film. tv. entertainment. film. tv. entertainment.
ENVIRONMENTAL MEDIA ASSOCIATION
www.hollywoodtrucksllc.com
NVIRONMENTAL MEDIA ASSOCIATION
www.hollywoodtrucksllc.com
MAGAZINE
JULY / AUGUST 2016
STAFF Publishers:
Tia Powell (Group Publisher) Gary Powell
CONTRIBUTORS Christopher Campbell
Reality Check, p.34
Christopher Campbell is a writer specializing in nonfiction film and television. He is the creator of the documentary review website Nonfics and an editor for Film School Rejects and Movies.com. He has also contributed to Indiewire, MTV News, Paste, New York magazine and Documentary Magazine. He has a Master’s degree in Cinema Studies from NYU and now resides in Georgia with his wife and children. www.nonfics.com
Publishing Coordinator: Hilary Cadigan
Assistant to Publisher:
Zachary Vaudo
Editorial: Gary Powell
Sales:
Laura Miller
Kris Thimmesch Martha Ronske Kristina Foster Greg Savage
Ready, Set, Go!, p.46 Laura Miller is a freelance writer from Atlanta, who has been scribbling away in her home office since 2012. From small community newspapers to national publications, Laura enjoys writing features, reviews, profiles, or good old-fashioned opinion pieces. www.omniawriting.com.
Contributors:
Christopher Campbell Laura Miller Isadora Pennington
Creative Director: Kelvin Lee
Isadora Pennington
The Women Behind the Curtain, p.40
Isadora is a photojournalist and multidisciplinary artist. Born in Nashville, TN, she spent her early life moving often between states on the East coast, before settling in Atlanta to attend Georgia State University, where she got her BA in Studio Art. She has worked as a designer and photographer for local print publications, and has also discovered a joy for writing, specifically when it’s about artists and their work. A lover of all things creative, she stays busy with new projects that span a broad spectrum of mediums. www.isadorapennington.com
Production and Design:
Kelvin Lee Michael R. Eilers Ted Fabella (Oz Logo Design)
Researcher: Roxy Russell
Cover Image: Lela Brunet
Lela Brunet
Cover art Lela is a visual artist living in Atlanta. With her main subject being the female form, she explores the contrast created when the grace of the figure and the tension of energetic patterns and colors collide together. Lela’s work explores this visual battlefield of pattern, color, and form. She has exhibited her work in multiple galleries and events throughout Atlanta. www.lelabrunet.com
Michael Eilers www.ozmagazine.com www.facebook.com/ozpublishing www.twitter.com/ozpublishing (404) 633-1779 Oz Magazine is published bi-monthly by Oz Publishing, Inc. 2566 Shallowford Road Suite 104, #302 Atlanta, GA 30345 Copyright © 2016 Oz Publishing Incorporated, all rights reserved. Reproductions in whole or in part without express written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. This magazine is printed on recyclable paper.
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Cover story design Michael Eilers was born and raised in Atlanta. Through active duty service in the Air Force, he was able to pursue a degree at Kennesaw State University in visual arts with a concentration in graphic communications. His main focuses in his work are publication design and typographic treatment, and although his drawing skills and three dimensional designs are strong suits of his, digital art is where he thrives.
JULY / AUGUST 2016
CONTENTS
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56 GIF: The Powerpuff Girls Coding Event 57 Doggies on the Catwalk
Ozcetera
34
08
58 80 Years of Gone With the Wind: “Thank You, Margaret Mitchell!”
Cover Story Reality Check
59 Women in Production Summit
40
40
Feature Story The Women Behind the Curtain
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60 Anamorphic Prime Lens Chart
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63
Feature Story Ready, Set, Go!
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52
46
Let Me Give You My Card
66
Oz Scene
52 The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival Icon Awards: Lawrence Kasdan
58 International Drone Day
56
Next Generation 54
54 TERMINUS
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58
59
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Senator Chris Dodd
AFCI Announces Cineposium Topics and Speaker
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he Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI) has announced its initial program topics and opened registration for its 40th annual Cineposium conference slated for September 22 – 24 in Atlanta and hosted by Oz Publishing and sponsoring company Barnes & Thornburg, LLP. Senator Chris Dodd, Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. has been announced as the first confirmed speaker. “The AFCI is honored to have Senator Dodd providing remarks at our 40th annual conference. Atlanta has become a global production hub over the past few years and has sustained success through a strong crew base, a competitive film incentive and legislative proponents of TV and film production that view the
industry as a job creator and economic driver for the State of Georgia,” said Kevin Clark, AFCI’s Executive Director. “Atlanta’s production infrastructure serves as a model and we wanted this year’s Cineposium as an opportunity to examine and highlight it as a model for our AFCI Members.” “Infrastructure: How to Build It, Maintain It, and Manage Crew Development to Meet Its Needs” is the focus for this year’s event. Program topics include building consensus, facilities, crew base, networks and bridges. AFCI will also present a case study on Senoia, the suburban Georgia town that serves as the on-location set for The Walking Dead. “We will be showing off Georgia and its growing infrastructure which really puts the
state on the map as far as production,” said Stephen Weizenecker, an entertainment attorney with Barnes & Thornburg’s Atlanta office. “This will be a great gathering to discuss the latest trends around the world in the film and television industry.” Weizenecker, along with Oz’s publisher Tia Powell, submitted the winning bid to AFCI that brought the globally rotating conference to Atlanta. As AFCI’s marquee annual event designed exclusively for film commissioners, Cineposium provides an opportunity for directed education and training as well as face-to-face access to industry leaders. AFCI members, TV and film executives, and production professionals from more than 30 countries attend the three-day summit each year.
Entertainment Lawyer Joseph Beck Publishes Memoir
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Joseph Beck
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tlanta enter tainment /media at torney Joseph Beck released his memoir My Father and Atticus Finch, recounting the stories of his father, Foster Beck, and his historic case that foreshadowed the pivotal trial from Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. “I’m not claiming [Harper Lee] used that story for her story,” says Beck, whose book was released through W.W. Norton & Company. “I just say at the end it’s nice that Alabama can be proud of Harper Lee’s fictional story and my father’s true story.” Beck reconstructs his father’s role in State of Alabama vs. Charles White, Alias, a trial that was much publicized when Harper Lee was 12 years old. Beck recounts his father’s fight to free Charles White, a Detroit-based black man accused of the rape of a white woman in 1938, based on family history both written and spoken.
The book has received excellent reviews from Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, and many others, and has been praised by members of the Southern Poverty Law Center and Martin Luther King III. “My father lauded To Kill a Mockingbird as a ‘popular and widely respected novel’ that reflects the ‘American ethos that responds to the strength of moral force,’” says King. “I am confident that my father would find this remarkable account of Foster Beck compelling, as it epitomizes ‘the strength of moral force.’ In our current era of continuing racial injustice, this memoir is both timely and inspirational.” Beck practices law at Kilpatrick, Townsend, & Stock ton LLP, and was named a Power Mediator by The Hollywood Reporter.
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A Swan Song for Doppler Studios
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fter nearly half a century, famed Atlanta recording hub Doppler Studios is shutting its doors for good. The Piedmont Circle studio has seen the likes of Beyoncé, Aerosmith, Kanye West, Aretha Franklin, Pearl Jam, OutKast, the B-52s, Mariah Carey, Usher, Stevie Wonder and many more during its long lifetime. “After some 46 years of happy times and countless sound recordings, Doppler Studios is closing,” Doppler wrote on its Facebook page. “To infinity and beyond!” Over the years, Doppler Studios has provided a venue for all manner of sound recording in Atlanta, including voiceovers for films and television shows like Cartoon Network’s Boondocks and FX’s Archer. From radio spots to synched dailies to ADR for feature films to audio books, Doppler recorded it all. “Back in the previous century, during what I would call the golden days of sound recording, we grew to be huge operation for an audio business, with seven studios and auxiliary rooms,” longtime owner Bill Quinn tells Oz. “In those days if you wanted to make recordings and edit or mix or otherwise manipulate sound in any way, you had to come to a place like ours. We grew to meet the demand and all the opportunities.”
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But, adds Quinn, with modernization comes big changes. “After the turn of the century, the evolution of the PC brought about the ‘democratization’ of sound recording and mixing,” he says. “There’s more recording going on now than ever before and it’s happening all over the place. Musicians have home studios, our ad and corporate clients have media departments, and voice talents have studios. We still think that what we do is superior, but when the product only plays on iPads and cell phones, it doesn’t make much difference.” Quinn says that while his team continued doing vital work for loyal customers to the end, it became harder and harder to fill all seven studios. Plus, he adds, he and his partner were just about ready for retirement. A well-timed offer on their real estate sealed the deal. “I’ve been sor ting through old of f ice records and I pulled out some of the old paper schedules and sign-in sheets from the 1990s and it triggered memories of what Doppler was about then,” says Quinn with an air of nostalgia. “We had days and days when all seven studios were booked, and the sign-in sheets held the names of writers, voice talents, producers, creative directors, singers, account execs, musicians, politicians and celebrities. Add to
Bill Quinn
that our own very special staff and what you’d find here was a convergence of talented people and a very vibrant atmosphere featuring a ‘Who’s Who’ of the creative talent in Atlanta. That’s what I’ll remember about this place. For decades, it was a fun spot to be and work.”
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July / August 2016
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Indie Film Loop Media Conference Comes to Cobb Galleria in July
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he second annual indie film and digital media conference, presented by Atlanta-based media platform Indie Film Loop, will be held July 22-24 at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta, sponsored by Creative Synergy Design. The conference will kick off with a Moonlight Cinema Extravaganza, featuring live music, food, networking, games and demos. The highlighted panel discussion, “Film, Tech and the Digital Market,” will feature Netflix senior app & UI developer Lawrence Jones, among other panelists. The weekend will also include a hands-on Pro Loop Series led by Dr. Rob Albertson and sponsored by cinema equipment rental company Innocinema, teaching participants why certain cinema lenses are used, how to light a scene properly, and how to record the best sound. As Georgia’s filmmaking industry continues to expand, the Indie Film Loop believes the conference will help pinpoint various opportunities and resources for Atlanta filmmakers at all levels of production. “Through our showcase competitions, some of the Southeast’s top-tier or up-and-coming industry talents will be highlighted for producers, directors and decision-makers everywhere to see and perhaps be selected for future productions, get agents and build their own brands,” said Deontae Trundle, Indie Film Loop’s founder and managing partner.
• 2200 Sq Ft sound stage • Newly rennovated floor and cyc wall • New base G&E package • Equipment by Commander Lighting & Grip • Camera packages available • Turn-Key and camera ready
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Student filmmakers at the re:imagine/ COMMUNITY showcase
Local Students Share Community
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rews of students in the Atlanta-based non-profit organization re:imagine/ATL’s program at Frederick Douglass High School produced a first-of-its-kind mini documentary on the Douglass community. Who We Are, Not Where We’re From captures the stark reality of the challenges faced by the students themselves, including homelessness, imprisonment, insecurity, and a difficult education environment. The documentary premiered during the student filmmaker’s Final Showcase event, presented by re:imagine/ATL at the Loudermilk Center. The documentary takes viewers on a vivid exploration of the two contrasting sides of the community, which co-exist in an area of Atlanta
often distinguished by violence but simultaneously uplifted by many resilient people. The student filmmakers shared their perspective on life at Frederick Douglass High School and the surrounding neighborhood, a community often overshadowed by news stories of crime, poverty and hardship. “The re:imagine/COMMUNITY curriculum has helped many of our students find relevance in learning by collaborating with professionals in various industries,” says Demarcos Holland, Frederick Douglass High School principal. “The students’ involvement in the program has also helped them to improve social skills, and ultimately discover their own passion and purpose and become more engaged in school.”
Another crew of high school students worked with local filmmakers from independent studios, including Pinewood, and schools, including Atlanta Technical College and Savannah College of Art and Design, to produce original public service announcements in music video form. The PSAs brought awareness to four key issues impacting the community: food access, digital literacy, active lifestyles and STE(A)M career paths. During the spring semester, re:imagine/COMMUNITY expanded to videography students at North Atlanta High School, who produced PSAs for youthSpark to raise awareness about the demand for sex trafficking in Atlanta. You can watch the PSAs on re:imagine/ATL’s YouTube channel.
