Overview - In the News

Great News during trying economic times!
Hollywood Foreign Press Association Grants Film Production Option $86,000.

(Aug. 11, 2009) The Department of Cinema and Television Arts Film Production Option received $60,000 for production fellowships for senior film project students for the 2009- 2010 academic year from the prestigious Hollywood Foreign Press Association known internationally for their Golden Globe Awards. Another $26,000 was awarded to help mount the Annual Senior Film Showcase slated for May 2010 and to upgrade the ADR/Foley facility. The directors of the senior film projects have the distinction of being named "Hollywood Foreign Press Fellows" a distinction usually reserved for graduate students. Golden Globe nominee Evan Rachel Wood announced the award to CSUN at the HFPA's Annual Installation and Grants Luncheon held August 11th at the Beverly Hills Hotel.  Other celebrities in attendance included Warren Beatty, Rose McGowan, Jordana Brewster, Hugh Dancy, Carla Gugino, Rex Lee, Eva Longoria Parker, Dylan McDermott, Chris Pine, Jason Reitman Emmy Rossum, and Kerry Washington.  Professor Nate Thomas, Film Production Option Head, and Karen Kearns, Associate Dean of the Mike Curb College of Arts, Media, and Communication, represented CSUN at the event. The  CTVA Department has a long standing relationship with the HFPA which started in 1996. Senior film production students also edit in the Hollywood Foreign Press Association Senior Film Edit Suite and will prepare sound design Fall ‘09 in the state-of-the-art Hollywood Foreign Press Association Film Sound Mix Studio recently upgraded by the HFPA.

Click here to read the Variety.com news release.

Click here to read The Hollywood Reporter news release.

Noted Film Director Donald Petrie Will Be Artist in Residence

Professor Nate Thomas, CTVA’s Film Production Option Head, has announced that film director and CSUN Theatre Alumnus Donald Petrie will spend this Fall 2009 semester as  the Artist in Residence in the film program.  Mr. Petrie will mentor the CTVA 452 Senior Film Project directors (Kaileigh Martin, Angelique Lettich, Doron Kipper, and Lhennards Acuna) who are also our Hollywood Foreign Press Association Fellows.  He will also hold workshops in other parts of the program and will visit courses in the other CTVA options as well.

Donald Petrie spent most of last year in Greece shooting the Fox Searchlight comedy My Life In Ruins starring Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) as a guide of the ancient ruins leading the most outrageous bus tour group ever. Richard Dreyfuss heads up an international cast. Donald’s most recent release was the quirky comedy Just My Luck, starring Lindsay Lohan and Chris Pine. Before that, the political satire-romantic comedy Welcome To Mooseport, with Ray Romano and Gene Hackman.

Previously, Donald directed the hit comedy How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days starring Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey for Paramount Pictures, and Miss Congeniality starring Sandra Bullock, Michael Caine and Benjamin Bratt for Warner Bros. Other feature credits include the gender-bender comedy The Associate starring Whoopi Goldberg, Disney’s My Favorite Martian with Jeff Daniels, Christopher Lloyd and the holiday hit Grumpy Old Men starring Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau and Ann-Margret.

Petrie began his entertainment career as an actor, getting his first professional gig while still a theater student at CSUN and going on to appear in many television episodes.  In 1980, Donald decided to shift his focus to directing when he was accepted as a Fellow at the American Film Institute.  While there he made a short film, The Expert that caught the eye of Steven Spielberg, who asked Donald to direct an episode of Amazing Stories.  That episode, entitled “Mister Magic”, starring Sid Caesar, began Petrie’s professional directing career. Donald then began a busy period directing episodic television, including MacGyver, The Equalizer and the landmark series LA Law.  A controversial episode he directed for the latter entitled “The Venus Butterfly” brought Petrie Directors Guild and Emmy nominations.

Samuel Goldwyn, Jr. offered Donald the chance to direct his first feature, Mystic Pizza.  Both a critical and box office success, Mystic Pizza starred Annabeth Gish, Lili Taylor  and provided Julia Roberts with her breakthrough role. (It also gave a very young Matt Damon his first appearance.) Petrie then directed the wacky comedy Opportunity Knocks with Dana Carvey; Richie Rich, starring Macauley Culkin; and the sleeper romantic comedy The Favor with Elizabeth McGovern, Bill Pullman and Brad Pitt.

