The guide will contain the full descriptions for all of the COMPETITION films (in the documentary and feature for both U.S. and world categories). The NON-COMPETITION section will include the premieres, spotlight films, NEXT (ultra-low budget films), from the Sundance collection, short films and animated films. The OFF SCREEN section will list all of the panel discussions, music cafe appearances, networking opportunities (like meet the funders and filmmaker outreach) and presentations. NEW FRONTIERS describes the new cinematic art forms and presentations (generally on Main Street). Finally, the TIMETABLE will list all of the films, panels, presentations and their screening times.

Download it now! Start reading. There’s some amazing stuff in Park City this year!

Materials include: Angela Robinson feature script, TV Script, and more information on what you need to make it happen. Learn how to navigate your path through the system by understanding the options and opportunities available.

WHEN: February 27-28
WHERE: West Hollywood, CA
TIME: 9am – 5pm

Angela Robinson, Writer, Director, Producer. (Herbie: Fully Loaded, D.E.B.S., the L word, Hung)

Angela received a BA in Theatre from Brown University and went to work in Off-Broadway and Off-off-off Broadway Theatre at Playwrights Horizons, Second Stage and HERE. She ditched the theatre in hopes of making any money at all and attended NYU’s Graduate Film Program — which only succeeded in getting her deeper in debt. Angela moved to L.A. and made the short film called D.E.B.S. through the POWER UP film grant program. The Film premiered at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival and was then financed as a feature film for Sony’s Screen Gems. The feature also premiered at Sundance the following year. She directed HERBIE: FULLY LOADED for Disney, was a Co-Executive Producer on Showtime’s THE L-WORD for 3 years, directed, wrote and produced the web-series, GIRLTRASH!, and is currently a Consulting Producer on HUNG, a new comedy on HBO. Angela is also making a foray into comic books – a graphic novel of GIRLTRASH! will be released by Random House in 2011 and she is also writing a new comic book for D.C. COMICS called THE WEB, due out in September. Click here for more information!

Blogging for Profit

You can make money by writing about a topic that you know and love! Share your insights and information and get paid for doing it!

Monetize your blog NOW!
Create residual income today.

GREENing Productions is offering MONETIZE YOUR BLOG classes this Monday, December 28th, 2009. Attend this workshop and you will learn about:

1. Direct advertising on your site.
2. Passive advertising (example Google Adwords)
3. Affiliate marketing (Amazon Partners)
4. Fee-based members-only areas

If you haven’t put a blog up yet but are eager to do so, we will also show you how to create your own individual site with current FREE software and give you a lead on the most economical hosting options. Start the new decade by being proactive. Increase your revenues by simply sharing what you know.

GREAT GIFT!! This class is available to anyone 14 years and older.

Location: iSTORE at Dana Landing, Mesa Arizona.
Choose which time that works best with your schedule:
Morning Class: 9 to 12.
Afternoon Class: 1 to 4
Evening Class: 6 to 9

Price per class is only $40.00. Class size is limited to encourage interaction and maximum benefit for attendees. To reserve your space, email info (at) greeningproductions.com. For more information, call 480.577.6380.

As silly as it may sound, one of the MOST exciting things that has happened recently, (hallelujah, PTL) Alec got a car. Jenny Fulle, his boss, was parting with an old GREEN Hyundai Accent and Alec scooped it up. He named the car El Moco (that’s Spanish for “booger”) and we’re both loving it. I have my car back (so I can do meetings now and get to the library and take care of all of the essentials of life) and he can go hang with his friends on the weekends and go on location without feeling guilty. Free at last, Free at last! Thank God Almighty, I am free at last. Who knew freedom would come in the form of a large green moco?

