Georgia film, video & music...you get the picture [Vol. 19, no. 4 (July/Aug. 2003)]

Volume 19, Number 4
Film Office Honored for 30 Years
Photo: Norm Bielowicz, Greg Torre and Ed Spivia
On June 5th, the Georgia Film, Video & Music Office was honored at the IMAGE Film & Video Awards Gala held in the Fox Theatre's Egyptian Ballroom. Burt Reynolds, Ruby Dee, Ossie Davis and Parker Posey also received awards during the gala. This year the Georgia Film, Video & Music Office is celebrating 30 years of locating film, video and music productions to Georgia. During the past year, the direct economic impact to the state in motion picture, television, commercial and music video production exceeded $267 million. The two former directors of the Georgia Film office, Ed Spivia and Norm Bielowicz were in attendance to receive the award along with current director Greg Torre.
Last Goodbye Films in Georgia
Photo: (L-R ) David Carradine and director Jacob Gentry
Atlanta-based production company POPfilm's Last Goodbye recently wrapped production in Atlanta. The film is a mosaic of life in the capital of the New South over the course of one tumultuous summer day. The ensemble drama features performances by Academy Award winner Faye Dunaway, David Carradine (who has the title role in the highly-anticipated Quentin Tarantino film Kill Bill), Chris Rydell (For the Boys) and Maggie Blye (the original The Italian Job), as well as Hollywood's next generation including Clementine Ford (daughter of Cybil Shepherd), Liam O'Neill (son of Faye Dunaway), Alex A. Quinn (son of Anthony Quinn) and Dominik Garcia Loredo (daughter of Andy Garcia).
Last Goodbye... continued on page 5

July/August 2003
AFF Moves Downtown
Photo: Burt Reynolds
Attendance records were shattered at the 27th Annual Atlanta Film Festival (AFF) held in June. "We were hoping the number of attendees would be greater than last year (15,000) but are delighted to have broken all previous records attracting a total of 26,000 spectators," said Brian Newman, executive director of IMAGE Film and Video Center. "The festival definitely found a new home in downtown Atlanta."
The festival opened with a sold out gala event at the Fox Theater's Egyptian Ballroom honoring Burt Reynolds for his contributions to the Georgia film industry. After delivering a heartfelt and memorable speech, Georgia-born Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee received an award for their lifetime achievement in film. Actress Parker Posey was honored for her contributions to independent cinema.
Despite inclement weather, 750 people attended the AFF opening
AFF... continued on page 8

Georgia Film, Video & Music... You Get The Picture is a bi-monthly publication. Deadline for article submission in the September/October issue is August 10, 2003. Articles can be mailed to Brenda Brayton, Georgia Film, Video & Music Office, Post Office Box 1776, Atlanta, GA 30301, faxed to 404.656.3565 or sent electronically to bbrayton@georgia.org. Visit our website at www.filmgeorgia.org.

FEATURED LOCATION: The Old Brawner Sanitorium
Photo: Exterior of Main Building
The Brawner Psychiatric Hospital (Brawners) was founded as the Brawner Sanitarium in 1908. The hospital was considered Georgia's oldest psychiatric care facility when it ceased operations in 2000. Brawners was purchased by the City of Smyrna in 2001. The 10-acre property contains the main building, the Taylor House and nine other buildings including an empty indoor pool and gymnasium. Access is provided to the main building via a graceful driveway which also serves a smaller office and residential buildings. The Brawners campus includes outdoor recreational features (tennis and volleyball courts) and a mature tree canopy. New Line Cinema recently utilized Brawners to shoot several scenes for Dumb & Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd. The buildings are vacant and the site has excellent access, so Dumb & Dumberer created several sets including: a delivery room, high school classroom, airport baggage claim area, locker room and a secluded grotto. In 2003, the facility was also used to shoot scenes for the independent feature Last Goodbye.
Photo: Exterior of Main Building
Photo: interior set: Dumb & Dumberer

