Greenhouse Studios to offer Filmmaker Awards at this year's BHFF

The Broads are happy to report that Greenhouse Studios, a post production facility dedicated to providing high quality post services to independents and high-end clients alike, has lent their support again this year offering two Filmmakers Awards. The prizes include a very generous post production package (including free Offline Editing time, HD Color Correction and Graphics) to the winners of both the Best Feature and Best Short. We can’t thank the folks at Greenhouse Studios enough for their commitment to the independent women of comedy.

Broad Humor DIY DAY: Paradigm Shift

We are starting to put together the panelists for our all-day workshop for independent filmmakers - DIY DAY: Paradigm Shift on Friday, September 28. Independent film is still struggling to find some solid ground in the new transmedia world, and we've got a whole day planned to take folks through the process of preparing, creating, and promoting your own content instead of waiting for someone else to pull a Prince Charming. For both professionals and newcomers who want to polish their production tools and get a handle on the process of building a career-sustaining audience.

NYC Theater Rental Rates for Screenings

Saw a list of theaters for rent around NYC with prices for renting them for screenings.  Anybody got a similar list for here in LA?  Click thru to see details if interested...

Sending Your Project "to School"

As I watch movies and read scripts for this year's competition, I am struck over and over by the unfulfilled promise of many works.  It is clear there is a story or characters there to love. And that love is getting in the way of the life of the work in the same way an overbearing parent can smother a child.  School does not treat your precious baby as well as you would like.  Social requirements are made.  It is painful.  But to learn to "play well with others" is the goal and reward of socialization.  Too many of these creative "darlings" have not learned that skill.  I can see what you love.  But you must cut the apron strings (aka cutting pages and scenes) by getting feedback from loving teachers.  Not all teachers are great, but most are not bad for the simple reason that if your story loses them, they will tell you and you will have to fix it. Don't argue.  Their solution might not be the right one, but try it.  Try other things.  Learn to help your baby "play well" with any audience. It breaks my heart when a work with legs is still crawling because the creator "loved it too much" to help it become what it could.

WTF of the Week - Fox/NYTVF Comedy Script Contest

25 finalists announced in the Fox Comedy Script Contest.  Only one woman out of 25 finalists (Santa Sierra) plus two co-writers (Heather Huntington and Tasha Gordon-Solmon).  Kudos to these women for making the cut, but come on.  We know from Broad Humor that women write wonderfully funny movies.  We know from a Meryl Streep speech at the Crystal Lucy Awards that women-oriented movies give a better return investment on average.  At the same event, wasn't Fox just honored by Women in Film for having so many women execs?  So I ask you...wtf?

Pixar Story Rules

The blog for the book The Pixar Touch posted a great compilation of tweets from Emma Coates distilling gems from her senior colleagues on creating great stories.  The blog gives you 22 examples of her tweets.  They are fantastic.  For example:

#2: You gotta keep in mind what’s interesting to you as an audience, not what’s fun to do as a writer. They can be v. different.

After reading hundreds of scripts from so many different writers over the years, I would like to paste this one on the wall above every screenwriter's computer. 


The one I committed to memory for myself was this succinct nugget:

#19: Coincidences to get characters into trouble are great; coincidences to get them out of it are cheating.


Check them out and share your favorites.  Follow her on Twitter.

Julia Camara in WIFI Panel May 13

One of our Broads, Julia Camara, will be part of a WIFI panel on Sunday, May 13 in Hollywood about filming not in Hollywood, but abroad. It looks like it's going to be a great event.

         Women In Film International (WIFI) Committee In Association with
                             New Filmmakers Los Angeles presents
                            "That's Right, You're Not in Hollywood!"

Join us for an evening with International Directors Julia Camara, Deepika Daggubati,
and Christine Yoo as they share their often hilarious experiences shooting indie films
in Brazil, India, and South Korea 

Sunday, May 13th
5:00 - 7:00 pm
Sunset Gower Studios
6040 Sunset Blvd.
Hollywood, CA 90028
Light Refreshments will be served

LIGHTS! CAMERA! And wait ... 24-hour work days, wild snakes you could step on, and using the actual weight of human beings to balance your camera crane - Welcome to the world of global independent film making in Brazil, India, and South Korea- where craft service is a cup of instant noodles, the temperature in the jungle is like a cranked up oven, and where any serious director needs 4 assistants just to push through an instant flash mob of 1,000 onlookers simply to call "ACTION!"

Topics include: Working with International Actors, Crews, and Production Systems 

Street parking available (Enter at Main Gate, Sunset Gower Studios at 6040 Sunset Blvd.)

WIF/New Filmmakers Members: $10 / Non-Members: $15 (Cash or Check Only)
RSVP TODAY to: WIFInternational@yahoo.com
(Include number of guests and and WIF member number; Limited Seating)

Julia Camara is an award winning Brazilian writer and filmmaker. She wrote the screenplay for "Area Q" with director Gerson Sanginitto. The sci-fi drama stars Isaiah Washington and Brazilian star Murilo Rosa. "Area Q" screened at the Hollywood Film Festival and opened in theaters nationwide in Brazil on April 13th 2012.  www.juliacamara.com

Deepika Daggubati is an Indian-born filmmaker, raised in Texas and based in Los Angeles.  Her industry experience includes screenwriting (Disney; Colucci Productions), development (Valhalla Motion Pictures), and editing (Saban Research Institute).  Deepika's feature writing/directing debut, the award-winning WAKING DREAMS, is a West Texas meets Bollywood coming-of-age comedy that FILM RADAR called "a witty, romantic delight for all ages!"
www.wakingdreamsmovie.com

Christine Yoo's feature film debut is the award winning "Wedding Palace," the 1st US-Korea independent co-production. Shot in Los Angeles and Seoul, Korea, the film will be released theatrically in the US, Fall 2012, and has screened to sold out festival audiences and college campuses nationwide. Prior to co-writing, directing and producing "Wedding Palace," Yoo worked as a film & TV writer and editor in features, television and commercials.
www.weddingpalacemovie.com

Event Produced by WIFI Co-Chair Ruby Lopez and WIFI Advisor Chair Tobie Loomis