WOMEN IN FILM & VIDEO NEW ENGLAND ANNOUNCES:
ELEVENTH ANNUAL SCREENWRITING COMPETITION

Women in Film & Video/New England (WIFV/NE) announces a call for entries for its Eleventh Annual Screenwriting Competition sponsored by Inktip, Final Draft, Script Chix and Lesley University. The WIFV/NE Screenwriting Competition promotes the work of female screenwriters and supports the creation of multi-dimensional leading film roles for women.  The competition is open as of April 2, 2013.

Entries must be authored or co-authored by a woman and/or feature a woman or women in prominent roles. There will be five finalists and a panel of five judges who will select the winning screenplay. Barry Brodsky, Director of Emerson Screenwriting Certificate Program, Martha Pinson, filmmaker and former script supervisor for Martin Scorsese, LaToya Morgan, staff writer for “Shameless” and “Parenthood”, Susan Steinberg, professor and writer, and Tina Cesa Ward, writer/director/producer (“Anyone But You”).  The Grand Prize Winner will have a a full table read of their screenplay produced by WIFVNE, sponsored by Lesley University and directed by a WIFVNE member.  Additional prizes include a detailed script analysis and consultation by Barry Brodsky, a budget by Los Angeles based (but hailing from Western MA) Script Chix, a screenwriting software package from Final Draft, and a 6-month online script placement service by Inktip.com.

DEADLINES AND FEES:

Regular Deadline: May 21, 2013/Standard Fee: $45, WIFVNE Member: $30
Late Deadline: May 28, 2013/Standard Fee: $55,  WIFVNE Member: $40
Extended Deadline: June 4, 2013/Standard Fee: $65, WIFVNE Member: $50

GENERAL RULES:

Length between 80-120 pages
Scripts must be authored or co-authored by a woman AND/OR must feature a woman (or women) in a prominent role.

• Do NOT include author’s name in submitted script.
• Do NOT include author’s name in the pdf script file name.
• Screenplay titles ONLY.
• Screenplay title MUST be included in submitted pdf script.
• Sorry, no scripts can be returned.

For legal reasons, WIFV/NE can accept only original screenplays by copyright holder(s).

Scripts must be submitted online via Withoutabox.com: 

“Withoutabox logos are trademarks of Withoutabox, a DBA of IMDb.com Inc. or its affiliates.”

In 2009, the winning WIFV/NE screenplay was optioned shortly after being listed on Inktip. Headquartered in Los Angeles, InkTip is a screenplay facilitation company servicing the entertainment industry by providing screenplays and writers to producers and literary representatives in its network. InkTip confirms more than 150 script options and sales per year.Final Draft is the number-one selling word processor specifically designed for writing movie scripts, television episodics and stage plays. It combines powerful word processing with professional script formatting in one self-contained, easy-to-use package.

 

Dear Members, Partners and Friends…

At the start of the new year, WIFVNE board members committed themselves to making 2013 a year for the record books – and it looks like we are accomplishing this goal! We are thrilled to announce that this quarter has been simply fantastic on all levels.   Our membership has jumped over 30%, attendance to Monthly Networking Nights has increased by 50%, new partnerships are being established and at our “Crowdfunding Demystified” ‘members only’ event at Emerson College last Wednesday (March 27) night, we were filled to capacity.  We would not be seeing this surge if it weren’t because of you, our members and supporters, continuing and new – supporting us and championing the mission of WIFVNE for over three decades.

The New England Chapter of Women in Film & Video is the third oldest chapter to be established and is celebrating thirty-two years of continued, if at times challenging, support to female filmmakers and media professionals in New England.    We are excited to announce that we are archiving and curating three decades worth of events, milestones, and achievements which will be made available via our website.  We want our chapter’s history to be accessible to current and future women in the NE region’s media industry to honor our predecessors and inspire us as we move into the future. Please check out former WIFVNE President Cheryl Eagan-Donovan’s Member Spotlight section in this month’s edition of The Wire.  She succinctly sums up why WIFVNE was and continues to be an important resource for female filmmakers and their supporters.

To this point, WIFVNE ex officio immediate past President, Juliet Schneider and President, Joan Meister are the oars balancing the boat, rowing the organization calmly and smoothly down the channels it needs and must go to remain relevant and current for our members who span as many decades as the organization has been operating!

WIFVNE ex officio immediate past President, Juliet Schneider, with our newest individual member at the MPC Expo

“After 2 years of hard work stabilizing the chapter, I’m thrilled to continue serving on the board working with our amazing team of board members, advisors and volunteers.  Most importantly, I am thrilled to see our membership increasing by leaps and bounds – and to be part of this irreplaceable support network for women working in an industry which still places many hurdles in our collective path.”  