When we first moved, Alec got hired on at Sony Pictures and need a car … since he’d spent three years in Manhattan, he didn’t have a car. Mass transportation is so easy and useful in NYC. So, we decided he would use my car until we figured something out. Fifteen weeks later, the problem solved itself. Since I didn’t have transportation, I took a lot of freelance web work. It seemed clever. Work from home. So, in addition to completing UNDERTOW, a stage play, refining ANNE AND MARY, a screenplay, I’ve been building lots of websites. Some are database CMS sites, others are flash and a few are the vanilla HTML. Here is a sample of what I’ve been working on:

• Itty Bitty Titty Committee
• A Marine Story
• GIRLTRASH! ALL NIGHT LONG
• Reminesse
• Transportation Safety Technologies, Inc.
• Stepping Stone Garden
• POWER UP Films (mostly transfer support)

On Friday I met with three fabulous filmmakers: Nicole Conn, Marina Rice Bader and Jane Clark … and took on the website for their new film Elena Undone. I read the script this evening and I’m really looking forward to supporting them in bringing this wonderful story to the screen. Marina is a wonderful photographer; Nicole is the director of CLAIRE OF THE MOON, LITTLE MAN and CYNARA; Jane is a director and producer. More to come.

HUNG creators Colette Burson and Dmitry Lipkin graciously shared their insider insights on screenwriting, series development, and SUCCESSFUL network pitching at a POWER UP workshop. They were profoundly inspiring in their passion for their craft and the joy (and challenge) of bringing their work to an audience.

To be honest, it was startling when they first walked into the room. I thought Kate Winslet and Sam Mendes were making a surprise visit. Seriously, Burson & Lipkin really resemble Winslet & Mendes! Throughout the evening, I kept having the sense that we were seeing the American version of that very creative and powerful British POWER COUPLE.

Burson and Lipkin were originally scheduled to appear at the POWER UP 2Day TV Writer/Producer Intensive workshop in September but were unable to attend. Being the committed, supportive artists that they are, they rescheduled and presented the evening of 22 October at the Production Office of Angela Robinson (D.E.B.S.) and Alex Kondracke (the L word). Their production office was very dramatic — lots of brick, high ceilings, amazing wood accents — trés urban chic. Robinson and Kondracke are previous POWER UP grantees. Being in their space provided additional subtext to an already exciting event. There was a feeling of “great-POWER-UP-connections-equals-great-success” wafting through the autumn air.

Burson and Lipkin spoke about their bumpy road to success. Appropriately, Burson commented that success in the film and TV business is NOT like the male orgasm. “It’s not that you write the perfect script, meet the right person and suddenly your career shoots straight ahead,” said Burson miming something we might see on HUNG. She squinted her eyes slightly and began feeling the area all around her. Then, she grinned and said, “You try this, you write that, you talk to these people, you rewrite again and take another meeting. A career in this business is a lot more like the female orgasm!” Everyone in the room laughed in agreement and understanding.

Russian-born Lipkin was a successful New York playwright who decided to move to LA to launch a career writing for television and film. To get started, he took a class through the UCLA extension to motivate himself to complete a spec script. He shared how he used that script to get an agent at CAA and how that agent got him meetings with producers. After a couple of frustrating YEARS, they asked him to write something original. He did. Happily. Not too long after that, he came up with the idea for THE RICHES. Then, a serendipitous meeting with a new executive at Maverick Studios and a cigarette break with Eddie Izzard led the creation of his first series … which was derailed by the writer’s strike after the first season. See, there it is, the female orgasm. Never a straight shot. (Variety has a nice summary of the path to HUNG for Tennessee Wolf Pack Productions — the Burson/Lipkin brand.) In their downtime during the strike, Burson and Lipkin came up with the idea for HUNG, a half-hour comedy that Lipkin said he was looking particularly excited about because longer shows can become a bit “Balkanized.” So Eastern European, so erudite.

During their presentation, husband and wife shared about the ways they balance their family life (two children) and their work life. Burson also talked about her love of writing about a specific milieu. She gave an example of the changing milieu around the “politics of water.” Burson observed that over the years, the wealthy have begun to acquire all of the land around water … around oceans, lakes, rivers and streams … making it difficult for the average family to have access to water. They used this in the development of HUNG. Burson and Lipkin decided that main character, Ray, would have waterfront property because it had been handed down by his family, but he would be surrounded by McMansions and condescending, surly neighbors. This increased the dramatic tension for Ray and allowed Burson/Lipkin to explore this shifting “water milieu.”

