Upstate Independents, May 1, 2012 Meeting Agenda

1. Announcements
2. The Reel Truth featuring Guest Speaker Reed Martin

With years of experience and personal interviews with famous directors, Reed Martin will discuss the challenges and practicalities of marketing and distributing YOUR ndependent film so that it has every chance at being successful.

About Reed Martin:

Reed Martin is the author of The Reel Truth: Everything You Didn’t Know You Need To Know About Making An Independent Film (http://amzn.to/ILoOzP) and formerly
Adjunct Professor at both New York University and Columbia University Business School where he taught Film Marketing, Distribution, and Exhibition.

The filmmaker consults with the Capital-Saratoga Film Commission regularly on ways to increase production in the region. He produced in partnership with the Downtown Albany Business Improvement District Film Albany a short highlighting the benefits of filming in Upstate NY which will be released in 2012.

Previously, Martin worked as Director of Marketing at New York-based Independent Pictures, the film production company of Cary Woods, producer of the dancehall comedy “Swingers.” Martin is also a former research associate for the senior faculty at Harvard Business School and a graduate of the management trainee program at 20th Century Fox Film in Los Angeles. His favorite films are Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and The Bourne Identity.








3. Netorking break – 15 minutes
4. Film screenings have yet to be determined.

The Upstate Independents Board:

• Kevin Craig West: President
• Mikolis Sargalis: Vice-President
• Rosemary Thomas: Secretary
• Ron Pucherelli: Treasurer and Membership Chair
• Heidi Philipsen: Programming Chair
• Barbara Whitchurch: Media Chair
• Charles Galuski: Web Chair

Where we’re located:

Upstate Independents meets the first Tuesday of every month at The Linda: WAMC’s Performing Arts Studio, 339 Central Avenue, Albany, NY from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.Click here to view the Google map and get directions. It is a great opportunity to network with others who are interested in all aspects of film and television production.

Check out the best independent film and media resource in Upstate New York. For more information, e-mail us at info@upstateindependents.com.

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“And … ACTION!”

University Club Foundation Presents Spring Filmmakers Forum

CONTACT:         Colleen M. Ryan, 518-428-9348      colleen_ryan@hotmail.com

ALBANY, NY – February 29, 2012 – Actors, screenwriters, producers, and independent filmmakers will share their insights, their experiences, and their thoughts on what makes a great film in a series of presentations at the University Club of Albany.

The Spring Filmmakers Forum, titled “And … ACTION!” is presented by the University Club of Albany Foundation, and all sessions will be open to the public. The series is co-sponsored by the Lark Street BID and the Albany County Convention & Visitors Bureau/Albany Film Commission.

Each session in the series will be held from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m., with a networking reception from 6:00 – 7 p.m. (cash bar) and the presentation commencing at 7:00 p.m.

Scheduled sessions are:

• Tuesday, April 10 – Thomas Mercer will share insights and lessons learned while producing his cinematic documentary on the military career of Benedict Arnold in his talk “Bringing the Past to Life – American General: Benedict Arnold.”
• Tuesday, April 24 - Mike Camoin and Larry Jackson will discuss a film the former has in production, Grazing Miss Albany, and the hit 1988 film Mystic Pizza, for which Jackson served as studio executive in charge of production, in their talk on “Filmmaking as an Economic Engine.”
• Tuesday, May 1 – Rich Lounello will discuss the challenges and opportunities of life as a professional actor in a small market, his work on the WMHT-produced 2011 documentary William Kennedy’s Prohibition and his award-winning short film The Loop in his talk, “A Sense of Place.”

The cost is $10 per session, a subscription to all 3 is available for $25, and light fare will be provided at each event. Reservations are required and may be made by calling the University Club at 518-463-1151.

The University Club Foundation, a 501c3 corporation, was formed to recognize and maintain the unique historic and architectural significance of the University Club building and property, its historic neighborhood and the city of Albany, where it has been located since its inception in 1901.