Juliet Schneider, ex officio immediate past President

Joan Meister, WIFVNE President, with a new student member, at the MPC Expo

“WIFVNE is working harder than ever before to bring each member more ways to network, more ways to advance their craft and more ways to connect and share the volumes of information that makes each of us so essential to the New England media industry. We’ve got so many exciting things planned for this year alone. If you’re not a member yet, please consider joining up as you’re missing out!”

Joan Meister, President

If you have not yet joined WIFVNE and have questions about the benefits of being a member, please do not hesitate to send us an email at admin@womeninfilmvideo.org or to any of our board members! Or…come see us in person tomorrow night (Tuesday, April 2nd) at WIFVNE’s Monthly Networking Night at Park in Cambridge from 6:30pm – 8:30pm.

On Thursday, March 28th from 6:00pm – 8:00pm please join WIFVNE member organization Berkshire Film Commission for their Berkshire Film and Media Commission Networking Event! 

The event is open to all and we encourage our members and friends to head out to beautiful Western Mass for the opportunity to meet up with like-minded film professionals..

From the event page..

You asked… you’re getting it! Look for:

• 2 breakout group sessions
  
• Name cards with occupations so you can hobnob with the people you want to meet!

… And introducing:

• THE CARD TABLE: Leave your business cards so people looking for specific products or services can easily find your business! Cost: $20.00
  (pay at the door)

Any questions about the event, please contact:

Lauren Zink
Communications Manager
Berkshire Film and Media Commission
413.528.4223

Now how does that saying go…”In like a lion and out like a lamb?” – Well, not this March as we are finishing off the month with a bang!

Saturday, March 23rd 12:30-7:00pm WIFV/NE board members will have a table at the Massachusetts Production Coalition’s first ever Industry Expo.  The Expo is jam packed with amazing panelists, workshops and screenings.  Go here to register and make sure to stop by and visit us!

Sunday, March 24 from 5:00-8:00pm join WIFV/NE board members at an evening networking event presented with WAM! Film Festival at Park in Cambridge. Everyone is welcome to attend the networking event, but only WIFV/NE current members receive a discount to the film festival.  For the discount code, please email us at info@womeninfilmvideo.org.

Wednesday, March 27, 7:00-8:30pm  WIFV/NE and Barry Brodsky, Director of Screenwriting Certificate Program at Emerson College present “Crowdfunding Demystified”, an industry night panel with Boston based producers Kevin Tostado and Elaine McMillion, who both managed successful kickstarter events. The panel will be moderated by WIFV/NE board member Shannon Mullen. This event is only available to current WIFV/NE members and is free. Please RSVP by Monday, March 25 to shannon@womeninfilmvideo.org. For more information, please click here!

Tuesday, April 2nd, 2013 the WIFV/NE screenwriting competition begins accepting submissions. There are discounted rates for Early Bird submissions and for WIFV/NE members. The competition is open to everyone and full guidelines will be available starting April 2nd. We have great prizes lined up as well as a panel of five judges who will chose the winning script. Barry Brodsky, Director of Screenwriting Certificate Program at Emerson has generously accepted one of the judges seats! We will announce additional judges closer to April 2nd.

And finally….we have revised and restructured the levels and benefits in our Membership Section and encourage everyone to take a look!

From our friends at WETA!

Dear Women in Film members and friends,

Do you have a TV series or film you would like to air nationally on PBS or American Public Television?

Here’s your opportunity to make a quick pitch.

I am looking for TV series and films for consideration by WETA, a major producer/presenter of programming for the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and American Public Television (APT) across the United States. WETA National Programming helps talented TV/web producers and filmmakers navigate the American public broadcasting landscape by providing co-production, editorial, station relations, marketing, syndication and distribution support.

 Preparing Your Pitch: Content must be educational, informational and entertaining with intellectual integrity and cultural merit. Projects may be finished, partially funded/produced, or in development with a list of potential program underwriters/sponsors. Content categories most desired: “How To”, Lifestyle, Cooking, Health, Home, History, Travel, Music, Arts, Drama or Comedy TV Series (four episodes or more) or films (drama, comedy or documentary) for adults age 35-65+. Series programs may be 30 or 60 minutes while films may range from 60 to 120 minutes. Successful international TV series/films, web series and radio programs adaptable to U.S. public television will also be considered.

For consideration, please email me (dcrabbs@weta.org) by April 1 no more than one page: (1) your project title/category/program length; (2) names of producer, director and key persons involved; (3) project description (one or two paragraphs); (4) estimated total budget (breakdown not required); (5) amount of funding raised to date, list of funders/potential funders, or indicate if it’s a finished project; (6) link to project trailer, rough cut or demo reel (or mail DVD), if available; and (7) your contact information including phone, email, mailing address and any websites. Thank you.

