IS Films Press Kit by IS Films

IS Films Inc. P.O. Box 120733 Boston, MA 02112 www.isfilms.org

ISFilms inc.

table of contents Identity 4. 5. 6. 7-8. 9. 10. 11.

the situation the mission about IS Films the team history services programs

Action 13. 14. 15.

Press

your role the future contact - talk to us!

16-17. Emerson Today 18-19. Boston Globe 20-21. Imagine News 22-24. Berkeley Beacon 25-26. MetroWest Daily News

the situation S

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tudent filmmakers face a number of challenges in bringing their visions to life. Securing funding is a critical goal that must be met. The current system for attaining a fiscal sponsor for a student film is complex and time consuming. Current conditions in Massachusetts and New England demonstrate a clear need for expanded support of student media arts education and project development. Media arts programs in public and private high schools are limited or nonexistent. College Visual & Media Arts students and early-stage independent media producers face rising equipment and facility rental costs. In addition, fees for non-profit fiscal sponsorship of media projects are also increasing, up to 60 percent of collected donations, further limiting the capacity for project development. With major film production facilities planned for Southeastern Massachusetts and the projected growth of the media industry overall, opportunities for VMA education, training and project development are necessary to meet industry workforce needs. No local nonprofit in the Boston area currently offers this mix of knowledge and preparation.

There had to be a better way for students to acquire necessary funding & information. Enter IS Films Inc., a student-run network of filmmakers, television majors, producers, and editors. We are laying the groundwork for a national network for students looking to support and finance their visual and media projects that fulfill the requirements of a non-profit - promoting, among others, an educational, literary, scientific, or artistic purpose.

ISFilms inc.

the mission

IS Films will bolster education for local college VMA students by offering direct funding for independent projects and low-cost fiscal sponsorship of projects, capping fees at five percent. Through workshops and production internships, high school students will receive training from college VMA students as well as valuable on-set experience. IS Films will develop and conduct an innovative portfolio development program for high school students to help strengthen their applications to college VMA programs. The Company will also explore future strategic alliances with private and public sector entities to pursue additional targeted training initiatives to meet the workforce needs of the film production facilities as well as the community. The company will be principally engaged in conducting informational meetings, where students from various colleges in the area can request information regarding fiscal and production sponsorship for their projects, present their production packets or screen their projects, and request and receive donations for project productions, completions, or distributions from IS Films Inc.

Simply put - our mission is to give independent student filmmakers the resources, knowledge, and support they need to bring their visions to life.

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Films was created to address the continued rising costs of student film projects, and to offer film and other VMA (Visual and Media Arts) students a funding alternative for their project.

IS Films IS

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Films Incorporated is a student-run, non-profit organization created to aid in the production, funding, and distribution of Independent Student Visual and Media Arts (VMA) projects, including films, fictional narratives, documentaries, studio television sitcoms, radio and audio broadcasts, recordings, and graduation/thesis, or other projects that promote an educational, literary, scientific, or artistic purpose. We provide students with exposure to and work experience on film and television productions as well as conduct workshops in film development, media production and creative portfolio preparation. We also facilitate the production of local student and independent media projects. IS Films has earned a 501c3 status from the IRS. As described by the Internal Revenue Service in the 1986 Tax Code, a 501ÂŠ3 type tax-exempt organization promotes and is a religious, educational, charitable, scientific, literary, public safety, sports, or a cruelty-prevention organization.

ISFilms inc.

the team

Board of Directors directors@isfilms.org

Martin Zaharinov – President, Founder, Board of Directors Member Directing Film and Narrative Fition major at Emerson College, Martin is originally from Sofia, Bulgaria. Martin has been involved in numerous projects within the Emerson Community, serving primarily as a Producer or Assistant Director on various Film and TV sets. In addition to his creative achievements thus far, Martin is taking an active interest and pursuing a minor in Leadership and Management and Business. In the future, Martinhopes to attain DGA membership and to one day win an Oscar for film directing.

Elizabeth Daly – Secretary, Board of Directors Member

edaly@isfilms.org

A junior studio television major at Emerson College, Liz is originally from Framingham, Massachusetts and has been interested in television production since high school. In addition to IS Films, Liz is involved with many different projects at Emerson serving as Emerson Independent Video’s General Manager, The 28th Annual EVVY Awards Administrative Producer, and a member of Emerson’s Equity Fights AIDS Board. In the future, she hopes to become a daytime television producer in New York City.

