2019 Workshops
Schedule: Scroll down to see schedule
Location: AMC Theater Times Square
234 W42nd St. New York NY 10036
Dr. Freelance or : How I Learned to Stop Sleeping and Love The Write-Offs
Sunday, Oct. 13th 2019 @ 9:30am-10:30am
Theater: AMC Theater #20
Host: Point Park University
Presenter: Jonathan Trueblood
Freelance work is often the first way that an aspiring artist breaks into the industry. But how do you find work? How do you market yourself and present your work to those that will hire you? How much should you charge? When should you say no to a job? This workshop will discuss how to build your freelance career, including the advantages and disadvantages working for yourself and how to position yourself to be an asset for any studio or client.
Jonathan Trueblood is an assistant professor and coordinator of the animation program at Point Park University. At Point Park, Jonathan teaches a wide variety of animation classes from classical hand-drawn animation to motion graphics, storyboarding and concept design, and 3D animation. Professor Trueblood has worked as a motion graphics producer at several studios in New York City and he continues to work as a freelance animator, illustrator, storyboard artist and producer. Professor Trueblood received his Bachelor in Animation and Applied Media Studies from Edinboro University of PA and his Masters in Fine Arts from Carnegie Mellon University.
Is Truth Stranger than Fiction? The Meeting of Reality and Fiction in Film and Television
Sunday, Oct. 13th 2019 @ 9:30am-10:30am
Theater: AMC Theater #24
Host: Chapman University
Presenter: Professor Christine Fugate
Having produced and directed both fiction and documentary films and series, Chapman University Professor Christine Fugate has years of experience merging the facts from research with the structure of fiction. Throw in excellent casting, a strong conflict and with a strong soundtrack and you can have successful series such as alumni-created Stranger Things and Dear White People. Fugate will break down clips from these series as well as documentaries to explore what exact elements are necessary to create great entertainment.
Christine Fugate is an award-winning film producer and director whose work has been screened in theaters and broadcast on channels around the world. Christine started her career at Sony Pictures working for the Academy Award nominated director Barbet Schroeder on “Single White Female.” She became Senior Vice President of Creative Development at Pacific Rim Productions at Warner Brothers Hollywood before heading out on her own as an independent filmmaker.
Her film “Tobacco Blues” was broadcast during POV’s 11th season and screened on board Air Force One for President Bill Clinton. Christine’s feature-length documentary “The Girl Next Door” followed Oklahoma native Stacy Valentine’s rise to stardom in the adult film industry, and placed Christine on ShowBIZ Data’s list of the Top 100 Directors. The film had a successful theatrical run in over 25 cities throughout the US and Canada and is currently available on Sundance Now. Christine was invited to the Sundance Producers Conference with the film “Grief Becomes Me,’ a fiction film based on the poetry of Donna Hilbert. The film went on to play in art houses and film festivals and is currently on PBS.
In addition to her own films, Christine has produced and directed projects for VH1, the Discovery Channel, A&E, Bravo, and New Line Cinema. She has spent time interviewing celebrities including Tom Hanks, Julie Andrews, Dustin Hoffman, Dakota Fanning and Johnny Depp. She has also interviewed pubic figures such as Pete Carroll, Reggie Bush, Bob Iger, Gov. Paul Patton, Gene Simmons and other members of KISS.
Over the past five years, she has specialized in filming overseas, specifically in the unscripted genre. She has traveled to Malawi, Great Britain, and Australia with the Sikh Lens project, a collection of films made about Sikhs who survived the diaspora. She has also spent time filming in Fiji, New Zealand and Indonesia for The Travel Channel.
Christine has a bachelor’s degree in History from Tulane University, and a Masters in Asian Film and Theater from the University of Hawaii. She is an Associate Professor at Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts and lives in Laguna Beach, California.