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Upstate Independents, April 3rd, 2012

Meeting Agenda

1. Announcements

Presented to you by UI Secretary, Rosemary Thomas

1. April’s Upstate Independents’ Guest Speaker: Storyboard Artist Robert Castillo

Robert graduated with honors from The Art Institute of Boston and has a Masters Degree in Computer Arts from The School of Visual Arts.  As a storyboard artist Robert has created boards for films including Lee Daniel’s “Precious”, the Christopher Reeve’s directed animation Everyone’s Hero, Queen Latifah’s “The Cookout” and “Perfect Holiday” and the award winning cable television program The Sopranos and NBC’s “SMASH”. He has also done music videos for Alicia Keys, Ja Rule, Kid Rock, Lauren Hill and Don Omar, commercials for Phat Farm, Adidas, And 1, as well as promo work and music videos for MTV, Nickelodeon’s Ironman , Fuse, VH1, Court TV and ESPN.  Robert has done Concept Boards for shows like Lopez Tonight, Skins and Chopped

Robert’s talent has been recognized with various awards, and honors including  Illustrator’s of the future and The Student Academy Awards in 2004 for his short film S.P.I.C. The Storyboard of My Life which has Screened in 14 festivals including Cannes and The Museum of Modern Art.  In 2005 S.P.I.C. had a special screening at TIME Magazine in NY and at Walt Disney Studios.  Robert is an adjunct professor at William Paterson University in Wayne, NJ.  Robert has also Lectured on The Art of Storyboards at NYU Tisch and Jersey City University.

Robert has given back by auctioning his artwork for The John Starks Foundation as well as Project Sunshine and The Tony Darrow foundation.   He also volunteers his time with Ghetto Film School in the Bronx, NY,  Mount Sinai Hospital and The Automotive High School of  Brooklyn, NY.

1. Networking break – 15 minutes
2. Film screenings have yet to be determined.

The Upstate Independents Board:

Kevin Craig West: President

Mikolis Sargalis: Vice-President

Rosemary Thomas: Secretary

Ron Pucherelli: Treasurer and Membership Chair

Heidi Philipsen: Programming Chair

Barbara Whitchurch: Media Chair

Charles Galuski: Web Chair

Where we’re located:

Upstate Independents meets the first Tuesday of every month at

The Linda: WAMC’s Performing Arts Studio, 339 Central Avenue, Albany, NY from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Click here to view the Google map and get directions. It is a great opportunity to network with others who are interested in all aspects of film and television production.

Check out the best independent film and media resource in Upstate New York. For more information, e-mail us at info@upstateindependents.com

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Upstate Independents, March 6, 2012

Meeting Agenda

1. Announcements

2. “My Journey to Russia” with Mike Camoin

UI member Mike Camoin will offer highlights from his travels after being invited to participate in an intensive 8-day Producers’ Lab held in St. Petersburg and Moscow. Camoin will share some reflections on developing aspects of international co-financing with Eastern Europe. Barring any technical difficulties, a Russian colleague will wake up at 4am (Moscow time) and skype UI during the latter part of the presentation.

The 2012 March UI meeting also marks the 17th Anniversary of Upstate Independents, Inc. established by co-founders Mike Camoin and Tom Mercer in 1995. Don’t miss it!

Filmmaker Mike Camoin established RoomG03 Films in 1995. In 2001, he studied acting for directors with Judith Weston in NYC. RoomG03 was the first feature film company in the Rensselaer Polytech Institute Incubator (2002-2006) in Troy, NY. A leader in independent film production in northeastern New York, Camoin is co-founder of Upstate Independents, Inc. a network established in 1995, now home to over 200 media artists headquartered in Albany, NY.

The filmmaker consults with the Capital-Saratoga Film Commission regularly on ways to increase production in the region. He produced in partnership with the Downtown Albany Business Improvement District “Film Albany,” a short highlighting the benefits of filming in Upstate NY which will be released in 2012. 
His completed works include: “Inside the Blue Line: Leadley’s Legacy” and “How to Make an Adirondack Packbasket”, a CD soundtrack, and handful of documentaries self-distributed on-line at videosforchange.com. His works have screened at Movies on a Shoestring, Columbia, Lake Placid, Banff, Clermont-Ferrand, Queens World and Vermont International Film Festivals. Most recently his short film “Relax” made its Russian premiere. A consummate promoter of independent film, 100s of Grazing Miss Albany coffee mugs have been sold well before the feature film in development has been completed.