Southeast Costume Company Expands and Relocates
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outheast Costume Company has moved to a new location in the Upper West Side of Atlanta, with a spacious 6,000+ square foot climate controlled wardrobe warehouse. The facility includes an easy-access roll-up door and loading dock for wardrobe trailers, as well as fitting rooms and washing facilities available for rent. For six years, SCC has been providing costume rentals to films, commercials, televi-
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sion productions, music videos, photography print work, and independent projects. SCC has serviced a number of large scale productions including Selma, Halt and Catch Fire, Mother’s Day, and Stranger Things. The company has just implemented a new catalogued and barcoded POS system to create a more efficient rental experience. Southeast Costume Company’s new wardrobe warehouse
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Atlanta Student Filmmakers Take Cannes
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rt Institute of Atlanta students and filmmakers Jillian Kibler and Timothy Collins recently made their international debut at the Cannes Film Festival with their short film Kiss of Death. The film premiered in a special student showcase at the Atlanta Film Festival and has been nominated for multiple film festival awards, including five awards at the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival and two at the Top Indie Film Festival. Kibler describes the film as “an homage or tip of the hat to classic film noir.” However, she says “due to the current times and modern twists, Kiss of Death is considered a neo noir. It is a period piece set in the 1930s-1940s, about a criminal and his wife who are trying to leave town before sunrise when an unexpected guest foils their plans.” Kibler and Collins traveled to France to attend Cannes and screen Kiss of Death in the festival’s Short Film Corner. “The reaction was very positive,” says Collins. “Many people, especially film people, have a soft spot for film noir. Being in the Short Film Corner, you mostly meet other short film directors and producers from all over the world. We met many other student filmmakers like ourselves and formed some good relationships over the course of the week that we were there.”
Jillian Kibler and Timothy Collins at Cannes
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Mommy Uncensored Comes to ASPiRE
T Cause + Effect Calls for Entries
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ntil October 2nd, the Georgia Cause + Effect 2016 Progressive Film Competition will accept short film entries that focus on a social, political, environmental or economic issue facing Georgia. The competition and festival are open to all Georgia filmmakers and there is no entry fee. The winning filmmaker will be awarded a $1,000 grand prize, and cash prizes will be awarded to the second and third place filmmakers. Semif inalist films will screen in November at Ciné in Athens. Cause + Effect, hosted by the Athensbased Alliance for a Better Georgia, aims to bring important state and community based issues into focus through film. The festival provides a platform for young Georgia filmmakers to identify problems facing our state and creatively propose policy-based and community-oriented solutions.
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he award-winning web comedy series Mommy Uncensored made its television debut on ASPiRE this past Mother’s Day. Shot in Atlanta, Mommy Uncensored stars its creator Charity Jordan (Selma). Jordan’s husband Justin is co-creator and editor. The series also features Rod “Reemo” Thomas (Drumline, Stomp the Yard), actress and blues vocalist Theresa Hightower, and the Jordans’ real-life children. Actress and producer Terri J. Vaughn (The Steve Harvey Show, Girlfriend’s Getaway) makes her directorial debut on the series. “ASPiRE is the network committed to delivering content with authentic portrayals of the black and urban experience that is always entertaining. Mommy Uncensored does just that and more,” says Melissa Ingram, vice president of channel operations and business affairs for ASPiRE. “We’re delighted to bring this super funny, witty and extremely relatable show to ASPiRE.” Birthed from real life mommy experiences, Mommy Uncensored chronicles protagonist Karen Wright’s unpredictable and unorthodox journey as a former career woman turned stayat-home mom. “Parenting is a huge endeavor that changes your entire life,” says Jordan, who
The cast of Mommy Uncensored
plays Karen on the show. “When I became a mother I felt alone in my journey and looked around for support. It became clear to me that there was little that focused on motherhood from a mother’s point of view and even less that featured an African-American family. Mommy Uncensored was born because I wanted to give parents an outlet to be empowered through laughter by watching a realistic perspective of parenting.”
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OZCETERA A still from Angie Tribeca, starring Rashida Jones
North Creative Takes On Big Projects
64 Over 8’s cast and crew
Extras Get the Spotlight in 64 Over 8
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tlanta-based full-service post and production house North Creative continues to expand their portfolio with exciting new projects. Writer/producer Kristen Walter and senior editor Parker Davidson produced a 60-second behind-the-scenes look at TBS’s new hit show Angie Tribeca as well as a digital trailer for season 10 of American Dad. The team, along with senior colorist and compositor Rob Lederman, also collaborated on campaigns for Golden Corral, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and Grady Hospital.
H
ave you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes in Atlanta’s entertainment industry? In May at the Plaza Theatre, audiences discovered just that with the premiere of the hilarious new show 64 Over 8, presented by Monolopolus Productions in association with Vaslov Entertainment. 64 Over 8 is an unconventional dark television comedy about a group of extras navigating their way through long hours, boredom, bad food and,
sometimes, demeaning treatment. The pay? $64 for eight hours. Starring Edward Reid, Ryan Monolopolus, Olga Filatova, Jaime Griffon, Walter Hendrix III, Josh Jordan and Michael Kam, the show’s creative team includes writer, co-producer and co-director Edward Reid and co-producer and co-director Ryan Monolopolus.
Panavision Ups the Ante
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anavision has added a new line of filters to its portfolio of unique products for rent, now available from Panavision offices and facilities around the world. “Until now, cinematographers using traditional ND filters to control exposure have always had to deal with color shifting and optical performance degradation,” says Haluki Sadahiro, Panavision’s director of new product development. “Unlike traditional filters, PanaNDs are made with the highest quality glass and advanced coating technologies. As a result, they are truly neutral—cutting the light without altering the color temperature.” Panavision has PanaNDs
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PanaND filters are available in a wide range of options from one to seven stops and come in 4x5.65 and 6x6-inch sizes. The filters feature a sturdier construction and patent-pending tactile markings so users can quickly identify the depth of the ND filter in the dark. “PanaND filters are another example of Panavision’s close collaboration with filmmakers that goes back 60 years,” adds Sadahiro. “Our focus on motion picture production allows us to better understand the needs and methods of cinematographers. Supporting them with the right tools and unparalleled service is our passion.”
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PC&E - an employee owned company
Atlanta’s most comprehensive production equipment supplier for over 30 years. www.pce-atlanta.com 800-537-4021 404-609-9001 2235 DeFoor Hills Road, Atlanta, GA 30318
July / August 2016
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three squared Launches New Site
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tlanta-based company three squared, Inc. has launched a new video production services website, which they hope will help them to better showcase their video offerings outside of their overall digital portfolio. Since 1999, the company has been providing turnkey production services from scripting to storyboarding, motion graphics to 3D animation. Recent projects include a video introduction to Goodwill of North Georgia’s brick and mortar Career Centers, a series of community video programs for Walton Communities Apartment Homes, and a revamped online storefront for the National Society of High School Scholars.
Fujinon Day at John Sharaf Photography
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ohn Sharaf Photography hosted a Fujinon Day Atlanta open house in May. Camera aficionados were invited to come try, test, project and network with other DPs, ACs and camera operators, and learn about the Fujinon’s series of lightweight, 4K Cabrios including the cost-effective 20-120mm (T3.5).
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Karen Images Launches Two New Projects
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tlanta’s commercial photography studio Karen Images has been busy. The owners, Karen and Troy Burns, spent their winter working on two projects, which have just been released: La Culture du Vin and Set Art ATL. La Culture du Vin is a self-produced travel show focusing on cultures built by the vine, which the couple just released as a follow-up to their first televised documentary on College Park that aired last June on PBA 30. Karen describes it as a wine show for travel and history enthusiasts. When the couple was not traveling around
France’s most famous wine regions, they were digging through their archives to organize cleared fine art photography for their new website, Set Art ATL. “My husband and I have been traveling and photographing together for over 20 years,” says Karen. “When we learned the industry was attempting to rent our art for productions, we turned to the internet for an easy solution to share this huge portfolio of cleared fine art with Atlanta-based productions.” The site launched in May with over 500 images in color and black and white available for purchase.
Karen and Troy Burns
Cox Releases Documentary on Sex Trafficking
Tanya Street in a still from the documentary
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n May, Cox Creative Services released a new documentary, In Plain Sight: Human Trafficking, co-produced by former Georgia resident and writer/f ilmmaker Tomeka M.
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Winborne. The film has been released online as a three-part series about human trafficking in Virginia. “Like many people, I equated sex trafficking to happening in other countries,” says Winborne. “Later, I learned about it happening domestically, right here in the United States. Not only were women and children being forced into modern day slavery in the United States, but it was happening right in my backyard.” The documentary introduces Tanya Street, a survivor of sex trafficking who now runs a
support group for current and former trafficking victims, as well as other community advocates, police officers and legislators looking to eradicate human trafficking. The series was executive produced by Will Rodriguez and Kevin Hornsby. “It truly takes a village to make change or bring awareness,” says Winborne. “As filmmakers, we are just the messengers, but we salute every person that participated in the documentary because they are doing the work day in and day out to make the real difference.”
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OZCETERA Andrew McCarthy
Macon Film Festival Announces Special Guest
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ctor and director Andrew McCarthy will be a special guest at the 11th annual Macon Film Festival, July 21 – 24. McCarthy will kick off the festival with an appearance and special screening of the classic John Hughes film Pretty in Pink at the Douglass Theatre. In the 1986 film, McCarthy portrays Blane, a rich preppy high school senior who falls for Andie (Molly Ringwald), a working-class girl from the wrong side of the tracks. The special screening will follow a Q&A with McCarthy. “Pretty in Pink has had a life beyond anyone’s imagination,” says McCarthy. “It captured something about being young and searching that resonates through generations.” McCarthy made his professional acting debut at 19 and has starred in a number of iconic films, including St. Elmo’s Fire, Less Than Zero and Weekend at Bernie’s. He is also a best-selling travel writer and a highly regarded television director, with Orange is the New Black and The Blacklist among his many credits. “We are excited to bring Andrew McCarthy and Pretty in Pink to the 2016 Macon Film Festival,” said festival spokesperson Terrell Sandefur. “We’ve been wanting to bring one of the 80s Brat Pack movies to the film festival for years, and with Pretty in Pink’s 30th anniversary this year, it seemed like the right time.”
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Benjamin Lowy
Marvi Lacar
Big Moves for Pogo Pictures
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tlanta’s Pogo Pictures has added the direc t ing and p hoto grap hy team of Benjamin Lowy and Marvi Lacar, who work under the moniker Lowy + Lacar, to its directorial roster, and has launched a division that will create original programming for broadcast, cable, and streaming channels. In addition, Pogo has unveiled a new website that displays its talent and capabilities, as well as a new brand identity. Lowy + Lacar bring an unorthodox background to their work with agencies and brands. Working both as a team and individually, they hail from solid journalistic and documentary backgrounds, with Lowy a widely recognized photographer whose work in war zones in the Middle East has earned him industry accolades and a healthy social media following. His Instagram account was named one of the 100 Best by Rolling Stone magazine.
Lacar, an award-winning photojournalist, made a name for herself documenting issues on gender equality, and directed a documentary about the plight of women and young girls in Kenya. She has shot for domestic and international publications such as Time, Newsweek, The New York Times and Paris Match among others. “Lowy + Lacar are sought-after photojournalists whose work has addressed some very serious issues,” says Steve Colby, Pogo’s founder and managing partner. “But they also have a vision, and they want to share their stories and their style of storytelling. These two are the real deal and that makes a difference in the unique way they approach and ‘see’ any job they are given.” Working in a documentary format, the duo has already directed ad campaigns through Pogo, including a spot for healthcare provider Humana.
Crawford Launches New Website
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rawford Media Services has launched a newly revamped website. The new site offers quick and easy navigation to Crawford’s wide-ranging portfolio of post production, media management, motion picture film lab and related services. Crawford has integrated their Kodak certified film processing lab into the site, making it easier for potential clients to recognize comprehensive workflows for processing, dailies and finishing.
“We are excited about the website’s new look and the concentration of information it provides for clients, potential customers, and the media to better understand Crawford’s mission as a leader in the post, media management, and film processing industries,” says Emily Halevy, Crawford’s Director of Sales & Marketing. “Overall, the site update offers visitors a better and more informative online experience.”
OZCETERA Gallery 874 lounge
Gallery 874 to Host GPP Halloween Party
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iant, flexible, unique. Those were the three requirements in Georgia Production Partnership’s venue search for their 2016 fall fundraising party. Fortunately, Gallery 874, a converted warehouse in Westside Atlanta, fit the bill perfectly. On October 27th all of the industry’s ghouls, sprites and creatures will be haunting the 10,000 square foot art gallery, which will undergo a wicked transformation with special set decoration and special effects. “We had very high standards in expectations for our host venue,” said GPP co-president Trish Taylor. “Gallery 874 has been wonderfully supportive. They share our vision in creating a one-of-a-kind, fun spectacle where we can all come together to celebrate the industry’s success.” The party will feature samplings from some of Atlanta’s best caterers and restaurants, creative mixology, live music and multimedia entertainment. All proceeds will go to supporting GPP on behalf of Georgia’s production industry.
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July / August 2016
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OZCETERA Stephen Futral
June Cobb
Zakk Martin
New Faces at PC&E
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C&E has hired three new employees: recept ionis t June Cobb, warehouse employee Zakk Martin, and controller Stephen Futral, who is new to the industry but brings fresh ideas and energy.
The production company has also taken delivery of a set of ARRI Master Anamorphic Lenses with a wide variety of focal lengths and flare sets available for each, the most technically advanced anamorphic primes available
today, and added ARRI bags, a custom built stake bed, and new American Rocky Mountain C stands to their ever-growing inventory.