From Art School To Avatar
Sunday, Oct. 13th 2019 @ 11:15am-12:15pm
Theater: AMC Theater #20
Host: VCU Arts
Presenter: TyRuben Ellingson, Chair + Associate Professor Department of Communication Arts Director of VCUarts Cinema
The son of Minnesota artist and University professor William J Ellingson (1933-1994), TyRuben spent his childhood in his father’s studio engaged in drawing, painting, and the construction of cardboard “machines”.
While completing his Master’s degree at St. Cloud State University, Ellingson taught drawing and design courses at the university. He also exhibited his paintings in regional and national shows. His Master of Fine Arts degree was completed in 1988 at Southern Methodist University.
Combining his fine art successes with a lifelong interest in film, Ellingson landed a position at George Lucas’ Industrial, Light and Magic in 1989 as a Visual Effects Art Director. While at ILM, Ellingson contributed to the creation of ground-breaking special effects in films such as Jurassic Park, Star Wars: A New Hope (1997 Special Edition), The Flintstones, Casper, and Disclosure.
In 1995, Ellingson accepted an invitation by Director Guillermo Del Toro to act as principal designer of the signature creature for his horror thriller, Mimic. In the years that followed, Del Toro would call on TyRuben often, tapping him to provide designs for Blade 2, Hellboy, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, and most recently, Pacific Rim.
In 2006, Ellingson joined the team at Lightstorm to work as lead vehicle designer for Director James Cameron’s science-fiction epic, Avatar. Other films to which he has lent his creative talents include Blade Trinity, Signs, Surrogates, Priest, Battle: Los Angeles, Elysium, and Neill Blomkamp’s science fiction action adventure, Chappie.
In 2013, Ellingson joined the faculty of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Department of Communication Arts where he teaches concept design and visual problem solving. Ellingson became Chair of the Department of Communication Arts in 2015 and in 2019, his leadership role expanded to include the Cinema Program.
Boss Lady: My Role as Line Producer
Sunday, Oct. 13th 2019 @ 11:15am-12:15pm
Theater: AMC Theater #24
Host: Full Sail University
Presenter: Stephanie Dawson
Have you ever wondered who manages all the moving parts on a film set? A writer writes the script. A director calls "action." But who gets all the people, gear, and materials ready for the shoot? Join Stephanie Dawson as she talks about her experience as Line Producer aka Boss Lady on set. Stephanie will dive deep into the responsibilities of the job and the skills needed to be successful. The presentation will focus on Stephanie’s career working for both commercial and traditional Film and TV Shows.
Stephanie Dawson is a producer, line producer and production manager for narrative, reality, and branded content. She is currently a line producer for Courageous Studios, the production arm of CNN. In the commercial and branded content space, she has previously worked for Vayner Media, Inception Creative, Embassy Row, and Golden Arm creating individual and serial content for brands to advance their vision and values. She is a founding member of Women Independent Producers, a networking group for New York Producers. She is also a member of the Producer’s Guild and New York Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT). Stephanie is a 2006 Full Sail University graduate with an Associates Degree in Film & Television Production, and is currently based out of New York City.
How can I make my Screen Characters More Memorable?
Sunday, Oct. 13th 2019 @ 11:15am-12:15pm
Theater: AMC Theater #25
Host: Ravensbourne University London
Presenter: Mr. Kolton Lee, Programme Director, The Screen School (Media Works)
Screen stories are inevitably a combination of a plot that grabs you and jerks you forward in your seat and a great character or characters that stay with you long after the movie or TV show has ended. But the truth is - no matter how much you may have enjoyed the story- for most people, a truly memorable story is made so by the characters. For most people, years after you first saw the film changed your life, it is the character/s that you remember, and not so much the plot.
So how should we think about creating those characters that we want to change lives?Those characters that stay with us long after the plot machinations have receded into the fog of forgetfulness? What is it that makes a character so engaging that the story comes alive every time they are on the screen? During this workshop Kolton Lee will use visual and textural analysis to look at the some truly awesome characters, think about how they were created and introduce practical exercises to feed and develop the creative process when thinking about your own great, Screen Characters
Kolton Lee is the Programme Director for Film, TV and Music & Sound courses at Ravensbourne University London. Having worked in academia for almost 20 years now, he is also an award-winning filmmaker and novelist. A former editor of The Voice newspaper (Britain’s no. 1 Black, British newspaper), he has made two independent feature films, CHERPS and FREESTYLE. The first is a comedy, the second an urban romance; and his novel THE LAST CARD, is a crime thriller set in the twin worlds of boxing and gambling.
