I attended the Sundance Soiree, Native Brunch as well as many other
Sundance Fellows events. I made some wonderful contacts. Lots more…lol.

Best,
Melanie

Oklahoma Film and Video Studies Society Annual Conference Call for Proposals and Short Films

Oklahoma State University, Stillwater
March 31, 2012

The annual conference of the Oklahoma Society for Film and Video Studies invites undergraduate and graduate paper proposals for 15-minute presentations addressing any topic in any area of film and media studies.
Students may also submit short films of any genre on DVD for viewing at the conference. Submissions should not exceed 10 minutes and may include excerpts from longer works. All paper and film proposals should be accompanied by a brief nomination from a professor.

Submissions are due on or before February 24, 2012. Acceptance notices will be sent out by March 2.

Send proposals (email preferred for paper proposals) to Brian R. Jacobson at brian.jacobson@okstate.edu and Jeff Menne at jeff.menne@okstate.edu, or by mail to:

Brian R. Jacobson
Oklahoma State University
Department of English
205 Morrill Hall
Stillwater, OK 74078

In the meantime I’ve taken both of the sketch writing classes at UCB [ http://www.uprightcitizens.org/] and most of the people from my 201 class are sticking together and going to give it a go on putting together a couple of sketch shows at UCB. And then I have to try to stay on myself about the longer-form writing, too. Deadlines for Nicholl and the network fellowships are going to be here before I know it.

Funnily enough I was going to see The Artist at the Arclight last weekend and as I was walking in I ran into John Lusby. We only talked for a minute or two but I’m actually about to run out to meet him for lunch and it sounds like there is an office position opening up at Magical Elves that I’m trying to flag his resume for.

On the “what I’ve seen lately” front I’ve been able to catch a few more movies than usual because a friend has access to some screeners. I felt pretty let down by Moneyball but I think being a big baseball fan may have actually been a liability for enjoying that one. I just saw My Week With Marilyn last night and liked it a lot more than I expected, Michelle Williams was great. And I did make it to the theaters to see Mission Impossible, which was excellent. It was great to see such a well-executed “summer” movie in the middle of awards season. On the TV side I’m finally all caught up on Mad Men and through three seasons of Breaking Bad. Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul are both incredible. I need to catch the fourth before the last one airs because I’m sure that will be the topic of at least half of all conversation around here when it happens. As far as the shows currently on the air it feels a little thin out there but I’d say Parks and Rec is consistently the best comedy week after week.

Brian

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RISE UP BLACKMAN – Independent Film Auditions

http://riseupblackman.com/About_the_Movie.html

Movie casting auditions in OKC for Rise Up Black Man On Friday, Feb 10th at 4:30 pm ~ 10:30 pm they will Hold Auditions in Tulsa at The Linda Layman Agency 3546 E. 51st St. Tulsa, OK 74135. To obtain an audition time and sides of roles you wish to read for please e-mail headshot & resume to jenna_unknown@yahoo.com …. STATE THE DATE, role, AND CITY THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO AUDITION in. Most roles are paid $100 to $150 per day. Minor roles will be paid only gas, & meals …. although the director would like to pay at least $25 per role plus meals if his budget allows it. Filming will be in and around Oklahoma City, tentatively scheduled to begin shooting around mid March 2012. He’s approaching Lions Gate for distribution. For more information about the movie go to riseupblackman.com

CHARACTER BREAKDOWN:

William Connor / Will age 23 race: black LEAD WILLIAM CONNER is a 23-year-old black man. Meaning he is black but perceived by hard core blacks as white, not really embracing the black culture. William, or Will, as friends call him, is an attractive, articulate and athletic man. Will has just graduated from college. He knows where he is going in life. He wants a career helping others. Will doesn’t come from money but was raised well.

Gary age: 23 race: white + overweight LEAD GARY is Will’s best friend. They go back to being in grade school together. Gary is also 23 and a recent college grad. Gary is a slightly overweight white guy. He has very little direction in life and usually flies by the seat of his pants. Gary has little regard for life’s problems or saving the world. Gary is a heavy drinker. Gary tries to keep life on a not too intense level, have fun, worry about tomorrow next week.

Jessie age: early 20′s race: White Jessie is Gary’s girlfriend she is blond with curly hair. She is out-spoken, out-going and fun-loving. She is white and a little wild.

RISE UP BLACKMAN – Independent Film Auditions January 2012

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Lisa age: early 20′s race: black Lisa is Will’s girlfriend, she is intelligent and very loving, but also driven. She is more serious and conservative than Jessie but is very accepting of all people.

Cowboy age: 23 race: white COWBOY is a 23-year-old college grad. Tall, lanky, always wears a cowboy hat. Small town like attitude. Fun loving. Ray age: 30′s ~ 40′s or so Ray is the owner and bartender of Ray’s bar. He is a big muscular black guy, very personable.