Submitters of projects selected for further consideration will be notified by May 1, 2013. The first twenty email pitches will receive the fastest response.

 

Best regards,

Denene Crabbs
Project Development Executive
WETA Television – National Programming
3939 Campbell Avenue
Arlington, VA 22206 USA

Email: dcrabbs@weta.org
Office: 703-998-2433
Cell: 202-487-4949
Fax: 703-998-2074
www.weta.org

Looking to finance your short, documentary or feature film? Considering crowdfunding, but wondering how it’s done?

WIFVNE MEMBERS ONLY: Join us on Wednesday, March 27th from 7pm-8:30 for a Q&A with award-winning local producers Kevin Tostado and Elaine McMillion moderated by WIFV/NE board member Shannon Mullen.  We’ll discuss their successful Kickstarter campaigns: Kevin raised $75K to fund his award-winning documentary UNDER THE BOARDWALK: The Monopoly Story, and Elaine raised more than $28K for her interactive documentary HOLLOW about a West Virginia coal-mining town.  They’ll share some pros and cons of crowdfunding, tips they learned along the way and answer your questions about the process.

Women in Film & Video New England is thrilled to present this panel with Barry Brodsky, Director of Screenwriting Certificate Program at Emerson College.

Free to active WIFVNE members ONLY.  Click here to join now!

Space is limited!  Please RSVP to shannon@womeninfilmvideo.org by Monday, March 25 and include “Emerson Crowdfunding Event” in the subject line.

Location: Emerson College in Room 228 of the Walker Building at 120 Boylston Street.

How do you launch a Kickstarter campaign with a bang?  Hold a “Key Connector” party and engage your friends to become your partners in spreading the word about the campaign to a wider community.

WIFV/NE member Ellen Brodsky (Director/Producer) and her team (including Associate Producer Pam Chamberlin) did just that this weekend and generated interest, built a community and raised funds (over $5000 in just two days) for her documentary on “OUT Youth Theater.”  From Ellen: “This work in progress is about the lives of LGBTQ youth and their allies who are a part of True Colors: OUT Youth Theater, a troupe that creates original productions based on their experiences, and tours the show to schools and community groups. These youth need to get their stories heard beyond Boston and the LGBTQ community!'” 

With over forty interested people attending their first of two planned “Key Connector” parties this past Saturday, their crowdsource fundraising campaign is off to a great start!

The financial goal of the Kickstarter campaign is to raise $55,000 over the next 30 days.  As per Kickstarter’s rules and regulations, Ellen and her team won’t receive a penny unless they reach their benchmark.  For more information about the project, please check out their Kickstarter trailer for the OUT Youth Theater Film Project.  Once you have checked out the project, please share the Kickstarter link on your social media outlets as spreading the word is a huge help to getting this film made! Click here to like the film on Facebook, and click here to follow the film on Twitter.

This is just one of the many ambitious film projects WIFV/NE members are producing and we are proud to do our part in supporting filmmakers like Ellen Brodsky and Pam Chamberlin.

More about OUT Youth Theater Film Project…

For 18 years, young people have come together from Boston’s neighborhoods, homeless shelters, and area suburbs to share their experiences, write scripts, and take their performances on the road. These Lesbian Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBTQ) young people and their straight allies, tell stories rarely heard in the school auditoriums where their troupe performs. Their stories and the process it takes to tell them will be the subject of a 75-minute documentary.

The U.S. has made progress in LGBT legal rights and in the mainstream acknowledgement of LGBTQ people. But popular TV show characters still don’t depict the tough, inspirational, everyday neighborhood challenges of these True Colors troupe members.

The award-winning youth program was founded by The Theater Offensive, New England’s premier LGBTQ theater. Even in Massachusetts, which is perceived as an LGBT friendly state, in comparison with their peers, LGB young people are: 4 times more likely to attempt suicide; over 3 times more likely to be threatened or injured with a weapon at school; and over 4 times more likely to skip school because they feel unsafe. That said, in the last two fiscal years, 100% of high school seniors who participated in True Colors have successfully graduated high school, and 100% have pursued higher education.

The film is shot in verite style, incorporating interviews with troupe members and their families and friends. The film examines individual growth starting in the fall at call backs after initial auditions, and shooting the weekly sessions where the troupe members develop and refine the script, rehearse scenes, and take the show on the road.

Women in Film & Video New England Members and Friends are invited to attend The 13th Annual Emerson Film Festival Boston area gala event on Thursday, March 14th in the Bright Family Screening Room. The annual showcase of student work will feature a presentation by Semel Screenwriting Chair DAVID MAGEE (LIFE OF PI, FINDING NEVERLAND).