3. Networking break – 15 minutes
   
   
4. Film screenings have yet to be determined.
   
   

The Upstate Independents Board:

Kevin Craig West: President

Mikolis Sargalis: Vice-President

Rosemary Thomas: Secretary

Ron Pucherelli: Treasurer and Membership Chair

Heidi Philipsen: Programming Chair

Barbara Whitchurch: Media Chair

Charles Galuski: Web Chair

Where we’re located:

Upstate Independents meets the first Tuesday of every month at

The Linda: WAMC’s Performing Arts Studio, 339 Central Avenue, Albany, NY from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Click here to view the Google map and get directions. It is a great opportunity to network with others who are interested in all aspects of film and television production.

Check out the best independent film and media resource in Upstate New York. For more information, e-mail us at info@upstateindependents.com

For last minute changes in the schedule, please visit http://www.upstateindependents.com on the day of the meeting.

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Upstate Independents, February 7, 2012
Meeting Agenda

1. Announcements
2. Guest Speakers – Nunzio Fazio and Lisa K. Crosato

   Nunzio Fazio and Lisa K. Crosato will discuss their short film, Kenmore Ave.About Kenmore Ave:

   Psychological thriller Kenmore Ave views a harrowing situation through two diverse main characters’ perspectives then begs to question… Is this: REALITY? AND/OR ILLUSION? Inspired by the Psychology photo: “An Old Woman or Young Woman,” one evening’s occurrence will prompt each audience member to visually interact, then decide… What REALLY happened HERE in Hollywood?

   About Nunzio:

   A member of the Director’s Guild of America, Nunzio Fazio is an award-winning director, producer and assistant director and has worked creatively on over 25 television and film projects including Party of Five, Kenmore Ave, and George of the Jungle.

   About Lisa:

   Lisa K. Crosato began her career in Vancouver, Canada where she worked in both theater and Canadian television. Early in her career she worked at the prestigious Williamstown Theater Festival in Massachusetts with such notables as Gwyneth Paltrow and George Wendt and many Broadway actors. She moved to Los Angeles and worked on several independent films. She starred in the action film Deadly Ransom with Brion James and the road movieGuaranteed On Delivery with David Carradine. She has appeared in numerous independent movies including the award winning Dill Scallion, Progeny, The Russian Godfather and One More Round. Lisa co-produced and co-wrote the award winning Kenmore Ave, which she stars in. She also co-produced the award winning documentary From the Midst of Pain. Recently she has written her first feature length comedy screenplay called Moni and Lexi’s Big Fat Fortune. She currently lives in Los Angeles with her fiancé Ron Lemke.
3. Networking break – 15 minutes
4. Film screenings:
1. Super Knocked Up trailer – Jeff Burns will present the 1-minute trailer for his much-anticipated web series Super Knocked Up to debut on February 17th.
2. The Summer Monster – A father and his daughters go on a monster hunt and discover a surprise waiting for them instead.

The Upstate Independents Board:

Kevin Craig West: President
Mikolis Sargalis: Vice-President
Rosemary Thomas: Secretary
Ron Pucherelli: Treasurer and Membership Chair
Heidi Philipsen: Programming Chair
Barbara Whitchurch: Media Chair
Charles Galuski: Web Chair

Where we’re located:

Upstate Independents meets the first Tuesday of every month at

The Linda: WAMC’s Performing Arts Studio, 339 Central Avenue, Albany, NY from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Click here to view the Google map and get directions. It is a great opportunity to network with others who are interested in all aspects of film and television production.

Check out the best independent film and media resource in Upstate New York. For more information, e-mail us at info@upstateindependents.com

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