Similarly, Lipkin explored the milieu of the American Gypsy in THE RICHES, a story about a character born into a family of thieves and con artist who wants to go straight. It was fascinating listening the them discuss story creation and character development.

Burson & Lipkin’s Writing Recommendations:

• Life is long and your writing will evolve. You want your writing psyche to be fierce as possible to work in this business.
• Young writers often think they have a writing “style.” This is often just a writing rut. Strengthen your writing by working on new things.
• Always be thinking: What does the character want that they cannot have and what is he/she doing to move toward it?
• Know the Dramatic Question for the series, the Major Character Arcs and the Thematic Question for the individual show. Episodes that connect to all three will be more satisfying for the audience.
• Currency is this town is ideas, we sell ideas, not scripts or shows.

Burson & Lipkin’s Pitching Recommendations:

• Pitching is a tool for you. It helps you find what is dramatic, exciting and engaging as you speak it to others.
• You pitch a series thematically. You pitch the story engine and the structure of the typical episode.
• Practice your pitch. Role play it.
• Be yourself in the pitch room. They want to know you’re sharp, have a wide range of interests, are well-versed in numerous topics AND you are going to be easy to work with.
• One way to begin a pitch is to mention well-known incident related to your story to engage the listener (remember a few years ago when a woman was slapping her child in a parking lot and it was discovered she was a “Traveller” … an American Gypsy?) If they recall, continue with facts to deepen your connection to the story, then reveal your characters and milieu.

Burson & Lipkin’s Networking Recommendations:

• Network, network, network. Luck comes from unexpected avenues from surprising people.
• As relative newcomers, they spoke to the difficulty in breaking into the industry and, while they want to give people an opportunity, it can be difficult because of the inherent risk of an unknown quantity. They praised HBO, (“God Bless HBO,” they intoned over and over again) for their support for HUNG.
• People remember. They told an amusing story about a writer they tracked for over TWELVE YEARS because they liked his work.
• While doing a short film for POWER UP (after she’d already done a feature), Burson joked that there were days she thought it should be called Power Down but went on to say she learned a lot and was grateful for the break.

This completion to the already inspiring POWER UP Workshop was fabulous! I’m looking forward to seeing the couple at the Power Premiere on November 1 … it should be an excellent opportunity to hear more about what they’re up to! Besides, I’m anxious to hear more about their son, Wolfe, a young man with a passion for self-direction already! Couldn’t happen to a nicer couple!

Other posts of interest:
Don’t Read the POWER Up Summaries
Workshop Day Two
Workshop Day One
POWER Up Changed Alec’s Life (and mine, too)

Steve Buscemi, Stanley Tucci and Wren Arthur, the trio behind Olive Prods., have set up their first TV projects: a drama at HBO starring Tucci and an animated comedy at TBS to be voiced by Tucci and Buscemi.

The projects stem from Olive's first-look deal with Lionsgate Television, which is on board to co-produce the shows. The untitled HBO project, written by SIX DEGREES co-creator Stu Zicherman, is a family drama with Tucci as a brilliant, one-time powerful politician struggling to rebuild his career and relationships with his family and friends after being brought down by a scandal.
Zicherman, Tucci, Buscemi and Arthur are executive producing.

GOOD AND EVEL is an animated family comedy for TBS from DARIA co-creator and THE COLBERT REPORT writer Glenn Eichler that revolves around twin brothers Jack Good and Bo Evel. Stolen by gypsy cab drivers at birth and taught how to behave and drive badly.

“Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.”
Sir Winston Churchill (1874 – 1965)
British Prime Minister

By definition, POWER UP is the Professional Organization of Women in Entertainment Reaching Up, the only 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Film Production Company & Educational Organization for Women and the GLBTQ Community. Before Alec was born, I had been planning on moving to SoCal to work in the film and television industry. His birth put that plan on hold for a few years. I continued to write screenplays, produce films and teach filmmaking to keep my inner fire alive. I taught 3D animation and learned to composite animated and live action elements to find new ways of telling my stories.

