Join us for an engaging, interactive series of discussions on acting, filmmaking, screenplay writing and all things independent film.
All workshops will take place Saturday, September 26 at the Gaslamp Theater, 701 Fifth Avenue.
Workshop admittance is included with All Access Festival, Saturday Day Pass & Screening Passes. A Filmology Panel Pass can be purchased here for $12, and offers you access to all six panels.
2009 Panels (see description and panel guests below)
10 am - My Big 'Sexy' Hollywood Idea - And How To Fund it
11 am - Screenwriting - Writing the Scene They All End Up Talking About
12 pm - Actors on Acting - What's Memorable, What's Funny, What's Hot & What's Not
1 pm - Auditions - Knocking the Casting Director Out Cold
2 pm - Casting Talent - The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
3 pm - Documentaries - Telling the Truth on Film: Secrets to Making a Successful Documentary
10:00 am - My Big 'Sexy' Hollywood Idea - And How To Fund it
Independent filmmakers will learn how to secure financing, leverage tax laws and exploit digital tools so they can create big-budget studio-style movies as independent filmmakers. Justin Evans explains in simple language how to speak to angel investor networks and vc firms, how to convince them to invest in your film, how to use federal, state and foreign tax laws to offset up to 50% of the cost of your motion picture, and how to properly use digital technology to reduce your overhead. If you've secretly desired to make big movies for small budgets, this is the seminar for you.
Justin Evans - Award-winning writer/director/producer. His film, A Lonely Place For Dying, won the Heineken Red Star Award at the Santa Fe Film Festival and the Special Jury Award at the Durango Independent Film Festival.
11 am - Screenwriting - Writing the Scene They All End Up Talking About
You know that scene that, after the movie, everyone can't stop talking about. It's the reason you tell your friends about the movie and why you see it a second time. Using examples from a variety of recent, successful films, this panel will cover what makes these scenes powerful and memorable, and how you can use these principles to make your screenplay a winner.
Mando Alvarado, a director, writer and actor based out of New York City, is currently developing his new play POST NO BILLS at the Rattlestick Theater. Director, Cruzando, "Winner" Audience Choice Awards - San Antonio and Seattle Film Festival.
Michael Ray Escamilla - Award-winning actor, director and writer based in New York City, is currently signed on to direct Sympatico, an online film noir based on the trials and tribulations of living in New York City. Director of Cruzando, "Winner" Audience Choice Awards - San Antonio and Seattle Film Festival.
Justin Evans - Award-winning writer/director/producer. His film, A Lonely Place For Dying, won the Heineken Red Star Award at the Santa Fe Film Festival and the Special Jury Award at the Durango Independent Film Festival.
Cookie "Chainsaw" Randolph - Writer, director, and actor in three films that have sold over 35,000 DVDs as fundraisers for KGB radio charities in San Diego. Films include The J-K Conspiracy (2004), The Trouble With Money (2006), and No Brainer (2008).
Joshua Tucker - Writer, producer and director of the musical romp - 'Before We Close'Gary Weeks - Writer and lead actor in this year’s SDFF feature selection Deadland, as well as 50 acting credits including Burn Notice, The Office, 24, Monk, and the 2006 SDFF Feature Selection 29 Reasons to Run.
12 pm - Actors on Acting - What's Memorable, What's Funny, What's Hot & What's Not
Actors will discuss their most memorable, satisfying, unexpected, funny and/or hot scenes with emphasis on how these moments contributed to the film, to their acting skills, and to their careers.
Panelists include:
Charlene Blaine-Schulenburg - CEO AmediaVision Productions - Reach For Me
Seymour Cassel - Oscar Nominated Film, Stage and Television actor starring in Reach For Me
Jeffrey Meek - Stage, screen and televison actor
Luis Robledo - Musician-turned-actor starring in A Lonely Place For Dying
James Van Der Beek
- Award-winning actor starring in Formosa Betrayed. Star of Dawson's Creek and Jon Voigt's Varsity Blues
Gary Weeks - Writer and Actor of 29 Reasons to Run and Deadland
1 pm - Auditions - Knocking the Casting Director Out Cold
Auditions are an art form all of their own, with often difficult challenges and crucial choices that can make the difference between just a good audition and actually getting the part. Join us for insights, discussion and demonstrations of the approach and mindset necessary to take your next audition to a new level of excellence.
Panelists include:
Jeffrey Meek - A professional actor and acting coach for over thirty years, as well as the co-founder of Actors Joint; a workshop dedicated to creating an environment that offers beginning and professional actors the freedom and support to discover and reveal their greatest potential.
2 pm - Casting Talent - The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
Find out how to cast and how to get cast as professional casting directors share their experiences in the rough and tumble world of casting for film.
Panelists include:
Justin Evans - An award-winning writer/director/producer. He has cast over 45 projects, including A Lonely Place For Dying.
Zak Forsman - Co-founder of Sabi Pictures and an award-winning filmmaker known for eliciting highly authentic performances within beautiful compositions. He is the writer and director of “HEART OF NOW” and “ELOQUENT GRAFFITI” – two features in post and pre-production respectively.
D. Candis Paule - Casting director for Stu Segall Productions where The Ex List was filmed for CBS and Veronica Mars was filmed for the CW Network. Along with several episodics for Fox’s 'My Network,' she has helped cast a variety of pilots and movies of the week. Ms. Paule is also an award-winning actor, director and private coach.
Will Tiao - President, Formosa Films - Producer, Formosa Betrayed - 'Official Selection' - Montreal and Asian American Film Festival.
3 pm - Documentaries - Telling the Truth on Film: Secrets to Making a Successful Documentary
Film makers share their most important tips and insights on creating the successful documentary from idea to distribution.
Panelists include:
Jon Kinney - Producer Beyond Belief; Honeymoon of Burning Man. 'Official Selection' - Montreal and Asian American Film Festival.
Geoffrey Bennett Ulrich - Producer -Beyond Belief; Honeymoon of Burning Man.
Aengus James - Co-creator and Executive Producer of the upcoming 13 episode documentary series Madhouse, premiering this December on the History Channel. His feature documentary directorial debut American Harmony continues to receive critical acclaim and film festival honors during it's ongoing theatrical release all across North America.
Colin King Miller - Producer of the documentary American Harmony, which among other honors was nominated for the International Documentary Association's Alan Ett Award (best music documentary of the year).