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Don Draper’s 1964 Chrysler Imperial
Don Draper’s gray hat
Don Draper’s sunglasses
Mad Men Auctions Off Props
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fter seven groundbreaking seasons and 92 episodes, Mad Men ended its Emmy and Golden Globe Awardwinning run on AMC in the spring of 2015. In June, to commemorate the one year anniversary of the series finale, fans of Mad Men got the opportunity to take home a part of the show when leading Hollywood collectibles auction site ScreenBid presented an exclusive online auction of more than 1,500 production-used props, wardrobe items, set decorations and other vintage and mid-century memorabilia from the Lionsgate-produced series. To create lots with maximum style and historic value, ScreenBid engaged Mad Men’s award-winning property master Ellen Freund to curate the sale. Dozens of items in the auction were featured in Matthew Weiner’s Mad Men exhibit at New York’s Museum of the Moving Image in 2015, and at Modernism Week 2016 in Palm Springs. “Every item that appeared on Mad Men was chosen with painstaking care to be both historically accurate for the time period and to help tell the characters’ stories through the objects around them,” says Freund. “With this auction, it’s exciting to give fans a chance to take home a piece of American and television history.”
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OZCETERA
Industry Wide Mix & Mingle
Non-members welcome Early bird tickets:
General Membership Meeting
THE VOICE OF THE INDUSTRY SINCE 1995 For more information: www.georgiaproduction.org
July / August 2016
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OZCETERA Heather Locklear in The Game of Love
Celebrating #PhotosWeLove ACP wants to hear about the photos you love, like this one…
UP TV Brings FeelGood Films, TV Shows
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eel-good TV network UP premiered their newest film, The Game of Love, in May. Starring Heather Locklear, Lochlyn Munro, Tom Stevens and Emily Tennant, the film tells the story of a third generation basketball team owner, his ex-wife, and their adult children. Sparks fly as an unresolved romance collides with professional obligations. Meanwhile, produc tion is under way in Atlanta on the UP Original Movie Merry Christmas, Baby, a romantic comedy starring Malinda Williams, Victoria Rowell, and Karon Riley. Merry Christmas, Baby is the fourth installment in UP’s highly successful Marry Me for Christmas movie franchise and will premiere in the fourth quarter as part of the network’s “Everything You Love About Christmas” annual holiday programming slate. UP TV also premiered their new original television series Growing Up McGhee as well as season four of their hit series Bringing Up Bates in June.
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A
t l a n t a C e l e b r a te s Ph oto g r a p hy h a s launched a new initiative on the sto ry-sharing platform Medium to explore how, why, and what people love about photographs, one picture at a time.
“While photography’s more popular than ever, we’re interested in closing the gap left by the ease of clicking ‘like’, ‘fave’, or a bunch of emoji hearts,” wrote ACP in a post introducing the initiative. “As a photography festival, we’re eager to inspire people to share stories about why they love photography, what they love about photographs, and figured Medium would be a great place for the conversation.” The group is asking participants to write and post pieces about photos they love on Medium, and then share them with ACP via email, Facebook or Twitter for their official #PhotosWeLove page. The new initiative is part of ACP’s push to make their 2016 festival, the 18th annual event, bigger and better than ever before. To help fund the event, ACP issued a challenge to their supporters, asking to help them raise $6,000 in donations to be matched by board member and long-time supporter Jerry Drisaldi, dollar for dollar. The group ultimately surpassed their goal, raising a total of $16,817 in under two weeks.
OZCETERA
Bob Shelley Builds a Plane Crash
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he team at Bob Shelley’s Special Effects in Atlanta are known for their explo sions, wind, fire, rain, snow, bullet hits and more, but an airplane crash? “Sure, why 737 fuselage not?” said Shelley, when his team was asked to build a gimbal for Paramount’s production of the upcoming horror film Rings. What started out with a small plane effect quickly turned into the full fuselage of a 737 airplane. After revising their budget and design, Shelley’s team was tasked with fabricating the platform and lifting system and its operation. The goal was to make the scene as real as possible with minimal visual effects and camera tricks. With an airplane platform measuring 80 feet long and 20 feet wide and weighing 62,000 pounds, the team used four 25,000pound lift cylinders and two specially built 86-ton airbags to make the plane rock and roll. During filming, 50 extras playing passengers experienced real turbulence. “On our first ‘full’ test, the violence was so severe that the panels of the plane started separating, so the grip department had to wrap the plane in speed rail to hold it together,” said a team spokesperson. “Needless to say it was quite a ride for the crew and they gained a tremendous respect for what the extras and the film crew would be going through.” Luckily, the only casualties were a few cases of motion sickness.
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Iman with the cast of Uncle Buck. (Photo credit: ABC Entertainment)
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Iman Benson
Atlanta Teen Turns Series Regular
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tlanta native Iman Benson always dreamed of being an actress on primetime television. The 16-year-old’s dream officially became reality when Benson snagged a series regular role as Tia Russell in ABC’s, Uncle Buck, which premiered in June. Portraying the moody yet
hilarious niece of award-winning actor and producer Mike Epps, who plays Uncle Buck, Benson’s debut on network TV follows years of training, education, and studying to perfect her acting craft.
Signed to Atlanta Models & Talent, Inc. since 2010, and with CESD in Los Angeles since 2014, Benson says she is excited to continue working on Uncle Buck, and to see what her future in the entertainment industry holds.
Gene Rubin
Ken Cook
Your Forecast Now Targets Film Industry
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our Forecast Now is a new Atlanta-based company founded by meteorologist Gene Rubin (formerly with The Weather Channel and WAGA-TV) who has partnered with meteorologist Ken Cook (formerly with Fox5 TV). Together, the founders have over 75 years of combined local weather forecasting experi-
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ence, and their new company offers location specific “concierge” weather forecasting services for Atlanta production crews 24/7. All weather forecasts are tailored for and exclusive to the film, TV, and commercial production industry in the Atlanta metro area. Rubin and Cook say their information will be
timely and precise, allowing productions to make the critical decisions necessary to keep crews and expensive equipment safe.
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“She caught on right away that reality is not reality,” says Piers Bath, a Georgia-based DP and camera operator. Bath has seen a lot over the years shooting reality TV shows, many of them focused on troubled youths like the girl he’s talking about now. An unnamed “unscripted” series was having her do things that weren’t naturally a part of this girl’s everyday life, and one day she snapped, jumping out of a van as the cast and crew were returning from lunch, and leaping into a nearby pool. “Film this, jerks!” she shouted from the water.
“Film this, jerks!” Reality TV production is filled with tales of the unexpected, and while that may seem desirable for the genre, the truly surprising moments often wind up undocumented. Bath and his crew could not “film this,” as the teenager requested, because they weren’t ready for it. But the bigger point Bath and others come away with is you can’t force or manipulate too much with these kinds of programs. “I don’t know any reality shows that don’t have some level of pre-planning,” he says, “but the better ones are those that allow things to play out.” That is the goal of any reality TV production, if you ask the producers, but it’s not as easy as it sounds to just grab a camera and a sound person and follow a subject everywhere she goes. There are legal concerns, of course, as well as a growing devotion to quality in the look of nonfiction television. Better equipment is helpful in that aim, as are resourceful crew members with skills and efficiency, but you can bet most producers like to be as prepared as possible at the start of each day of shooting. And then from there, whatever happens, happens.
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“I like keeping it real.”
Piers Bath on set
“I like keeping it real,” says Bath, who knows firsthand the problems associated with orchestrating other people’s lives. “I always try to tell new producers that if they let me breathe, they might be surprised with the result. You can have preproduction and say, ‘let’s see what happens,’ but then they start manipulating and creating characters who may not actually exist—well, you might be surprised with who they actually are. And then you’re following something for a reason.” A series can go the other way, too. “Sometimes after the shows go to air and they have a loyal audience, then you can start scripting a little bit,” says Cathy Durant, an Atlanta-based producer and director of both unscripted and scripted projects. “Once the shows have been on long enough, you can tell what the audiences like most. If they like shopping scenes, then you’ll show more shopping scenes.” Getting to that point isn’t often a certainty, however. Like most producers of reality programming, Durant has seen many pitches and pilots rejected before they get out of the gate. She also had a series begin and then collapse because it went too far off the rails. “The girls went nuts,” she says of its cast members, who fought too much (indeed, too much for reality television!) with each other and then with producers. “It was like some tribal situation. You have to be careful
who you’re mixing together.” That would be a lesson in casting, which is a huge step in the advance planning of any reality TV show. Finding the right subjects can be a kind of writing process; producers can cast in order to create an expectation of what certain people will say or do in any given situation. Otherwise, as Durant explains, “You can theme it, in terms of what a segment is going to be about, but when you have personalities that are not trained, they’re just all over the place.” Bath speaks from a crew member’s perspective. “You have to have a cast of characters who are going to be good on camera,” he says. “God forbid you go out and just find people. They have to work on camera. And [the shows] that succeed, that go places, are the ones that really understand their talent.”
On a cool morning in June, a small group of women stand on a walkway leading up to the House of Hope Church in Decatur. “Hey!” shouts their friend, known as Ms. Juicy, as she joins them, all in their Sunday best. But the scene isn’t right. The new arrival is asked to walk back and come again. This time the ladies enter into conversation, small talk about the service they’re attending. An airplane is heard overhead, and they must stop their dialogue yet again and wait for it to pass. When it does, they restart the discussion, repeating themselves. All is common for an outdoor location shoot, but this isn’t for a scripted film. It’s for the reality TV series Little Women: Atlanta. The ladies, all little people and members of the show’s cast, are surrounded on one side by a production crew. Three cameras are focused on the group, with producers off screen guiding the scene along. The goal is to avoid doing too many takes, partly because this is “reality” but mostly because the church proceedings are about to begin inside, and won’t wait for the group to go in and take their seats. The team needs to work fast.
Cathy Durant
From left to right: Amanda & Andrea Salinas, “The Tiny Twins,” Brianna “Left Cheek” Burlap, Ashley “Minnie” Ross, Emily “Right Cheek” Fernandez from Little Women: Atlanta
From left to right: Shirlene “Ms. Juicy” King-Pearson and Ashley “Minnie” Ross, from Little Women: Atlanta
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Matt Anderson & Nate Green with the cast of Married to Medicine
Like a lot of reality television, this show involves a mix of genuine observation and some level of staging. Today’s shoot is particularly controlled because they’re in a highly populated location for an event that is time sensitive and in need of the utmost respect. There will be no drama here, just a chance for Ms. Juicy and the rest to meet the sister of another cast member, and enjoy the sermon. Maybe dance a bit as the church’s house band plays. Even the crew members are dressed up more than usual to better fit in as they film the ladies in the front row. “It can be challenging at times to get people to allow a TV crew into their place
Suzan Satterfield
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“There’s just something about Atlanta that really delivers on that front for reality.” of worship or restaurant or whatever,” Little Women: Atlanta showrunner Eric Detwiler tells me by phone later from Los Angeles. “I think we do a really good job of never trying to stop the normal course of business at a restaurant or a store or a church. We weren’t interrupting or directing the minister to repeat a line or do some other course of action. We were just documenting at that point.” Kinetic Content, the company behind Little Women: Atlanta, is based out West but recently expanded their production to Georgia, first with last year’s third season of A&E’s Married at First Sight, followed by My Diet is Better Than Yours for ABC and this new Atlanta version of Little Women, the hit Lifetime franchise which also includes shows based in Los Angeles and New York. For Little Women: Atlanta, which is shooting its second season for broadcast this summer, the franchise works almost completely with local crew members and takes advantage of Georgia’s tax incentives. But the perks are just an added bonus that allows the show to be filmed here, according to Detwiler. “We’d want to do the show in Georgia regardless,” he says. “When it comes to creative storytelling, the girls who live there who are featured on our show, that’s most important. Being able to have the facilities and tax benefits, that’s great. We’re appreciative of that. But Atlanta is such a diverse, vibrant city, that it gives us a great backdrop to tell the stories
of these women." Detwiler is not alone in his love for the city. “There’s just something about Atlanta that really delivers on that front for reality,” says Peabody Award-winning producer Matt Anderson. “I went down there for the first time in 2009 when I was showrunning The Real Housewives of Atlanta and immediately knew it was going to be a special show and breakthrough. It was such a unique look into the life of the elite, wealthy African-Americans of that city, and there just wasn’t a show like that on TV at the time.” While working on Real Housewives, Anderson and his partner, Nate Green, decided to start their own production company, Purveyors of Pop. Although they are based in L.A., one of their first goals was to find a show to produce in Georgia. And that they did, with the Bravo hit Married to Medicine, which recently wrapped on shooting its fourth season. “There’s so much opportunity down there for different reality characters,” Anderson says. He and Detwiler are surprised and happy with how the industry has blossomed in Georgia. “There are so many experienced locals now because there are so many shows there,” adds Anderson. “Great producers, great camera operators, audio people. That’s not the same for every state that you go to. People really struggle with other states. It’s been great over the years to see how
From left to right: Emily “Right Cheek” Fernandez, Brianna “Left Cheek” Burlap, Amanda & Andrea Salinas, “The Tiny Twins,” Tiffany “Monie Cashette” Becton, Ashley “Minnie” Ross from Little Women: Atlanta
the employment pool has become really sophisticated.” Bath is one of those crew members who joined the local employment pool later in his career, having moved to Georgia for personal reasons with the expectation that he’d have to do a lot of traveling to keep working. “As it turned out there was tons of work coming in,” he says. “And they value locals. Back in the day, you wouldn’t leave L.A. and anticipate you’d get a good local crew. Now Atlanta has a core group of solid professionals. It shows in the level of production.”
