Georgia, you get the picture [Vol. 16, no. 6 (Nov./Dec. 2000)]

Volume 16, Number 6 - November/December 2000
*Georgia, You Get the Picture continues to be published as as a bi-monthly publication. Deadline for article submission in the January/February issue is December 10, 2000. Articles can be mailed to the Georgia Film & Videotape Office, Post Office Box 1776, Atlanta, GA 30301, faxed to 404-651-9063 or sent electronically to bbrayton@georgia.org.
Robert Redford's Legend of Bagger Vance Screens in Savannah HBO Films Wraps on BOYCOTT Run Ronnie Run Begins Principal Photography Crawford Communications Completes Move Into New State-Of-The Art Facility Georgia Lensed The Substitute IV, Failure Is Not An Option Premieres on HBO Directors Guild of America Assistant Director Training Program Association Announcements Burst-Terranella Explores Troubled Waters 11th Street Communications Launches Interactive Video Division Final Deadline for 2001 Georgia Film & Video SourceBook Simon Undertakes Epic Journey To Capture Vanishing China Z-Post Productions Wins Best Drama Award Mind's Eye Media Creates Unique Media Incubator Giant Studios Brings Top Talent on Board Symphony 3.0 At Artisan Pictureworks Rachel Lyon Named Director Of Media Arts At Reinhardt College Extras Indie News GA Film Office Represented at AFCI Cineposium

Newsletter News & Events Trade Shows & Festivals Hotline Associations Featured Articles

Robert Redford's Legend of Bagger Vance Screens in Savannah
Academy Award-winning director Robert Redford's much anticipated film The Legend of Bagger Vance held a special advance screening in Savannah in late October. The film is an adaptation of the Steven Pressfield novel and stars Will Smith, Matt Damon and Charlize Theron.
Last fall the Jekyll Island Club Hotel and grounds, on one of Georgia's barrier islands, became the fictional Krewe Island for the film's principal photography. Additional footage was shot in Savannah and South Carolina.
At the heart of the movie is a mythical once-in-a-lifetime golf match set in 1931 which pits one-time amateur champion and war hero Rannulph Junuh (Matt Damon) against two of the greatest golfers of all time, Bobby Jones and Walter Hagen. Will Smith is Bagger Vance, Junuh's mysterious caddie.

The Legend of Bagger Vance is a Wildwood/Allied Production in association with DreamWorks Pictures and Twentieth-Century Fox, produced by Robert Redford, Michael Nozik and Jake Eberts, and screenplay by Jeremy Leven. Karen Tenkhoff is the executive producer, with co-producers Chris Brigham and Joseph Reidy. The film opened nation-wide on November 3.
HBO Films Wraps on BOYCOTT
Filmed in Atlanta and Griffin, BOYCOTT stars Jeffrey Wright (Shaft) and Terrence Howard (The Best Man). The HBO Films presentation dramatizes the events triggered in Montgomery, Alabama on December 1, 1955, when Rosa Parks refused to surrender her seat in a "whites only" section of a public bus. The film explores the behind-the-scenes crisis management of the boycott, which eventually led the Supreme Court to deem Montgomery's bus segregation laws unconstitutional.
Having recently wrapped production, UPM Jim Bigwood was pleased with his Georgia production experience. "I was very happy to have the experience of working with an almost entirely Atlanta-based crew," Bigwood said. "It was a great bunch of people and a great experience."
The film is directed by Clark Johnson; executive produced by Shelby Stone and Norman Twain and produced by Preston L. Holmes from a script by Herman Daniel Farrell III and Timothy J. Sexton. BOYCOTT is slated to debut in February 2001.
Run Ronnie Run Begins Principal Photography
The feature length comedy Run Ronnie Run began principal photography in early October filming in Covington, Porterdale and metro-Atlanta. The irreverent comedy is based on the life of the fictional Ronnie Dobbs, along with other characters created for the Emmy-nominated HBO original comedy series Mr. Show With Bob and David.
David Cross and Bob Odenkirk, co-creators of Mr. Show have signed to star and serve as co-writers. Cross will play the charismatic troublemaker, Ronnie Dobbs and Odenkirk Terry Twillstein, a fussy Hollywood editor.
Run Ronnie Run is produced and directed by Troy Miller (Mr. Show) with producers Oren Koules and Mark Burg of Evolution Entertainment. Shawn Mauer serves as director of photography and Robb Wilson King as production designer. Cameo appearances will include Mandy Patinkin, Andy Richter and Nikki Cox. Carl Mazzocone (Boxing Helena) of Main Line Pictures returns to Georgia as line producer for the project.
Crawford Communications Completes Move Into New State-Of-The Art Facility

