different level and go back and pump it up in a different way,” says López.
While some of this season’s P.O.V. films built on the strengths of past media campaigns, López also developed innovative techniques to raise public awareness and promote the broadcast of topics never before addressed on P.O.V. For example, through Mel Stuart’s The Hobart Shakespeareans (which airs September 6), about a teacher in Los Angeles who introduces Shakespeare to immigrant students, Shakespeare is addressed on P.O.V. for the first time. To raise awareness about the film, López will target junior high and high school students by providing an excerpt of the curriculum by teacher Rafe Esquith on the PBS website for teachers to view and perhaps duplicate in their own classrooms.
“To see these kids perform Shakespeare and relate it to their lives, and see if we can develop a campaign where other people could use that as an example, is a really good illustration of taking an independent film and pushing it a little bit,” says López.
Who would have imagined that López originally set her sights on a career in medicine? “When I think about why I decided to do media versus medical school, it is because I really believe that media changes the way people look at the world,” she says. No doubt her media philosophy came from a childhood viewing of her favorite cartoon, “The Jetsons.” López asked her mother: “Is this really what society is going to look like in the future?” Her mother told her that the answer depended upon what she and her classmates were able to accomplish and what kind of change they sought to affect. “And my hope,” López beams, “is that a lot of the work I’ve done influences that [change] just a little bit.” ✮
Cynthia López and actor Ed Begley, Jr. at the 2005
EPPSilon Awards for Excellence in Entertainment
Social Public Relations (P.O.V./American Documentary)
Full story & photo copyrights given to NALIP, with permission from AIVF (www.aivf.org) and Shana Liebman at The Independent (independent@aivf.org) for publication on the Latinos in the Industry (LITI) newsletter only.
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Thursday, September 15; 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.; UCLA Anderson School of Management
Come join us for an evening of wine tasting, industry networking and screening of great films by business school alumni at the Anderson Alumni Film Festival 2005! The Anderson Alumni Film Festival is an annual competitive film festival organized by alumni of The Anderson School at UCLA.
The festival is a one evening affair, with submissions open to any short film or video whose producer, director, screenwriter, actor, or other crew person has earned an undergraduate or graduate degree from an accredited business school. This year's keynote speaker will be Mark Amin, Vice Chairman of Lions Gate Entertainment. The Entertainment Industry Business Council is a supporting sponsor of this event.
For more information about the festival, please visit: http://www.andersonfilmfest.com/moreinfo.html
Admission is $20.00.
For tickets, please visit: http://alumni.anderson.ucla.edu/chapters/eventform.asp?itemnbr=595
-- August 7th, 2005 Baton Rouge , LA--
New Orleans husband and wife team, Tim Ryan, Executive Director for the New Orleans Video Access Center (NOVAC), and Heather Ryan, New Orleans Actress, have begun to document the experiences before, during and after the devastating blow of Hurricane Katrina.
“After several sleepless nights, I realized that we must capture and share the stories of this painful experience. Our amazing city and the people that make it so wonderful have been challenged in such a way that we have no choice but to lift and encourage each other. It’s vital that we capture this historic event and work together with other local filmmakers to share it with the world”, says Heather Ryan.
The couple has already captured several hours of footage including interviews with fellow Louisianans and volunteers at shelters, in line for food stamps and unemployment support, and at a Baton Rouge Baptist church. Other filmmakers have joined the team to share their footage and to develop a strategy. A temporary editing and production facility will be located in Baton Rouge , LA.
“This is a grassroots effort made up of folks whose lives have been changed by Hurricane Katrina,” says Tim Ryan. “All fellow Louisianans who managed to grab a still or video camera while evacuating from (or staying in) their homes are welcome to join us in this initiative. In addition, local producers, camera operators, musicians, researchers, fundraisers, investors, legal advisors, and anyone else interested in helping to document this story are invited to collaborate.”
The project will strive to capture the courage and faith required of those who will return home to rebuild their city and their lives.
Tax-deductible donations can be made to The New Orleans Video Access Center to help fund the project.
If you are interested in joining the team, please contact Tim Ryan at NOVAC: tim.ryan@novacvideo.org.