Glen Livolsi – Board of Directors Member

glivolsi@isfilms.org

As the former Vice President of Sales for Performix Technologies, Glen was responsible for driving strategic growth in the US market and evangelizing performance management as the path to ongoing success for contact centers. Glen holds a BS in Economics with a minor in Business, and has had various sales positions in the high tech market space. Glen brings over 16 years of business experience to IS Films Inc., offering valuable perspective and direction in the development and execution of the company’s strategic plans. Additionally, Glen shares a passion for the art of film making and has also participated in small theater productions. Currently Glen is a Regional Director of Sales for Arantech.

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mzaharinov@isfilms.org

the team Board of Advisors

Vladimir Zachary Jackie McKeon Jessica Krywosa Paul Turano – pturano@isfilms.org

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Paul has a B.A. from Hampshire College in Filmmaking and Cultural Studies, and an M.F.A. from the Massachusetts College of Art in Filmmaking. He has independently produced numerous personal film works presented at festivals throughout North America, and has exhibited his work nationally and abroad. His work has been exhibited locally in Boston and has received grants from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and the LE Foundation. He has taught film production and film studies at Hampshire College, Massachusetts College of Art, Harvard University, the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, and Emerson College. As a freelance professional, he has worked as an Assistant Editor, Sound Recordist, and Camera Assistant for the PBS affiliated documentary company Florentine Films, and more recently as a Director/Co-Producer with Pam Larson for their own production company.

Michael G Beckett Inspiration is Michael’s first produced screenplay, which he adapted from his short story published over ten years ago. He has written and is actively pitching three feature-length scripts that have garnered positive response in the film industry, including two semi-finalist rankings in the Chesterfield Screenwriting Fellowship Program. He has served in an advisory capacity in the development of IS Films. Michael has a blog about Inspiration at http://inspirationfilm.blogspot.com Michael earned a B.S. in Mass Communications/TV Production from Emerson College, receiving two EVVY Awards for his work. Bui Doi–Dust Children, his student documentary examining the plight of mixed heritage Amerasian children fathered by U.S. military personnel during the Korean and Vietnam wars, was awarded the national Dore Schary Award for Human Relations Filmmaking. Michael is currently a freelance business and marketing writer focusing on “green collar” economic issues.

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history

Martin became actively involved in non-profit ventures and community outreach through the Invisible Children organization. While pursuing his dream of becoming a filmmaker, Martin realized the need within the Visual and Media Arts community for student-produced work as well as the lack of educational and funding support for students interested in pursuing film arts study and employment. Thus Martin founded IS Films Inc. in the hopes that the company can fill both the educational and financial gap in the student visual media world. Martin was set to produce Inspiration, a screenplay written in 1984 by Emerson alumnus Michael Beckett. With production costs near $40,000, Martin went to the faculty at Emerson looking for funding for his film. After continuous research, he discovered few government grants and a lack of support from nonprofits that help independent filmmakers fund their projects. In April of 2007, Martin launched IS Films as a nonprofit organization that could help him not only with the production of Inspiration, but also other students looking to produce independent films. Incorporated in Massachusetts in January, 2008 as a not-for-profit organization, IS Films is headquartered at 165 Central Street in Mansfield Massachusetts. Primary functions are currently conducted from office facilities at Emerson College, located in downtown Boston, with deliberate focus on providing educational support to college and college-bound Visual and Media arts (VMA) students.

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Founded in 2007 by Emerson College student Martin Zaharinov, IS Films Inc. was created to address the continued rising costs of student film projects, and to offer film and other Visual and Media Arts students a funding alternative for their project.

services Who We Can Help IS Films is dedicated to assisting college and college-bound Visual & Media Arts students in Massachusetts and the New England region.

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Direct Project Funding To provide opportunities for hands-on education in media production and exposure to industry-standard equipment, IS Films will provide direct financial support of two to five media projects annually. Candidate projects will have budgets of $5,000 to $15,000 to ensure support of quality endeavors that offer high potential for valuable learning.

Fiscal Sponsorship To further support development of media projects and expand learning opportunities for student filmmakers, IS Films will offer a fiscal sponsor relationship to projects in development. Sponsor fees will range from 2 percent to 5 percent of total donations. Fees are capped at 5%. This structure will enable student and independent producers to offer tax deductible status for donations; sponsor fees will provide a source of revenue for IS Films. Projected number of sponsored projects is open, based on number of applicants.

