spring08 w cxns_FINAL_prtready_rev_KCmr2

Reel Focus
Volume 1, Issue 1
Spring 2008
Sponsors
Gold Sponsor
Guillotine
Four-Star Sponsors
Georgia Film, Video,
and Music Office
Kodak
Turner Broadcasting
Three-Star Sponsors
Blue Planet
Toybox Productions
Two-Star Sponsor
Cinema Concepts
One-Star Sponsors
Atlanta New Faces
Talent Agency
Crawford
Communications
Golden Street
Entertainment
Houghton Talent
PC&E
People Store
Women in Film and Television Atlanta
The “Two Williams House”:
Making a Difference
By Samantha Worthen
When Rebecca Shrager, president of the People Store talent
agency and one of WIFTA’s sponsors, asks for help, people not only
listen but enthusiastically meet the challenge!
Last fall Rebecca shared with friend and colleague Annette
Stilwell, of Annette Stilwell Casting, how people in the film and
television community wanted to do something special to honor the
memories of Annette's late husband, Bill, and their son, William.
What began as a simple conversation turned into a much greater
venture and amazing tribute to them.
Annette told of how her son had enjoyed volunteering with
Habitat for Humanity in Colorado. Building a house would not only
help the family heal but also allow others to participate in the process. So,
Rebecca reached out to someone known for his involvement with Habitat,
consumer advocate Clark Howard, to ask for his support. Clark was already
getting ready to build five houses, and offered to help with the additional
house if at least half of the funds could be raised, a mere $37,500.
Working closely with Habitat for Humanity Atlanta staffer Jill
Redman, Rebecca put the call out to everyone—money needed to be raised
to fund the building of the "Two Williams" house. To generate the funding,
Rebecca worked diligently to help coordinate a Habitat Dine Out, in which
twelve local restaurants donated 10% of the night’s sales, raising about
$6,000. In March she was involved in a fundraiser at Smith’s Olde Bar,
which generated another $2,500.
In addition, friends, family, co-workers, and the community at large
kicked in funding and volunteered their time to exceed the challenge. As a
result of a successful call to action, the "Two Williams" house is the first of
two homes—a second one will be built next year. Learn more about Habitat
and how to donate at their website, http://www.atlantahabitat.org/
donate.asp. On the donation page, specify "In Memory Of William Stilwell,
the Two Williams House."
Pictured: Annette Stilwell (far right) during
construction of the Two Williams house
Photos courtesy of Randall Sims
Planet Studio
Benefit Concert
Pogo Pictures
Soundbyte Music &
Sound Design
Tyler Perry Studios
William, Turner &
Mathis
YourACT
FRIENDS OF WIFTA
Thank you to Dan Valdes
and his amazing team at
Artisan Pictureworks!
The Woman's Angle Expands Directing Program
The Woman's Angle educates, mentors, and promotes women directors.
After a very successful start with its "Male Gaze" project in 2007, the organization offered a formal Directing Program in 2008. Up to ten applicants are
selected for the program, which culminates in a screening of all the completed films. In an effort to introduce directors, writers, filmmakers, and
audiences to quality film shorts, The Woman's Angle has partnered with
IMAGE Film and Video to host "Second Sundays," a monthly film salon open
to the general public. Join The Woman’s Angle the second Sunday of each
month at IMAGE Film and Video from 6:30pm to 8:30pm to view a selection
of successful film shorts and for an opportunity to discuss the techniques of
effective and compelling short filmmaking.
For more information, visit www.womansangle.com.
By Raquel Lozano
Well, it was a knock-down, rock-out
night! Who said supporting a good
cause had to be stuffy and boring?
The fundraising benefit for the second "Two Williams" home (see story
above) was a huge success! The
event featuring Atlanta rock cover
band Xtra Medium raised $2,500 for
the home and almost as much in
phenomenal door prizes. Door prizes
were provided by Rejuvenation Spa,
Pinson Cosmetics, YourACT, and
Sketchworks, among others.
