The national University Film & Video Association conference being hosted at Columbia College this week, Aug. 6-11, has its advantages for the filmmaking community-at-large.
Seventeen film industry experts participating in the sold-out UFVA, and who are authors of books about various aspects of filmmaking and the film business, will be panelists Wednesday, Aug. 8 in a lively discussion about “The Future of Story,” hosted by ChicagoHollywood.com
These industry authors have been assembled by Michael Wiese Productions, the world’s number one publisher for books for indie filmmakers and will discuss the core topics of pitching, the business of filmmaking and screenwriting.
The venue is the Holiday Inn, 506 W. Harrison (where the recent full house Chicago Screenwriters Pitch Seminar was held), from 6-8:30 p.m. followed by Q&A, networking and book signing until 10 p.m.
MB Financial Bank and Garrett Popcorn are the evening’s sponsors.
The “Pitching” panel, 6:30-7 p.m., is led by Jen Grisanti, a story/career consultant and writing instructor. Panelists are Ellen Besen (Animation Unleashed), Ross Brown (Byte-Sized TV), Carole Kirschner (Hollywood Game Plan) and Mark Travis (The Film Director’s Bag of Tricks).
Kathie Fong Yoneda, international workshop leader, film consultant and author (The Script-Selling Game: A Hollywood Insider’s Look at Getting Your Script Sold and Produced) moderates the 7-7:30 p.m. “Business of Filmmaking” panel.
Ron Edwards (The Complete Filmmaker’s Guide to Film Festivals co-author), Deb Patz, (Film Production Management 101, 2nd edition), Monika Skerbelis (The Complete Filmmaker’s Guide to Film Festivals co-author) and Ric Viers (The Sound Effects Bible) are the panelists.
Heading the “Screenwriting” panel , 7:30-8 p.m. is writer/director and Oscar-nominated producer Pen Densham, currently in production on Phantom, with Ed Harris and David Duchovny, and author of the screenwriting manual, Riding the Alligator.
Panelists are Will Akers, (Your Screenplay Sucks!), Jennifer Dornbush (Forensic Speak), Eric Edson (The Story Solution), Diane O’Bannon (Dan O’Bannon’s Guide to Screenplay Structure), Penny Penniston (Talk the Talk) and Maureen Ryan (Producer to Producer).
General public tickets are $20, $30 at the door, CSN/students, $15. All Michael Wiese Publication books from the “Future of Story” participating authors will be discounted 50%.
Linda Frothingham’s ChicagoHollywood.com is facilitating the evening. To register and purchase tickets, click here.