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programs

IS Films Inc. will partner with area high schools to provide college-bound students with portfolio development seminars. A studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s creative portfolio factors heavily into acceptance decisions by undergraduate art and VMA programs. Few public and private secondary schools are capable of adequately advising students on creative portfolio development. IS Films will fill this gap by providing workshops that cover the tools, methods,and resources required to create a successful portfolio.Current college students will discuss winning college portfolios and offer guidance on what local colleges look for in a creative portfolio.

Hands-On Workshops IS Films Inc. will conduct interactive workshops for local high school students. Topics will range from digital video to film cameras, lighting and editing and address varying skill levels. Equipment and space will be furnished through donations and loan agreements from local colleges and co-curricular media organizations.Workshop frequency will be determined by demand and equipment availability.

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Portfolio Development Program

the film I

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nspiration is the first film funded and produced by IS Films, with a screenplay written by Emerson Alumnus Michael Beckett. In the film, Claire, a precocious yet still innocent pre-teen girl, tries to learn about her absent father by secretly painting his portrait from her imagination. When her mother discovers the painting, Claire learns an even bigger secret, and takes the first steps on the path to becoming a young woman. â&#x20AC;¨

The film is set for completion in the spring of 2009, and will premiere early the following year. For media and the latest news on production and promotion, please visit our website at isfilms.org.

Michael Beckett maintains a blog about the filming process at http://inspirationfilm.blogspot.com.

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your role

donors.

Send all checks payable to IS Films to P.O. Box 120733 Boston, MA 02112 USA. All contributions are tax deductible. Supporters will receive various acknowledgment packages from the production based on tiered levels of support starting at $50. All levels of support are welcome. The present value of IS Films. Inc. lies in the cornerstone project titled Inspiration. Although the film is in its pre-production stage, and distribution is currently focused on film festivals, the project offers substantial value in terms of advancing IS Films’ educational mission and developing the credibility necessary for securing early-stage operational and program support. Extending the projected crew for Inspiration across the total number of media projects to be funded and supported by the Company, and factoring in direct educational services spurred by these projects and other Company programs, it is anticipated that upwards of 2,150 college and high school students will benefit from the Company’s activities through 2010.

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IS Films relies entirely upon the generous support of investors, grants societies, and other non-profit companies. Any and all contributions made to IS Films Inc. are tax-deductible under IS Films Inc.’s unique Tax ID number and will be used solely for the support and advancement of Inspiration and IS Films Inc. To make a donation using Paypal, visit www.isfilms.org.

the future outlook IS Films Inc. is committed to donating upwards of 75% of the Companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s revenue to external independent student projects. Furthermore, another 3% will be awaiting distribution at the beginning of the new fiscal year, bringing the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s total level of devotion to its projects to a staggering 78%.

overview

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IS Films Inc. is an entirely student-run organization, which operates with the support of generous individuals and organizations across the globe. Our fundraising goal for the production of Inspiration is $40,000 by July 30th, 2009. Any monetary contribution is tax deductable, tremendously appreciated, and will be recognized in the film. Donations can be made by check money order, or online transfer. To make an online contribution, or request more information, please visit us at www.isfilms.org.

acknowledgement tiers In consideration of financial support, contributors will receive the following based on level of support.

$49 and under Contributor Credit $50 to $499 Contributor Credit, Film Updates, Free DVD Copy $500 to $2499 Patron Credit, Film Updates, Special Edition DVD Copy,

Certificate of Honorary Appreciation $2500 to $4999 Producer Credit, Film Updates, Special Edition DVD Copy, Certificate of Honorary Appreciation, Production Momentos, Premiere Invitation $5000 and above Executive Producer Status, Film Updates, Special Edition DVD Copy, Certificate of Honorary Appreciation, Production Momentos, Formal Premiere Invitation for Two, Sneak Previews

ISFilms inc.

talk to us! Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d love to hear from you.