CONTACT: Tim Ryan, Executive Director, New Orleans Video Access Center
E-mail: tim.ryan@novacvideo.org
Phone: (504) 319-4350
Web: http://novacvideo.org
FIVE TOP-SELLING DVDS
New York Post Sat, 10 Sep 2005 10:51 PM PDT
FIVE TOP-SELLING DVDS September 11, 2005 -- 1) SAHARA Matthew McConaughey has a desert adventure. 2) MONSTER-IN-LAW J.Lo's the bride-to-be - over Jane Fonda's dead body.
'Carlito's Way Rise to Power'
PR Newswire via Yahoo! Finance Fri, 09 Sep 2005 2:27 PM PDT
Carlito's Way Rise to Power," the gritty, urban action film that reveals the early years of gangster legend Carlito Brigante, will be available on DVD September 27th, and released in select theaters in New York and Los Angeles September 30, 2005.
Movie Review: 'An Unfinished Life'
Thu, 08 Sep 2005 06:13 am PDT
AP - All the pieces seem to be there in "An Unfinished Life." You have the A-list cast (Robert Redford, Morgan Freeman and — OK, we'll give her the title, too — Jennifer Lopez); the Oscar-nominated director (Lasse Hallstrom); the sprawling vistas of rural grandeur, all awash in glorious golden light. Full Story
ABC to Offer Primetime Shows in Spanish
Fri, 09 Sep 2005 06:37 am PDT
AP - ABC viewers will get "Lost" in translation as part of a plan to make all the network's primetime entertainment available in Spanish starting this season. Full Story
Hispanics in Hollywood: More Roles, but More of the Same
Newswise Fri, 09 Sep 2005 12:23 PM PDT
Until very recently, scholars have almost completely ignored Hispanics in films and television, and in popular culture in general. However, the growing presence of Latinas/os in the population has made them impossible for popular culture and its scholars to ignore, a UW-Madison researcher says.
A magnificent seven
Sun-Sentinel Sat, 10 Sep 2005 0:17 AM PDT
Latinbeat showcases award-winning films from a variety of Latin American nations.
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Global Action Project, Inc. (G.A.P.), a youth-based, social justice media organization based in New York City , seeks part-time Media Educators for its after school programs. G.A.P.’s mission is to provide youth with the knowledge, tools and relationships they need to create powerful, thought-provoking media on local and international issues that concern them and to use their media as a catalyst for dialogue and positive social change. G.A.P’s programs combine a dynamic mix of video production, media literacy, activism and popular education.
Responsibilities:
Educators will co-facilitate after-school video programs for youth ages 12-19, twice a week. Educators are required to attend G.A.P’s staff development retreats and workshops including staff meetings and community meetings and also participate in outreach. Candidates must be able to commit from mid September 2005 to June of 2006 for approximately 10-15 hours a week (depending on program).
Qualifications:
Media Educators must demonstrate a willingness to engage in G.A.P’s curriculum and pedagogy which is focused on using media as a tool for critical thinking, popular education, creative expression, organizing, dialogue and action. They must have good facilitation and co-facilitation skills, a demonstrated commitment to youth leadership and development as well as demonstrated interest working with middle school or high school age youth. Media Educators should also have experience in digital video production skills and editing skills (Avid, Final Cut Pro, etc.) and have strong aesthetic sensibility.
Ideal candidate would possess:
A passion for social justice, desire and commitment to working with youth, intergenerational learning and cultural engagement through media; familiarity with and interest in community organizing; an investment in connecting local to global issues; comfortable in a collaborative work environment with a diverse staff and youth community; good administrative and time management skills and a sense of humor.
A reel of your work and work done with youth will be requested at the interview. Please do not send work samples at this time.
G.A.P. is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to a diverse workplace; LGBTQ, women, people of color and other under-represented communities are encouraged to apply.
Applicants can send resume AND cover letter by email to media@global-action.org or via fax to 212-594-9574.
No Phone Calls Please. Salary: $20-25/hour, depending on experience, for prep, workshops and meetings adding to 10-15 hours a week.
www.global-action.org
NALIPsters:
I'm looking for a smart quick learning reliable energetic PA/Asst. Production Coordinator to start next week.