STUDENT FILMS INCLUDE:
The King of the House by Paul Michael MacCarty ’16
A documentary short featuring Robert Dello Russo, an Italian barbershop owner from Boston’s North End. His story is rich with history, inspiration and most importantly, the preservation and importance of family values both at home and in the workplace.

Graceland Girls by Jordan Salvatoriello, MFA ’12;
Educating girls has proven to be the cornerstone of Kenyan development, yet so many are denied equal access. The students at the Graceland Girls School in Kenya have, so far, defied the odds. Using a combination of video and photographs, the girls share their personal struggles to find hope for the future.

Love or Farewell by Shaun Clarke, MFA ’12
A collection of five dance films loosely based on the short story “Eveline,” found in James Joyce’s “Dubliners”. Each short film explores the potential to transform dance performance through cinema. Eveline must choose between running away with her lover Frank to Buenos Ayres or staying home with her ill father.

Solutionism: A Design Documentary by Hsiao-Yen Jones ’14;
Artivist Designer, Matt LeGrand speaks on the possibility that design has for both the visual and real world.

Got You by Bianca Morris ’12.
Lexi, an 8 year old only child, discovers her mother’s thoughts of suicide.

There will be an after-event reception in the Bright Screening Room Lobby.

This event is free and open to the public.  Seating is on a first come basis.

For more information please contact: Anna Feder (emersonvma@gmail.com)
http://www.emerson.edu/academics/departments/visual-media-arts/bright-lights?day=14&month=3&year=2013
https://www.facebook.com/events/576532072376265

Not yet a member of WIFV/NE? Sign up here!

Join us Tuesday, February 5th for introductions, news and networking at Beacon Tavern at 1032 Beacon St. in Brookline, from 6:30-8:30. This event is free, and open to all current, and prospective members. WIFVNE is actively seeking new members and volunteers to join the organization, and help us continue to thrive and serve our community.

If you can’t make it to the meetings, but want to get involved, drop us a line! info@womeninfilmvideo.org 617-871-9667

By Shannon Mullen

I’ve never produced a movie before, but the projected budget for my first feature film project is $20M-50M.  A lot of people ask me how I know what I’m doing.  The short answer is I don’t; I’m learning as I go, so it’s a good thing that “nobody knows anything in Hollywood,” as one of my mentors (an accomplished screenwriter and novelist) often reminds me.

The producing shelf in my office bookcase.

There’s no substitute for experience, but I believe you can learn a lot about producing by reading about it (or at least enough to fake it until you make it).

For about four years now I’ve been reading books, magazines, trade websites and blogs, etc.  By this point enough people have asked me about my list that I thought I’d share what I’ve found to be the best of it here:

Books

• “So You Want to Be a Producer” by Lawrence Turman
• “The Hollywood Economist” by Edward Jay Epstein
• “Bankroll: A New Approach to Financing Feature Films” by Tom Malloy
• “Getting the Money” by Jeremy Juuso
• “Dealmaking in the Film & Television Industry” by Mark Litwak
• “Aristotle’s Poetics for Screenwriters” by Michael Tierno
• “The Art of Film” by Howard Suber
• “The Pocket Lawyer for Filmmakers” by Thomas A. Crowell Esq.
• “The Big Picture: The New Logic of Money and Power in Hollywood” by Edward Jay Epstein
• “Filmmakers and Financing” by Louise Levinson
• “On Writing” by Stephen King
• “The Portable Film School” by D.B. Gilles

Magazines/websites

• TheWrap.com (a must!!)
• The Hollywood Reporter (daily headlines and alerts)
• Company Town (the LA Times blog)
• Issues, Innovation & Creativity (blog of the MPAA)
• Deadline.com
• Research Wrap Blog by Baseline Intelligence
• NewEnglandFilm.com
• Pro.IMDb.com
• Produced By (official magazine of the PGA)
• MovieMaker Magazine
• Filmmaker
• Movie reviews in the New Yorker, the NY Times the Boston Globe and the LA Times

I also recommend the article that sparked my interest in producing – “We Are Not the Enemy: The Truth About Producers” by Larry Turman (see page 28) in which he succinctly sums up the qualifications for the job:

 The best producers have the taste and creativity of an artist, the mind-set of an entertainer, the people skills of a politician, the business acumen of a CEO, the insight of a psychotherapist, the ebullience of a cheerleader, the tenacity of a pit bull, the charm of a snake-oil seller, the delegating ability of a five-star general, the malleability of a chameleon, and the dedication of a monk.

My experience to date suggests that Mr. Turman nails it.