Kolton is currently working towards a practice-based PhD with the topic title: The Politics Of ‘Directing Black Masculinity’ In The UK: This research project asks the question ‘What has it meant historically and what does it mean today to be a Black, British Director in the UK in the 21st Century representing black masculinity.’
Telling the Client’s Story with Passion
Sunday, Oct. 13th 2019 @ 12:40pm-1:40pm
Theater: AMC Theater #20
Host: Ithaca College
Presenter: John A. Fucile, M.A. Media Studies (The New School), B.A.A. Film (Ryerson University)
John’s workshop will highlight how Park Productions the student-staffed award-winning media production company housed at Ithaca College’s famed Roy H. Park School of Communications approaches creating innovative content for a variety of clients including Coca-Cola, Visium, The National Science Foundation, Visit Ithaca, Finger Lakes Uncorked and many others. John will share some current and past client projects with you and lead you in brainstorming how to develop creative, impactful, and budget-conscious production approaches.
An award-winning filmmaker (“Beat the Blue”, “Zero”, “Tilly’s Special Blend”) and the Director of Park Productions and The Studio at Ithaca College, John is also a former Assistant Professor and Program Director of Digital Filmmaking at Villa Maria College in Buffalo, NY, as well as Program Director and Faculty in Digital Film & Video Production, Photography and Visual Effects at The Art Institute of Las Vegas.
John has spent over 20 years directing music videos for many of the world’s top artists having won Video of the Year (MuchMusic). He was also a 2015 Director of the Year nominee (Canadian Country Music Association). He is the Director/Co-Writer of the feature film, “JACKED”, a suspense thriller set in upstate New York in 1987, slated for production in 2020.
Finding your unique path within commercial photography:
13 years after picking up a camera this is where I am and how I got here.
Sunday, Oct. 13th 2019 @ 12:40pm-1:40pm
Theater: AMC Theater #24
Host: Sam Deitch Photography
Presenter: Sam Deitch- Photographer and creative consultant
From college, to a road trip, to living with my grandma's best friend, to my dream job, to getting fired from my dream job, to getting my own apartment, to going freelance, to starting my own company, and everything in between. The path to success is usually uphill, and not necessarily well-defined. It takes courage and risk to find your vision within the profession. This workshop will focus on the current pace of the industry, how I personally navigated the field, and hopefully inspire you to find your own way!
Sam is a Brooklyn based photographer and creative consultant. Her work is defined by a use of vivid color, beautiful people, and exploring the possibilities of the "American Dream". Sam is also co-founder of Deitch + Pham, a photo duo who provides micro shoots for major brands. The team delivers high quality assets through creative consulting, streamlined in-house production, and a unique workflow.
The Documentary Form
Sunday, Oct. 13th 2019 @ 12:40pm-1:40pm
Theater: AMC Theater #25
Host: Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Presenter: Craig Laurence Rice
We will explore and discuss different genres like; Historical, Cultural, Current Event and Experimental. And forms of non-fiction filmmaking Reality Television and Documentary films. We will address the notion of reality, responsibility, cinematic truth-telling While even in documentaries story is still the key to a successful film. During this exploration we while expose students to the aesthetic foundations of documentary filmmakers like Morgan Neville; “Twenty Feet From Stardom”, “Keith Richards”, Ken Burns: “Baseball”, The Brooklyn Bridge”, Barbara Kopple: “Harlan County”, “Gun Fight”, Michael Moore: “Bowling For Columbine, ”Sicko”, Werner Herzog: “Grizzly Man”, “Into The Cave Of Forgotten Dreams” and Dziga Vertov: “Kino Eye”, “ Man with A Movie Camera”, all who have pushed the boundaries in documentary.
