Upstate Independents, January 3, 2012

Meeting Agenda

1. Announcements

2. Guest Speaker – Tom MercerTom Mercer will share some insights and lessons learned while producing the cinematic documentary “American General: Benedict Arnold.” He will show some work-in-progress clips from this feature length film and talk about the many challenges he and his partners at Talon Films have had to overcome as they recreate key events of the American Revolution on both land and sea with a literal and virtual cast of thousands. A preview trailer can be viewed at www.talonfilms.comAbout Tom:

   Thomas Mercer studied film at Ithaca College while pursuing a degree in Politics.

   He made his directorial debut with the feature “UnCivil Liberties” currently in national distribution through Ariztical Entertainment. Prior to that he produced “Face of the Enemy” a short film which was showcased at the Claremont- Ferrand Film Festival in France and was subsequently picked up for European distribution by BritShorts of London.

   He co-wrote and co-produced “Women on Parole,” a TV pilot with InFocus Productions, is currently writing and producing “Benedict Arnold: American General” with Talon Films and has co-written three other feature screenplays. He served as associate producer on the official orientation film of the Saratoga Battlefield National Historical Park.
   

3. Networking break – 15 minutes
   
4. Film screenings will be finalized at a later date.
   
   

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

Have resumes/references sent directly Deborah Goedeke at dgoedeke@albany.org.

CREW NEEDS:
–A lighting/grip PA to help our Director of Photography (ideally someone with set experience to set up the dolly, help with lighting, etc.) –A key PA/producer’s assistant to help with a variety of tasks throughout the shoot. These will include everything from scheduling to locations to organizing extras and crowd scenes.
–In both cases, the ideal person will be someone who is eager to learn about and be involved in film shoots. A ton of experience is not necessary, but a great attitude and a willingness to jump in where needed is.
–We also will be seeking an additional person for a day or two where we have more complicated shoots and crowd control needs I can go into more detail as we speak.

Upstate Independents, October 4, 2011

Meeting Agenda

1. Announcements

1. UI Industry Expo – This month’s Upstate Independents meeting will sponsor local vendors from across the board to share their knowledge and discuss the services they provide to the indie community thriving in upstate New York and the surrounding regions. Only here will you find out about the latest and greatest in areas such as lighting equipment, cameras, editing software, acting classes, writing software, sound and video production, production management, industry-related web services, and more.
2. Screenings – Kevin Craig West will present two shorts he acted in:a. Monkey Business is about a job interview.
   RUN TIME: 5 minutesb. Cameron and Steph – dating advice
   RUN TIME: 6 minutes

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

Rich Lundy: Fundraising 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.

I. Announcements – presented by Rosemary Thomas

II. Guest Speaker of the Month – Mike Feurstein

Mike Feurstein’s production staff consists largely of student apprentices between the ages of 10 and 21. He is committed to helping area youth realize their talent as actors, storytellers and crew. These students have worked on set with industry professionals and alongside professional actors with credits on network TV soap operas, feature films and the national stage. He endeavors to help them create their own short films and media projects.

This goal is best seen in productions of the acclaimed web series eScape, seen at eScapetheseries.com, and the antibullying movie “How to UnMake a Bully” which has been widely acclaimed and is currently in high demand from regional and national school districts and counseling organizations.

He dedicates his time to ensuring that all children–and adults–he works with are able to encounter the same wonderful opportunities he was afforded throughout his own life.

His work has won gold medals, Telly awards, and recently a proclamation which named June 14th as a day in his honor throughout the town of Glenville. His shorts have screened in NYC theaters, as part of television anthologies and is consistently used by larger companies such as Activision and Pitney-Bowes in their outreach and company branding. Mike has also directed cinematics for the blockbuster, award-winning Guitar Hero game series. He is at work co-creating high quality lecture-series DVDs about instructing children with autism. His past work screened at theaters in New York City and venues across the country as part of a traveling film festival. He owns a lighting rental company at cucumberalley.com, servicing low budget and indie productions, with customers as far and wide as LA and the UK.

A 15-minute Q & A session is to follow.

III. A 15-minute Networking Break

The Upstate Independents Board:

Kevin Craig West: President

Rosemary Thomas: Secretary

Ron Pucherelli: Membership Chair

Heidi Philipsen: Programming Chair

Barbara Whitchurch: Media Chair

Charles Galuski: Web Chair

Rich Lundy: Fundraising Chair

Don’t Miss It!

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

I.  Announcements – Made by UI Secretary, Rosemary Thomas

II. Guest Speaker – Jeff Burns & Mark Pezzula of the action/comedy web series SUPER KNOCKED UP.

Jeff Burns is a writer, producer, and director from Troy, NY.  His films have screened on PBS and at film festivals throughout the northeast.  Jeff has also served as President of Upstate Independents, an organization of filmmakers, actors, and screenwriters in the Capital Region, and co-hosts internet radio show The Everything Film Show.

When he’s not making films, Jeff tutors high school students in SAT/ACT prep, Math, Writing, and Latin., and is co-founder of Writing Methods and helps learning-disabled high school students improve their writing and critical reasoning skills.

Mr. Burns is currently shooting his new web series Super Knocked Up, an action/comedy about a female super-villain who gets knocked up by a superhero.  The series is based on Jeff’s actual life.  Okay, not really.  But he would really like to date a hot super-villain!  Check out Super Knocked Up at www.facebook.com/superknockedup

Mark Pezzula is a full-time professional New York Department of Labor State Worker, part-time amateur-amateur film critic, and amateur-amateur-amateur part-time actor.

When not state-working, Mark is 1/5 host of Blog Talk Radio’s The Everything Film Show and 1/2 dynamic-duo of director Jeff Burns’s upcoming web series Super Knocked Up, in which he plays lady-killer and superhero Captain Amazing. Mark also is head writer and editor of The Everything Film Show’s blog The Everything Film Blog.

Jeff and Mark will be discussing their internet radio talk show, The Everything Film Show that can be heard every Thursday night from 11:00p.m. until 1:00 a.m.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/theeverythingfilmshow

A 15-minute Q & A session is to follow

III.  15-Minute Networking Break

IV.  Film Screenings: