Festival of New Creative Work begins
Victoria Estevez, a graduate student in the School of Theater, Film and Television
By Catherine Flanagan
June 6, 2010 8:35 a.m.
Every year the School of Theater, Film and Television rolls out the red carpet for the Festival of New Creative Work. Running from June 4-10, the festival celebrates the school’s budding student talent in various fields of the industry such as animation, screenwriting, producing and directing.
Film professor Myrl Schreibman produced the festival this year.
“It’s a culmination of the works of the students within the theater, film and television school,” Schreibman said. “It might be the best of the best since it showcases students’ works that were chosen by their peers, in some cases industry professionals, to be featured on the various nights of the festival.”
The festival opens on June 4 with alumnus Joe Russo, director of Arrested Development, as the special guest, and film that students selected to screen on opening night,
On June 5, the festival continues with Animation Prom, where 30 to 32 student animated projects will be screened. According to Schreibman, the students will also honor Randy Cartwright, an alumnus and animator who is responsible for movies such as “Shrek” and “Toy Story.”
The festival continues with Screenwriters Showcase on June 7 in the Ralph Freud Playhouse. Graduate screenwriting film student Amanda Parham is one of the winning writers featured within the showcase.
“The idea is to show part of the winning scripts … as a way to celebrate the winning scripts and the writing,” Parham said.
Parham’s screenplay, entitled “Real Lucky,” follows the world’s worst imaginary friend who is given a week to make a real friend or else be wiped out of existence. She said her inspiration for the feature-length film originated from the movies she watched as a child.
“I noticed that most of those stories were told from the child’s perspective and I wanted to tell it from the other side,” Parham said.
“I’ve been involved with (Screenwriter’s Showcase) in the past. It’s a great event and it’s a really good recognition to come out of UCLA … (that) shows a really talented group of people.” Parham said.
The next event, Producers Marketplace, is held on June 8. According to Schreibman, the students in the graduate producing program went through a series of pitching festivals, where four students were chosen to pitch their projects.
“That night, those four students will be pitching again to three more professionals and the audience,” Schreibman said. “Then the professionals will select one of them.”
Graduate film producing student Victoria Estevez is among four students pitching their films.
“It’s called “˜The Rescue’ and it’s a kidnapping script about a old grandfather ““ a Samuel L. Jackson type ““ who goes down to Mexico with his granddaughter who ends up getting kidnapped,” Estevez said.
While “The Rescue” was Estevez’s main project for the past year, she participated in the festival last year as the director of Producers Marketplace.
“It’s pretty amazing actually,” Estevez said. “We have a class of 13 who are very experienced, and to be one of four out of those people … It’s not everybody who gets to experience that.”
The festival concludes with the Directors Spotlight on June 10, held at the Directors Guild of America Theater.
“The films that we will be seeing that night have been selected by a blue-ribbon panel,” Schreibman said,
Graduate directing film student Neil Forbes is one of eight directors whose films will be screened.
“I am a veteran of the war in Iraq, and the film “˜27′ touches on stuff from my experience in Iraq,” Forbes said. “The film is a chance meeting of two people in a bar … and combines personalities, thoughts and ideas that in some way, shape or form are based off my experiences in Iraq.”
Upon returning to the U.S. in 2007 after serving in the military, Forbes sought to express himself creatively, Though he had little prior film experience, his interest in film pushed him to apply to the film masters program.
“This is my first year being in the festival,” Forbes said. “It feels great … I mean it was just fantastic to be chosen. It is just an honor to be among all these great films and all these great filmmakers.”
While the festival primarily celebrates student work, it also provides an equal opportunity for both fresh and more experienced filmmakers to gain recognition within the industry for their hard work and talent.
