NOTE: The 2008 workshop is now history. Check back for word of our next workshop. Our sincere thanks to everyone who participated in our inaugural workshop, especially our amazing faculty who were so generous with their time. You all helped make the event a remarkable success. Highlights of the 2008 Workshop We were honored to launch our workshop with a sagacious and witty keynote address delivered by the distinguished filmmaker Lionel Chetwynd. This was followed by an opening-night reception at the Napa Valley Grille, a frequent venue for movie premiere parties. Sessions throughout the weekend included: - New Media Panel What Not to Do in Your Script Creating Stories with Ideas Pitching Workshop Documentary Filmmaking Panel Television Writers Panel Business of Filmmaking Panel Producers Panel The Faculty Our phenomenal faculty included the following: Fernando Alessandri: currently vice president of development at Hero Pictures International, developed numerous films in his career including Broken Trail with Robert Duvall. Courtney Balaker: vice president of development at Neo Art and Logic, a film production company which has an overall deal at Dimension/Weinstein Company. Catherine Branscombe: founded her own distribution company, former head of the international department of Good Times Home Video. Lionel Chetwynd: writer, director and producer of more than 40 films and TV programs including Hanoi Hilton and Varian's War, winner of a WGA Award and nominated for an Academy Award and an Emmy. Neil Ellice: producer, Legendary Pictures, projects under development include Grayskull: Masters of the Universe at Warner Bros. Paul Feine: documentary producer with the Drew Carey Project at Reason.tv. Dan Gagliasso: award-winning documentary filmmaker and screenwriter whose credits include many History Channel and Discovery Channel programs. Daisy Gardner: Emmy-winning television writer who has worked on such shows as "South Park" and "30 Rock." Dan Gifford: producer and writer, received an Academy Award nomination for Waco: Terms of Engagement. Joe Gressis: three-time Emmy-nominated editor and producer, filmmaker and screenwriter. Paul Guay: screenwriter and consultant, credits include Liar, Liar starring Jim Carrey. Andrew Hyatt: producer, screenwriter, also a creative executive with MPower Pictures. Andrew Klavan: screenwriter and best-selling novelist, his book True Crime was turned into a film directed by and starring Clint Eastwood, also wrote One Missed Call starring Shannyn Sossamon. Elliot McGucken: creator of JollyRoger.com and other websites devoted to classical storytelling, founded the Arts Entrepreneurship program at University of North Carolina. Tim Minear: executive producer and writer of such iconic TV shows as "Firefly," "Angel" and "X-Files," a consulting producer on Joss Whedon's new series "Dollhouse." John Nolte: founder of DirtyHarrysPlace.com, editor of the Big Hollywood blog, wrote and directed Beautiful Loser starring Adam Lamberg. Patrick Panzarella: CEO of National Banana, a comedy production company founded by Jerry Zucker (Naked Gun, My Best Friend's Wedding), among other things started two record labels and produced two feature films. Josh Rader: development executive at MPower Pictures founded by Braveheart and Passion of the Christ producer Stephen McEveety, projects include Bella and An American Carol starring Kelsey Grammer. David Steinberg: screenwriter, projects include American Pie II and the upcoming Puss in Boots. Tom White: editor of Documentary magazine and of the International Documentary Association's website. Winnie Wong: vice president of the entertainment and media division at DeWitt Stern, has 20 years of experience in the entertainment insurance industry. Our special thanks to the staff at UCLA and the Napa Valley Grille who made us feel very welcome.

NOTE: The 2008 workshop is now history. Check back for word of our next workshop.

Our sincere thanks to everyone who participated in our inaugural workshop, especially our amazing faculty who were so generous with their time. You all helped make the event a remarkable success.

Highlights of the 2008 Workshop

We were honored to launch our workshop with a sagacious and witty keynote address delivered by the distinguished filmmaker Lionel Chetwynd.

This was followed by an opening-night reception at the Napa Valley Grille, a frequent venue for movie premiere parties.

Sessions throughout the weekend included:

- New Media Panel

-What Not to Do in Your Script
-Creating Stories with Ideas
-Pitching Workshop
-Documentary Filmmaking Panel
-Television Writers Panel
-Business of Filmmaking Panel
-Producers Panel

The Faculty

Our phenomenal faculty included the following:

Fernando Alessandri: currently vice president of development at Hero Pictures International, developed numerous films in his career including Broken Trail with Robert Duvall.

Courtney Balaker: vice president of development at Neo Art and Logic, a film production company which has an overall deal at Dimension/Weinstein Company.

Catherine Branscombe: founded her own distribution company, former head of the international department of Good Times Home Video.

Lionel Chetwynd: writer, director and producer of more than 40 films and TV programs including Hanoi Hilton and Varian's War, winner of a WGA Award and nominated for an Academy Award and an Emmy.

Neil Ellice: producer, Legendary Pictures, projects under development include Grayskull: Masters of the Universe at Warner Bros.

Paul Feine: documentary producer with the Drew Carey Project at Reason.tv.

Dan Gagliasso: award-winning documentary filmmaker and screenwriter whose credits include many History Channel and Discovery Channel programs.

Daisy Gardner: Emmy-winning television writer who has worked on such shows as "South Park" and "30 Rock."

Dan Gifford: producer and writer, received an Academy Award nomination for Waco: Terms of Engagement.

Joe Gressis: three-time Emmy-nominated editor and producer, filmmaker and screenwriter.

Paul Guay: screenwriter and consultant, credits include Liar, Liar starring Jim Carrey.

Andrew Hyatt: producer, screenwriter, also a creative executive with MPower Pictures.

Andrew Klavan: screenwriter and best-selling novelist, his book True Crime was turned into a film directed by and starring Clint Eastwood, also wrote One Missed Call starring Shannyn Sossamon.

Elliot McGucken: creator of JollyRoger.com and other websites devoted to classical storytelling, founded the Arts Entrepreneurship program at University of North Carolina.

Tim Minear: executive producer and writer of such iconic TV shows as "Firefly," "Angel" and "X-Files," a consulting producer on Joss Whedon's new series "Dollhouse."

John Nolte: founder of DirtyHarrysPlace.com, editor of the Big Hollywood blog, wrote and directed Beautiful Loser starring Adam Lamberg.

Patrick Panzarella: CEO of National Banana, a comedy production company founded by Jerry Zucker (Naked Gun, My Best Friend's Wedding), among other things started two record labels and produced two feature films.

Josh Rader: development executive at MPower Pictures founded by Braveheart and Passion of the Christ producer Stephen McEveety, projects include Bella and An American Carol starring Kelsey Grammer.

David Steinberg: screenwriter, projects include American Pie II and the upcoming Puss in Boots.

Tom White: editor of Documentary magazine and of the International Documentary Association's website.

Winnie Wong: vice president of the entertainment and media division at DeWitt Stern, has 20 years of experience in the entertainment insurance industry.

Our special thanks to the staff at UCLA and the Napa Valley Grille who made us feel very welcome.