Reverend Franklin J. King age: 60′s race: black A charismatic older black gentleman in his 60′s , who is very intelligent and well spoken. He is confident, and can win the trust of just about anyone. He is a very successful business man and dresses and carries himself in that way.

Richard age: 40′s ~ 50′s race: black Richard is one of Frank’s right hand men, he is black and very professional.

Helen age: 30′s to 60′s race: black Helen is a lady from church that helps to take care of Will’s mom.

Will’s Mom age: late 80′s race: black Will’s mother is an older black woman in her late 80′s. She is very kind and nurturing but can be very candid and funny. She is beginning to suffer from Alzheimer’s disease.

Seymour age: 20′s race: black A friend of the group, Seymour is a young voluptuous black girl. She is outgoing and a little outrageous in her behavior.

Sarah age: 20′s ~ early 30′s race: white Sarah is a child care worker at the shelter where the group volunteers. She is intelligent and kind and a little conservative but still up for fun.

Monique age: early 30′s race: black Monique is an attractive black woman in her early 30′s. She is the secretary at the Risen Foundation and part of the woman’s group in one of the churches Frank attends.

Michael age: 50′s ~60′s race: black – Major Role Michael is a older black executive that has been working with Frank for a long time. He is very professional in appearance and manner.

RISE UP BLACKMAN – Independent Film Auditions January 2012

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Melba age: 60′s race: black Melba is a church attendee and part of the woman’s group. She is an older black woman in her 60′s and has been in charge at the church for a long time.

Duke age: 30′s race: black Duke is a youngish black man in his early 30s. He is the only other member of the Risen Foundation that is close to Wills age. He is smart, but does not show the promise that Will does.

Dale age: 60′s race: white Dale is a white executive in his 60s who works with Frank at the Risen Foundation. He is thin and conservative and very professional.

Big John Parks age: 50′s race: white + overweight John is a overweight business man in his 50s. He is out-spoken and has a hearty laugh, he has worked at the Risen Foundation for a long time. He is friendly, but also has a no-nonsense tough side.

Child Care Worker 1 age: any race: white A worker at the shelter where the group volunteers.

Smack age: 5 race: black SMACK, a five-year-old cute black kid with a big afro approaches Gary. He has been living with his grandma because his mom was arrested for selling crack. Dad’s already in prison. Smack comes from the streets and talks like a seasoned street gang member.

Bones age: 20′s race: black BONES, a guy who thinks he’s a bad ass. He is a rough-looking black dude.

Cheryl age: 40′s race: white CHERYL a lady in her late 40s who seems impatient, angry and bitter, sit behind a small desk and greets them.

Pretty Black Girl age: 20′s ~ 30′s race: black A girl at Ray’s Bar that he flirts with.

Grant age: 40′s ~ 50′s race: white The CEO of Trac Shoe Company, he is a white executive.

Shoe Executive 1 age: 30′s ~ 40′s race: black A black executive that works for Grant at Trac Shoe Company.

Jill age: 20′s race: black An attractive, black girl that Ray flirts with at the bar.

Here is a picture of last year’s stylus cover.

TUTV, the weekly television program produced and staffed by students, is having an information meeting:

Tuesday, January 17^th at 3:30 PM in the TV Studio, Kendall Hall

TUTV gives students experience working in an area of their choice: in front of the camera or operating on the equipment. The time commitment is usually from about 3:30 to about 5:00 each Tuesday. We hope students who would like to learn more about the possibilities will come this Tuesday. This meeting will last about an hour.

Students, this is a great opportunity! Please contact David Moncrief for more information, his number is 918-631-2841.

Come by and visit the Film Studies Office on the 2nd Floor of Lorton Performance Center. We have some free movie scripts available: The Love Guru, Syriana, Being John Malkovich, The Secret Cinema, Breaking Away, Zelig, Fatal Attraction, Foreward (by Arthur Penn), Picket Fences, and Booker. These are free!! Will recycle in two weeks if they are still here. First come and first serve. Screenwriters, these would be a great tool to look over.

Here are a few dates that you can go ahead and add into your calendars/planners:

1. The Spring Film Festival – February 27^th, 2012
2. Senior Film Night – May 4^th, 2012
3. Stylus Reception – Date coming soon, but will be the first week of May.

I will be providing more information on the above events as time gets closer. We are also looking forward to several Guest Artists coming in Spring 2012, I will keep you updated on those dates, as well.

Is anyone excited for the Hobbit? I thought you might be interested in the “Behind the Scenes” production work. In these videos, you will be able to see film sets, props, actors preparing, cameras that are being used in the film, etc. Really neat information provided by Peter Jackson. Check out the RED camera that Peter Jackson shows off.

Behind the Scenes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2m2x8qJcGQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfPaIdMAso0&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3V3-KdAWYs&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3Z5-NjK2IM&feature=related

…and the latest on-location production video:

http://www.thehobbitblog.com/

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Happy First Week of Classes, Film Students!