Since last we spoke…

Stephanie Allain (Writing for Television) produced Burning Sands, which made it into the U.S Dramatic Competition at Sundance.

Jacob Nasser (Producing) was Executive Producer of 3 feature length films. Stagecoach: The Texas Jack Story starring Trace Adkins Judd Nelson & Kim Coates – US distribution by Cinedigm released in 20 cities theatrically, sold 75,000 in first 3 weeks. Running Away – Film is in post production starring Paula Tricky, Holly Deveaux, and William McNamara. My Daddy Is In Heaven – Film is in production starring Jenn Gotzen, Corbin Bersen, T.C. Stalling.

Chanté Bowser (Acting for the Camera) appeared on Lee Daniel’s acclaimed NBC show Star.

Jean Su (Producing) and A.W. “Tony” Scott‘s (Screenwriting, Writing for Television) Broadvision Entertainment, a production and distribution company, is theatrically releasing its first feature film, “Grey Lady”, on April 21, 2017.   “Grey Lady” was written and directed by John Shea (“Southie”), and stars Eric Dane (“The Last Ship”; “Grey’s Anatomy”), Natalie Zea (“The Detour”, “Justified”) and Oscar-nominated Amy Madigan (“Twice in a Lifetime”, “Places in the Heart”, “Field of Dreams”, “Gone Baby Gone”).   Broadvision produced “Grey Lady” in association with Beacon Pictures, and Jean Su served as Executive Producer.   Broadvision is leading the marketing and distribution strategy for the theatrical release of “Grey Lady” and is distributing it with Lionsgate.   Broadvision will be solely responsible for the distribution of “Grey Lady” in China.

Robyn Osborne Paris (Screenwriting) wrote, directed and starred in The Room Actors: Where Are They Now? It premiered at Raindance in London, won Best Director at the Chicago Comedy Film Festival, was accepted into ITVFest, Seattle Web Fest, Miami Web Fest, and Vancouver Web Fest.

Tiwana FLoyd (Acting for the Camera) booked a National Walmart commercial directed by Antoine Fuqua to premiere during the 89th Academy Awards.

Liz Kelly (Screenwriting), works at 20^th Century Fox and recently coordinated the studio’s inaugural Fox Filmmakers Lab, a partnership between Fox and the American Film Institute to increase the number of female directors working on major studio films by giving select alumni of the AFI Directing Workshop for Women opportunities to direct short films based on the studio’s franchises.  The Fox Lab Week, which ran from January 9-12, 2017, included educational panels featuring Fox creative film executives and guest speakers, such as writer/director Paul Feig (Bridesmaids, Spy, Ghostbusters).

Sara Price (Screenwriting) is now Kurt Sutter’s assistant. They’ve been developing projects throughout 2016 and a new spinoff of Sons of Anarchy, MAYANS MC, has been ordered to pilot.

Lorelei Ignas (Writing for Television) is now a writer at NBC’s Writers on the Verge.

Sharon Rapose (Screenwriting, Writing for Television) produced and edited “Konnichiwa Brick Lane” which will screen at Tampere Film Festival in March.

Samantha Bowling (Acting for the Camera) co-starred in the indie feature film, Back to Awesome, which was released on Amazon and iTunes in November.

Madeleine Holly-Rosing (Screenwriting) guest lectured at Dreamworks on crowdfunding and was interviewed in an article about crowdfunding in the Berlin Film Festival Magazine.

Christine Roney (Screenwriting) published her novel, Beyond Stone, based on one of the loglines she created in the program.

Jen Tousey and Darren Fitch (Producing) wrapped principal photography on an inspirational short film.

Geetika Budhiraja (Screenwriting, Acting for the Camera) produced, wrote, directed and acted in the film “Naked” for the 48 Hour Film Project. Her film made it to the top films of the festival. It was screened at the LA LIVE, Regal cinemas.

Bryan Kett (Writing for Television) won the Slamdance award for best original teleplay with a pilot he wrote in our program. Slamdance received a record-breaking 3,600 submissions for the 2016 Writing Competition.

Sarah Polhaus (Screenwriting) won the Austin Film Festival this year in the short category for her script ‘FutureHealth’.

Davina Willett (Writing for Television) won Best TV Pilot teleplay contest at LA Femme International Film Festival.

Heather Faris (Screenwriting) won the Page Awards (Action/Adventure) and was a Semifinalist for the 2016 Nicholls Fellowship with her feature script RIPPLE.

Heidi Nyburg (Screenwriting and Writing for Television) has done well in many festivals with scripts written in our workshops. Her pilot script Focus was: Top 5% Tracking Board Launch Pad 2016, Semifinalist Script Pipeline 2016, Semifinalist Screen Craft Pilot Launch 2016, Quarterfinalist Final Draft Big Break 2016, Quarterfinalist Page International 2016, Quarterfinalist at Cinestory. Her feature Just Be Cool was Scriptapalooza Semifinalist 2016, Quarter Finalist Final Draft Big Break 2016, and her feature Meeting Lorne Michaels was Semi Finalist Final Draft Big Break 2016.

Matt Clingempeel and Brendan Vogel (Screenwriting) were finalists in the Spotlight Screenplay Competition. Brendan completed the first draft of the script during his time in UCLA’s Professional Program under the guidance of Wendall Thomas. Brendan was also a quarter-finalist in Final Draft’s Big Break Screenwriting Contest.

Matt Clemons (Screenwriting) was a Semifinalist in the 2016 Academy Nicholl Fellowship.

Sarah Marsh (Writing for Television) advanced to the second round (top 15%) of the Austin Film Festival for her pilot Hell In Heels.

Rachael Blackwood (Writing for Television) advanced to the final three of Final Draft’s Big Break contest.

Ana R. Dominick (Screenwriting) won 1st Prize in the Rhode Island International Film Festival, was a Top 3 Finalist in Nantucket Film Festival and LA Shorts Fest, a Semi-Finalist in the Fade In Awards, and a Quarter Finalist in BlueCat Screenplay Competition.

Professional Programs alumni dominated the finals and semi-finals of the CineStory Foundation competition. Congratulations to Dave Pirinelli, Alice Denard, Barbara Rey, Tyler Chatham, Erin Fischer, Odin Ozdil, Christina Pamies, Diandra Leslie-Pelecky, Heidi Nyburg, Jo Buckman, Tameson Duffy, Michael Miller, Paige VanTassell and Renee Buck.