Page 2
Reel Focus
Letter from the President
By Melissa Randle
As many of you know, Women in Film and Television Atlanta has
declared 2008 the Year of the Member and the first quarter of this year
has been unbelievable! For a chapter with a rich thirty-four-year history
dedicated to empowering women in this industry, it’s a great opportunity
for us to reaffirm WIFTA’s commitment to support you and your professional growth. As we continue to produce the high caliber of exciting
educational programming you’ve come to expect, we are committed to
addressing those topics most relevant to the diverse composition of our
membership. Our knowledge of such topics is garnered through your
participation and the constant feedback you provide in person, via email,
or by completing our event surveys. This information is extremely valuable to us as we plan both our short-term and long-range initiatives.
We are pleased that our recent efforts have been well received and
highly successful: from the annual State of the Industry address forecasting the production climate in 2008 as hopeful; to the timely and engaging
discussion on legal and tax advice for freelancers and actors leaving the
audience wanting more; to hearing top women executives share inspirational stories of success—each having taken a different path to attainment, yet echoing the same outlook of optimism; to celebrating the
accomplishments of our local peers by showcasing their films in conjunction with Women’s History Month.
Thank you to our wonderful guest speakers thus far—Fran Burst
Terranella, Shay Bentley-Griffin, Craig Dominey, Rob Hardy, Roger Bobb,
Shannon King Nash, Veronica Sheehan, Sheryl Myers, and Monica Neal—
who have shared their time and knowledge in support of furthering the
advancement of women in this industry. As we look toward spring and
all that it brings, we hope your careers will be in full bloom.
COMING SOON! Look for business card ads in the next issue.
For more information about how to submit your card,
send an email to: [email protected].
WIFTA Welcomes New Members!
Lauren Baker
Shani Bayete
Holly Britt
Glenda Brown
Vince Canlas
Tracy Crayton
Altha Dalton
Kathryn Delgado
Patrina Gardner
Tammy Garnes
Carolmel Glasperel
Vanessa Gordon
Lorrie Guess
Becky Hire
Perla Humphrey
Marla Weatherspoon Johnson
Kimberly Jones
Mary Jones
Kerrie Kardatzke
Aimedra Kelley
Shondrieka Lamb
Hattie Mae Lemon
Renee Leplattenier
Lisa Lepley
Raquel Lozano
Linda McMillan
Shunda Staples Ray
Maria Sager
Katie Sciortino
Sidra Smith
Tasha Smith
Alice Stephens
Quandria Stephens
Kathryn Teates
Terrie Thompson
Aretha Walker
Owerri Washington
Anika White
Krista Wilson
Lisa Wright
Renewed Members
Michelle Auda
Tracy Crews
Lucy Cruell
Ken Feinberg
Simon Kornblit
Marisela Marciales
Paula Martinez
Zoana Price
Holly Reid
Luana Rina
Linda T. Rozakis
Pat Segers
Denise Taylor
Audrey Thomas
Brandi Wyche
Corporate Members
Coastal Talent Kids
IMAGE Film & Video
Rainforest Films
Wolff Bros. Post
(Renewed)
Sponsors
Golden Street
Entertainment
Reel Focus
Page 3
WIFTA Events
State of the Industry Address Kickoff Event, January—Guest panelists: Rob Hardy (Rainforest Films), Roger Bobb (Tyler Perry Studios),
Shay Bentley-Griffin (Governor’s Entertainment Advisory Council), Fran Burst Terranella (Georgia Production Partners), and Craig Dominey
(Georgia Film, Video, and Music Office). Photos courtesy of Pam Cole
Tackling Taxes: Knowledge for Freelancers & Actors Program, February—Guest speaker Shannon Nash King, attorney & CPA, with
Board member Xhosa Bates; and WIFTA volunteers Michael Morgan, Dia Mandaraz, and Shondrieka Lamb.