P.O. Box 120733 Boston, MA 02112

General inquiries info@isfilms.org PR & Press inquiries

marketing@isfilms.org EmComm Attn: IS Films Account Executive 150 Boylston St. Boston, MA 02116

visit us online.

www.isfilms.org twitter.com/isfilms inspirationfilm.blogspot.com

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Martin V. Zaharinov President/Director & Founder IS Films Inc. Phone: (781)330-9723 E-mail: mzaharinov@isfilms.org

coverage

Emerson Today

October 2008 • Vol.10 • No. 2 Students find ‘Inspiration’ in film and win major grants by Christopher Hennessy

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A film produced and directed by current Emerson students, with a screenplay penned by an alumnus, has won three major grants, including an equipment grant from Panavision’s New Filmmaker Program with an estimated value of $500,000. The filmmakers have also fundraised more than $17,000 to support the production of the film.

a double major in B.F.A. film and theater. Senior Jess Dunlap is director of photography and senior Rachel Moreau is production designer.Alumnus Michael Beckett ‘84 wrote the screenplay. What drew director Carr to the project was the character of Claire. “She’s so relatable, not just to women or kids, but to everyone who has ever struggled with understanding the great unknown,” said Carr. “She uses art in such an innately human way, to fill-in the gaps of her understanding.”

Zaharinov stresses that the film, though not part of a course or a thesis project, is being sponsored in The 35mm film, entitled Inspiration, is scheduled part by Emerson student group Frames Per Second to begin shooting late this month and into Novem- (FPS), which will allow students to earn non-tuition ber. The other grants the film has secured include credits for work on the project. “The project is a Kodak 35mm film stock grant and a Fotokem meant to be a great educational experience [for grant for post-production involved] “Students were able to secure everyone processing, dailies printing and eventually a fundfunding because of the professional ing initiative that will and answer printing. help raise money and quality of their production The film tells the story of development and the substance of benefit other student Claire, a precocious but inproductions and organocent girl who tries to learn the script they are working with” nizations,” he said. about her absent father by secretly painting his portrait from her imagination. “This is definitely an exciting project,” said Emerson When her mother discovers the painting, a secret Artist-in-Residence Paul Turano, who has advised unfolds that sends Claire on the first steps to be- the students. “These very motivated Emerson film coming a young woman. students – when faced with the realization of the lack of funding and support out there for student The film is produced by Martin Zaharinov, a soph- productions – are making Inspiration as the first omore majoring in directing narrative film with a film from the not-for-profit organization IS Films,” leadership and management minor, and is directed which the students created to support their work, by senior Jackie Carr, current president of Em- he said. Turano describes the Panavision grant as erson student group Women in Motion. Carr is “much coveted” for providing 35mm cameras and support.

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17 Emerson Today (cont.) October 2008 • Vol.10 • No. 2 Turano believes the students were able to secure all the funding because of “their organization [IS Films], the very professional quality of their pre-production development and the substance of the script they are working with.”

same vision and goals for the story.” Says Beckett, “It’s been fun watching Emerson students bring my script to life, and we’ve all been learning along the way. Their passion for the project has been clear from the outset. I’m continually impressed by the commitment, professionalism and just plain hard work they’ve put into every stage of the process.”

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FPS and IS Films Inc. are also teaming up to bring a Panavision 35mm workshop to campus, which will be open to the Emerson community. A chance connection A professional business writer and published author, the film’s screenwriter Beckett has ranked highly in major screenwriting competitions, but the Emerson connection came as a surprise to Zaharinov. “One of the best parts about this adventure is how I came in contact with the script,” said Zaharinov. While surfing the local industry website NewEnglandFilm.com in the early hours of morning, Zaharinov came across a posting from a scriptwriter looking for someone interested in his script. “I emailed him, having no clue at the time who he was and having only a two-line synopsis of the film.” After he read the screenplay, Zaharinov said he “fell instantly in love” with Beckett’s script. They met to discuss the possibilities. “We connected instantly,” Zaharinov recalls, “and bonded over the script as we had the

Emerson College Today is published monthly by the Office of Public Affairs at Emerson College. This article is available online at www.emerson.edu/emersontoday/

coverage

The Boston Globe

November 2, 2008

The angels behind a student project

Industry largesse plays a vital role in ‘Inspiration’ By Joel Brown, Globe Correspondent

PRESS

Martin Zaharinov majors in directing narrative fiction at Emerson College, but don’t underestimate the importance of his minor in leadership and management. Lately he’s demonstrating plenty of that important filmmaking skill known as getting it made.

35mm camera and equipment package from Panavision (worth low six figures to rent for a few weeks), a film stock grant from Kodak (worth perhaps $3,500), and processing from the FotoKem post-production company that Zaharinov said will probably be worth $30,000 or more.