2009 Senior Film Showcase hosted by Bill Duke

This year's showcase was hosted by actor/director Bill Duke and held on the evening of May 6th at the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Goldenson Theatre. The five senior film projects that were showcased were Family Pieces [Director Ryan Close], Tag [Director Henry Fernandez], Undying Love [Director Brian Halopoff], I Do and I Don't [Director Terri Ann Driggs], and Sounds of Silence [Directors Joey Umana/Shirley Kim] . All were screened in the 35mm format. Cinematheque honors were given to Mr. Duke, Michael F. Blake (Emmy Award winning make-up artist) and Tim Russ (Actor/ STAR TREK - VOYAGER). (MORE...)

CSUN Students Headed to International Film Competition for Making LIKE A TREE

(NORTHRIDGE, Calif., Jun. 1st, 2009) ―

A man with a cassette player is surrounded by people with advanced technology. Dissatisfied with his meager device, he lets his imagination—with help from Mother Nature—take him farther than technology ever could.

It’s a simple premise for a movie, but one that is taking Cal State Northridge film students Michael O’Connor and Ross Sauriol from Manzanita Hall, home to CSUN’s Department of Cinema and Television Arts, to the screening rooms of Paramount Studios later this month.

O’Connor and Sauriol and their short film, “Make Like A Tree,” have been invited to take part in the Campus MovieFest 2009 International Grand Finale at Paramount on June 11-13. The event will feature the top 45 films from Campus Movie Fests held at universities across the country.

“We feel honored and grateful to be included in the festival,” O’Connor said. “To be honest with you, I’m not sure what all is happening at the Grand Finale, but I am looking forward to seeing all the other student films and perhaps learning something.”

Representatives from Campus MovieFest, which professes to be the world’s largest student film competition, visited university film departments last fall and invited the young filmmakers to participate. The students were given one week and all the equipment needed to shoot, edit and produce a short film.

O’Connor and Sauriol, who have just finished their junior years at CSUN, declined the offer of equipment since they had their own, but took up the challenge to make a film in a week.

“We actually did it in only two days,” said O’Connor, 21, of Agoura Hills, who composed the music for the film and starred as its main protagonist.

With limited time, O’Conner said they weren’t going to hire an actor. Most of the locations for the film were near his house, or on the CSUN campus. “And since I kind of look like a nature, grungy guy, it made sense for me to be in it.”

“Make Like a Tree” made the top three of the CSUN student entries in the Campus MovieFest, and was invited to be part of the regional contest in San Francisco. There, it made the top 16.

“After that, I thought it was over,” O’Connor said. “But then we got a call that we were invited to Hollywood. That was pretty nice.”

O’Connor said he has been struck by how different people interpret “Make Like a Tree.”

“To me, it’s about a guy using his imagination to have fun,” he said. “But Ross sees it as a technology vs. nature concept. Others see it as a green film. While that wasn’t my goal, I’m glad people are enjoying it.”

Broadcast Education Association Media Arts Festival honors CSUN Cinema and TV Arts Professor Eric Edson's feature-length screenplay

The Broadcast Education Association Media Arts Festival, which receives creative competition entries from all over the country in the areas of television production, news, film, documentaries, and script writing, have honored CSUN Cinema and TV Arts Professor Eric Edson's feature-length screenplay "Spirit Walker" with the 2009 BEA Best of Festival Award. "Spirit Walker" tells the story of a 16 year old Rebel Without A Cause, Spence, who returns to his mother's small home town right in the middle of Chumash Indian country. When Spence's grandpa dies unexpectedly, Spence is the only person in town who suspects foul play. "Spirit Walker" is a Coming of Age tale wrapped inside a murder mystery. The BEA award will be presented to Eric at a gala in Las Vegas during the BEA Festival and Conference this April.

"Women Behind the Camera" Selected for Film Festivals

(For further information, please see www.womenbehindthecamera.com.)

Prof. Alexis Krasilovsky's film, "Women Behind the Camera" has been selected for the following festivals: (MORE...)

Faculty Film Director and Editor Win Honors at Pan African Film Festival

[CONTACT INFORMATION: Alison Graham | Ratcliff Graham Publicity | 310-494-1554 | http://www.happysadthemovie.com]

Los Angeles, CA -- HAPPYSAD, a feature film directed by CSUN professor Dianah Wynter and edited by Prof. Michael Hoggan, won Special Jury Mention at the Pan African Film Festival.

