I. Announcements – Made by UI Secretary, Rosemary Thomas

II. Guest Speaker – Eric Vollweiler

Eric has been involved with the entertainment industry for over 16 years. He started with internships is marketing and public relations for Equity and Broadway Theater, the N.Y. State Theater Institute, Proctors Theatre and Theaterfest in N.J., where Eric worked with Betty Buckley and Melba Moore.

His next path took him to extra’s casting, starting with Powers Professional talent in upstate, N.Y. in 1997-1998 and worked on “The Horse Whisperer,” “In & Out,” and “Law and Order”. Eric later studied at Emerson and got involved with more extra casting positions, such as Boston Casting and Kevin Fennesey Casting in 2000, working on “What’s the Worst that can Happen?” and “Osmosis Jones. During Eric’s last semester at Emerson he moved to LA in 2001 and interned at DreamWorks SKG casting department where Eric worked on “The Time Machine, “Last Castle,” “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron” and “Spin City.” Before Eric moved to LA he interned on his first film Festival, Nantucket (2000), than came Sundance Film Festival in (2002). These two experiences created a new destination and a passion that would stay with Eric for years to come.

In 2005 in LA Eric was in charge of advertising and business development for the DIY Convention, Do it Yourself, in Film, Music & Books. Also in 2005, Eric and Brian Roth created VR Events and with the help of Los Angeles Family Magazine raised over $100,000 to produce the “Youth Actors Expo” in Sherman Oaks, CA.

In 2006, Eric produced and was involved with sponsorship, advertising and celebrity booking for Silver Lake Film Festival, Pan African Film & Arts Festival, The Now Casting Film Festival, Indi slate and Film Festival Reporters party at Sundance, Moving Pictures Magazine, Tribeca Film Festival party, The Film Festival Summit in Las Vegas and “The Great New Wonderful” Premeire at the Angelica Film Center in Manhattan.

In 2007 Eric was co-producer on the Ed Wood Film Festival in Albany and Ruff Cutz Indie Film Conference in Boston.

In 2008 Eric met Zach Letzberg and became the associate producer on the Film, State & Showbiz Expo in Manhattan which is now the Showbiz Expo in NY and LA. Also, in 2008, Eric was Co-producer/Conference Director of Ruff Cutz Indie Film Conference at BU’s CDIA campus in Waltham, MA.

In 2010, Eric worked on the Showbiz Expo in NY and LA, produced an Evening with Melba Moore at Proctor’s Theatre and produced Film Columbia’s Film Festival party.

Eric is presently working on the Showbiz Expo taking place in NY on March, 26 and LA on May, 6-7. Eric is also one of this year’s producers on the Ballston Spa Film Festival in August. A 15-minute Q & A session is to follow

III. 15-Minute Networking Break

IV. Film Screenings:

Jon Russell Cring: Director Jon Russell Cring will be screening a clip from his new feature film AND SEE ALL THE PEOPLE, also slated to be screened Thursday, January 27th, at the Madison Theater at 7 p.m.: TIX $5 – Thursday January 27th @ 7:00 P.M., Madison Theater 1040 Madison Ave., Albany, NY. www.extraordinaryfilmproject.com

Heidi Philipsen: Heidi will be screening her 1998 interview with George Clooney at the Berlin Film Festival – remnants of her time as a reporter with Deutsche Welle TV – and significant as the Berlin Film Festival is this month. Time: circa 5 minutes Don’t Miss It!

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SEEKING SHORT FILM ENTRIES

The Ballston Spa (International) Film Festival (BSFF) is now seeking short film entries for the 4th annual festival presented this August 5th & 6th, 2011. All genres will be accepted for independent films ranging from 5-15 minutes (or 3-10 minutes for the student division).

Awards will be presented in 11 categories (including separate categories for High School/College students), including prizes in animation, documentary, and narrative. Previous years’ entries have been received from all around the world by both amateurs and professionals. The 2011 entries so far include films from Poland and a new world premiere from Jason Outenreath. Jason swept all four student awards during the 2008 BSFF with his short film, “Jean’s Postmodern Masterpiece.”

Films are judged by a panel of Hollywood professionals. Past judges include the people behind such films as Silence of the Lambs, Manchurian Candidate, Doc Hollywood, Any Given Sunday, True Lies, and Star Trek: The Next Generation. Previous winners have gone on to receive many other honors including BSFF 2009’s best animated short winner, “French Roast,” by Fabrice Joubert, nominated for the 2009 Academy Awards.

Film entries must be submitted on DVD and play in a standard DVD player. DVDs must be mailed in with a completed application and the entry fee ($5 for students, $25 for non-students) by 3/31/11. To download the application or to learn more about the BSFF, go to http://www.bspafilm.com.