After casting and hiring a crew, another major component needed for reality TV is a place to shoot. While many shows focus the majority of filming at a character’s home, most people need to go to work and out to eat and, for some, attend church. The logistics often require asking permission to shoot at a spot the characters already know and frequent, but when that’s not possible, a production needs to scout and select a location willing to cooperate that also works on camera, as if it’s a new addition to the cast. For Little Women: Atlanta, the House of Hope was sought out as a good fit for the show, but it also quite fortunately happened to be the church Ms. Juicy already attended. The service is already regularly recorded,
and the multiple cameras in the room, including tripods and a small camera crane, definitely took away from the production required to shoot the ladies. All in all, it was a smooth and surprisingly casual morning. The afternoon could be different, though, as the team would be moving to a spot set up only a day earlier, one unfamiliar to everyone in the cast and crew. A number of reality TV series depend on locations completely. Suzan Satterfield is a Georgia-based producer whose resume is primarily filled with lifestyle and home renovation shows. For these types of programs, when you find your human characters, the locations tend to come with them. But sometimes the subject’s home isn’t the simple base of operations or a spot for safe, controlled shoots you’d find elsewhere. “We tended to have more drama because of the renovation,” Satterfield says. “When we were doing Ground Breakers, which is a landscaping show, the schedule was incredibly unpredictable. We were outside all the time, so weather was a big deal. Scheduling was a real nightmare because we’d have multiple renovations going at once and had several crews out at once and if it rained or if something didn’t get delivered—which happened a lot, whether a load of bricks or a pizza oven from Italy or plants from Australia, whatever—suddenly you’ve got a crew there with nothing to shoot.”
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Drama is inherent to a show where so many plates are spinning at once. There’s the production, the contractors, the deliveries, and the construction, all of which needs to be done right. But also, somehow, quickly and cheaply, without compromising any integrity. And sometimes you tear down a wall and find black mold or leaky plumbing and the production has to shut down for safety. “There are all kinds of surprises and layers in a renovation,” adds Satterfield. “You just can’t know until you peek behind something, and a problem can cost you a whole day.” Occasionally, the people on the show come with their own surprises, like the time a woman forged her husband’s signature in their deal to appear and provide their home, only to have him return from a trip, unaware of the plans, while the renovation and shoot were already underway. Satterfield says that while the surprise was certainly an issue for the production off-screen, it wasn’t the sort of thing that winds up on camera with this subgenre of reality. “He put a good face on,” she laughs. “Whatever fights they had, they had somewhere else.”
“I’ve been attacked by bees. Caught in rainstorms.”
Suzan Satterfield, director/producer on The Van Life web series with Jack McKinney, AC, holding ladder
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Daniel Hedges, an AC and camera operator based in the South who works a lot in Georgia, testifies to the craziness of outdoor shooting and dangers to both the crew and their equipment. “I’ve seen cameras get fully submerged in rivers and fall off cliffs,” he says. “It’s just part of the deal. Stuff’s going to get broken. You have to minimize as much as you can. I’ve been attacked by bees. Caught in rainstorms. You always have to be self-aware, with one eye on what you’re shooting and one eye on where you’re going and what’s behind you and next to you.” For Married to Medicine, Anderson and his production company created another show totally tied to a certain type of location—the hospital—with its own specific set of uncontrollable factors and tension. “We are introducing this very high stakes element of life and death, and that turns up the heat on the concept of the show,” he says. “But when you think of these reality shows, they’re the soap operas of our generation, and the tried and true setting for any good soap opera is definitely a hospital.”
The crew of Little Women: Atlanta arrives at Urban Foodie Feed Store in College Park on Sunday afternoon, immediately concerned that it’s basically across the street from the airport. Fortunately, the sound of the planes isn’t too audible inside, where they’re met by the owner, Michele Tompkins. The show is new to this establishment, but Tompkins is no stranger to reality TV. In the past, she’s hosted a few other productions, including Preachers of Atlanta, and hopes that the onscreen exposure will benefit the business, which aims to increase local clientele. It’s unclear but somewhat implied that the restaurant is getting paid for its participation in the show. That said, production companies don’t usually have the budgets of big movie productions and aren’t out to spend money where they don’t need to. There have been whispers that the increase in Georgia’s film and television production is raising the cost of locations, but that’s said to occur more with private residences and public spaces, such as parks, which lack other incentives for providing locations at discounted rates. At Urban Foodie, Tompkins sets the crew up in a couple of empty rooms off to the side of the main dining room; one of them for stationed crew and the other for filming. The setup seems perfect, as there’s potential for complete control, and the crew begins moving tables and chairs around, screening off skylights, setting up artificial lights, and figuring out where the cameras will go. But it’s not ideal, they decide. It’s too fabricated, to the point that they might as well be on a studio soundstage. The front dining room would have more authenticity and a better atmosphere. They’ll want the restaurant to eventually seat some regular customers in the room with the cast. Before shooting begins, the crew breaks for lunch. Then the stars of the show enter and eat off-screen before partially pretending to dine for the scene. Once the cameras are rolling, drama ensues, and what happens here winds up changing the course of the next week’s shoot. (Sorry, no spoilers here!) Any pre-planned ideas may go out the window when real life dictates where the story goes; the production and crew must adjust accordingly. “New information we weren’t expecting was revealed,“ Detwiler
confirms over email. “The producing team immediately began shifting plans for the next week to track these developments in order to follow up on that new storyline.”
Working in reality TV production can be very exciting, but it can also be quite stressful, and there are those who burn out on the genre and its level of unpredictability. Crews work long hours, and the job is not conducive for people with spouses, families, or even pets. “If you’re a producer in reality, you will not have a life. You will never be home,” Bath admits. “Even for the crew, it will consume your life if you let it. But most people I meet who are deep into reality, they live and breathe and thrive on it. It becomes their world.”
“It’s unscripted, so it’s like a car without a driver.” Durant adds that there’s a thrill to reality television that seems dangerous but also exciting at the same time. “It’s unscripted, so it’s like a car without a driver,” she says, noting that although she’s currently getting ready to direct a feature, she’s not leaving her bread and butter behind. “Reality I love because it’s television, but producers/directors, we direct everything. I just happen to be doing a film. But I’m not leaving reality. By no means.”
Satterfield also recently began veering more into scripted programming. “In every kind of production you’re managing problems and challenges,” she says. “That’s what we do. It’s an adrenaline rush to a certain extent. We’re by nature problem solvers. But there’s such a different road map with reality. For the kinds of shows where you’re creating a scenario and seeing what happens, that is more exhausting.” And it takes a certain kind of person for these run and gun shoots. Crew members must be quick to see what needs to get done and take care of it. “There’s a difference in the dynamic of the crew compared to fiction,” Hedges explains. “It’s not so separate, where, like, the lighting guys and the camera guys and the audio guys won’t step in and touch each other’s stuff. We all step in and there’s a little bit of crossover between job descriptions. I enjoy that a lot. There’s no sitting around and waiting. There’s more action.” Of course, there are also moral considerations when it comes to the manipulation and control exerted over people’s lives, and crew members and producers alike say the job can get to your head if you’re not careful. Bath’s advice? “Keep your moral compass. Keep some sort of level of what you will and will not do for the sake of television. Once you establish your own guidelines for what you deem acceptable, you’re okay.”
Piers Bath and Tiffany Mack during production on Say Yes to the Dress in ATL
Dave Shuman, adventure director (white shirt and cap); Michael Dean, DP (blue hat in foreground); Christopher Campbell, Dan Hedges, camera operator; and far right Jeff Downing, producer
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Q
uick, list your top ten favorite female filmmakers. Having trouble thinking of that many? Okay, how about five? Still having trouble? According to a recent study at the University of Southern California, out of 1,565 content creators, women comprised only 7% of directors, 13% of writers, and 20% of producers. In a culture wherein women make up 50% of the workforce, high profile positions such as business leaders, doctors, lawyers, and politicians are still portrayed by women in film only 20% of the time. The American workforce has diversified, but the film industry has not kept up. Women accounted for 52% of moviegoers in 2014, but on screen and on set, you’re still much more likely to see men doing the work and telling the stories.
1,565 CONTENT CREATORS
WOMEN
7% 13% 20% DIRECTORS
WRITERS
PRODUCERS
“Learning and studying these histories is imperative because we're sold cinema history books that highlight cis white men filmmakers, and so at a young age we become societally programmed to think that that's what filmmakers look like,” explains Kelly Gallagher, creator of Herstory of the Female Filmmaker, a short film which played during New Maverick’s inaugural film festival last year. As one of the most notable recent additions to the Atlanta independent film scene, the New Mavericks organization began as two separate but parallel ideas, and has evolved into a year round program, annual film series, and supportive community for women and female-identifying industry professionals. It all started a few years ago, when four Atlanta-based female filmmakers met and began to discuss what it was like working in the industry. Their meeting sparked thoughts about providing resources to women outside of their small group. Soon after, the group approached the Atlanta Film Society about pairing up after seeing a shorts block by the name of New Mavericks at the 2014 Atlanta Film Festival. The block featured all female filmmakers and well-rounded female characters, with the goal of becoming an unprecedented creative space for women in Atlanta. Here, we take a look at the women behind the curtain who have helped to conceptualize and participate in this vibrant community shaking up Atlanta’s film industry.
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Brantly Jackson Watts
artist, and applauds the Atlanta Film Festival for creating such unique yearround programming to support women. “It is something that I am really proud to be a part of,” she adds. “I think we are creating storytellers, and at the end of the day, in film, it doesn’t matter if you’re a director of photography, it doesn’t matter if you’re a writer, it doesn’t matter if you’re a director, it doesn’t even matter if you’re a producer. At the end of the day you’re a storyteller. We are teaching women the business of film, and we are teaching them to be storytellers.”
of the New Mavericks shorts block at the 2016 Atlanta Film Festival. The film provides an intimate slice of their lives, touching on their struggles to maintain a semblance of normalcy in the face of such a harrowing illness. Meeting with like-minded individuals in the New Mavericks program has been instrumental in Hicks’ approach to her new role as director. “We are always eager at New Mavericks to hear from young female voices because those are the stories that we want to help get made,” she says. “Because we are listening, and sometimes it can feel like Hollywood is not listening. That is what I love about New Mavericks.”
Writer, director, producer, New Mavericks board member and co-founder
As a multidisciplinary film professional, Brantly Jackson Watts has found herself in a variety of roles throughout the years. “I would say that first and foremost I’m a writer, and then director, and then producer only by necessity,” she says. These days, Watts works with her husband Jon on set and behind the camera. Most recently she has undertaken a new challenge as writer and director for the short film Birthday Cake, which she describes as a “female-driven southern Gothic film about domestic violence in the South and a woman struggling between survival and the love of her life.” Watts was one of the four original members of the New Mavericks, along with Jen West, Lane Skye, and Robyn Hicks. Together, they shared career goals and voiced their concerns and the struggles they faced in the industry. “We felt like there was a need for a platform for women,” Watts explains. At the time, she was at work on her 2012 awardwinning documentary AKA Blondie, a behind-the-scenes look at Anita Rae Strange, the 50-something exotic dancer at the Clermont Lounge known for both her activism and poetry and her ability to crush beer cans with her breasts. Watts says that having a community of women behind her has helped immensely in her development as an
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Robyn Hicks Writer, director, producer, New Mavericks board member and co-founder “My earliest memory, the earliest I can remember, was wanting to live in the movies," reminisces Robyn Hicks. "Then when I realized they were movies, I wanted to make them myself.” Though impossibly shy as a child, Hicks related strongly to the stories she saw on screen, and hardly spoke until her grandfather jokingly referred to her by the name of one of her favorite film characters at the time: Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. Hicks, currently a graduate student in film at SCAD Atlanta, attributes much of her drive for making her first film, Picture Show, to her grandparents. The short film examines not only what it is like to be a couple in a generation gone by, but also pays homage to small-town southern cinemas which are now, by and large, no longer around. Shortly thereafter, Hicks received devastating news: her husband, Jonathan, had lung cancer. To help cope with the diagnosis, the couple made a short film titled Que Sera, which screened as part
Crystal Jin Kim Writer, director, New Mavericks filmmaker
If you ask Crystal Jin Kim to describe her career aspirations, chances are you’ll get a complex answer. Kim is a multidisciplinary artist, with passions that span from painting to advertising, and now a passion for film. Her first short film, Jin Jiu, which was her senior thesis project at Northwestern University, was selected to play at the 2016 Atlanta Film Festival during the New Mavericks shorts block. The story follows a moment in the lives of a mother and daughter as they attempt to connect with one another, and is a gentle exploration of both childhood and motherhood. “I was imagining what it would be like for me to be a mom,” Kim explains, describing a scene in which a young daughter is sulking under her bed as her mother tries to coax her out. “It was just a very compelling image to me of how I think we are with our parents, or just
even people we care about or are close to us. I think we want to know that they care, and we want them to come and pull us out.” Jin Jiu has screened at not only the Atlanta Film Festival but also the National Film Festival for Talented Youth in Seattle and the Asian Pacific American Festival in Washington, D.C., just to name a few. Crystal has been invigorated by her experiences, but is not blind to the challenges that await her as a young female creative in the industry. “When people see me, I think sometimes they don’t think I’ve touched a camera before,” she explains. “At the same time, more and more people are aware of what’s going on, and more women are being really bold about it and building these networks where we can help each other, and I think that’s awesome.”