Crawford Communications Inc. has completed its four-month move into a new all-digital facility. The company's operations have relocated from the Armour Industrial Park in Midtown to 3845 Pleasantdale Road in DeKalb County.
Twenty satellite antennas and thousands of pieces of equipment were transferred during the relocation, and over a million feet of wire, cable and fiber optics have been installed in the new facility. The company's comprehensive services are now under one roof at the 27-acre site. Two buildings joined by an enclosed walkway house Crawford Communications' 300 employees, five in-house clients and 23 cable television networks including the Discovery Channel, The Learning Channel, The Travel Channel, Latin America Pay Television, Music Country Asia, Music Country Brazil and Video Rola.
Crawford officers spent 14 months with engineers, designers and contractors designing the new building and nine months completing the construction on the site. Architect Alex Munoz & Associates worked closely with Crawford to design the new facility and Beers Specialty Interiors completed the construction. Sony Systems Integration Company coordinated all wiring of the new buildings as well as relocation and installation of all film, video, audio and satellite master control room equipment. Layer 3 Communications managed relocation of Crawford's computer systems and Internet services equipment. GlobeComm Systems relocated the satellite antennas and RF systems, and set up five new antennas; many of the RF systems were equipped with new electronics to facilitate the move.
As part of its relocation, Crawford has invested in some of the most technologically advanced equipment available, such as three new 5.1 surround sound digital audio recording studios designed and constructed by world-famous studio acoustical designer Tom Hidley; three new Solid State Logic (SSL) Avant digital post-production audio consoles; 10 Pro Tools digital audio workstations; five Fairlight MFX work stations; and an Avid Softimage Digital Studio nonlinear digital edit system. High-definition video editing capabilities are improved with the addition of the HD Hybrid suite, an entire linear editing suite unlike any other in the Southeast. Two high-definition and one standard-definition digital editing suites will also include video projection systems and 5.1 surround sound playback, creating a home theatre environment. The company now has a larger insert stage with direct connectivity to Crawford's new significantly increased Technical Operations Center. Bandwidth for webcasting, Internet via satellite and Voice Over IP was enhanced with the addition of a BellSouth sonet ring and redundant DS-3 connections to the company's new data center.
The Atlanta-based, privately-owned Crawford Communications provides services for domestic and international clients involved in all facets of television, film, audio, Internet and satellite communications. Crawford has evolved with technology to comprise the best in film transfer, digital and HD post-production, sound design and mixing, 5.1 surround sound, DVD authoring, standards conversion, streaming media/webcasting, online services, satellite transmission, television network origination and playback and transportable satellite truck services.
Georgia Lensed The Substitute IV, Failure Is Not An Option Premieres on HBO
On November 3 HBO premiered The Substitute IV, Failure Is Not An Option, which was filmed earlier this year in Georgia. Lensing locations included Atlanta, College Park, Decatur and Rome, Georgia.