Another Perfect Pitch
For the second year in a row, the Georgia Film, Video & Music Office sponsored the 2003 Perfect Pitch Contest. Held during the Atlanta Film Festival, Perfect Pitch 2003 provided Georgia screenwriters with the chance to showcase their homegrown work as well as the opportunity to hone their project pitch skills to a festival audience.
A "pitch" is a practice in which a would-be producer, director or writer tries to capture the imagination and funding of a motion picture studio or production company through a quick and imaginative verbal description of their project. Ten Georgia screenwriters each had three minutes to "pitch" their projects in front of an Atlanta Film Festival audience and a panel of film producers and receive feedback, while an audience cheered them on.
Perfect Pitch 2003 panelists included Selina Lewis Davidson (director of documentary programming, Mixed Greens), Gloria Fan (vice president, Mosaic Media Group), Peter Goldwyn (manager of acquisitions, Samuel Goldwyn Company), Moira Griffin (vice president, Pipedream Productions) and Marie Therese Guirgis (head of acquisitions, Wellspring) while Eddy Von Mueller (local screenwriter, director) served as moderator.
Finalists named on the closing day of the festival were: "Beyond Ila" by James Ponsoldt, "Immigration Tango" by Robert J. Lee and Martin Kelley and "Spell This" by Stephanie Quinn and Tami D'Addio. The winning screenplay writer will receive a trip to Los Angeles in December to attend the Georgia Night in LA and pitch their screenplay concept to industry executives in networking meetings arranged by the Georgia Film, Video & Music Office and IMAGE.

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Graphic Elevation
Photo: Schindler's List Graphics
TNT Latin America recently tapped Elevation to create several on-air graphics packages. Elevation graphic artist Dianne Frisbee also designed the graphics package for TNT LA's airing of Schindler's List. Movie footage was combined with graphic elements of barbed wire and typewritten lists to create the stylized package that included end pages, bumps and transitions. Stephen Cocks and Frisbee also designed a graphics package to be used for four different concerts airing on TNT LA this summer. Concert footage was color treated and presented graphically, including a "ticket" element which reinforced the idea that TNT provides viewers a front row seat for this series of concerts. For more information about Elevation, visit www.elevate.tv or call 404.221.1705.
Giant Captures Bond
Giant Studios recently completed motion capture work on cinematics created by Digital Domain for Electronic Arts' James Bond 007 - Everything or Nothing and Medal of Honor - Rising Sun. Directed and produced by Digital Domain, the spots were featured in Electronic Arts booth during the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles in May.
In the James Bond 007 - Everything or Nothing spot we see our man James outwit a beautiful female assassin and disarm another assassin in a waiting helicopter atop a high rise, ultra chic bar - all with martini in hand "shaken, not stirred."
The Medal of Honor - Rising Sun spot opens on a calm, reflective Pearl Harbor in 1942. Cut to Japanese Zeros racing high over the ocean in attack formation. We watch as our brave GIs and sailors fight for their lives against the onslaught of attacking aircraft.
Giant Studios is best-known for its motion capture work with Weta Digital on New Line Cinema's blockbuster feature film trilogy The Lord of the Rings, as well as many interactive games and commercials.

Creative Digital Gets Wylie
Creative Digital Group has hired Jeff Wylie as senior motion designer for corporate interactive media and video projects. As lead 2D/3D designer, Wylie will utilize the latest digital tools to execute motion designs and animations for DVD, CD-ROM and video communications.
Wylie has over 15 years experience in the corporate and agency environment. He worked at Samaritan's Purse, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, in broadcast design at WCFC-TV 38 in Chicago and as an editor at Image Associates in Michigan. Wylie also worked as graphic designer and assistant editor at Ford Motor Company in Michigan.
Call for Entries: 2004 SourceBook
Photo: Georgia Film & Video SourceBook
Oz Publishing is proud to once again partner with Georgia's film and video production community to publish the 2004 Georgia Film & Video SourceBook. Crew and companies listed in the SourceBook receive a free directory. As an added value, the SourceBook is published at www.ozonline.tv, a web site that received 5 million hits from nearly 1 million visitors last year. Most importantly, the books are given to the Georgia Film, Video & Music Office to be distributed free of charge to companies and individuals who utilize the services and equipment featured in the directory. "The SourceBook continues to be a valuable marketing tool for our office," states Film, Video & Music Office Director Greg Torre. "We mail it out to production companies across the U.S., we fax out pages each day, we pass along the web address each day and we give out phone numbers from it every day. The book gets used. We encourage both companies and individuals to list and be a part of the marketing of this film community." The final deadline for listing or advertising in the 2004 SourceBook is November 1, 2003. For more information, contact Oz Publishing at 404.633.1779 or visit them at www.ozonline.tv.

