Los Angeles CA – March 18 2011 – Following up on last year’s successful second annual “Focus: Behind the Scenes with Women Filmmakers the Women’s Film Society of Loyola Marymount University’s School of Film and Television (SFTV) is bringing another talented group of women filmmakers to LMU’s campus. The event will feature over 15 professionals in the industry, speaking on panels for the event in Mayer Theater, located in the Von der Ahe Communication Arts building on LMU’s campus in the Westchester neighborhood. The event will take place on Saturday, March 26, beginning at 12 p.m. and ending at 8 p.m.
Focus” will consist of four panels – TV Writers/Producers Feature Film Directors Picture Editors and Music Video Directors and Producers – and will conclude with a keynote presentation.
The keynote filmmaker this year is Anne Fletcher who will take the stage for a Q&A following a screening of her 2009 hit romantic comedy The Proposal starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. Successful in the film industry as a choreographer and a director Anne’s choreography work has appeared in several movies including Bring It On The 40 Year Old Virgin and Hairspray as well as such TV shows as Six Feet Under and Firefly. Anne’s directorial debut was 2006’s Step Up which she followed with the Katherine Heigl-starring 27 Dresses. She is currently preparing to direct My Mother’s Curse starring Seth Rogan and Barbra Streisand.
Other speakers include Jane Espenson known for writing and producing for such sci-fi shows as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Battlestar Galactica and for co-creating Warehouse 13; Joan Weiss whose writing and producing credits include White CollarGilmore Girls Everwood and Eureka; Penelope Spheeris who directed such ’90s comedies as Wayne’s World and The Little Rascals and is currently focusing on documentary filmmaking; Susan Littenberg who edited films including Easy A 13 Going on 30 Bride Wars and Charlotte’s Web; and Jessica Hundley co-founder of Draw Pictures and producer of music videos by artists ranging from Jason Mraz to Snoop Dogg to The Shins.
Profits from Focus fund the SFTV Women’s Society Scholarship which is awarded annually to a woman in SFTV for either an undergraduate or graduate thesis film. SFTV faculty members choose a recipient based on the strength of an applicant’s pitch script and organized budget. This year’s recipient of the scholarship will be announced at Focus by keynote filmmaker Anne Fletcher.
The Loyola Marymount University School of Film and Television Women’s Society was founded in 2008 in response to students’ observation that there is a certain level of inequality between the female and male students at LMU SFTV. It is no secret that women continue to hold a minority status within the film industry. The SFTV Women’s Society’s mission is to build a strong community of women within the School of Film and Television to inspire participation and ambition within its members and to create opportunities to learn from those who have already made their way.
Focus 2011 is generously sponsored by the SFTV Office of Industry Relations. Also sponsoring are Amoeba Music Zena Day Spa and Molly’s Skin Care Boutique.
Tickets are $10 pre-sale and $12 at the door and include admittance to the entire event food from Jess Catering and a T-shirt featuring the design on the previous page. Tickets may be purchased in front of Mayer Theater on the day of the event or on LMU’s Alumni Mall between 12:15 and 1:30 p.m. on March 22 and 24.
FOCUS 2011 EVENT SCHEDULE
Saturday March 26 2011 – Loyola Marymount University Mayer Theater
Introductory remarks 12:00 p.m. to 12:10 p.m.
Sue Scheibler SFTV Women’s Society adviser
Television Writers/Producers panel 12:15 p.m. to 1:15 p.m.
Gloria Calderon Kellett
Jane Espenson
Jennifer Levin
Vanessa McCarthy
Vanessa Taylor
Joan Weiss
Feature Film Directors panel 1:25 p.m. to 2:25 p.m.
Elizabeth Allen
Penelope Spheeris
Picture Editors panel 2:35 p.m. to 3:35 p.m.
Annette Davey
Susan Littenberg
Sabrina Plisco
Tracey Wadmore-Smith
Music Video Directors and Producers panel 3:45 p.m.to 4:45 p.m.
Jessica Hundley
Maximilla Lukacs
Nicole McDonald
Keynote Presentation 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Screening of The Proposal
Q&A with director Anne Fletcher