Zaharinov is founder and president of IS Films Inc. (www.isfilms.org), a nonprofit intended to help fund student films beyond the normal thesis projects. And he and the IS (Independent Student) team, which includes treasurer Elizabeth Daly and nonstudent board members Paul Turano and Glen Livolsi, have reeled in some serious bounty for their first production.

All this is just the beginning, says Zaharinov, who is credited as executive producer and assistant director. He hopes IS Films will become a producing umbrella that will help many more students realize their filmmaking dreams.

But Zaharinov and company have scored a ton of film-industry largesse to get “Inspiration” done right: the loan of a complete

“He had a business plan for IS Films, he had a business plan for ‘Inspiration.’ For a kid who didn’t have a lot of business experience, I was impressed,” Livolsi said.

“Since [the Boston Film and Video Foundation] fell apart a few years ago, there’s been a big gap in the community,” Zahari“Inspiration,” filming in and around the nov said. “I felt like I could help fill that.” city this month, is a roughly 25-minute film with a cast of four, written by Michael Among his supporters is board member Gray Beckett (Emerson ‘84) and directed Livolsi, vice president of advertising and by Jackie Carr (an Emerson senior). It’s sales for IzzitGreen (www.izzitgreen.com), the kind of indie often shot on the most who got involved after his friend Beckett introduced him to Zaharinov. threadbare of shoestrings.

ISFilms inc.

“If I had one wish to do my life over, I would probably have gone out to California at 19 and tried” the movie business, Livolsi said with a chuckle. Now helping Zaharinov raise funds and refine his business methods is both a chance to grab a piece of that idle dream as well as give back after a lucrative career in the software industry, he said. Daly is also an Emerson student (‘09), and was the first to join Zaharinov’s quest when he started organizing IS Films as a nonprofit. Turano is artist in residence on Emerson’s Visual & Media Arts faculty. “Inspiration,” with a cast of nonunion actors working for free, has already shot four of its scheduled seven days and is set to wrap on Nov. 9. Zaharinov said they will submit to the student Academy Awards by the April 1 deadline. Among the dozens of students working on the production, he said, is a team of marketing and writing students who’ll help promote it.

The Boston Globe is the most widely circulated daily newspaper in Boston and in New England. This article is available online at h t t p : / / w w w. b o s t o n . c o m / a e / m o v ies/articles/2008/11/02/the_angels_behind_a_student_project/

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The Boston Globe (cont).

coverage

Imagine News

October 2008 | Page 5

Martin Zaharinov:

Emerson Student Filmmaker Forms IS Films, Inc. By Katie Martell What does it take for a student filmmaker to find the funds necessary to turn their creative visions into motion picture reality? The rising costs of student film projects demand just as much skill in grant writing and donation acquisition as it does in technical knowledge and creative vision.

PRESS

Although there are many non-profit fiscal sponsors for media projects, servicing fees required of student and independent filmmakers are rising – sometimes reaching as much as 60% of the entire donation. In today’s economy, the number of production grants available has shrunk, further increasing competition for funding and making it impossible for some student to finance their ventures – even graduation projects. Media arts programs in public and private high schools are limited or nonexistent. College VMA students and early – stage independent media producers face rising equipment media producers face rising equipment costs. Enter I.S. Films Inc. – a student – run nonprofit group created to address the plight of independent students (IS) in their pursuit of media arts study and employment. The company bolsters education for local college Usual & Media Arts students by offering direct funding for independent projects and low-cost fiscal sponsorship of projects, capping fees at 5%. The organization is the vision of Emerson College sophomore Martin Zaharinov – a film student who recognized the rising costs of projects, and the need for not only more accessible funds, but

also the knowledge behind attaining fiscal support for a project. With a little skill in grant-proposal writing, Martin was able to raise $500,000 worth of equipment grant from Panavision’s New Filmmaker Program. He has also secured a Kodak 35mm film stock grant and a Fotokem grant for post-production processing, dailies printing and answer printing. These grants and other funds raised will go towards INSPIRATION, the organization’s first major film project. The film is in its production stages, and will be set for release in April of 2009. Donations (tax deductable) are still being accepted. The film is produced by Zaharinov, with a screenplay written by Emerson Alum Michael Becket (’84). INSPIRATION will be funded and produced by IS Films, and directed by Jackie Carr. IS Films is a student-run network of filmmakers, television majors, producers and editors. They’re laying the groundwork for a national network of students looking to support and finance their visual and media arts projects that fulfill the requirements of non-profit. They have just attained a 501(c) 3 status with the IRS, giving them full capabilities as a nonprofit organizations. Zaharinov says he created IS Films to address the lack of educational and funding support for people interested in pursuing media arts stud ad employment. The company will bolster education for local college VMA students by offering direct funding for independent projects and low-cost fiscal sponsorship of projects, capping fees at 5 percent. Through workshops and production internships, high school

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21 Imagine News (cont.)