Jen West Writer, director, producer, New Mavericks board member and co-founder “I think Atlanta is a really great place to be,” says Jen West. “I feel like voices from the Deep South are something that people have not been exposed to as much, so I feel like there’s this energy in Atlanta that’s contagious, and electric.”
Director Elisa Paloschi and Selvi Kunjigowda, the star of Driving with Selvi, accept the New Mavericks Award, presented by Sara Blakely, right, of SPANX and the Sara Blakely Foundation, during the Atlanta Film Festival New Mavericks Dinner at Two Urban Licks. The film is a documentary which follows the story of Selvi, a former child bride who went on to become South India's first female taxi driver.
West acted as producer on the short film The New Orleans Sazerac, which won this year’s Audience Choice award during Atlanta Film Festival’s WonderRoot series and showcased at Cannes soon after. The film follows the history of the eponymous cocktail and is the first in a series of five cocktail-specific shorts that West and her partner James Martin intend to create. “The dynamics of what a story is are changing, and the dynamics of the subject matter are changing because of who is leading and pushing the story forward,” West says. “I feel like it is very special to be a female director and writer right now—a female anything. People are making an honest attempt to find talent and to give them attention and to support their projects. I especially think that’s true here in Atlanta. I can’t really describe it; it is a magical thing.” West has big hopes for what’s to come, and specifically what the organizations that support women in the industry are doing for the city. “Watch for the rise of the female director in Atlanta, especially the independent female director,” she says with confidence. “I know of at least four or five big indie films that are going to film here in the next two years that are directed by women, and they have a great shot of really putting Atlanta on the map in indie film. I think there is going to be more and more conversation around what women are doing in Atlanta.”
Lane Skye Writer, director, producer, New Mavericks board member and co-founder “I always thought I would do something creative,” says Lane Skye. “But I imagined myself more as a novelist rather than a screenwriter and a filmmaker. That was mostly because when I was growing up I didn’t see film as something that real people did; it felt like something these magical people in Hollywood did and you kind of had to be born into it.” As a Georgia State University student, however, Skye realized that working in film was an attainable goal and eventually began collaborating with her husband Ruckus on small
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film projects and music videos. With experience came confidence, and bigger projects. In May, Skye and Ruckus were panelists alongside Molly Coffee, Ebony Blanding, and Danielle Deadwyler for an event called “The Creative Struggle is Real,” where they offered advice to audience members in the midst of their own projects and careers. “There’s a certain sense of community and support and a feeling of being safe in a group of women,” Skye explains. “On a lot of film sets you’ll walk on and you may be the only woman or one of only a few, so it’s nice to come into a space filled with female filmmakers where you don’t feel like a minority.”
Director, of the Atlanta Film Society. “As a woman sitting in the theater, you want something that reflects your own story,” says Breneman. Though she works full time with the Atlanta Film Society, she also remains a central figure in New Mavericks, with roles including programming for the Atlanta Film Festival, organizing the New Mavericks Film Series, facilitating monthly networking events, and constantly working to encourage young women in the industry. “I think with the film industry growing at a rapid rate here, it’s important for us to have programs like New Mavericks to make sure that history isn’t repeated and that women do have a substantial place in the industry here,” she adds.
adopting the name passed down from the festival’s administration and higher ups. Humphrey curated a screening of rarely seen and difficult to access historical short films by women at the inaugural New Mavericks Festival in 2015. “It blew my mind,” she says, describing the array of films she uncovered. “We were robbed of knowing about these women; it’s awful. But it’s also fine, because we are making up for it.”
Carrie Schrader Kristy Breneman Creative director of the Atlanta Film Society, New Mavericks board member “I always had a natural pull towards film, especially having grown up in the suburbs in a little bubble,” says Kristy Breneman. “Film was a way to escape and see the rest of the world when I was not allowed to go out and see it for myself.” Breneman’s tastes grew over time with outside influences. Darker works like Donnie Darko and Buffalo ‘66 had always appealed to her, and she began to see films in a new light, apart from what was accessible on cable or in major motion pictures. Upon moving to Atlanta and enrolling in the graduate level film studies program at Georgia State, she began attending screenings and got involved with film networking events. Eventually, she became Community Outreach Coordinator, and later Creative
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Christina Humphrey Senior Shorts programmer of the Atlanta Film Society, New Mavericks board member A lifelong film lover, Christina Humphrey cites her grandmother’s early influence as what led her to love the medium as fiercely as she does today. Growing up mainly in Arizona, she’d look forward to regular visits to her grandmother’s home in the South Georgia countryside. “She was an avid library visitor and I watched a ton of classic films back then,” Humphrey recalls with fondness. After relocating to Atlanta, Humphrey landed an internship with the Atlanta Film Festival and worked her way up to her current role as Senior Shorts Programmer. In 2013, she programmed the first official New Mavericks shorts block as part of the Atlanta Film Festival,
Writer, director, producer, New Mavericks filmmaker
Carrie Schrader’s career has spanned from writing screenplays to directing shorts and web series. Most recently, she wrote and directed the biographical documentary The Founders, which premiered at the New Mavericks block of the 2016 Atlanta Film Festival and won an Audience Award for Best Feature Film. The film was conceptualized by Charlene Fisk, an award-winning documentary director. “Charlene and I had met on a web series that we were working on and had some friends in the industry,” Schrader says. “She kept saying, ‘come work on this documentary, it’s a golf documentary!’ and I was like, first of all, I don’t do documentaries, I haven’t done them since I was really first starting out. And second of all, golf? A movie about golf?” Her incredulity dissipated, however, as she learned more about the story and its quirky and compelling characters. Together, Schrader and Fisk created a film that was a mixture of
narrative and documentary, detailing the relatively unknown history of the Ladies Professional Golf Association. “As a female, I thought I had known all of my heroines, my icons, the people who had made way for me as a feminist, but I didn’t know what these women did,” explains Schrader, noting that by forming a professional sports organization (the only one like it at the time), the LPGA helped set the stage for other women to break constructs in all areas of society. “They were not supposed to be out there playing sports; they were not supposed to be making a living; they were not supposed to be touring around the country on their own making money,” she laughs. “That was simply unheard of.” Fisk and Schrader have set out to make a difference in the industry with the launch of their new boutique production company, Mighty Fine Pictures. “Our goal is to continue to tell stories that help support an environment where we really strive to hire a lot of women,” Schrader explains. “That’s what we have to do to continue to train and to create a powerful infrastructure to support all women.”
Charlene Fisk Cinematographer, director, New Mavericks filmmaker
“I wanted to do a piece that was inspirational,” says Charlene Fisk, who began conceptualizing the film that would eventually become The Founders in 2012. Her need for a narrative screenwriter is what led her to the creative partnership with Schrader. Fisk’s passion for film has led to a
successful career in production. She spent years working for PBS as a director of photography and editor and won her first Emmy for editing at the age of 26. “I consumed everything that I could to get to where I needed to be,” she says. During her time working for high profile productions, however, Fisk began to notice some upsetting trends: “There were no women around me. None. Zero. I didn’t see another woman doing anything but maybe producing, and even then I was so excited the first time that I worked with a woman producer, which wasn’t until I was in my 20s. I had so many terrible experiences with male producers, just horrible, that I was like, ‘Is this how it’s gonna be forever?’” So how can the industry’s gender imbalance really change? “I think they need to be proactive,” says Fisk. “There can’t be this, ‘oh, I didn’t think to hire a black shooter,' or 'I didn’t think to hire a female shooter…’ It needs to be, ‘I need to think about hiring them first.’ And that’s not the attitude. Because opening up to those things is better for the film, and better for us as creative individuals. The climate on set, and the climate inherent within filmmaking, is a collaborative process.”
Brit Wigginton Film student at SCAD Atlanta, New Mavericks intern and filmmaker
At only 23 years old, Brit Wigginton is a young face with a fresh perspective on the local film scene, but she has already experienced her fair share of setbacks. She describes the experience
“
I just feel lucky that I’ve been able to find more supportive environments, so I don’t get totally beat down and not inspired.
”
of creating her short film Violet, the story of a young runaway she wrote for her senior thesis project at SCAD: “When I first turned my script in...my professor who supervised my senior thesis said it wasn’t a film. He said it couldn’t be made, it was a terrible script, and I needed to write something different.” Fortunately, her professor’s negativity was not enough to discourage Wigginton from pursuing her concept, and she decided to find a way to make her film despite his protests. “I didn’t want to have to make something else to satisfy the opinion of a 50-year-old straight white man,” she laughs. “So I was like, ‘okay, I’m just going to do this anyway.’” Though it was against the rules to work on unapproved projects while in school, her strong concept and passion encouraged some rebellious students from the sound department to secretly help bring the film to fruition. “At my school, my entire department is basically like 80 or 90% men. It’s really hard, because everything that’s not about, like, aliens or space or the future, they aren’t going to like it. They don’t take you seriously,” says Wigginton. “So I just feel lucky that I’ve been able to find more supportive environments, so I don’t get totally beat down and not inspired, or feel like I can’t do anything.” At the end of the year, Violet screened at SCAD’s student awards ceremony. It was a success, and got nominated for a number of awards, surprising and delighting students and faculty alike. This achievement, buoyed by a recent internship with New Mavericks, has honed Wigginton’s interest in operating behind the scenes. She now hopes to pursue a career in development for TV, and credits her success and passion to the women who have encouraged her throughout the years.
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READY,
SET, GO!
Behind the Scenes WITH
the Props &
Art Departments By Laura Miller
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“I was there for interviews with such people as Carol Burnett, Shirley MacLaine, Melvyn Douglas, and Tim Conway, but I saw all these oddly dressed people scurrying around doing God knows what,” Litsch explains. “Then it would all come together and the director would yell ‘action!’ and I decided I wanted to be a part of that.” Litsch entered the industry as a unit publicist, putting his writing skills to good use drafting press kits and scheduling press interviews with the cast and crew of The Bear, a film about Alabama football coach Paul “Bear” Bryant. He moved from publicity to the art department on a suggestion from a coworker, and after applying for the job of day planner he was hired by the late, great production designer Charles Bennett as a full-time set dresser, and eventually, set decorator on Hallmark’s Caroline, a movie that would earn him his first Emmy nomination. “The main thing I’ve learned is to put your money in front of the camera,” Litsch says. “If the camera doesn’t see it, you’ve wasted money. That requires working closely with the designer and the director to understand the concept and vision.” Striking that balance is a key part of set decorating; indeed, set decorator Lynne Mitchell says it’s her favorite part. “You get to be creative in a group setting, and you’ve got fantastic creative minds working together on a project,” she says. Mitchell always knew she was an artist, but the exact medium was foggy. She began in New York City as a photo stylist, a career that brought her to Atlanta in 1993. By accident, she was pulled into commercials, and she loved them so much that she stayed. Mitchell has worked on productions including A Walk in the Woods, The Haves and the Have Nots and The Walking Dead; she has decorated commercials for companies
"I saw all these oddly dressed people scurrying around doing God knows what,"
including Reebok, Capital One, Verizon Wireless, and Cartoon Network. She says she wouldn’t trade it for the world. “Set decorating is such an interesting career in the respect that you learn a lot about the world and different situations and places, because you have to replicate it and know why things are done in a certain way.” Atlanta set dresser Lance Totten agrees: “I always say that it’s a good day if I can spend two or three hours out of 12 or 14 actually decorating the set, but I can’t imagine doing anything else.” Totten knew since college that film was his calling, but it took three years to finally break into the scene as an office PA. He hated the office work, but loved being able to help in every department, an opportunity that let him learn exactly what he liked and didn’t. He found the set dressers to be most welcoming and parlayed his PA job into set dressing work for a year or two. Eventually, he was hired as a full-time set decorator, and has since worked dozens of big budget productions, including Big Fish, Teen Wolf, The Game, Halt and Catch Fire, and Edgar Wright’s upcoming heist film Baby Driver.