Alec grew up to love film as much as I did and decided he wanted to work in the industry, too. He worked in a post production house in Manhattan for three years to hone his skills. A confluence of events and it looked like we were both going to be wanting to head west to find our fortunes in LaLa Land. Our network in LA was quite small, so I started working on an idea for how to widen our circle of friends and increase our chances of success. How to do that? I felt like Winnie the Pooh … think, think, think.

Then, I recalled my friend had told me about this organization in LA that helped women be successful in the film industry. I had checked their website out years earlier and decided to revisit it. There I discovered the lists for the annual POWER PREMIERE. The Power Premiere is an annual event honoring the ten most amazing gay women (and, now, men) in the film and television industry. I read the biographies of all those women, starting searching the internet and trades for anything I could find. These were the people I wanted to be working with, the people I wanted to be meeting.

I started reading about the POWER UP events and knew I’d be able to meet some of these extraordinary people at these events but there were two problems. The events were every other month or so and I wanted a more enduring, continuing connection. So, I looked up all of the “power people” on Facebook. I could find most of them. So, I figured, what the heck, and sent a friend request.

When I started this process, most of my friends on FB were family, friends, students, fellow faculty, other indie filmmakers AND the folks I’d been meeting at the Sundance Film Festival since 1996. So, I had a good group of creative, artistic, productive friends … just very few that were inside the established industry.

I was pleased that many of them accepted my friend request. Suddenly the day-to-day professional LA conversation started to be in my daily world. There were several friends and family members (like my son) who were dubious about my plan of action. Then, one day, VFX Exec Producer Jenny Fulle accepted my friend request. (I later looked her up in IMDb and was amazed at her body of film work!) I noticed that people often teased her about her SCRABBLE prowess, accused her of memorizing the dictionary and things like that. So, one Sunday morning, Jenny sent out Facebook general distress call. She wanted to know if anyone was willing to play Scrabble with her. I accepted the challenge and was stomped into the ground. We kept playing. I asked her how she won so often and how her scores were so high. To her regret, she told me, and now I stomp her as often as she stomps me. We do have a blissful Scrabble relationship.

During our games, we conversed about our impending move, Alec’s career goals and my film aspirations. We arranged a brunch to meet face-to-face. Jenny has a son, so I felt completely comfortable bringing Alec along to the meeting. We all hit it off great and a great friendship was formed. A couple weeks later, Jenny called Alec to tell him she knew of a potential PA job on a good film. His resume was tweaked, his dress suit was dry cleaned and an interview was set. Less than two days after moving to LA, Alec had a job working on PRIEST, a multi-million dollar VFX film. It was amazingly lucky.

He loves his job. The hours are long and the work is hard. He doesn’t care, he loves his job. He loves the people he works with. He loves what he is doing. Night before last, the PA’s on the film got to dress up and be extras on one of the city scenes. You never know which pieces of film they’re going to use in the final edit so Alec may not appear in the film. He said it was cold shooting all night and the shoes were uncomfortable but, I could tell, he was happy with his tiny little moment on film.

Without POWER UP, I never would have known Jenny existed. Without Facebook (and Scrabble), I never would have had the chance to develop a friendship with Jenny and she never would have met Alec. I thank heaven every day for Jenny Fulle and POWER UP. They changed both of our lives forever. Tomorrow, how POWER UP changed my life.

My favorite sections? When Mariah Carey thanks director Lee Daniels for taking a shot on her. I am told that Carey’s performance was terrific … NOT diva-ish at all. There’s an extraordinary moment with Mo’Nique (who was given a Special Jury Prize for her performance in PUSH) when an audience member asks her what she’ll wear to the Oscars. “Nothing,” is her reply. Now, that I would have to see. It would make Janet Jackson’s wardrobe malfunction seem pretty tame.

PUSH (now PRECIOUS) Q&A

Part 1 of 3 :: One of the BEST things about attending the Sundance Film Festival (or any festival for that matter) is hearing the artists speaking about their projects. I was (sooo tragically) unable to attend PUSH because I had to do some press for our documentary. Alec and Mike came back raving about the film. Alec said he wanted to see it again … if there were any way possible … he’d go again at Sundance before we left. That told me that the film was amazing and incredible. I am very grateful that the guys captured the Q&A following the Friday evening screening at the Racquet Club in Park City, Utah. I had to break it into three parts to put it on YouTube. Enjoy.