I'm Line Producing a documentary/magazine style show (8 half hour episodes) on bikers (motorcycle riders). The production company is connected with Paisano Publications which puts out about 10 biker mags (Easyriders, Biker etc) and 4 tattoo mags and has been around for over 30 years. This is their first TV venture and is already slated to start airing mid-November.
We're a small low budget crew, but with solid background and experience.
The rate is $100/day - mainly 5 day weeks. The job will last, likely, through at least November.
I'm looking for someone that has some experience at least office PA'ing or as an APOC who is willing to work hard and support me in just about everything in the office, from doing runs to assisting with accounting, budgeting, hiring crews, equipment rental, vendors etc. to being on some of the location shoots as a set PA.
I'd like someone with solid computer skills and good with excel as well as MSWord, as well as a little bit of PA experience. But, I'm willing to train!
We're pretty laid back and like to have a good time. The office is in Agoura Hills so be aware of the commute, and please have a reliable car.
Be sure to say you heard about this from Jeff Gund, and please email resume and cover letter to: Rsindoris@Paisanopub.com
No phone calls please.
Thanks!
Rebekah Sindoris
Line Producer
Paisano Productions
NALIPsters,
Theatre producer Carla Barnett is interviewing directors for the play "Bash" by Neil LaBute.
This is a paid position.
We are looking for a director who can bring a hip and edgy feel to an already edgy play. This is a new and ambitious production company with a budget in place and the means to put up an excellent production.
We want our director in place by Sept 19th, with auditions to begin that week and rehearsals to immediately follow. The 6-week run is scheduled to begin no later than Oct. 28th.
You must mention you were referred by Jeff Gund, and please submit resumes to: m_carlabarnett@yahoo.com
PARAMOUNT STUDIOS / NICKELODEON MOVIES FEATURE FILM PROJECT
TITLED:NACHO LIBRE....
Acting experience is not necessary. The character is a Mexican orphan living at a Monastery.
IMMEDIATE RESPONSE REQUIRED!!!
CONTACT
Belinda
323-896-2353
310-820-5250
gardeacasting@aol.com
Crew needed for Low Budget Indie Film…Shooting from September 27 through October 26, in Omaha and Ralston surrounding areas.
Positions needed:
--Director of Photography
--Sound/Boom Operator (must have own equipment)
--Hair/Make Up
If interested please contact: irene@visualfrequency.com
NALIPsters:
Pithalla Film Productions, a new production company established in Miami is looking for a SCRIPT WRITER or an STORY to produce as an independent low budget film on Lincoln Road, South Miami Beach . The story/script must take place on the streets with a comedy ingredient but the rest depends on the script.
The script must be in SPANISH.
If interested, contact us at pithallafilm@yahoo.com, aliboer@yahoo.com or jepardo2000@yahoo.com. We, Alida Boer and Eduardo Pardo, are the producers.
Thanks for your help and keep going.
Seeking Two Latina actresses between the ages of 20 and 60
"Conversations 'Bout the Girls"
Sonia Jackson's latest work examines a woman's relationship with her breasts and how that relationship is or is not changed by the world around her. The script calls for a colorful cast of women of all different shapes an sizes to reach the audience through reflective monologues and dialogues. She is seeking Two Latina's between the ages of 20 and 60 with a range of body types from petite to full figure.
Must have a strong grasp of both comedy and drama and the ability to balance the two gracefully.
The show will run for seven Tuesdays in the evening starting Oct. 18th 2005 at the Hayworth Theatre off of Wilshire near Virgil.
Have a two minute monologue of your choosing prepared, and please be open to cold reading as well.
Contact Nicolette Vajtay at: NicoletteV3@aol.com or my cell at: (323) 351-5800.
Thank you and please feel free to cross post to others who may be right for the part.
Collage Dance Theatre is looking for a mariachi trio to join the company in performances October 6 - 9 and October 20 -23 at the Casa del Mexicano in Boyle Heights . Mariachis will learn an original score composed by Robert Een, in addition to playing traditional mariachi music. There is pay.
Please visit our website for more information: www.collagedancetheatre.org
Heidi Duckler, Artistic Director
Collage Dance Theatre
2934 1/2 Beverly Glen Circle, Suite 25
Los Angeles , CA 90077
(818) 784-8669 tel
(818) 981-4116 fax
heidi@collagedancetheatre.org
www.collagedancetheatre.org
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