Brenda Findley
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he office is quiet. The only sound is the rustle of paper and an occasional telephone ringtone. For Brenda Findley, most of the days and weeks that lead up to filming a movie or television show aren’t spent on a set surrounded by glamour and hype. Findley, a Georgia-based art department coordinator whose credits include Selma, The Boss, and Meet the Browns, is busily typing on her laptop, desk strewn with papers, pictures, and plans. A furniture delivery was supposed to happen the week before, but the truck never arrived; the department is moving to the studio at the end of the week and offices need to be assigned; a dozen phone calls need to be made. Findley handles it all with ease and a sharp sense of humor. Before the lights, actors, and cameras arrive, every film and television set must be designed, created, and styled. After all, what is a movie scene without its background? From Cheers to Central Perk, Carrie Bradshaw’s apartment to Willy Wonka’s chocolate room, sets are as indispensable to movies and television as the characters themselves. Which means set designers, prop stylists, and art department coordinators are vital components—a well-done set is like another character. Set decorator and production designer Joe Litsch knows this all too well. With more than 23 years of set decorating and production designing experience, Litsch has worked on films including October Road, Stomp the Yard, Diary of a Mad Black Woman, and Beauty Shop. Originally a reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Litsch became interested in the film industry when covering a movie that was shooting in Atlanta.
Brenda Findley, on the other hand, had no intention of working in the film industry. Born and raised in rural Kansas, Findley was originally a journalist for the small town paper. Eventually, she moved into historic preservation, a hobby that led to a call from NBC, offering a set
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Joe Litsch Lance Totten
dresser job. She accepted, realized she loved it, and after working on numerous films she transferred to Atlanta and into the art department. “The art department allowed me to learn how shows work, from the finances to the props to the grips. Invaluable experience,” Findley says. Before filming begins, set designers have a series of meetings with the producers, writers, and director; figuring out themes and overall feel is a vital first step in any production. An intimate understanding of both a script and characters is necessary, as is a large amount of research. “Deciding what to use on a set requires complete familiarity with the script and the characters involved in particular scenes,” Litsch explains. “What would this character have in his or her bedroom that helps define the person? Clothing, pictures, the style of furniture, window treatments, and so on.” Sets have to be built from the ground up and styled to echo a real, lived-in location.
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East Mountain Studios, located down a quiet two-lane road in Conyers, provides ample space, both warehouse and office. In between seasons, the studio is quiet. Most of the lights are off and the only sounds come from a remote corner, where several men are repairing the building and moving things around. Upstairs, a long hallway houses offices; each large room sports two or three desks, chairs, and a whiteboard. The art department, producers, writers, and director will all share this space once filming begins. A wall of windows overlooks a cavernous construction area, used exclusively by the Georgia-based vampire drama The Originals. The room, which resembles a hardware store’s warehouse, connects to numerous other warehouse-style spaces, which will be used to construct sets, store props, and film. Findley is here to prepare the space for shooting the sequel to Dolly Parton’s hit TV movie for NBC, Coat of Many Colors. As art department coordinator, she oversees set construction and props. Along with art department PA Lisa Perry and production secretary Lacie Ratliff, Findley spends the afternoon taking pictures of the offices, deciding which teams will go where, and measuring spaces to ensure each set will fit and that there is enough room to store props, wardrobe, and other design elements. “The process is always very organized and planned-out, while at the same time allowing for production designers and set decorators to change their minds about certain details as the set is being dressed,” Findley explains, camera in one hand and measuring tape in the other.
Every set designer, set decorator, or member of the art department knows that research is key to designing fabulous sets. For instance, what should the decorative elements be, based on the characters and the story and the settings and the chosen locations? Is there a budget to keep in mind? How intricate does the set need to be? What kind of time constraints are in place? If the film or television show is a period piece, old books, magazines, and catalogues provide invaluable information into the proper décor of previous generations. Vintage Sears catalogues, in particular, offer insights into American home decorating and home construction styles since the late 1800s. Dozens of reference books are also available, and topics range from period storage containers to colorful rooms to indexes of style, from colonial-era to modern times. Once research is completed and a list has been composed for each set and scene, the shopping begins. “I start with the most difficult or most time-consuming things first,” Mitchell says. “For instance, large pieces of furniture really set the direction for the rest of the set.” Many times, a specific piece needs to be constructed. Draperies need to be sewn. Walls need to be built. Countless other items need to be obtained, including light fixtures, artwork, and all furnishings and accessories. Totten, like most decorators and designers, has a go-to team that he relies on. “Once I’m dialed into the designer’s vision, I go to my team of buyers, set dressers, and office staff, and start the process of figuring out what all of the physical elements of the décor should be, where they are coming from, who’s finding or making them, and how we are paying for them,” he says. “There’s a lot of collaboration between set dressing and props, but also greens and construction and paint and even a bit of wardrobe at times,” Totten adds. Days also include communicating with vendors, creating budgets, and writing extensive notes for every episode so his team can all stay on the same page. Eventually, he makes his way to a set to do what he loves most: decorating. Decorating is one of Mitchell’s favorite parts about her job as well. “Once
Biggar's Antiques
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a set is basically dressed, we usually add ‘layers’ to show life happening there. Things like mail, a coffee cup somewhere, a tote bag or shirt randomly thrown over the back of a chair—anything that suits the character and makes a set feel real and ‘lived in’ can work.” The question remains—where are props and décor for movies obtained? Normally, there are three options: rent, buy, or construct. Most decorators and designers have worked in the business for many years and have established vendors who they use for most, if not every, set. When antiques are needed, which they often are, Findley swears by Antiques & Beyond, 14th Street Antiques & Modern Home, Kudzu Antiques, and the Scott Antique Markets. “The best places for antiques depends on the particular period and/or style that’s desired and what any particular dealer has in stock,” she explains. For midcentury modern furnishings and décor, she prefers to call up City Issue and Westside Modern. Domus International, Room and Board, By Design, Bova
Furniture, Roche-Bobois, Cantoni, and Modani are options for more modern décor. Both antique shops and regular retail shops are viable options for movie sets. Chamblee’s Antique Row has been providing rentals for more than two decades. Antique Factory, Metropolitan Artifacts, and Broad Street Antique Mall are all mainstays in the Atlanta film industry. Biggar's Antiques, though in the process of moving, is one of the most popular rental locations in the entire state, and The Shops of Miami Circle in Buckhead provide a wide range of antiques for period movies and television, as well as lighting, stone, tile, art, and more. For more eclectic options, Westside Market, Highland Row Antiques, and Paris on Ponce are popular options. As with most industries, there are specialty stores available for prop rental. All About Props, Prop-Source, Bridge Props, RJR Props, Warner Brothers, Biggar’s Prop House, and Central Atlanta Props and Sets are all industry favorites, and MGM and Alpha Medical,
normally L.A.-based, have made their way to Atlanta as well. Prop houses are particularly useful should a designer need to style a school or office. How does a designer know where to go to find these honey holes? Like the rest of their job, it’s all about research. Many take the old-fashioned route, driving around and shopping, but the internet reigns supreme when it comes to niche props. “Finding specific used items locally via Craigslist is a game-changer and a huge timesaver for sourcing, if not actual acquisition,” Totten says. “Sites like eBay dramatically help period film work, too.” Intuition plays a large part, as well. “There are no tricks,” Totten claims. “You just intuitively know something is right and hope that you’re correct. And it’s never bad to have a back-up option in case the thing you originally liked doesn’t work out.” Findley says that working connections with fellow industry friends is also a great way to track something down. “Set dec buyers are combing the
"Our vendors are so important to us that we protect them, we fight for them."
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they were not able to work in there until Locations got them out!” Imagination plays a large part in set designing, as one might expect. “When I was decorating season two of The Walking Dead, our first big scene was the highway scene with abandoned cars that stretched a mile long,” Mitchell recalls. “We had to dress that highway and all those cars as if they’d been abandoned. We began designing stories for different cars and who might have been driving them so that they would be dressed differently.” Litsch loves being behind the scenes, seeing what most people never even think of. “It’s interesting to see how the finished product is created from so many small parts,” he says. “I enjoy watching the decorating crew take an empty space and turn it into a totally believable set.” Mitchell is familiar with the transformation from empty to believable. “We needed a ton of trash along one particular strip of road,” she explains, of another scene from The Walking Dead. “We collected ‘clean’ trash to scatter along that mile-long stretch of highway. As trash will blow away and is hard to clean up, we decided to glue it down onto long strips of landscaping cloth. This way, we could lay down the trash blankets and the trash wouldn’t blow away. It also made picking it all up much easier.” Back at the rented office space, Findley has a full afternoon planned. The director is coming to review the concept boards. Some period pieces need to be found and ordered. Filming begins in less than a month, and sets still need to be designed and built, props ordered, and set dressing rented, built, or outright bought. The hundreds of tiny details, however, always add up to a spectacular display. So next time you queue up your favorite show or settle down to watch a movie, take a look at the sets. Or rather, don’t. If you forget to look at the background, if it blends into the scene, or if you feel like you’re at home, then the set decorator has done their job right.
Lynne Mitchell
shops and stores every day and tend to have a great eye for detail and a fabulous memory for what they’ve seen where,” she adds. Many designers spend off days exploring new areas and new stores, talking to shop owners about becoming vendors, and writing reviews. “People are generally receptive to renting,” she says. “But you have to know how to talk to them. They need to feel confident as well.” And with a proven rental process— contracts, inspection, and plenty of communication—business owners really can’t lose. “What I seek from a vendor is friendliness, being accommodating to me as a client, old-school customer service, and a willingness to haggle,” adds Totten. Once a designer finds a reliable source, they’ll do anything to keep them. “Our vendors are so important to us that we protect them, we fight for them. It’s important,” Mitchell says. And good relationships can last for decades. Decorators develop strong relationships with their top vendors; they know who they can call in emergencies and who will give them discounts for certain items or which store has the best Louis XIV pieces. “So many vendors in the ‘real world’ don’t get the speed at which we in film and television tend to work, so you have to hang onto the ones who understand and can deliver on time and budget,” says Totten. Still other accessories and props need to be created from scratch—that’s where the construction crew comes in. Many times, especially with period pieces, it’s easier or cheaper to build a larger or more ornate piece than to search one out and buy or rent it. Again, each designer has construction vendors that they regularly work with, as well as upholstery, drapery, window shades, and framing vendors. Of course, being a set designer comes with its fair share of unexpected challenges. Mitchell recalls working on season two of The Walking Dead. “We spent so much time in the woods we had to check ourselves for ticks daily,” she says. “I got into chiggers pretty badly twice and had a few close calls with snakes. One week, my set dressers told me there was a skunk family living under some set dressing in Hershel’s barn, so
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OZ SCENE The Icon Award Trophy sits in front of the screen in the Woodruff Arts Center's Rich Auditorium
May 22
The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival Icon Awards: Lawrence Kasdan
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he Atlanta Jewish Film Festival’s inaugural Icon Award for Contributions to the Cinematic Arts was presented to writer/ filmmaker Lawrence Kasdan. With credits including Star Wars (Episodes V, VI, and VII), Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Big Chill, Wyatt Earp, The Bodyguard, and more, Kasdan received the award on May 22nd during a ceremony held at the Woodruff Arts Center. Kasdan reflected on his life and film experience with ArtsATL co-founder
Catherine Fox, from how he structured scenes economically to the ways his faith and values influenced his filmography, and answered questions from the crowdsourced #AskKasdan hashtag. Kevin Kline, J.J. Abrams, Glenn Close, Steve Martin, Martin Short, James Newton Howard, Kathleen Kennedy, Carol Littleton, and Mr. Kasdan's family were all part of a star-studded tribute video interspersed with clips from the films that have made Lawrence Kasdan an icon.
After the Icon Award was presented by an actor dressed as Indiana Jones, a VIP Reception convened at Twelve Eighty, complete with photo sessions, fan meetings, and a silent auction of exclusive autographed memorabilia. The Icon Award honors exemplary artists who've upheld the tradition of artistic excellence in film, informed directly or indirectly by a Jewish subject or sensibility, and who inspire preeminence in filmmaking worldwide.
Inaugural Icon Award honoree, Lawrence Kasdan (right), and ArtsATL co-founder, Catherine Fox, sit onstage in the Woodruff Arts Center's Rich Auditorium during a program to honor Kasdan's career
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Lawrence Kasdan's wife, Meg Kasdan, sits in the audience at the ceremony honoring her husband
Lawrence Kasdan
Emory University's chair of Film and Media Studies, Dr. Matthew Bernstein (far left), has a discussion with attendees
Audience members, including Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank (right), enjoy the inaugural Icon Award ceremony
A silent auction gave people a chance to bid on film memorabilia and fantastic movie experiences
An actor dressed as Indiana Jones came out to present the trophy to Mr. Kasdan
Atlanta Jewish Film Festival Executive Director, Kenny Blank (left), poses with AJFF Development Director, Lesli Greenberg, at the VIP reception
AJFF Community Engagement Manager, Dina Fuchs Beresin (left) and AJFF Board Member & Vice President for Brand Activations and Partnerships at Turner Classic Movies, Genevieve McGillicuddy
Atlanta Jewish Film Festival Film Programming Manager, Shellie Schmals (left), poses with AJFF Communications Manager, Leah Sitkoff (right), at the VIP reception
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OZ SCENE
June 16-19
TERMINUS
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ampus MovieFest, the world’s largest student film festival, hosted the inaugural TERMINUS, a four-day event dedicated to bringing together young creatives and industry professionals for the best of film, TV, and gaming. The event took place at the Marriott Marquis in Downtown Atlanta and at other venues throughout the city. Launching with a kick-off party hosted by ChooseATL, TERMINUS featured hands-on workshops, educational panels, game design expos, exclusive film and TV screenings,
live-play tournaments, awards, chances to rub elbows and network with celebrities and industry leaders, and several more parties. Ideas United, producers of TERMINUS and creators of Campus MovieFest, chose Atlanta to launch TERMINUS due in large part to the city’s ongoing dedication to supporting and cultivating the entertainment industry. “We are excited to bring the TERMINUS experience to Atlanta, where we started Campus MovieFest 16 years ago," says David Roemer, CEO and cofounder of Ideas United. “We’re thrilled
to create an unforgettable opportunity for thousands of students and professionals from across the country that are looking for new ways to create and share with the world.” Over 23 awards were given out to various TERMINUS participants and contestants, with help from famous actors and comedians like Judah Friedlander, Scott Adsit, Scott Eastwood, and Hannibal Buress. TERMINUS also hosted its very own film festival, feeding from the Campus MovieFests.