Craig Laurence Rice is a long established educator, diverse entertainment executive, entrepreneur and an award-winning producer and director internationally recognized for his distinguished career in the film, video and television industries.
He was also Executive Producer / Director for the feature length documentary Half Past Autumn: The Life and Works of Gordon Parks for HBO, which was nominated for three Emmy awards, and an NAACP Image Award. The documentary was also selected to the Museum of Television and Radio in the year 2000, and won the Tree of Life Award from The Friends of the Motion Picture Academy. Additional various credits on several feature-length films including Graffiti Bridge, Purple Rain, Brother From Another Planet and Joe Somebody.
Notable television credits include Producer of We Teach Our Children for CBS, Executive Producer on the nationally syndicated series Million Dollar Idea, Producer for the 90-minute PBS variety show A The Prairie Home Companion 30th , Producer for New Dramas for Television for The Eugene O’ Neill Theater Center for 4 seasons. Laurel Avenue a limited series for HBO, Once Upon A Tree series for Animal Planet. Rice currently is developing a dramatic television series entitled The Black Panthers for HBO.
As a commercial award-winning director, Rice has helmed commercials for clients such as Amoco, Nike, Target, Kraft, United Way, McDonald’s, and the Partnership for Drug Free America. And most recently producer of two Silver Clio award winning spots for Hamburger Helper.
He has also directed dozens of music videos with artists including Prince, Mavis Staples, Mazarati, Patti LaBelle, and Sounds of Blackness. In addition, he has an outstanding career in the music industry as a manager working with a number of international recording artists including Bobby Brown, Prince, Pink Floyd, Taj Mahal, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston and World Voices. He is a professor at McNally Smith College of Music and Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Rice holds a Production Degree from the University of Southern California Cinema Department, also the Minneapolis College of Art & Design and a Liberal Arts degree from Minneapolis Community and Technical College,
Getting The Most Out Of Film School!
Sunday, Oct. 13th 2019 @ 2:20pm-3:30pm
Theater: AMC Theater #24
Host: Biola University
Presenter: Taylor Horky, Strategic Initiatives/Adjunct Faculty, Biola University School of Cinema and Media Arts
Learn the 10 tips to get the most out of your film school investment, 2 things you need to be looking for in every film school, and the 2 things that separate the most successful film students from the rest of the pack!
Taylor has worked in television, film and commercial production as Director and Producer for over 10 years. Now serving at Biola University's School of Cinema and Media Arts in Los Angeles overseeing strategic initiatives, co-curricular and teaching first year seminar and entertainment business classes, he is dedicated to mentoring and raising up a new generation of storytellers who are telling stories that matter.
How to Make the Most Out of Your Documentary Interview
Sunday, Oct. 13th 2019 @ 2:20pm-3:30pm
Theater: AMC Theater #25
Host: Elon University
Presenter: Nicole Triche
In an interview, we have a limited amount of time with a participant. They may be a stranger you have met for the first time or your grandparent whose tales you want to preserve. No matter who is in front of the camera, we have to create a professional environment where they feel comfortable sharing their stories with the you and the world. This workshop will discuss ways to prepare and conduct an ethical and engaging interview that can be the foundation for your documentary project.
Nicole Triche, MFA, is an Associate Professor in the School of Communications at Elon University, where she teaches documentary filmmaking in the Cinema & Television Arts Department. Triche is also the director of the elondocs production program and a summer instructor in the Video Intensive at the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University. Prior to graduate school, Triche worked at PBS member station UNC-TV, where she produced the independent film series North Carolina Visions. Her film festival leadership experience includes co-directing the Carolina Film and Video Festival and directing the Chapel Hill Flicker screening series. She has also served as board member for the Southern Documentary Fund and the SDF New Projects Committee. Her documentary work has been shown at various festivals including Full Frame, Atlanta Film Festival, Milwaukee Film Festival, and Dublin DocFest.