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Cartoon Network Taps 7ate9
Teaming up with creative forces at Cartoon Network, 7ate9 recently produced the DVD for Cartoon Network's first ever theatrical release Powerpuff Girls: The Movie. Working with Powerpuff Girls creator Craig McCracken and Cartoon Network senior designer Jay Rogers, 7ate9 stayed true to the design aesthetic of the feature film in production of the DVD. The production included animation and design work as well as managing the overall architecture of the disc.
The team designed and animated a series of menus that allows the viewers to navigate through the Powerpuff Girls home. As viewers select menu options they are taken from one room to the next including the Professor's Lab, which is loaded with hidden Easter eggs and special features. The animated environment includes selectable menu icons in the likeness of characters such as Mojo Jojo and the girls as well as an animated intro to the disc.
Along with overall creative production, 7ate9 produced several special features on the disc. Working with the talented voices behind the animated characters, the team scripted and produced original commentary shorts for Mojo Jojo, the girls and the mayor.
Please visit 7ate9 Entertainment's web site at www.7ate9.com for additional information.
Association Announcements:
Atlanta Urban MediaMakers Association, Inc. (AUMAi) reflects the new generation of mediamaking. AUMAi's mission is to empower people through cultural diversity in animation, film and video. For more information on AUMAi's monthly meetings, visit www.urbanmediamakers.com or call 404.287.7758.
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. Meetings are generally held the first Tuesday of each month at noon. For membership information call Matt Timmons at 404.609.9001 or email at info@georgiaproduction.org.
IMAGE IMAGE Film & Video Center offers filmmaking workshops and screenings. For more information, contact IMAGE at 404.352.4225 or check the website at www.imagefv.org.
MCAi (formerly ITVA) promotes the growth, quality and success of film, video and multimedia communications primarily in corporate and special interest production. For information, please visit their website at www.atlantamcai.org.
National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (The Recording Academy): Established in 1957, the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc. is dedicated to providing educational opportunities and improving the cultural environment and quality of life for music and its makers. For more information, please visit www.grammy.com.
NATAS/Atlanta NATAS/Atlanta, the local chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. For information please call 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 check the website at www.wifa.org.

Synergy at Serenbe
Synergy Films, a full-service production company, announces today the completion of their latest project for The Leslie Agency and BiLo Food Stores.
George Watkins directed the twoday shoot located in Palmetto, Georgia. The Serenbe Bed and Breakfast Inn was chosen as the location because of its multiplicity of looks and opportunities. Having to create over 10 different settings in two days, Serenbe was the ideal location.
Keith Sherer was the DP for the project and Stan Vaughan served as line producer. During two glorious spring days the project went off without a hitch. "I don't think I've had two more perfect shoot days like this in a long time," says Watkins. "Everything just seemed to come together; concept, talent, weather and on top of that the client was ecstatic with the outcome."
For more information on Synergy Films, please visit www.synergyfilms.com.
Versfelt Produces for Court TV
Cameraman and field producer Porter Versfelt III recently worked on the Atlanta portions of the Court TV series The System. The program segment was titled: The Trenchcoat Gang and dealt with a mother and her daughters who had experienced a great deal of trauma.
Even though the subjects had agreed to work with Court TV, when Versfelt arrived at the family's home at the appointed time, "I needed all of my negotiating and diplomatic skills to convince the mother to cooperate," he said. Versfelt shot Broll daily life scenes of the mother and her daughters and "By the end of the shoot, Mom and daughters were happy."