Shot entirely on location in Trinidad and Tobago, HAPPYSAD is a coming-of-age drama about 17-year-old Mandy Graham (Caribbean actress-model Angel Ross), a high school soccer player intent on making something out of her life and desperate not to end up anything like the father who abandoned her and the mother incarcerated for murder.

Veteran actor Bill Cobbs (Night at the Museum, The Others) co-stars as the sexist patriarch of her fractured family.

The Emmy nominated Prof. Wynter has taught advanced television directing and introduction to Mass communications at CSUN and shot this feature on location during her winter vacation one year ago.

Prof. Hoggan who teaches Avid editing and film production, has edited on over 20 different TV series including such diverse shows as: Early Edition , Cop Rock, Miami Vice, Comic View, and Fantasy Island.

Famed feature film producer-director Bill Duke says of Wynter’s film, “she allowed the audience to care about the characters. It was touching, painful and intelligent. I would recommend HAPPYSAD to anyone who has a chance to view it.”

The CSUN community clearly took those words to heart, as many faculty and students attended the screenings during the festival, which took place February 5 through 16th.

The film was written and produce by Horace Wilson, a native of Trinidad, who created a story that intertwines Mandy's personal struggles with those of her newly inherited "dysfunctional" family. Passions are unleashed. Souls are bared. Secrets are revealed. Tragedy strikes.

Award-winning director/producer Dianah Wynter brought together an exciting ensemble cast of Caribbean actors. Using filmmaking skills that she imparts to her students here at CSUN, Wynter crafted a touching story of love, pain, victory and redemption that appeals to a broad audience.

CSUN Students Awarded Film Scholarships

Media Contact: Nichole O'Grady / nichole.ogrady.67@csun.edu / (818) 677-2130
(NORTHRIDGE, Calif., Jan. 21st, 2009) ―

Two Cal State Northridge Cinema and Television Art (CTVA) students were awarded the 2008 J. Michael Brinkman Scholarship Award, honoring their commitment to excellence and desire to further their careers in post-production.

Daniel Reams and Nicholas Batchelder, both senior CTVA students, received $1,000 in scholarship money to help fund their career as film students. Four university students from California were chosen for this award.

“Having two CSUN multimedia students win this scholarship is both gratifying and exciting,” said Mary Schaffer, head of the multimedia option at CSUN. “The multimedia option in the CTVA department is one that combines all digital aspects of the entertainment and corporate production worlds. Many multimedia students, upon graduating, enter the field of post-production.”

Brinkman, for whom the scholarship is named for, is a leading figure in Hollywood’s broadcast and post-production communities and was a founding member of the Hollywood Post Alliance (HPA), which provides expertise, support, tools and the infrastructure for the creation and finishing of motion pictures, television, commercials, digital media and other dynamic media.

Much of Brinkman’s professional life was spent helping others understand technology in the service of the creative endeavor. His enthusiasm and willingness to mentor touched many lives. In his memory, the HPA continues his legacy by helping students and faculty in the post film career.

Having graduated in December, Reams, a Simi Valley resident, is honored to have the recognition of the HPA.

“It was an awesome feeling receiving this award because the HPA has such a large presence in the industry. It was a big surprise to be recognized by them,” he said. “Aside from the monetary benefits of the scholarship, it will benefit me in the fact that it’s almost a conversation starter. It’s an award I’m proud of.”

A Granada Hills resident, Batchelder has already found success, partially brought on by the HPA’s recognition.

“Aside from enabling me to complete my degree, it also adds to my resume and gives me a boost of encouragement in a career I am currently pursuing,” he said. “Since receiving the award, I have already been employed as an editor for two features and a television pilot. I intend to explore the art of editing with the frame of mind that a skilled editor makes a skilled director.”

In addition to the student’s recognition and success, HPA awards a stipend to the recommending instructors of scholarship winners to be used in support of their scholarly endeavors. CSUN’s Cinema and Television Arts director, Mary Schaffer, was among the four instructor’s who were recognized.

“The HPA is a forward thinking organization, one that has embraced students.

The HPA leadership and membership has always been helpful to students,” said Schaffer. “It is an honor to be recognized by the HPA. They are committing resources to the next generation of editors and post-production professionals.”