Erick Lorenzo, Gaspar Ferreiro (Project Ghost Studios), Dale Adams, Peter Stolmeier, Annie Eaton, Ian Bogost
Left to right: Lauren Klopfendsten, Lura Normand, Kendall Poltzer and Caren West
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Judah Friedlander and Hannibal Buress
Freakin’ Movie Makers, University of North Florida, Nominated for CMF Best Story and CMF Best Production Design for their film Tender Kayley Kemp (accepting on behalf of her entire team), Sonoma State University, Bobby, CMF Best Drama Kyle Bazen, University of South Florida, Flusical!, CMF Best Picture Winner
Attendees pose on the red carpet
Laura Hutson, Georgia Southern University, Hutson Films, Southern Mentality, CMF Best Documentary
Jessica Rabe and Discovery High School students
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OZ SCENE Left to Right: Jill King (SVP, Marketing Partnerships, Cartoon Network and Adult Swim), Lilyn Hester (Public Affairs Manager, Google), Christina Miller (President and GM, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and Boomerang), Mayor Jannquell Peters, Julie Ann Crommett (Entertainment Industry Educator in Chief, Google), Courtney McCarthy (CS in Media, Google), Katie Krentz (Sr. Director, Comedy Animation Development, Cartoon Network)
June 16
GIF: The Powerpuff Girls Coding Event
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artoon Network and Google brought together nonprofits Made with Code, Black Girls Code, and the Mayor of East Point, Jannquell Peters, at Turner in Atlanta for a special event launching GIF: The Powerpuff Girls. The companies collaborated on the event and coding activity, with a mission of combining their entertainment and tech expertise to bring the power of creative coding to kids in every community, at every income level, and in every demographic. The event’s special guests, 45 teenage
girls from Black Girls Code, were greeted by female executives from Cartoon Network and Google, including Christina Miller, president and general manager for Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and Boomerang; Katie Krentz, Senior Director, Comedy Animation Development, Cartoon Network; Lilyn Hester, Public Affairs Manager for Google; Google Engineer Monica Renneke; and Mayor Peters. Each woman reaffirmed the importance of coding as an essential language to fulfill your goals and dreams, and encouraged the girls
to continue exploring their creativity through coding. “This day is exactly why we at Cartoon Network committed ourselves to encouraging kids to explore coding and the intersection of creativity and technology,” says Miller. “We know how important this is, and that is why we want to be part of the community that helps all kids learn the language of coding to build their futures and, frankly, all of our futures.”
Christina Miller joins students who made their own custom Powerpuff Girls avatars
Students from Black Girls Code engage with creative coding
Christina Miller watches students from Black Girls Code participate in Cartoon Network and Google’s Made with Code event
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Oz Magazine - film. tv. entertainment.
Students have fun in the photo booth at Cartoon Network and Google’s Made with Code event
A student builds her own Powerpuff Girls avatar on PowerpuffYourself.com
OZ SCENE
Richie Arpino works the crowd with some puppy love
June 4
Doggies on the Catwalk
T
he threat of thunderstorms didn’t keep nearly 500 guests from crowding the patio of Le Bilboquet and center plaza of The Shops Buckhead Atlanta for Doggies on the Catwalk, a fashion show fundraiser benefiting Canine Assistants. A local non-profit organization, Canine Assistants trains and provides service dogs for children and adults with physical disabilities or other special needs. Founded by fashion blogger and educator E. Vincent Martinez and emceed by television broadcast journalist Monica Pearson, Doggies on the Catwalk has become a signature event on Atlanta’s social calendar. With their ten-year anniversary coming up
in 2017, Atlanta event production firm trinity productions took the opportunity to customize a charitable event ready-made for film by partnering with Porsche, NARS, Bai and Roche Bobois to transform The Shops Buckhead Atlanta into a high end fashion show fête. “The 9th annual Doggies on the Catwalk exceeded my expectations,” Martinez said. “The luxury experience for guests, provided by Theo Tyson of trinity productions, has set the tone for a world-class event. From planning to production, we've gathered a lot of valuable content for a compelling documentary about the making of Doggies on the Catwalk.”
Over 30 looks from the latest collections of Les Copains, Akris, Christian Louboutin, Alice + Olivia by Stacey Bendet, Theory, and Planet Blue, plus a few looks straight off Tod’s runway, were the perfect accessories to Canine Assistants’ adorable service dogs. One of the highlights of the evening was an intermission presenting The Art Institute of Atlanta’s top fashion design students—Haze Devlin, Zuri Zander and Marcus Brown—with their original creations showcased on Click Models. This year, Doggies on the Catwalk grossed over $70,000, having doubled each year under trinity productions’ direction.
Click models in Ai designs
Doug Weiss
Tracye Hutchins
E. Vincent Martinez with Ai models and Monica Pearson
Jenna Muller
July / August 2016
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OZ SCENE Kelsey Norris and John Schimmel holding up the $500 donation prize sponsored by Carolina Dronz
May 7
Kelsey Norris setting up the drones
International Drone Day
T
he Athens division of the second annual International Drone Day kicked off on May 7th at Athens Technical College, presented by Southeast Drone, FlyWorx, and Professor Mark Evans, the chair of the Emerging Technologies Program at Athens Tech. Sponsors included Athens Tech, Go Professional Cases, Carolina Dronz, and the Academy of Model Aeronautics. The free event invited the public to view
a showcase of drones by the Georgia team, complete with food, giveaways, music, and flight training. The goal was to demystify drones for those who see them only as military machines. “International Drone Day is to promote awareness of the good things about drones,” said Evans. “It’s a fast-growing and fast-changing world for both amateurs and commercial drone flyers, and will grow even more in the
next few years,” predicted Kelsey Norris of Southeast Drone, who brought several drones to showcase, including one he built himself. Founded by Sarah and David O’Neal of That Drone Show, International Drone Day is a worldwide effort by 150 teams across 50 countries to showcase the positive applications of drones.
Devoted fan Jan Galyen expresses her appreciation to Daniel Selznick
June 17-19
Previous “Windie Award” winners pose with Dave Pensenstadler, husband of this year’s posthumous winner, Helen Pensenstadler
80 Years of Gone With the Wind: “Thank You, Margaret Mitchell!” Gone with the Wind collection owner, Chris Sullivan interviews 50th Anniversary 2014 Georgia Author of the Year Victoria Wilcox (Inheritance) during the authors forum
T
he Marietta Gone With the Wind Museum presented a celebrity lineup of speakers and authors at its gala weekend, June 17th-19th. Speakers included Daniel Selznick, son of David O. Selznick who produced the legendary film. Selznick discussed the 1988 documentary, The Making of a Legend, which he and his brother Jeffrey spearheaded.
Daniel Selznick and museum director Connie Sutherland share a laugh on stage at the Murray Arts Center in Kennesaw during an interview.
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Oz Magazine - film. tv. entertainment.
The event marked the 80th anniversary of the publication of Margaret Mitchell’s 1936 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, and showcased never-before-seen sections of the actual Tara Plantation set used in the film, memorabilia collection tips from Gone With the Wind experts, and author book signings.
Fan and GWTW collector Karen Stewart shows a magazine article to Daniel Selznick
A shutter from the original Tara façade sits on display for fans during the event
OZ SCENE
June 22
Women in Production Summit
A
tlanta women in the film and television industry converged for the inaugural Women in Production Summit at the Savannah College of Art and Design Atlanta's SCADShow theater. Hosted by SCAD and SCADFILM, the event brought together women in both above and below the line positions from five organizations: Women in Film and Television Atlanta (WIFTA), Producers Guild of America Women's Impact Network (PGA WIN), Film Fatales, Black Women Film Network, and New Mavericks. Thirteen influential women working in the Atlanta industry gave three minute testimonials, TED Talk style, on “The Confidence Piece,” or how they’ve
found courage to propel themselves forward in their careers despite setbacks and the gender gap. Following the testimonials, a panel of leaders, one from each of the five organizations, discussed how their groups help foster learning and opportunities in the third-ranked production market in the U.S. The summit concluded with strategies to move women's projects forward. WIFTA board member Lisa Moore announced a legal clinic to be offered by the organization this September. Documentary filmmaker Erin Berhardt encouraged guests focused on activism to get involved with the Creative Vision Foundation. Christina Campagnola, an agent with the Agency for the Performing
Arts, broke the news of an upcoming collaboration with the Georgia Film Academy. Producer and Chair of the PGA WIN, Lydia Dean Pilcher (The Talented Mr. Ripley, The Darjeeling Limited, Queen of Katwe), rounded out the night by explaining the PGA WIN Toolkit as a resource and the importance of women banding together. “We are thrilled as an organization to help create the first opportunity like this for Atlanta women,” said Susan Moss, WIFTA Executive Director and one of the organizers of the summit. “The amount of energy and talent in the room shows the power of coming together to support and inspire each other.”
Velissa Robinson
Lydia Dean Pilcher
Cheryl Jenkins
WIFTA Members
Ebony Blanding
Woman in Production panel
July / August 2016
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Oz Magazine - film. tv. entertainment.
1
A
4.6
4.2
142
Front Macro
6.2
lbs.
Various re-housed options available (Mirrorscope Pictured)
42"
CfD
M
2.2
T 2.2
156 156
12.3 13.6
30" 30"
2.2
156
13.7
40"
.75 WA Adapter on 40mm
156
11.5
32"
16.8
6.2
142
lbs.
JSC OPTICA-ELITE Mark V Front 178
40"
40"
CfD
2.1
156 156
Front
2.1
30" 30" 11.7 12.1
2.2
lbs.
T
Vantage Hawk V-Series
4.4
CfD
2.2
2.6
110
6.5
33"
113 113 2.2
2.1
95 2.3
36" 36"
2.6
120
6.4
39"
2.2
120
6.4
39"
2.3
95
T
125
4.6
125
lbs.
2.6
Front
120
Front 30"
4.6
lbs.
30"
31"
CfD
CfD
2.2
T
2.6
120
Front
T
4.6
lbs.
110
5.9
33"
2.3
18" 2.0
C
125
8.1
24"
2.2
156
14.1
40"
2.1
125
8.1
24"
2.2
113
4.4
36"
2.6
CamTec
104
4.2
39"
2.2
104
4.2
39"
2.3
110
6.0
33"
2.3
95
22"
2.2
95
5.7
T
125
8.8
24"
2.2
113
3.9
36"
2.6
95
26"
2.2
95
6.0
9.5 125
125M
125
10.1
24"
2.2
156
13.0
40"
2.1
24"
14" 9.5M
2.2
113
3.8
36"
2.6
110
5.8
39"
2.3
95
30"
2.2
95
5.7
M
M
3
104
4.4
39"
2.2
104
4.4
39"
2.3
136M
11.5M
18"M
2.6M
1.9 36"
104
5.0
39"
2.2
104
5.0
39"
2.3
1.9
1.9
2.2
95
8.4 2.8
95 2.3 6.5
2.2
113
4.5
36"
3.0
3.0
110 110
6.5
44" 56"
2.3
95
3.0
95
39" 51" 60"
2.2
95
6.8
37" 47"
2.5
3.0
125 125
14.5 13.8
42" 42"
2.2
124 124
15.9 14.5
40" 60"
2.1
125 125 125 125
9.7 12.3 11.9 11.7
24" 39" 39" 39"
2.2
Toronto Anamorphics 2/18/2016 12:30 PM
104
4.4
39"
2.2
104
4.4
39"
2.3
1.9 36"
T3.2
Lightweight, compact design. Exceptional contrast & high resolution. Well balanced aberration control. Excellent glare resistance Minimal breathing.
Vantage's Hawk V‑Lite lenses have become an industry standard for anamorphic glass. Even though they are the smallest ‘scope lenses on the market, they do not sacrifice image quality while still being exceedingly robust with extremely solid mechanics. Vantage also offers V-Lites in a 1.3x squeeze (See below)
250
T3.0
Various Versions. Russian built anamorphics featuring modern glass including both the spherical and anamorphic cylinders. Distinct character and a vintage look. Classic cinematic oval bokeh.