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Hazzard Homecoming
Photo: Reenactment of General Lee jump.
Y" ee Haw!" was the phrase of the day in Conyers, Georgia as festivities for the 25th anniversary homecoming and celebration of The Dukes of Hazzard television show officially kicked off. The Hazzard Homecoming 2003, held June 27-29, drew more than 3,000 people with some 70 General Lee replicas from all four corners of the United States descending on Covington and Conyers, Georgia. Fans and former crew from the series participated in the festivities which included tours, reenactments and question and answer sessions with the show's original mechanics and stuntmen. Although only five episodes were filmed in Covington, the city has been adopted by loyalists as the real Hazzard County.
The opening credits of the television series The Dukes of Hazzard featured a 1969 Dodge Charger, known as the General Lee, jumping a parked police car. The most anticipated event of the Hazzard reunion was the reenactment of the flight of the General Lee. Fans witnessed stuntman Corey Eubanks' re-creation of the famous jump that became the trademark of the show. Eubanks' first job as a stuntman was on the series. The first jump was actually performed at Oxford College in 1978. The original General Lee barely survived that first 82-foot jump at Oxford College. Eubanks' re-enactment jump at Covington's Legion Field during Hazzard Homecoming was 129 feet.
Last Goodbye... continued from page 1 Last Goodbye is the debut feature of writer-director
Jacob Gentry and producing partner Alex Motlagh (under their Atlanta-based production company POPfilms). The movie was filmed in HD 24p in 16 days using over 20 Atlanta locations. The film is currently in post-production. For more information please visit www.popfilms.org.

Crawford Adds New Color
Crawford Post Production has hired colorist Jeff Bauman to join Crawford's team of artists and add new flavor to the projects brought in by advertising agencies and film production companies. Bauman brings to Crawford more than eight years of experience in the film and video industry. He runs the Spirit Datacine suite performing film-to-tape and tape-to-tape transfer, color correction and color enhancement for standard and high definition projects.
Bauman has transferred countless commercials, music videos and documentaries. His recent work includes national and international spots for Radio Shack, Honda, Lincoln-Mercury, Hallmark, Sprint, PETCO and a spot for Mitsubishi featuring rocker Jon Bon Jovi.
For more information about Crawford Post Production (www.crawford.com), call 404.876.7149 in Atlanta or tollfree 800.831.8027.
Guillotine Post
Photo: Junkin'
Turner South is launching new original programming this summer and the Atlantabased cable network has enlisted the help of Guillotine Post to preview and promote three of these franchises. Turner South senior writer/producer Caroline Young teamed up with editors Christo Harris and P.J. Neely to create "sneak preview" segments and topical spots to help promote these distinctively Southernflavored shows. Junkin' is a fresh look at exploring cool second hand stuff with an added twist - the viewers can purchase the actual items online after the show. Three Day Weekend explores great getaways of the region and Blue Ribbon features the best restaurants, shops and resorts of the South. Guillotine is also helping Disney Channel promote the original movie The Cheetah Girls. Senior editor Michael Koepenick is writing and editing promos for the summertime release featuring Disney star Raven-Symone as well as Adrienne Bailon and Kiely Williams of contemporary girl group 3LW.