Treat Williams stars in this tension-packed sequel as a former mercenary who has changed careers to become a teacher. When a general discovers that his son has joined a pro-Nazi unit at an elite military academy he enlists Williams to go undercover and stop the group's leader. The Substitute IV was written by Dan Gurskis, produced by Tom Busch, directed and produced by Robert Radler, and also stars Angie Everhart, Patrick Kilpatrick, Bill Nunn and Tim Abell.
Local crew included 2nd a.d. Karen Davis, production coordinator Katie Willard-Troebs, production accountant Bonnie Chaney, production designer Joe Litsch, 1st a.c. Joe Thomas, gaffer Stephen Crowley, key grip Billy Sherrill and location manager Brad Smith.
Directors Guild of America Assistant Director Training Program
The DGA's New York Assistant Director Training Program is a two-year program designed to provide opportunities for a limited number of individuals to become assistant directors of motion pictures. The program consists of 350 days of in-the-job training on film productions (feature, television and commercial), combined with seminars and special assignments. While employed on productions, trainees are paid by signatory producers at rates that have been determined by DGA/producer negotiation.
Trainees are chosen annually. A formal application must be filed in order to participate in the selection process that includes testing and interviews. Applications are available online at www.dgatrainingprogram.org. The deadline for applications is January 12, 2001. Upon successful completion of the program, graduates are eligible for membership in the Directors Guild of America as second assistant directors.
Association Announcements
Imaging Technology & Sound (ITS) is the trade association serving the worldwide professional community of businesses that provides creative and technical services in picture and sound. Local membership includes decision-makers from post-production, duplication, and graphics companies, as well as television and cable stations and some broadcast vendors. ITS meets monthly on the third Thursday (except December) from noon to 1:30 p.m. at Cafe Intermezzo on Peachtree Street. Programs consist of 30 minutes for networking and one hour for business and discussions. The national and local membership web site address is www.itsnet.org. For more information please call or email: Kevin Garguilo, 404.213.5253, itsmembership@mindspring.com.
Atlanta ACM SIGGRAPH - A meeting schedule of the Atlanta chapter of ACM SIGGRAPH (Association for Computing Machinery's Special Interest Group on Computer Graphics) can be viewed at www.acm.org/chapters/atlanta. Programs deal with aspects of computer graphics as they pertain to the film industry.
FAOC - Filmmakers and Actors of Color, a non-profit organization founded in 1994 to increase opportunities for minorities in the film industry, will host its annual workshop conference March 22-25, 2001. Events include over 15 workshops, panel discussions, film screenings and a screenwriting award.

Please watch for announcements in this newsletter or call 404.755.2964 for detailed information.
GPP - The Georgia Production Partnership is a statewide organization of filmmakers and film industry executives committed to keeping Georgia a film-friendly and competitive force in the film and video community. Members include representatives from the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), Teamster Local 728, ITS, IMAGE Film & Video Center, Association of Independent Commercial Producers (AICP), Women In Film (WIF) and executives in the production and post-production community. Meetings are generally held the first Tuesday of each month at noon. For membership information, call Matt Timmons at 404.609.9001 or e-mail mjtimmons@mindspring.com.
IICS - The Georgia chapter of the International Interactive Communications Society focuses on the interactive multi-media and other emerging interactive technologies. Monthly meetings, held on the last Thursday of each month, include presentations of multi-media applications in areas such as education, training, entertainment, design and marketing. Meetings generally begin at 6:30 p.m. and are held at Mercer University (3001 Mercer University Drive) in the Wooton Auditorium on the ground floor of the Library Building. For more information about IICS, call 770.612.7410 or visit their web-site at www.generationx.com/iics.
IMAGE - IMAGE Film & Video Center offers filmmaking workshops and screenings. For more information, contact IMAGE at 404.352.4225 or check the web-site at www.imagefv.org.
ITVA - The Atlanta Chapter of the International Television Association (ITVA) promotes the growth, quality and success of film, video and multimedia communications and related businesses. For information on the ITVA Atlanta, please call their hotline at 404.873.4882 (404.USE.ITVA).
NATAS/Atlanta - NATAS/Atlanta, the local chapter of the National Academy Of Television Arts & Sciences, holds a monthly program event every third Tuesday of each month at Georgia Public Television, 260 14th Street, NW. Events begin at 6:30 p.m. For further information please call NATAS/Atlanta at 770.414.8777.
WIF/A - Women in Film/Atlanta, a non-profit organization founded in 1974, is dedicated to the education, promotion, support and unification of women working in or studying film, video and related creative and business fields. For information, call 404.352.1379.
Burst-Terranella Explores Troubled Waters
Emmy-winning producer/director Fran Burst-Terranella has focused her camera on the rivers and streams of Georgia for almost 10 years. Burst-Terranella is an Atlanta-based producer, director and cinematographer with more than 70 regional, national and international awards, including nearly a dozen awards for her environmental programs. Her latest work, The Chattahoochee River: Muddied Waters, Clear Solutions provides a compelling, in-depth look at the problems that put the Chattahoochee among the 10 most endangered rivers in America. Broadcast statewide on Georgia Public Television (GPTV) October 29, the half-hour documentary received this year's Outstanding Media Involvement Award from the Georgia Planning Association. Narrated by environmentalist Donzaleigh Abernathy, star of Lifetime's popular show Any Day Now, the program explores