Photos courtesy of Melissa Randle
Oscar Night Social, February—Lynn Tally, winner of the Oscar Night Competition gift basket, with President Melissa Randle;
Angie Harrell and member Vince Canlas; Board members Samantha Worthen and Elisabeth Andre; guests Noralil Ryan Fores and Randall
Sims tally Oscar ballots. Photos courtesy of Melissa Randle
Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Stories of Success Program, March—Veronica Sheehan of Turner Network Operations, Sheryl Myers of Comotion Films, and Monica Neal of Peach TV discussed how women can get ahead in the industry. Photos courtesy of Brion Craig and Sherry
Richardson
Page 4
Reel Focus
Members in the News
Tracy Martin
The following members are official selectees of the Atlanta
Film Festival: Phoebe Brown (99 to 1: Ovarian Cancer & Me),
John Petrini/Tracy Markowski (Devil Goes Down), along with
IMAGE RiM contest winners: Tracy Martin (Fear Itself), Michele
Moore (Wake Up Call), and Marla Weatherspoon Johnson
(Petunia). Another film by Tracy Martin, Sucker Punch (which
was created through The Woman’s Angle director’s program)
will be screened at the Cannes Film Festival in May and at the
First Take Film Festival in Augusta, GA in April.
Shandra McDonald-Bradford co-wrote and co-produced the
locally lensed feature film The Last Adam, which has been
released to DVD and is now available at Wal-Mart and Sam’s
Club stores. With a backdrop of issues ranging from racism to
redemption, The Last Adam explores the complexity of human
relationships while encouraging both faith and forgiveness.
The Last Adam was a finalist in the 2004 Hollywood Black Film
Festival Storyteller Competition and a winner of the 2005
Atlanta Film Festival Southeastern Media Award, and it was
screened at a variety of prominent festivals across the coun- Shandra McDonaldBradford
try. For more information, visit www.thelastadammovie.com.
Thank you to Adina Neufeld, who graciously donated the registration fee for
fifty WIFTA members to attend her professional networking conference, Making
It in the City LIVE after being inspired by WIFTA’s March Program on successful
women executives. For more information, visit www.makingitinthecity.com.
Ken Feinberg heads to the Cannes Film Festival in
May, for the second year in a row, with his locally
lensed short film, Foreign Exchange. Feinberg
directed and co-wrote the thirty-minute comedy
about a foreign exchange student from Sweden
who comes to live with an American family. The
film boasts an all-star local cast and crew, includKen Feinberg
ing actors Susanna Lewis (lead) and Minnie Tee,
along with Melissa Randle serving as script supervisor. Shot in an impressive four days, Foreign Exchange radiates the quality of a
Super 35mm motion picture with the help of one of the first RED digital cameras
in the world, using the latest in cutting-edge film technology. For more information, call 404-355-4588 or email [email protected].
Two short films directed by Crystle Clear Roberson are official selections of the
upcoming Sixth Annual Spaghetti Junction Urban Film Festival, April 16-20,
2008. The Song of Time was shot on 16mm film and focuses on a young woman's
anger at Father Time and the bizarre way she expresses her wrath. Roberson
wrote and produced the film, with Gala Goodwin serving as co-producer. The
second film, Standing Reign, challenges views of art and compromise, asking,
Just how much will we bend in order to fit into the Hollywood stereotype? Written, directed, and edited in just forty-eight hours for the 48 Hour Film Project,
it won Best Screenplay, Best Acting, Audience Award, and Best Short Film of
Atlanta and is ranked in the top twenty films of the National 48 Hour Film
Project. Latisha Fortune co-produced the film that also won Best Short Film
at both the International Black Film Festival of Nashville and the TOMI Film
Festival of New Orleans.
Congratulations to all
the local filmmakers
whose work was selected for the WIFTI
Short Film Showcase!
Call for Entries:
Kingdomwood Christian Film Festival cofounder Audrey ThoFilmmakers Ken Feinberg, Shandra McDonmas is accepting subald-Bradford, Deatra Harris, Peggy Tunick,
missions. The festival Deirdre Walsh, and Patricia Burns at the
will take place October WIFTI Shorts Showcase in March.
Photo courtesy of Melissa Randle
9–11, 2008, in Lithonia,
GA. For more information, visit www.kingdomwood.com.
Congratulations to
Mojisola Sonoiki!