Build on the successes of the previously well-established Hawk V‑Series (2x). Although the Hawk V‑Series lenses were already exceptional, further improvements enhanced this T3.5 series ability to handle extreme high contrasts. CF 17" Complementary front anamorphic zooms 45-90mm & 80180mm (T2.8) complete a comprehensive offering.
120M
T3.5
140
T3
110
T3.1 that look w/ lenses that incorporate state-of-the-art optics & mechanics & work seamlessly w/ the latest accessories. 140 Complementary front anamorphic zooms 45-90mm & 80T3.7 180mm (T2.9) complete a comprehensive offering.
78"
3.0
Full List
Also includes older Elites
Full List
Full List
Panavision 68 Worldwide Locations
Full List
Vantage Film
Full List
Full List
Full List
Independently compiled. Not sanctioned by any Lens manufacturer
Main features are its close focus ability & improvements to the overall performance. Although these are some of the first lenses made by Hawk, the robust construction and T3 excellent glass have withstood the test of time. 16.5 350 T4.2 Complementary front anamorphic zoom 46-230mm & 300900mm (T4) completes a comprehensive offering. 142
124
13.4
DPs who seek the signature 1970s look, with low contrast,
True, front anamorphic with 2x squeeze. 2:1 oval bokeh for out of focus highlights. Color matched to Cooke S4/i, 5/i and miniS4/i lenses. Equipped with /i Technology for metadata capture. Complementary front Zoom 35-140mm (Spring 2016).
Anamorphic atmosphere characteristics. No distortion or breathing effect. Perfect close focus without distortion. Very lightweight and small size. Wide focal range with ALL 95mm fronts.
110 flares, color aberrations, and other “flaws” can now achieve
T3.5
60" 250
2.8
110
12.0
78" 300
2.8
300
T2.8
250
T2.8
200
Low distortion for uncompromised cinemascope. Classic oval bokeh w/ high contrast & nice focus fall-off. Beautiful skin tones & precise color rendition. Flare Set encourages flaring, ghosting & veiling glare delivering four distinct, creative looks for each lens. Arri Complementary Ultra Wide Zoom 19-36mm (T4.2).
Worldwide Rental Sources
Fletcher has produced the Camera Comparison chart for the past ten years as co-owner of Fletcher Camera & Lenses. He is a cinematography equipment entrepreneur and an active member of the
Vantage Hawk V-Plus
Panavision G-Series
Vantage Hawk V-Lite
Vantage Hawk V-Lite Vintage '74
31"
CfD
136
Front 2.3
6.1
lbs.
95
18"
2.2
95
1.9 30"
Source:Manufacturer's Website (unless noted).Click Decription for Full Details
Complied by: Tom Fletcher Manufacturer's Description Summary
ollowing the Zoom Lens and Camera Comparison charts, Tom Fletcher has released the 2016 Anamorphic Prime Lens Chart.
T
33"
CfD
95
2.3
T
Front 95
lbs.
18"
CfD 16"
2.2
2.2
2.8
T 2.2
95
Brown Text = Future Lens
Front
6.0
5.7
lbs.
1.9
1.9 30" 28"
T
CfD
OTHER
F
Cooke Anamorphic /i
Servicevision Scorpio
ARRI/Zeiss Master
Thomas Fletcher
2016 ANAMORPHIC PRIME LENS CHART
20 22 24 25 28 30 32 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 100 135 150 180 mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm
Sorted by: Squeeze factor in reverse chronological order
FLETCHER AND ADCOCK: ANAMORPHIC PRIME LENS CHART American Society of Cinematographers, the Production Equipment Rental Group, and the Association of Independent Commercial Producers.
July / August 2016
61
1
3.1 3.4
1.6
1.6
2.2
36" 5.5
CfD
lbs.
24" 5.5 120
CfD 24"
5.5
lbs.
Vantage Hawk V-Lite 1.3x Front 142
Various re-housed options available (Mirrorscope Pictured)
2.2
T
Front
lbs.
CfD
T
Front
1.4 1.6
T
M
Macro
120
5
31"
2.2
2.4
1.4 1.6 2.3
120
6.4
39"
2.2
2.4 2.8
95
113
.75 WA Adapter on 40mm
3.2
5.4
4.8 113
lbs.
Front
3.7
33" 30"
2.8
48"
2.3
130
3.0
CfD
124
Front
7.0 3.0
3.0
lbs.
2.3
24" 48"
T
15"
CfD
114
C
2.4 2.4
1.4 2.3
95
5.4
30"
2.3
2.3
95
CamTec
104
4.2
39"
114A
Front
T
3A
lbs. 2.0
36"
36"
36"
CfD 2.0
2.3
2.3
A
1.4
7.6 125
2.3A
143 125
48"
2.0
151
15.3
42"
2.0
110
4.6
42"
2.2
T
A
175
3.9
8.3
10.0
lbs.
Front
7.0
42" 48"
48"
2.0
CfD
2.0
151 151 2.3
Front
T
13.6 14.6
lbs.
2.0
2.0
110
Front 42" 42"
4.8
lbs.
T
42"
CfD
CfD
2.2
T
2.2
Lomo
Cineovision
Panavision C-Series
Todd AO
(Mirrorscope Rehoused Version Pictured)
Kowa 35BE
Panavision E-Series
Panavision Primo
Vantage Hawk C-Series
Thomas Fletcher
ANAMORPHIC PRIME LENS CHART
T
1.4
95
4.0
20"
2.8
104
4.4
39"
2.2
1.4 2.4
2.3
74
3.6
54"
2.5
97
4.0
36"
2.5
95
2.5
36"
2.8
113
5.3
48"
2.0
126
10.4
54"
2.0
110
5.2
42"
2.2
104
5.0
39"
2.2
2.3
126
12.1
54"
2.0
110
5.9
42"
3.0
2.8
6.0
2.5
1.4
8.0
7.1
3.0
95
3.0
60"
3.4
113 113
3.2 3.4
2.8 3.2
74
4.6
54"
2.8
97
5.6
39" 36"
1.4
95
5.5
60" 60" 45"
2.0
Toronto Anamorphics 2/18/2016 12:30 PM
104
4.4
39"
2.2
95
4.0
27"
110
4.6
42"
2.2
2.8
3.4 4.2
95
6.8
T4
360
T4
200M
T2.3
38
OTHER
95
Full List
The first set of Hawk Anamorphic Lenses were designed and produced over twenty years ago and are still in superb working condition. Many cinematographers love the beautifully classic look of these lenses. 2x squeeze. Complementary front anamorphic zoom 55-165mm (T4) completes a comprehensive offering.
and old coatings.T
Various Versions. The unique and organic artifacts, color, tone and distortions due the glass being hand polished and shaped, the complexity of their movement and construction
entire project. Flares easily.. C
Various Versions. Vintage Japanese. With their fast aperture and vintage coatings these lenses have a very expressive quality. Great to mix in with the more modern lenses or to use for an
Compact size and lightweight. Slightly lower in contrast. Pronounced anamorphic flare. More frganic feel compared to the sterile look of more modern day optics.
Cinema Products in Los Angeles in 1980sC
Various Versions. Good sharpness & flare rather easily. All versions popular for today's ultra sharp sensors. Standard Speed lenses orginally made by American Optical Co. for Michael Todd. Feature a warm color. Hi Speed Lenses made from Canon K35s by
handheld or steadicam.C
Japanese anamorphic from the 60's. These lenses have similar coatings as the spherical Kowa Cine Prominars. Low in contrast & warm in color, they can be made to flare easily. The flare is warm in color rather than the standard blue anamorphic flare. They are small in size and work well for
less than their older Square Front cousins.
Independently compiled. Not sanctioned by any Lens manufacturer
Unique squeezing factor of 1.3x uses nearly entire 16:9 110 sensor to achieve 2.40 format. Maximum image quality combined w/ a very pleasant emotional effect. T3 Vantage Film 140 Complementary front anamorphic zooms 30-60, 45-90 & 80180mm(T2.8) complete a comprehensive offering. T3.5 Vantage also offers 1.3x V-Lite Super 16 series (T1.5).
T6
Full List
Full List
Panavision 68 Worldwide Locations
Full List
Full List
Delivers an overall sharpness that is undeniably clean without being too clinical. Features classic artifacts: Panavision disproportional vertical focus breathing, mild barrel 68 Worldwide distortion & clean blue horizontal flares without glare. Locations PV offers Front Anamorphic Zooms AWZ2 40-80 (T2.8) & ATZ 70-200 (T3.5). Performance is comparible to E-Series primes.
Delivers high contrast and resolution, even field illumination & negligible veiling glare, ghosting, & distortion. Panavision 68 Worldwide Consistent color between focal lengths. Locations Produces the frequently desirable blue anamorphic flare without introducing unwanted veiling glare.
Worldwide
Source:Manufacturer's Website (unless noted). Click Decription for Full Details Rental Sources
Complied by: Tom Fletcher Manufacturer's Description Summary
500 Round Fronts have slightly lower contrast and breathe much
T5.6
150 300
T5.6
8.0 1000
60" 84"
3.5
4.0
113
8.6
54"
2.8
20 22 24 25 28 30 32 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 100 135 150 180 mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm
Sorted by: Squeeze factor in reverse chronological order
DISTRIBUTION
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LET ME GIVE YOU MY CARD
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July / August 2016
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www.HelpMeRhonda.com
interactive maps for film & tv walkaboutapp.com/film
See our Distribution List at: Oz Publishing, Inc. www.ozonline.tv (404) 633-1779
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NEXT GENERATION
Obadah Aljefri Obadah Aljefri was born and raised in Saudi Arabia and in 2011 he moved to the United States, where he earned his B.F.A. in illustration from the Savannah College of Art and Design. During his time at SCAD he experimented with different media and different disciplines, ranging from animation to fashion, allowing his curiosity to inform and enrich his work. Aljefri enjoys illustrating and sculpting for previsualization and character development, creating conceptual editorial illustrations, and illustrating for advertisements. He is passionate about the environment and the betterment of the human condition and is constantly looking to collaborate with and learn from other people. He recently graduated from SCAD and is eager to embark on his next adventure. www.obadahaljefri.com
Gustavo Ramos Gustavo Ramos is a freelance illustrator and concept designer for animation and games who creates characters and environments with captivating use of color and mood. Born and raised in BrasĂlia, Brazil, he earned a scholarship to study Illustration at the Savannah College of Art and Design. His passion was always to read and tell stories, ever since he was a child. One of his big influences, animation cinema, eventually became his main career goal. Ramos has worked with illustration and game studios in Brazil and wants to pursuit a career as an environment and character designer for animation. www.behance.net/akalier
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BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS | A FOCUS ON INFRASTRUCTURE
How to Build, Maintain and Manage Crew Development to Meet Its Needs Cineposium 2016 will be hosted in Atlanta, Georgia, September 22 – 24, 2016. The focus for this year’s conference is Building Your Business where attention will be given to Infrastructure – how to build it, maintain it, and manage crew development to meet its needs. Cineposium is the Association of Film Commissioners International’s marquee annual event designed exclusively for film commissioners, it provides an opportunity for directed education and training in addition to face-to-face access to industry leaders; the 40th annual conference is hosted by Oz Publishing, Inc. and sponsoring company, Barnes & Thornburg, LLP.
BY THE NUMBERS
WHY ATLANTA? “Many feature film and television productions turn to Atlanta to fulfill their production needs. Many Marvel films are shot there, the studio production facilities are extremely successful in the market, and the city and State of Georgia has turned into an incredible hub in the last several years.” – AFCI Executive Director, Kevin Clark, Atlanta Business Chronicle (November 2015)
• Since 2008, the Georgia Entertainment Investment Act has helped the State of Georgia’s production industry increase tenfold, thanks to a State Tax Credit of up to 30% for Qualified Productions. • In the 2015 Feature Film Study published by Film L.A. Inc., The State of Georgia ranks #3 in the world in film production.
• In fiscal 2015, Georgia hosted 248 total film and television productions, which had a $6 billion economic impact on the state, according to the Georgia Department of Economic Development. The direct spend of these projects was $1.7 billion. • In 2016, MovieMaker Magazine named Atlanta as # 1 city for filmmakers to work and live.
Program Topics for Cineposium 2016 • • • • •
Building Building Building Building Building
Consensus Facilities Crew Base a Network Bridges
For more information and to register for Cineposium, visit: AFCI.org/Cineposium ORGANIZED BY:
HOSTED BY:
IN COLLABORATION WITH:
BENEFITS OF ATTENDING • Network with film commissioners, executives and production professionals from 30+ countries • Access to exclusive program sessions focusing on how to Build and Develop Infrastructure in your market • Discussions on global production trends in the film and television industry • See and hear local examples on what makes the Atlanta market & region successful • Presentation of Senoia, GA case study, the on-location town for AMC Networks’, “The Walking Dead”
July / August 2016
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