solutions for protecting and restoring the Chattahoochee river basin that provides drinking water for half of Georgia's population.
Shooting took place on more than 40 days at dozens of locations in Georgia and Florida from 1998 to 2000. The production team included Burst-Terranella as producer/director, environmental planner Lisa Hollingsworth as executive producer, Angela Carroll as assistant director and Sarah Sisson as scriptwriter. The original music score was written and produced by composer Susan Ottzen. Richard Pope and Michael Pietrobon of Pietrobon & Company provided the on-line editing.
11th Street Communications Launches Interactive Video Division
11th Street Communications, an Atlanta-based post-production company, recently announced the launch of an interactive video division. The company now offers the ability to achieve the highest quality video over the Internet and use of its broadcast quality infrastructure for interactive television development. 11th Street Communications has been able to achieve unsurpassed quality of video compressed for the web and streaming media applications. The new configuration will give clients the capacity to have their existing content re-purposed for the Internet and to have that content easily transfered to the broadband, interactive television environment.
"In working to perfect the quality of our broadcast video material, we have been able to develop techniques for creating video of amazing quality for the Internet," James Klotz, founder and president of 11th Street Communications said. "The possibilities with this type of video are endless when applied to the web. The implications for re-purposing existing content alone are mind-boggling."
Jason Parker, has partnered with Klotz to form the new interactive division within 11th Street. Parker's previous experience includes working with CNN Interactive where he helped to bring CNN's video content to the Internet. Klotz has been in the broadcast post-production industry for over a decade having opened Synchronized Sound in 1991 and 11th Street Post in 1993.
Final Deadline for 2001 Georgia Film & Video SourceBook
Cast yourself in the 2001 Georgia Film & Video SourceBook! Each year, the Georgia Film & Videotape Office uses this well-organized, quality directory as one of its primary marketing tools. Individuals and businesses listing in the book receive a free copy. Most importantly, the books are given to the Georgia Film and Videotape Office to be distributed free of charge to companies, producers and managers interested in utilizing the services and equipment featured in the directory. Through the local, national and international use of the SourceBook, freelance technicians, industry-specific professional business services, and local communities are the beneficiaries of both new and repeat business.
"The SourceBook is the most valuable marketing tool that we have," states film office director Greg Torre. "We mail it out, fax the pages, e-mail sections and give phone numbers. The SourceBook becomes a well-worn rolodex for us. It paints a picture of the resources that we have available here in Georgia for this industry. The more comprehensive the individual and business listings, the more we have available to show and to sell."
In addition to the printed directory, all listings appear free of charge at

www.ozcommunications.com. Listings on the web site can be updated with banner ads, web links, portfolios, or resumes. The final deadline for postmarking listing forms is November 17, 2000. To fill out the form online, visit www.ozcommunications.com/info.html. For any further information, call Oz Publishing, Inc. at 404.633.1779.
Simon Undertakes Epic Journey To Capture Vanishing China
In only a few years, scenes of the Yangtze River in China serenely wandering by the Mountain Gate of Qu Yan Temple and spectacular gorges with names like Tactics Book, Sword Gorge and Bull's Liver will be only a memory. In their place will be a man-made lake covering some of the most fertile land in the world and many of China's most venerable archeological and scenic treasures.
It is this impending flood that has prompted Video Progressions producer and owner, Adair Simon to spend three weeks in China searching out these special places and recording them for history.
"There is tremendous controversy surrounding the building of this dam," Ms. Simon remarked. "But China has made its decision. It is an unfortunate fact of life that China's need to control killer floods and its need for hydroelectric power to move into the new century has made it necessary to inundate 10,000 years of history and beauty. I feel like it's up to people like me to save what can be saved, at least on tape, before it's all gone."
When she returns, Simon will be bringing back footage shot on her Cannon GL1 from other famous landmarks like Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and, the Great Wall. Ms. Simon plans to make the digital footage available to those who are interested in seeing and utilizing the images of the disappearing wonders.
Z-Post Productions Wins Best Drama Award
Z-Post Productions, an Atlanta-based production company, in association with the producers of Touched By An Angel, recently received the Indie Crystal Globe Award for Best Drama for their half-hour television pilot Postcards From Heaven. The award was presented at the 2000 Global Association of Independent Television (GAIT) Television & Internet Festival held in Los Angeles, California, September 3-4. GAIT promotes and supports the production and distribution of independently produced programming for television and the Internet.
"We are delighted to be honored by GAIT by its selection of Postcards From Heaven for Outstanding Drama Program," David McBrayer, co-owner of Z-Post Productions and creator/executive producer of Postcards From Heaven said. "The demand for metaphysical and spiritual programs is at an all time high. The fast pace and short story format will make Postcards a showcase for award winning talent who are hesitant to make longer term commitments to television."
Postcards From Heaven, was chosen from among the best in independent television productions. It is an uplifting and inspirational drama.
Established in 1994, Z-Post Productions specializes in original programming. This is the first original programming award the company has received.

