University Film and Video Association (UFVA) 2013 Conference

I’m off to my first ever attendance at the annual University Film and Video Association (UFVA) Conference, being held this year at Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts just outside of Los Angeles — one of the premiere film schools in the U.S.

This year’s conference theme is “Story First,” and of course, it’s never been a better time to discuss what it means to be a cinematic storyteller in the 21st century, and what contemporary audiences actually seek in terms of a good film story.

Summertime and the Living Is Easy

Summer news often slows down, but just to correct the impression that professors somehow get a 3-month “paid vacation”, here’s some of my day-to-day since filing final grades a month ago:

• Had a paper (“Outdoor Vision Fest: A New Approach to Innovating Interdisciplinary Collaborations”) accepted for presentation at the PostHaus Foundations in Art: Theory and Education 2013 national conference being held in Savannah, Georgia
• Writing a series of articles on Celtx updates to support my book Mastering Celtx

Producing and Directing Indy Film at Santa Fe Community College

Another visit this week to the Film Program at Santa Fe Community College (SFCC) — this time to talk to Film 239, Producing and Directing the Independent Film. Great students, who were very interested in how Celtx facilitated the pre-production workflow by enabling script breakdowns and the generation of production reports. Of course, all of that is explored in great detail in my book Mastering Celtx, particularly in chapters 5, 7 and 11. More blow-by-blow here, and thanks to instructor Kelly Bahr for bringing me out.

Visit to Santa Fe Community College

Always great to visit a Film Crew class at Santa Fe Community College (SFCC) and talk a little bit about the nuts and bolts of screenwriting, as well as how screenplays are designed to aid a production crew in all kinds of ways. (Since Celtx is the scripting software of choice at SFCC, it was also a chance to demonstrate how Celtx works and mention Mastering Celtx!)

Thanks to instructor Kelly Bahr for the invitation this past Monday night.

Further Expanding Celtx as an Authoring Environment

My quick review of Celtx Shots, the new iPad app that further expands Celtx as an authoring environment for story development and screenwriting. We’re continuing to move towards a completely mobile solution for creative development: a tablet (with Bluetooth keyboard) for heavy-duty input, and iPhone or Droid for continual contact and lightweight interactivity with intellectual property.

But as pico-projection capability gets added to our handheld devices, we may find that even the tablet is an interim solution: we’ll have Bluetooth keyboards and Wacom tablets when needed, and everything else will be gestural and ambient…

Archived Radio Broadcast of KSFR ‘Cinemascope’ Interview

If you missed the live broadcast of KSFR-FM‘s Cinemascope, where I guested with faculty colleague Shelene Bridge, here’s the archived broadcast in its entirety (just under 30 minutes).

The chief topic is the Fall Film Showcase, which went very successfully on October 5. But we sneak in a mention of Mastering Celtx at the end, and also get to talk about Santa Fe University’s Moving Image Arts department. Enjoy!

Guesting on KSFR-FM’s “Cinemascope” Friday, September 30, 6pm MDT

I’ll be guesting (along with my faculty colleague Shelene Bridge) on KSFR-FM‘s Cinemascope broadcast Friday night, September 30, at 6:30pm MDT (101.1 FM in Santa Fe, Taos, Albuquerque and much of the rest of Northern New Mexico).

Don’t despair if you’re not near a radio in Northern New Mexico — you can live-stream the broadcast too!

Shelene and I will be discussing the upcoming Fall Film Showcase our department is putting on October 5, 7pm, at The Screen on the campus of Santa Fe University of Art and Design. The Showcase will highlight alumni and current student short films, along with unproduced screenplays (stage-read by some of Santa Fe’s best actors). Alumni filmmakers include Shelene, Ari Aster and Matt Page.

Shelene and I will also talk about the exciting things happening in the Moving Image Arts department, and I’ll get to talk about my book Mastering Celtx a bit.

Thanks to both the host and producer of Cinemascope for having us on!

Podcast – “NM Film Works”

You can catch the podcast of September 10’s NM Film Works radio broadcast; I come in at the 21-minute mark with host Trish Lopez to discuss screenwriting, Mastering Celtx, and an exciting new event we’re launching in the Moving Image Arts department at Santa Fe University of Art and Design.

Back on the radio with MASTERING CELTX

I’ll be back on local radio in Northern New Mexico this weekend, discussing Mastering Celtx, along with a new annual event we’re launching at Santa Fe University of Art and Design.

The radio show is called NM Film Works, hosted by Trish Lopez of the New Mexico Film Office. Air times and stations:

• Santa Fe and surroundings: Saturday, September 10 at 11am on 1260-AM
• Albuquerque and surroundings: Sunday, September 11 at 12noon on 1350-AM.

Sadly, there is no live online streaming, but the show will be archived online early next week, and I’ll post the location for online playback then.

Latest Endeavors

Working on setting up several new Fall initiatives for Santa Fe University’s Moving Image Arts department; as well as continuing to promote Mastering Celtx and developing some instructional resources (syllabus, classroom exercises) for the book, to further encourage its use as a textbook in high school, college and continuing ed classes. Further news bulletins as conditions warrant…  🙂