PUSH Q& A: Part 1 of 3 (below)
PUSH Q & A: Part 2 of 3
PUSH Q & A: Part 3 of 3

Thanks to Videographer Michael Montesa. All Rights Reserved.

Grand Jury Prize, Dramatic:
PUSH: Based on a novel by Sapphire Lee Daniels.

Audience Award, Dramatic:
PUSH: Based on the novel by Sapphire directed by Lee Daniels.

Shortly after the festival, Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey put their full support behind the film. It got an excellent distribution deal and I’m eagerly awaiting its arrival at the local multiplex.

The Sundance Film Festival Job Manager is an online job board that lets users create / upload their resume and apply for jobs for the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. Positions that are filled relatively quickly. If you are interested in applying for any of the positions, you will need to begin by registering! Click here to register!

Examples of the sorts of jobs that might be available include:

Assistant Coordinator, Press Materials, Closing Date: 11/18/2009, Park City, UT;
Assistant II, Production, Closing Date: 12/09/2009, Park City, UT;
Coordinator, Ticketing Helpdesk; Closing Date: 10/07/2009, Park City, UT;
Coordinator, Transportation; Closing Date: 11/04/2009, Park City, UT;
Editorial Intern, Closing Date: 11/06/2009, Los Angeles, CA;
Marketing Intern, Closing Date: 11/03/2009, Park City, UT;

Sundance Institute strongly believes in strength in diversity and actively encourages applications from women, people of color, differently abled people and all persons who support the Institute’s mission. Positions are constantly be added. Check in on the website for latest openings!

Volunteer Options

Sign-Up Volunteers, 24+ hours, you sign up for your schedule:
Commit to a minimum total of 24 volunteer hours, sign up for more hours as you desire-minimum of three to six shifts (depending on shift lengths) during the Festival. Sign up in advance for specific shift times of your choosing, as available. Attend pre-Festival trainings and New Volunteer Orientation.

Full-Time Volunteers, 80+ hours, we assign a Full-Time schedule:
Commit to a pre-assigned Festival schedule of eight to 10 hours each day (approximate total of 80-90 volunteer hours).
Be available to work the entire Festival period as determined by job assignment (varies). Attend pre-Festival trainings.

Volunteer Benefits

Volunteers are essential to the Festival. We recognize the time they devote to the Festival and provide benefits to volunteers as a thank you for volunteer service. Benefits are provided in conjunction with the number of hours volunteered, and for Full-Time Volunteers, the skills needed for the position held.

All Volunteers:
Festival Access: Volunteer Credentials allow access to Festival panels and some official Festival venues on a space-available basis (similar credential costs $200). We also offer a few screenings just for volunteers. Most of all, we want to be sure volunteers can see films. For almost every screening, we set aside a certain number of tickets only for volunteers. Film access depends on the number of hours volunteered:

• 24 hours: Receive one volunteer voucher for every four hours volunteered. Volunteer vouchers are redeemable for one film ticket for the volunteer through the volunteer or waitlist line as space is available. Vouchers and credentials are non-transferable and must be used by the volunteer with their credential.
• 40 hours: Benefits above, plus two guest waitlist ticket vouchers. Another guest voucher can be earned at 60 hours.
• 80 hours/Full-Time: Vouchers are replaced by a volunteer photo credential, allowing the volunteer access to unlimited Festival screenings through the volunteer line on a space available basis (when not volunteering, of course!). Also four guest waitlist ticket vouchers, if local/providing own lodging.

Uniform: Jacket and Volunteer Credential.
Party: Ticket to the Staff and Volunteer Opening Night Party.
Refreshments such as bagels and other snacks will be provided at the offices, venues, and theatres where volunteers are working.