Mind's Eye Media Creates Unique Media Incubator
Borrowing the proven idea of business incubators now operating on America's top university campuses, Joe Talentino, founder and president of Mind's Eye Media, Inc., has launched an incubator program designed specifically to support and nurture new media companies.
"The incubator format makes a lot of sense as we see the convergence of traditional and new media," Talentino said. "We have experienced producers who are learning to use new digital media tools as well as talented digital media specialists who know the tools but lack production experience. It's a great synergistic atmosphere. We are going to create whole new ways of communicating and entertaining."
Mind's Eye Media provides technical support, media production expertise, marketing solutions, management assistance and funding for each of its incubator firms. In turn, each incubator entity can support the other media incubators with specific applications in this fully integrated media environment.
Pioneering the emerging business of digital production is the incubated company Digital Hardhat with its V3 TOUR that combines video, digital animation and a modified three-dimensional rendering method to create completely self-directed navigation through buildings, condominiums and office space prior to the groundbreaking. Digital Hardhat has produced real estate virtual tours for companies in Atlanta, Florida, Kansas City and South Carolina.
Mind's Eye Media contains two media distribution companies, Ambiance Entertainment Network and MindsEyeTV.com. The incubated company Ambiance is a broadband media firm building a global digital network that links Large Screen Video Displays with satellite IP multicast transmissions. Ambiance will provide media content for sporting venues, specialty retail sites and concert and music festival settings.
In early 2001 Mind's Eye Media TV/Film will release two documentary films, World of Hurt and Confederacy Theory and the feature film Free'zer. Also set to launch in the new year is MindsEyeTV.com, a syndication portal focusing on web-based broadband delivery of content.
In the animation field, the incubator includes a conventional film/video animation unit as well as a digital animation group utilizing the ever-expanding variety of digital tools used for both traditional media and web-based media applications.
Located in StudioPlex on Auburn Avenue, Mind's Eye Media Inc. is a full-service production studio that produces media programming for a variety of clients, including television stations, cable channels, business and corporations, educational and governmental institutions, electronic media and the Internet.
Giant Studios Brings Top Talent on Board
Giant Studios has added four new digital artist/developers to its award-winning visual effects and animation team: Sean Pollack, Blake Holland, Barry Dempsey and Rich Suchevits.
"As leaders in their respective fields, these new team members will contribute immeasurably to our goal of creating the complete integration of motion control, motion capture, CG imagery and practical photography with real time feedback and first unit friendly," William Schultz, Giant Studios chief technology officer said.

Sean Pollack has been appointed CGI supervisor for Giant Studios' animation department. Pollack was formerly a technical director at DreamWorks/Pacific Data Images where he worked in the animated feature division on Antz, Shrek, and Forces of Nature as technical director-lighting, effects and layout; and in the commercial division on campaigns for Sega Dreamcast, Coke, and Best Buy as a lead layout and technical director.
Blake Holland joins Giant Studios as senior research engineer. Holland comes to Giant from Entertainment Design Workshop where he was a technical director-virtual set, for Disney's Winnie the Pooh TV pilot. His credits include: Starship Troopers, Secrets of the Luxor and tests for The Matrix and What Dreams May Come.
Barry Dempsey is Giant's new research engineer. Prior to joining Giant Studios, Dempsey served as VP of production and technology at Xatrix Interactive which released several top ten games including Cyberia and Red Neck Rampage. He worked as character animation technical director for Digital Domain on the Coen Brothers film Oh Brother Where Art Thou and for Sony Imageworks' Hollow Man.
Rich Suchevits moves to Giant Studios as senior compositor. Suchevits has provided film effects and composting for Cinesite, Rainmaker, Pinnacle Studios, Mass Illusion and Warner Brothers. He has worked on numerous feature films including Waterworld, Fantasia 2000, SpaceJam and Starship Troopers.
Symphony 3.0 At Artisan Pictureworks
Artisan PictureWorks, Inc. recently upgraded to Symphony 3.0 which contains a secondary color corrector, that works in conjunction with the previous version's primary color corrector for greater flexibility. The primary color corrector provides immense depth and precision to color correcting and the secondary function allows isolation of one or more colors within a scene along with the ability to change those colors without affecting the overall shot.
Symphony 3.0 now provides motion tracking which allows the editor to track the motion of an object within a scene and "stick" something else to it. The new stabilization feature is useful for steadying handheld shots and eliminating "gate weave" in film footage. Symphony also has Ultimatte keying that is much cleaner than the chroma key and is faster than the RGB key. Senior editor Jessica Teal recently employed the Ultimatte function on a video for BellSouth in which the on-camera talent was shot on green screen.
"We were able to key the subject, clean up the green spill on his face and clothing, color correct him and change his position on the screen all within one effect, and render much more quickly than would have been possible with the previous release," Teal said.
This new version of Symphony is capable of working in the usual NTSC and PAL formats, and is now also able to accommodate 24p and 25p media. This simplifies editing of film or HDTV content that has been converted to ITU-R 601 digital video. Symphony 3.0 also accommodates outputs in multiple formats for NTSC and PAL all from the same media. Export of streaming media such as Quick Time, RealG2 and Windows Media is now possible.
Rachel Lyon Named Director Of Media Arts At Reinhardt College