As the founder and
director of the Women
of Color Arts and Film
Festival (WOCAF),
she recently celebrated the four-year
anniversary of her
highly successful
three-day showcase
featuring films by and
about women of color
from all over the
globe, including the
United States, Canada,
United Kingdom, and
Nigeria. For more
information, visit
www.wocaf.org.
Sidra Smith, Melissa Randle, Tasha Smith,
and Sherry Richardson at the WIFTI Shorts
Showcase in March.
Photo courtesy of Sherry Richardson
WOCAF founder Mojisola Sonoiki and Canadian director Frances Anne Solomon on
opening night.
Photo courtesy of Sherry Richardson
Dynamic sister act and new WIFTA members filmmaker Sidra Smith and actress
Tasha Smith (Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get
Married?), recently conducted their threeday Tasha Smith Actors Workshop (TSAW),
which is based on their popular Los Angeles program. For more information, visit
www.tsaw.com.
Filmmaker Sidra
Smith and actress
Tasha Smith
Reel Focus
Page 5
WIFTI Corner
The Third Annual WIFTI Short Film Showcase was held
March 27th at Cinevision Corporation to celebrate International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month. The
event, co-sponsored and conceived by Women in Film and
Television International (WIFTI), took place in twenty locations around the world, and aimed to celebrate, promote,
and advance the filmmaking talents of women globally.
The Atlanta Showcase began with a lovely reception,
where guests mingled over wine and hors d’oeuvres.
Award-winning filmmaker Sidra Smith and her twin sister,
actress Tasha Smith, kicked off the event with inspiring
stories of tenacity and stressed the importance of women
telling our unique stories. The sisters wrapped with a short
Q & A, but before leaving the stage, they generously gave
away two free registrations (valued at $500 each) to Tasha’s three-day Actors Workshop (www.tsaw.com) to audience members who bought raffle tickets. The workshop
took place March 28–30 in Atlanta at the 14th Street Playhouse.
The screening, which commenced with a trailer from
WIFTI highlighting many of the participating chapters, featured eleven short films, five from international filmmakers
and six from local filmmakers who submitted to WIFTA and
were chosen by an independent selection committee. The
local filmmakers and films were: Shandra McDonaldBradford, The Promise; Patricia Burns, Armed with a
Smile; Peggy Tunick, Run; Deatra Harris, A
Woman’s Worth; Ken Feinberg and Nalina Sharma,
Seven Generations; and Deirdre Walsh, Insanity du
Jour.
The audience enjoyed all of the selections
and left feeling enlightened, inspired, entertained,
and motivated. And, perhaps most important, they
discussed the powerful films long after the credits
rolled. “Supporting our members and potential
members through screening their work is one of the
most fulfilling and important roles of WIFTA,” says
WIFTI liaison Sherry Richardson. “Giving women
filmmakers the opportunity to watch their peers
respond to their films on the big screen is what this
showcase is all about.”
Special thanks to Theresa Dickey, Dana Serby,
Cinema Concepts, and Samantha Worthen; volunteers Holly White, Patricia Gaddy, Nhadyne Banton,
Shondrieka Lamb and Tracy Crayton; and event
coordinator Sherry Richardson.
Member Chapters — WIFT International has
more than forty member chapters around the world.
Members planning to work in another state or country with a participating WIF chapter are eligible to
attend that chapter’s activities at the member rate
for a three-month period. Contact [email protected] if
you would like more information on this benefit.
WIFT International Biannual Summit — The
summit is a unique opportunity for members all over
the globe to network, share ideas on chapter development, and explore co-production opportunities. The
last summit took place in Toronto, July 16–19, 2007,
and consisted of panels and networking events led by
agents, writers, directors, and producers from around
the world. You can still view some of the panels at
www.wifti.org. Plan now to attend the summit in
2009—date and location will be announced soon.
WIFT International Online Membership Directory — Need an actor in Jamaica? A Spanish-speaking
producer? Traveling to France and want to connect
with other Women in Film members? Meet your connections at home and around the world in the WIFTI
online directory. Active WIFTI members from participating chapters receive a login and password.