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WorldTravel BTI Lands at TUBE
Photo: TUBE's motion design work for WorldTravel BTI
TUBE added WorldTravel BTI to their list of new summer clients, kicking off the relationship with a trade show presentation for the Dallas, Texas conference NBTA (National Business Travelers Association). Chris Downs, owner of TUBE, helmed the project designing a one-minute motion graphics piece in After Effects, blending the global sales literature into a fluent, branded visual booth display. The teaser video was looped along with a 1:30 wallpaper video and mastered to DVD. Focusing on the company's main service solution for corporate travel planners, BTI Intellect is a customized travel program featuring on-line booking and profile management, quality control and performance management throughout the booking process, and support in managing the travel program, decision making and data analysis. WorldTravel BTI is ranked #1 in the Atlanta Business Chronicle as Atlanta's Top Travel Agency. TUBE recently completed website design for the Visual Arts Network of Atlanta (VANA), www.visualartsatlanta.com. VANA is a non-profit coalition that provides a forum for all metro-Atlanta visual arts venues to network and communicate programming ideas and partnership opportunities. The website was designed as a hybrid site combining Flash elements and HTML. TUBE designer, Jackie Kubicz designed the site and Ami Chan, the newest addition to the TUBE team, completed all the programming and PHP scripting. The site's focus is to provide a quick and easily accessible search for local art venues by selecting either the type of venue, desired location or more immediately, by venue name.
Downstream Film Festival Kick-Off
The third annual Downstream Film Festival, presented in conjunction with IGMusicArtFilm, Oz Magazine and the Georgia Film, Video & Music Office spans September 12-21. All Downstream festival parties and screenings are open to the public.
This year's festivities kick-off with an opening night Gathering Point Reception at the downtown Atlanta art center Eyedrum on Friday, September 12th. The Gathering Point evening will feature live bands, DJs, performance art and more. Eyedrum is located at 290 M.L.K., Jr. Dr. (www.eyedrum.org 404.522.0655). The following nine festival days will include many screenings, art installations and after-party receptions featuring bands, DJs, breakdancers and more at various locations around town. Between September 16-21 the festival events will be held in downtown Decatur. The anchor venue for screenings is the Decatur Ballroom Plaza with the Swanton Theater also serving as a host venue. After-parties will follow at Decatur and East Atlanta locations as diverse as, Fritti, the E.A.R.L. and Eddie's Attic. More information about the complete ten-day festival is available at www.downstreamfest.com.

Natural Productions Teams with SLMG
Atlanta-based Natural Productions has licensed exclusive world-wide Internet broadcast systems rights of the documentary CrackHead University to Simmons Lathan Media Group (SLMG) for video-on-demand and subscriptionbased digital service broadcast on the Russell Simmons Hip Hop Channel, via Altnet Network with Kazaa. CrackHead University exposes the raw, gut-wrenching realities of the crack game.
Natural Productions is a film production company specializing in the development and production of multi-media entertainment products. The world-wide Internet broadcast agreement follows a domestic home video distribution deal with Very Video for Natural Production's feature film title Krazy For Love, starring Atlantan Don "DC" Curry (Next Friday, Friday After Next).
"We are truly honored to serve as a supplier of programming to SLMG, who is devoted to providing opportunities to independent filmmakers," said Natural DeLoatch, president Natural Productions. "Our sole mission is to provide quality, entertaining and profitable programming to our distributors. We vision our deal with SLMG as the beginning of a mutually-beneficial relationship for years to come."
"The marriage of hip hop and film continues to thrive as a hot commodity in national and international media markets--rather internet, pay television, cable networks or VOD," said Teresa DeLoatch, vice president, Natural Productions. "By continuing to produce a growing slate of hip hop films and diversifying, we're well on our way to becoming the consumer's choice for global multimedia products."

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Artifact Bridges The Gap
Photo: Artifact's X Games Motocross Navigational Menu
This spring ultimate fans of the X Games were introduced to the X Games DVD, designed and animated by motion design company Artifact Design. The ESPN hit, Ultimate X: The Movie, recently transitioned from IMAX film to DVD, while Artifact's animation bridged the gap between the larger-than-life feel of IMAX films with an interactive and personalized DVD experience.
The Ultimate X DVD chronicles the highlights and stories behind the 2001 X Games in Philadelphia, while showcasing skateboarding, biking, street luge competitions and more. Buena Vista Home Entertainment headed the transition of the movie from big screen to DVD while production company 7ate9 led the creative direction of the project. In turn, 7ate9 appointed broadcast design and animation boutique Artifact Design to provide animation for the DVD. At the start of the DVD lies a control room from where the viewer has a bird's eye view of an arena that exudes videogame-like animated visuals, radical 3D skate, moto and BMX parks. Artifact designed 26 navigational menus for the DVD without the use of language or text. The animation pieces of the DVD took about six weeks to design and produce. For more information visit: www.artifactdesign.com.