Rachel V. Lyon, an accomplished writer, director and producer in television and movies,has recently joined the Reinhardt College faculty as director of the media arts for the McCamish Media Arts Center and assistant professor of communication. With more than 20 years of experience in television and feature film programming and production, Lyon's ideas and insights will expand the communication program for Reinhardt students.
"This is a whole new ballgame for the program, we are going to the next level," Lyon said. "We will be creating a multi-media program that enables students to walk out after graduation and be ready for the working world."
Lyon recently worked with Pat Mitchell, president of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), to produce the PBS Summit on Creativity and Community 2000 at the Sundance Institute. The summit brought together some of the most creative talent in drama, nonfiction, performance and new media to share their ideas on the future of public television. Lyon also worked as a senior producer for Ted Turner, served at National Geographic Television and the Benton Broadcast Center of the University of Chicago. Lyon's extensive background in film production includes: Men Who Molest, winner of the National Emmy for Best Single Subject Documentary, Shadow Over Tibet and the restoration of Orson Welles' Othello.
Extras
The new Fugitive series, starring Tim Daly (Wings) was on location in Savannah in August to shoot an episode which aired October 13. "Local crew and extras played roles in the CBS media production that left Savannah with a very positive impression of our city and state," Jay Self, Savannah Film Commission director said.
Cine Photo Tech's Wolfgang Roessel and Wolfgang Weigel of P+S Technik (Munich) were honored with the Cinec Award in the camera technology category at Cinec2000 held in Munich. The award recognizes technological achievement in motion picture technology and was presented to winners in five different categories. Roessel and Weigel were honored for their collaborative effort in developing the T-REX Superscope, a multi-directional lens system.
Candace Long, president of the Women In Film/Atlanta represented her chapter at the Women In Film & Television International Summit held in London in October. Nearly 100 delegates attended the summit representing the U.S., Canada, UK, Europe, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Jamaica, New Zealand, Australia, along with the highest ranking television executive in Beijing, responsible for more than 100 producers of television programming.
CineFilm Laboratory just wrapped up several independent features, including Losing Grace for Green Valley Entertainment, Good Neighbors for Stage and Frame and will process HBO's BOYCOTT. Recent commercial clients include Crossroads, H&H Advertising and Two Popes. CineFilm is handling processing and dailies for World Traveler, an independent film starring Julianne Moore and Billy Crudup and The Last Brickmaker, a CBS made-for-television movie starring Sidney Poitier.
Director/DP Herb Kossover just completed a series of new promotional spots for Atlanta's Fox 5 News entitled, "Dedicated, Determined, Dependable-Phase Three." Conceived and edited by Fox's promotion manager Chris Conroy, the spots feature a behind-the-scenes look at the