Email: volunteers@sundance.org
Reception Phone: (435) 658-3456
Volunteer Hotline: (435) 776-7870
For more information: Sundance Site FAQ

IN ORDER TO PURCHASE A FESTIVAL PASS OR TICKET PACKAGE, YOU MUST FIRST REGISTER ONLINE ANYTIME BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 22 AND OCTOBER 9, 2009. After the close of registration, you will receive an email on October 14, 2009 indicating whether or not you were randomly selected to receive a half-hour timeslot. If you receive a timeslot, you will be sent the website link and phone number you can use to purchase your Festival Pass or Ticket Package. Quantities are very limited and registration does not guarantee a timeslot or availability. Purchase dates and times are randomly assigned by a computer.

A FESTIVAL PASS does not require any ticket selection. Patrons simply need to be seated 15 minutes prior to showtime for any film presented within the restrictions of their particular pass dates/locations/time periods. Companions must have their own pass. Festival pass prices range in price from the $300 Film School Pass to the $3000 Express Pass A.

A TICKET PACKAGE requires ticket selection after films are announced. Selection times are during the first week of January. A patron may select one to four tickets per screening within the restrictions of their ticket quantity limits, dates, or geographic locations. And, since all Ticket Packages come with two Festival Credentials, they are ideal for sharing among couples looking to attend the Festival. Ticket package prices range in price from the $200 Credential pass to the $750 Ticket Page A.

NEW THIS YEAR: Patrons may purchase a combination of up to four DIFFERENT Festival Passes and/or Ticket Packages. Each patron is restricted to selecting only one TYPE of Festival Pass, Ticket Package, or Festival Credential per transaction, with a limit of four items total per order. Please note, each Ticket Package will be assigned a unique half-hour timeslot in January to select tickets. For example, you may select your tickets for a Ticket Package A on Monday, but may not select tickets for a Discovery Package until Wednesday.

Women working in TV
Women comprised 26% of all creators, executive producers, producers, directors, writers, editors, and directors of photography working on situation comedies, dramas, and reality programs. This percentage represents no change from last season. Women writers and directors of photography experienced significant declines this year. The percentage of women writers dropped from 35% in the 2006-07 season to 23% in 2007-08. The percentage of women directors of photography declined from a meager 3% in 2007-08 to a microscopic 1% in 2007-08.

© Dr. Martha Lauzen, 2008. All rights reserved as quoted in POWER UP Magazine

The 501(c)3 non-profit organization POWER UP recently held a 2Day TV Writer/Producer Intensive and, as part of that workshop, participants and other interested screenwriters have been offered the opportunity submit a script for review. The top FIVE screenwriters will get a 30-minute, face-to-face, one-on-one with LOST Executive Producer Elizabeth Sarnoff. Thirty minutes to discuss your writing and your career with a professional writer/producer who has written for NYPD BLUE, DEADWOOD, and LOST.

And, as contests go, the odds on this contest are pretty good. There were only about 50 writers in the workshop. If your script is good, your chances have never been better.

To put these odds into perspective, a record 6,380 scripts are in contention for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ 24th annual Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in screenwriting competition. They will award FIVE fellowships in November. That’s right, five (5) out of 6,380 will win. Of the thousands who submit to the Sundance Screenwriting Fellowships, four (4) are chosen.

So, if your script is ready … if you are ready … the POWER UP Screenwriting Entry is online. Deadline is 15 October 2009. Submit your PDF online.

Jennifer Connelly will play the charming but psychologically disturbed mother of a 16-year-old son (according to a tweet today, the role will be played by Australian newcomer Harrison Gilbertson). In the film, Connelly’s character, Virginia, has been having a 20-year clandestine love with a sheriff (played by Ed Harris), who is running for the state senate. Harris’ senatorial bid and Connelly’s secret are challenged when her son begins a relationship with his daughter (played by Emma Roberts).

Tictock Studios is financing the film and founders Hopwood DePree and Scott Brooks will produce with Killer Films’ Christine Vachon and Eric Watson. Roar’s Jay Froberg and Greg Suess will be exec producers and Film Bridge Intl.’s Ellen Wander is handling international distribution. CAA, which packaged the picture, will broker the domestic distribution deal.