Searches may be performed in a number of ways,
including by name, chapter, occupation, and even
languages spoken. Members will receive their passwords and instructions on how to access the directory
shortly.
For more information about WIFTI, or to view
information about other WIF chapters, visit
www.wifti.org.
Page 6
Reel Focus
Upcoming Industry Events
Past WIFTA Events
April
10th—19th
By Tonette Underwood
Atlanta Film Festival
(www.atlantafilmfestival.com)
JANUARY 2008
13th
The Woman’s Angle—Second Sundays Salon
Jan. 14
16th—20th
Spaghetti Junction Urban Film Festival
(www.sjuff.com)
Jan. 23 Kickoff Program: State of the Industry Address, at Cinevision Corporation. Guest speakers from the film and television industry forecasted
the production opportunities for 2008 and discussed what is being done to
foster additional employment growth for the state of Georgia. Speakers
included Shay Bentley-Griffin (Governor’s Entertainment Advisory Council),
Roger Bobb (Tyler Perry Studios), Craig Dominey (Georgia Film Video & Music
Office), Rob Hardy (Rainforest Films), and Fran Burst Terranella (Georgia
Production Partners).
26th (Sat.)
WIFTA Advanced Pitching Workshop
(This event has been postponed; stay tuned for more details)
May
11th
21st (Wed.)
June
18th (Wed.)
The Woman’s Angle—Second Sundays Salon
WIFTA Monthly Program
Topic: Annual Actors Program
WIFTA Monthly Program
Topic: Latest Trends—Inside Cutting-Edge
Technology
WIFTA Atlanta Showcase Call for Entries
FEBRUARY 2008
Feb. 8
Women in Film Foundation Finishing Fund Deadline
Feb. 20 Monthly Program: Tackling Taxes: Knowledge for Freelancers &
Actors, at Artisan Pictureworks. An enthusiastic group of members and nonmembers alike turned out to hear speaker Shannon King Nash, a certified
public accountant, tax attorney, owner of Nash Management Group, and
partner with the Guydon Love law firm. She addressed the advantages and
disadvantages to being an independent contractor; where to report the
income from a 1099; popular deductions for contractors; audit issues and
how to avoid them; setting up Entertainment Loan Out Companies ("S" corporations and LLCs);
and the advantages and disadvantages of forming a company.
Feb. 22
WIFTA Atlanta Showcase Submission Deadline
Feb. 24 Oscar Night Social. Members and guests gathered to celebrate the
80th annual Academy Awards ceremony at Vino Libro, the elegant wine
bistro and bookstore. Attendees took the opportunity to network while
watching the red carpet pre-show and then engaged in friendly competition
by participating in the annual Oscar prediction contest.
Feb. 29
IMAGE Rapid "i" Movement Film Competition
MARCH 2008
Mar. 19 Monthly Program: "Breaking the Glass Ceiling in Television and
Film. . . . Stories of Success," at Turner Entertainment Networks. Have you
ever wondered what it takes to make it in the film and television industry
from a woman's perspective? WIFTA was honored to present a roundtable
discussion featuring some of the most talented and successful women professionals and network executives in the media industry. The panel consisted
of Monica Neal, vice president and general manager of Peach TV; Veronica
Sheehan, Senior Vice President of Turner Network Operations; and Sheryl
Myers, president and executive producer of Comotion Films. More than 100
women gathered at Turner Studios to hear these key players discuss how
they made it and how they were able to get ahead in the media industry.
Mar. 27
WIFTI 3rd Annual Short Film Showcase at Cinevision Corporation
Want to be included in the next
Members in the News section?
Did you just land a starring role in an upcoming production? Did your film/
television program just win an award or get distribution? Did you just sell
your pitch or screenplay? Send news of your latest professional accomplishments for consideration to: Elisabeth Andre, Vice President of Communications, at [email protected].