news gathering team. Kossover shot hand-held footage in the newsroom, edit bays and control room to capture the live feel of the news arena.
Recently released on video, Rex Barnett profiles world-renowned neurosurgeon Ben Carson, M.D. in the sixth installment of The Black Achievers Medical Series. In this exclusive interview, Dr. Carson advises students of color on overcoming obstacles to achieve career success. Barnett created, produced and directed the series from History On Video Productions, Inc.
Whoa! Films sound director Jon Philpot worked with Marilyn McDonald of Odyssey Group on a promotional video for the Cartoon Network's Bowling Club. Editor Bill Orisich and after effects artist Brad Mace worked with Kevin Fitzgerald and Beth Haden on videos for the grand opening of the Cartoon Network studio in Burbank California. Jon Philpot and flint artist Adrian Guedin collaborated with Waterworks Productions director Tom De Cuir and producer Carol Beck on effects and audio on a 30-second spot for the whitewater rafting program at the Nantahala Outdoor Center. Will Fratesi recently joined Whoa! Films where he will serve as Jr. Avid editor. Through collaborative efforts of director DP's Mark Simon and Joe Piccirillo, and post-production work by Keith Crutchfield, Fizz City just completed a five-minute image film showcasing the Gulfstream Five, which was unveiled in October at the NBAA, an aerospace trade convention. Fizz City filmed two seasonal commercials in Atlanta for Rich's Department store and six Belk spots with Atlanta-based broadcast producer, Widdi Turner. Fizz City directors took top honors for commercial direction in the 2000 Telly Awards: Michael Pietrobon for the Atlanta Journal Constitution's Buyer's Edge; Walter Pawluk for Suncom Cellular Communication's Tommy's Trade-In; Joe Piccirillo for Rich's Harvest Sale; and Mark Simon for Scana Energy's Ransom Note produced for 360.
Steve Olson has joined the Atlanta staff of Digital Solutions Inc. (DSI), as senior training specialist. Olson has over 10 years of experience in the broadcast television environment, spending six years in the Turner Broadcasting family, and later working at Z-Post. DSI has doubled the size of their training center and this fall will add new courses, including "Avid for Producers" and "Streaming 101."
Stan Swofford membership director for IATSE Local 479 recently collaborated with Bob Shelly's Special Effects International to hold a special effects class. The session included classroom, practical education and safety preparations. The Atlanta Studio Mechanics Local sponsored training classes this year in condor certification, camera dolly operation, diesel generators, set lighting and power distribution. Classes are open to all members of the film and video community at no charge. For information call or e-mail Stan Swofford: 770.475.5880, stanmedic@mindspring.com.
Indie News
Directed by Stacey Childers, Delivery Boy Chronicles is a coming of age, comedy-adventure written by Michael Childers. Shot in metropolitan Atlanta, this film follows the lives and hare-brained schemes of several guys working for a restaurant on wheels. The film stars Ralph Price, Atlanta musician Shawn Mullins and his wife, actress Kelly Hobbs. Buddy Thorton is the executive producer and Robin O'Brien serves as UPM on this Roby Robinson production that wrapped in late October.

R.A.P. Filmworks from New York was in town during the month of October to shoot its first 35mm feature film, Honeybee, a story about female boxing. Producer Roderick Powell (Preacher Playa) is a former Atlantan and wrote the story with an Atlanta setting in mind. Fellow New Yorker Melvin James (King of Hearts) directed and longtime Atlantan (and Swimming Pool Q's drummer) Bill Burton (Dumpster Baby) served as director of photography. The film was shot all around metropolitan Atlanta and stars Senait Ashenafi (General Hospital) and James Avery (Fresh Prince of Bel-Air).
GA Film Office Represented at AFCI Cineposium
Georgia Film & Videotape Office director Greg Torre recently attended the 2000 Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI) conference in Manhattan Beach, California in October. The annual conference, known as Cineposium, provides a forum for film commissioners throughout the world to get acquainted and address common issues. The theme of this year's three-day educational program revolved around the expectations of film offices to deliver state of the art services in a rapidly changing film and video industry. Additional topics of this year's program, entitled The Magic Within, covered topics such as negotiating techniques, marketing, tourism and technology options for image delivery.
Torre served on this year's popular "How Would You Handle It?" panel that included representatives from Washington State, Maryland, Ontario, Canada and the City of Miami. The moderator was negotiating expert Robert O'Donnell of the Woodstock Institute for Negotiation.
The AFCI is the official professional organization for film commissioners who assist film, television and video production throughout the world. It is a non-profit professional association whose members serve as city, county, state, regional, provincial and national film commissioners for their prospective governmental jurisdictions. All fifty states and the District of Columbia are represented with over a hundred city offices such as Los Angeles, Chicago, Richmond, Pittsburgh, Seattle, Memphis, Savannah, Austin and Wilmington.
Originally known as the Association of Film Commissions, the AFCI now includes film commissions from across Canada, Australia, Mexico, the Caribbean, South America, Asia and much of Europe.
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