The mission is clear: to provide educational support and training to facilitate the development of student film and media production, talent and skills, and offer production and finding support to local and student film and video producers.

Martin Zaharinov President/Founder/Board of Directors Member Martin Zaharinov is a Directing Film and Narrative Fiction major at Emerson College. Martin is originally from Sofia, Bulgaria. He moved to the states at the age of 14 and attended high school in the town of Mansfield, Massachusetts. Martin has bee involved in numerous projects within the Emerson Community, serving primarily as a Producer or Assistant Director on carious Film and TV sets. In addition to his creative achievements thus far, Martin is taking an active interested and pursuing a minor in Leadership and Management.

Martin became actively involved in non-profit ventures and community outreach through the Invisible Children organization. While pursuing his dream A Who’s Who of IS Films, Inc. of becoming a filmmaker, Martin realized the need within the Visual and Media Arts community for Liz Daly student-produced work as well as the lack of eduBoard of Directors Member & Company Secretary cational and funding support for student interested in pursuing film arts student and employment. Thus Liz Daly is a junior studio television major at Em- Martin founded IS Films Inc. in the hopes that the erson College. She is originally from Framingham, company can fill both the educational and financial Massachusetts and has been interested in televi- gap in the student visual media world. In the future, sion production since high school. IN addition to Martin hopes to attain DGA membership and to IS Films, Liz is involved with many different proj- one day win an Oscar for film directing. ects at Emerson serving as Emerson Independent Video’s General Manager, The 28th Annual EVVY Rounding out the Boards of Directors and advising the Awards Administrative Producer, and a member of group are Glen Livilso, CP of Sales of IzzitGreen, and Paul Emerson’s Equity Fights AIDS Board. In her spare Turano, Full-time Intermediate Film Production Teacher time, Liz likes to spend all her money on clothes, and Artist –in-Residence at Emerson College. shores, purses, and theater tickets. In the future, Liz hopes to become a daytime television produc- More information about IS Films can be found at er in New York City where she can indulge in her www.isfilms.org. two favorite things: soap operas and Broadway.

Imagine News is published monthly, and covers film, television, and new media production in the Northeast.

http://www.imaginenews.com

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students will receive training from college VMA students as well as valuable on-set experience. The company will develop and conduct an innovative portfolio development program for high school students to help strengthen their applications to college VMA programs. The company will also explore future strategic alliances with private and public sector entities to pursue additional targeted training initiative to meet the workforce needs for the film production facilities as well as the community.

coverage

The Berkeley Beacon

November 2008 | Lifestyle Section

IS Films finds Inspiration in EmComm Emily Gonzalez

Finding funding for films is not an easy task for students with limited resources. Martin Zaharinov, sophomore film major and founder of the nonprofit organization IS Films, is getting help from EmComm to get the word out about his organization and its mission.

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In April, he decided to start IS Films as a nonprofit organization that could help not only him and the production of his film, but also the other students who wanted to produce independent student films. After making this decision and filing as a non-profit with the IRS, Zaharinov went to EmComm with his business plan, hoping to IS Films is Zaharinov’s answer to a lack receive some help marketing his new orof funding for student independent films, ganization. which he encountered during his freshman year that he wanted to produce In- “We don’t have time to raise awareness, spiration, a screenplay written in 1984 by but our main goal is to raise awareness Emerson alumnus Michael Beckett. and bring in more profit,” Zaharinov said. “EmComm is key to our success.” Producing this film would cost him around $40,000, according to his research. He Originally Zaharinov went to EmComm met with Emerson faculty who, Zaharinov when they were in the process of placing said, told him it was not going to work. new board members and could not take After finding there were only five govern- on an account in the middle of the semesment grants that were set aside to pay for ter. The request and business plan were indie movies, Zaharinov tried to appeal to reconsidered this fall and the plan to help nonprofits that help independent films for IS Films was pitched at an EmComm meetfunding for his project. ing. Once it was decided that EmComm would take on the account, Katie Martell “The nonprofit execs said they had no in- was placed as account executive. terests in students because they wouldn’t get anything out of it,” said Zaharinov. “I’m very glad to be on board with IS Films “The more I researched the more I saw this semester. It’s nice to get a client with the need for something greater for stu- such purpose and power to change things dents.” for the better,” the senior marketing communication major said.