Reel Focus
Page 7
2008 WIFTA Board of Directors
Melissa Randle
President
[email protected]
Xhosa Bates
Director of Programs
[email protected]
Widdi Turner
Eugenia Harvey
Vice President,
Professional Development
Workshops Director
[email protected]
[email protected]
Elisabeth Andre
Tonette Underwood
Vice President, Communications
Public Relations Director
[email protected]
[email protected]
Samantha Worthen
Sherry Richardson
Vice President, Membership
WIFTI Liaison
[email protected]
[email protected]
Dana Serby
Kay Hallahan
Treasurer
Member Emeritus
[email protected]
[email protected]
Shani Harris Peterson
Kiip Steward
Secretary
Jobs & Opportunities Director
[email protected]
Julie Shaer
Michell Davis
Sponsorship Director
Member-at-Large
[email protected]
Merrine McDonald
Kelly Caudle
Administrative Assistant (pt)
Newsletter Editor
COMING SOON:
CALL FOR DIRECTORS
Look for an announcement about
WIFTA’s Annual PSA Campaign,
which has been enormously
successful. WIFTA members
interface with the community to
produce public service
announcements for charitable
organizations. WIFTA’s PSA Program
gives members valuable production
experience, while simultaneously
giving back to the community.
THANK YOU
to our wonderful
Volunteers
Michael Morgan
Shondreika Lamb
Michelle Curry
Kimberly Murray
Terrie Thompson
Dia Mandaraz
Vanessa Gordon
Joan Karpeles
Terrea Booker
Deatra Harris
Melinda Thompson
Holly White
Patricia Gaddy
Nhadyne Banton
Tracy Crayton
[email protected]
The ambition of TRACTION is to provoke robust discussion and
fresh thinking about women and media. It contains:
- film, television & documentary reviews, media criticism, and commentary
TRACTION is an interactive, online
magazine by and for women in the
entertainment industry, published by
the Women in Film Alliance.
- articles on film, television, documentaries, media, and chick flicks
- statistical research and resources
- a feature section called “The Virtual Mentor,” offering advice on topics like
career choices in media, foreign production, bonding a film, or fair-use doctrine
- a discussion forum, and much, much more
Check out the latest issue now at http://magazine.women-in-film.com
Women in Film and
Television Atlanta
Membership in Women in Film and Television Atlanta is open to
women and men working in or studying film, television, video
and other related fields.
Member Benefits include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Free admission to Monthly Programs.
Discounted admission to Special Events, the annual WIFTA
Gala and workshops.
Private Access to “Members Only” bulletin boards and job
listings.
Opportunity to participate in the Mentorship Program and
standing committees.
Opportunity to work as crew on Public Service Announcements produced by WIFTA.
Invitations to private networking events.
Listing in and access to the WIFTA online member directory
and WIFTI online.
Ability to apply for WIFTA scholarships.
Discounted equipment rentals, industry publication subscriptions, and workshops.
To join, visit our website at www.wifta.org or
send an email to [email protected].
Corporate memberships and sponsorships are available. Contact
Julie Shaer at [email protected] for more information.
Looking for a Mentor?
Join a Committee!
Gain access to a seasoned
professional who can help
you learn more about your
field of interest and evaluate your goals.
Being on a committee is a
great opportunity to get
involved and interact with
other members.
Apply to WIFTA's 2008
Mentorship Program,
which is open to current
members.
For more information:
[email protected].
Join the Program,
Workshop, Sponsorship,
Membership, or Gala
committees today!
For more information:
[email protected].
Our Purpose
Women in Film and Television Atlanta is
dedicated to improving the status and
portrayal of women in film, television,
video, and other screen-based media by
offering opportunities for mediamakers to
connect, create, champion, and inspire.
With an emphasis on education and training, we offer support to our members
through monthly events, special programs, workshops, and mentoring.
In addition, we offer an award-winning
PSA Program through which members can
gain valuable production experience
while being in service to their communities.
Our three core values:
•
Promote creative achievement in film,
video, television, and related media arts.
•
Maintain a supportive and collaborative
media arts community in the Southeast.
•
Continue dedication to the highest standards of professionalism and integrity.
WOMEN IN FILM AND TELEVISION
ATLANTA
2250 North Druid Hills Road
Suite 123
Atlanta, GA 30329
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 52726
Atlanta, GA 30355
Phone: 770-621-5071
www.wifta.org
[email protected]