The BSFF is put on by the Ballston Spa Business and Professional Association, a non-profit community organization committed to making the Village of Ballston Spa a better place to live and work, and to bringing quality arts and entertainment events for all ages to the community. Funded in part by the Saratoga Program for Arts Funding and by area businesses, all proceeds go toward future festivals and other community events presented by the Ballston Spa Business & Professional Association. For more information on submission, talents, events, or sponsorship, go to http://www.bspafilm.com.

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I. Announcements – Made by UI Secretary, Rosemary Thomas

II. Guest Speaker – Graeme McKenna, Associate Manager, THE LINDA, WAMC’s Performing Arts Studio

Graeme has worked as a professional freelance actor, producer, director and voice-over talent in film, television, radio and stage for 35 years. He has also worked on every kind of film set from student projects to Hollywood block busters and in numerous positions including extra, PA, grip, director, actor , AD , stand-in and production coordinator. Graeme was the Managing Director of The Saratoga Film Forum for five years and was the freelance film programmer/booker for The Palace Theater.

Graeme has helped produce, promote, manage and program several local film festivals and numerous smaller day festivals including Cinema of the Spirit, Hati Moving Images and the Zombie Film Feast. He currently holds the position of Associate Manager and film programmer for The Linda WAMC’s Performing Arts Studio. He produces, hosts, and edits interviews with film directors for broadcast on WAMC northeast public radio and has written for the Times Union film blog including daily coverage of the 2008 Woodstock Film Festival. He has worked professionally in both Canada and the United States including 16 years in Los Angeles.

Graeme studied theater and acting at the George Brown College School of Theater and studied film at the York University Film School both in Toronto, Canada.

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

IV. Film Screenings:

Heather L. Martin: LITERACY CONNECTIONS – a short documentary (approximately 13 minutes), about a local, non-profit organization that is helping adults learn to read and write. This project marks her first documentary and professional piece.

Heidi Philipsen: HER TELLING HEART trailer – a 30 second trailer for the upcoming short adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s Gothic thriller, “The Tell-tale Heart,” shot this past fall in Upstate, New York on the RED one camera and directed by Eli Meissner and starring Heidi Philipsen, Grant R. Krause, Rich Lundy, and Sophie Meissner, and featuring Steven O’Connor, Michael Sargalis and Matthew Mann. The short, currently in post-production, and engaging mainly local professionals in its cast and crew, is to be finished in the spring and will be screened in a sneak preview. For more information, check out the film’s web-site: www.hertellingheart.com.

Kevin Craig West: THE BEAUTY INSIDE – A short film, written by Wendy Okoi-Obuli, directed by Kevin Craig West, and starring Brenny Rabine and Kevin Craig West. The film’s story is about coping with traumatic brain injury. Check out it’s Facebook page for further details.

Don’t Miss It!

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 9:30 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.

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I.  Announcements – Made by UI Secretary, Rosemary Thomas

II. Guest Speaker – Stephen William Tenner

Stephen Tenner has been active in the New York City area appearing in many current films and television programs. He also made quite an impression as a Producer in the independent film “Spin Slowly.” Stephen decided to pursue acting and producing in film and television in addition to his career as a professional musician. Stephen was the former lead vocalist for the bands “Later Than Never” and “Me, Him and a guy named Tim”. Currently, he is The Lead Vocalist for his new project, “Acoustic Souls”. Stephen is always a powerful front man with strong vocals and the ability to raise the energy of the crowd.

After contributing vocals in music that has been submitted and accepted for film, Stephen continues to pursue vocal opportunities as well as build his resume and strengthen his skills as a producer and actor. As co-producer on the “Spin Slowly” project, Stephen had many responsibilities and his work was considered exceptional.  As an actor, he is quickly becoming more and more skilled and experienced through both on set experiences and in class training. Stephen Tenner and T. George McArdle together own the production company “StellaJayne Films” ( www.stellajaynefilms.com) which is responsible for producing the independent film “Spin Slowly”.  Stephen is continuing to pursue acting, music and production opportunities.

A 15-minute Q & A session is to follow

III.  15-Minute Networking Break

IV.  Film Screenings:

Mike Feurstein:

S.T.E.M. – 3min – Mike Feurstein’s MovieQuest Productions and Activision|Blizzard teamed up to produce a short video aimed at promoting the importance of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, or STEM, in the modern day workplace: in this instance, a video game company!

LAYBABB – 16min – Without good communication we are the architects of our own misfortunes in love, business, friendship, pizza and crepes. (Presented in complete gibberish with equally nonsensical subtitles). Starring several UI members and crewed entirely by teens of MovieQuest.

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

See you there!

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