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The Berkeley Beacon (cont).

important time for awareness of IS Films. His original goal, and ultimate reason behind searching for funding for student independent films, is that other student filmmakers might not have to go through the same financial woes. Inspiration is almost “Our marketing plan this semester be- done and any new money that comes into gan with a media outreach, sending out the nonprofit will be able to go towards pitches and press releases about IS Film’s new student projects. mission to various media. We targeted on-campus media, VMA publications and “We can’t offer anyone anything till we get funding,” said Zaharinov. regional media,” said Martell. Martell explained that, because of this outreach, articles about IS Films had been featured or were in the process of being featured in New Prosperity Initiative, The Boston Globe, Emerson Today, Boston Herald, Framingham TAB, The MetroWest Daily News and Imagine News. The second stage of the campaign is underway and the EmComm team is now focusing on how to reach the audience who would be most affected by IS Films.

He was very excited and pleased with EmComm’s help. “All of them are great, excited, and enthused. Katie is amazing. It was really heartening to me,” he said.

Filming for Inspiration will finish up on Nov 9. Zaharinov plans to send out his film to non-profit organizations, making them aware of the quality of work students can produce with the proper amount of fund“We recently heard from Ben Grossman, ing, and asking them to help financially suplocal expert on social media marketing, to port IS Films. gain some insight on how to utilize social media tactics to engage with the IS Films “Instead of making a company to fund my audience of VMA majors and independent film,” Zaharinov said. “I’m using my film as a cornerstone of this project.” filmmakers,” Martell said. Zaharinov explained that now is a very

The Berkeley Beacon is an independent student publication

published weekly at Emerson College. www.berkeleybeacon.com

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EmComm’s purpose in helping IS Films, Martell said, is to make people aware of the non-profit organization and their mission to help independent student filmmakers.

coverage MetroWest Daily News November 2008

Envisioning what it takes to be a television producer By Liz Mineo

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FRAMINGHAM - During her sophomore and junior years at Framingham High School, Elizabeth Daly worked for Flyer News, the school’s television production program, following her passion for broadcasting.

Of working as a television producer, Daly said she loves everything about it, from the adrenaline that comes with making sure everything is ready for when the cameras start filming to the welcome chances to meet celebrities on the job.

That passion has taken Daly, 20, a member of the class of 2006, to Emerson College, where she’s majoring in video and television preparing to become a daytime television producer.

Two weeks ago, Daly’s team used the same equipment as Mel Gibson. Her team was doing outside shots for “Inspiration,” a movie produced by IS Films, Inc., a nonprofit organization run by students to help produce, distribute and fund Visual Media Arts projects. When Daly and other producers went to a Boston-based store that rents film equipment to pick up a camera crane, they were told Mel Gibson’s production team had used it before.

It’s a dream that can come true soon. After her graduation next fall, Daly, 20, hopes to start making a living producing television programs similar to “Guiding Light,” or “The View,” her favorite TV shows. Her dream is to produce a national daytime broadcast show as successful as “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” “I love television shows,” said Daly.“My best friend always jokes with me saying she wants to be Gayle (King), Oprah’s best friend, with me being Oprah.”

“It was a hectic day, and we had to scramble to figure out how to find a replacement,” she said. “But it was very exciting that Mel Gibson’s team came to the same place.” Daly has been working with IS Films, the group whose goal is to raise money to fund student projects, since January. Daly is its treasurer.

ISFilms inc.

25 MetroWest Daily News (cont.)

“To film one minute, we need half-an-hour to set everything up,” she said. “Television is quicker, but the two are extremely different.” Next fall, Daly plans to go to Los Angeles, where she’ll be working as an intern.Then she plans to move to New York, where she hopes to start her broadcasting career, and with perseverance and luck, she hopes it won’t take too long before she has her first break as a television producer.

MetroWest Daily News is a daily newspaper in Framingham, Massachusetts, serving the MetroWest region of suburban Boston. www.metrowestdailynews.com

PRESS

As part of her work with the group, Daly is also one of the six producers of “Inspiration,” IS Films’ first feature film. It’s also the first film she has co-produced and though she cherishes the experience, she realized she prefers television.