Petunia Takes Home The Trophy
Photo: Ted Mason
Produced by local filmmaker Linda Burns and writer/ director John Levy in association with Lab 601, the musical film short Petunia has made the rounds on the festival circuit. Petunia is a dark comedy about an old man who believes his dead wife has come back from the grave. Reinventing the tradition musical, Petunia satirizes the family dynamic and the relationships we allow to deteriorate along the way. Starting with the Austin Film Festival last fall and the Atlanta Film Festival in June 2003, festival audiences have consistently scored Petunia over 4.59 out of 5. The Rhode Island International Film Festival chose Petunia for its `Excellence in Extended Shorts' Program and the 12th Annual Woods Hole Film Festival crowned Petunia Best Short - Experimental. Petunia was selected for the Waterfront Film Festival in Michigan and will play at FilmFest New Haven in September. Locally, Petunia will screen at the Downstream International Film Festival in Decatur, GA on September 16th and 19th. For more information about Petunia, visit www.garagemusicals.com.

Rocket To Fame is coming to Georgia!
Acts from around the country will converge on Atlanta to compete for cash and prizes in 17 different categories in the Rocket To Fame competition. Any individual or group of any age can enter to win. There are 11 different categories of music performance competition - rock, soft rock/pop, country rock, country, acoustic/any style, blues/R&B/soul/funk, hip-hop/rap, Latin, female vocalist/any style, male vocalist/any style and songwriter. Other categories include general performance competition - comedy, stage performance acts, male and female Spokesperson and two media arts categories - indie film and video short. The category competitions will be held on September 26th and 27th, and October 3rd and 4th, 2003. The finals will be held on October 18, 2003. All events will take place at Earthlink Live on West Peachtree Street in Atlanta, GA. Deadline for entry into Rocket To Fame Talent Competitions is September 10, 2003. A total of 152 acts will have the opportunity to compete in front of industry professionals during the Rocket To Fame Category Competition events. Thirty-eight acts will go on to compete in the finals, which will be recorded live and broadcast as a two-hour live-to-tape variety show. For complete information go to www.rockettofame.com.

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AFF... continued from page 1

Photo: Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee

night screening of American Splendor at the Rialto Center for the Performing Arts. A first for the festival was the addition of family programming to the line-up. An estimated 2,000 people arrived in Centennial Olympic Park for games, costume characters and a special screening of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory sponsored by Turner Classic Movies, Boomerang, Comcast and IMAGINE IT!
The Southeastern Media Award, presented each year to recognize and promote regional filmmaking, was awarded to narrative feature Good Intentions by producer Richard Sampson, director Jon Hill and screenwriter Tony Stephenson. The filmmakers of Good Intentions will receive $100,000 in services from Cinefilm, Digital Arts Entertainment Lab, Savannah Cinema Post, Cat's Eye Editorial and Abracadabra Video and Special Projects, Inc. Consultation services will be provided by film publicity specialist Cara White and entertainment attorney Darryl Cohen. The festival closed its doors on Saturday, June 14 with an awards ceremony announcing the following winners:

FEATURE COMPETITION

SHORTS COMPETITION

Grand Jury Prize: Zero Day director Benjamin Coccio

Best Animated Short: Eternal Gaze director Sam Chen

Audience Award: Standing On My Sister's Shoulders director Laura Lipson

Best Experimental Short: The Projectionist director Michael Bates

Jury Award for Best Documentary: A Certain Kind of Death directors Blue Hadaegh and Grover Babcock

Best Narrative Short: Shadowman director Amanda Rudman

Jury Award for Best Film: Girlhood director Liz Garbus

Best Student Short: The Cutman director Yon Motskin

Best Screenplay: Milk and Honey director Joe Maggio

Grand Jury Award for Best Short: Terminal Bar director Stephan Nadelman

Best Director: EvenHand director Joseph Pierson

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