Sign up for Beginning Acting with Incredible Talent, Sagan Lewis

Open Call for Actors!

Four students are currently casting for their short thesis films. Actors will gain the experience of being on movie set and will also be provided with DVD's of the final film.

WHEN AND WHERE:

Friday, January 8 from 10:00am to 5:45pm, by appointment only.

Scottsdale Civic Center Library

Gold and Silver Rooms
3839 N. Drinkwater Blvd.
Scottsdale, AZ 85251-4452

Saturday, January 9 from 10:00am to 7:00pm, by appointment only.

Zaki Gordon Institute for Independent Filmmaking

4215 Arts Village Drive
Sedona, AZ 86336-9707

Who:

All age ranges are welcome. Specific roles include:

Adult Leads

- female, mid 20's to mid 40's

- male, mid 20's to mid 40's

Young Lead

- female, 5-10 years old.

Support Cast

- males, 25 to 70 years old.

- females, 15-70 years old.

To schedule an appointment -

Scottsdale auditions - please call Jessica at 201-310-6182 or email jessicanoe@gmail.com.

Sedona auditions, please call Kyle at 928-412-2105 or email kylekolding@live.com

We look forward to seeing you!

10 Filmmakers to Watch in 2009

The Independent has come out with there list of indie filmmakers to keep an eye on in the upcoming year.

Advanced Cinematography Workshop at ZGI, Open to the Public

"Official Rejection"

Helen from the Prescott Film Festival told me about this film. She thought it was highly entertaining and educational for people starting out in the indie film industry. Check it out and let us know how you like it.

Prescott Film Festival Series

Screening on November 18th at
Prescott College Crossroads
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 ● 6:30pm
www.prescottfilmfestival.com

Waking Dreams

On November 18th the Prescott Film Festival & Series inches a bit
towards “Bollywood” with “Waking Dreams!” This independent romantic
comedy has the culture of India on a collision course with growing up in
America. This coming-of-age story centers on a first-generation Indian
American young woman, Latha, whose favorite pastime is wat
“Bollywood” movies with her sweet grandmother. She finds herself
spending more and more time in daydreams, picturing herself as the
beautiful actress in the movies; dancing perfectly in costume with the
handsomest men on the screen, with a backdrop of beautiful and colorful
dancers behind her.

November’s Sponsors
This month we welcome three new sponsors, , Prescott College and The Motor
Lodge! We are very grateful to Horizon Air for furnishing our guest filmmaker’s flight from Los
Angeles straight into Prescott! Prescott College, along with Melanie Bishop’s Screenwriting Class, is sponsoring this months’ screening at the Crossroads Center. The Motor Lodge is hosting our filmmaker for two nights at their newly remodeled lodge on Montezuma. Thank you Prescott
College, Horizon Air and The Motor Lodge!

Gandhi at the Bat

The short film for November 18th keeps the theme of India with “Gandhi at the
Bat!” This fun “mockumentary” tells the fictional story of Mahatmas Gandhi’s
secret trip to New York where he has the opportunity to play baseball at
Yankee Stadium!
Guest Filmmaker Deepika Daggubati
The festival is very excited to announce the guest filmmaker for November,
Deepika Daggubati. Deepika wrote and directed “Waking Dreams.” Born
in India and raised in Texas, she’s been making movies since the age of 10.
Her parents, like Latha’s, wanted her to go into the medical field. She got
her bachelor’s degree in English and Psychology and her M.F.A. in Film
Production from the California Institute of the Arts. She has also written a
script for Disney and is working on several future projects.

Whether you are a filmmaker or film fan, check out the Prescott Film Festival & Series. It promises to be an evening of pure enjoyment and entertainment in beautiful and friendly Prescott Arizona where "Art without an Attitude” reigns! Tickets are
$6.50 each and may be purchased at the box office on the day of the screening. Cash or checks only please.

ZGI's Documentary Students Midterm Project is Close to Home

ZGI's documentary class has chosen to chronicle the institute's decade of filmmaking instruction. Students will present their film about ZGI students, past and present, with behind-the-scenes glimpses into the lives of film school students. Diverse in their ages, ambitions and backgrounds, this documentary reveals what brought ZGI students to Sedona and how that experience changed their lives. A free screening at the Zaki Gordon Institute November 13th, 7:00 pm. For directions, www.zgi.yc.edu.

Upcoming Workshop from Master Documentarians: Interview Techniques

ZGI is hosting an amazing workshop called "Documentary Interview Techniques." This informative workshop will cover Professional use of lights, sound and camera for interviews as well as questioning techniques to elicit a useful and dynamic response.

November 14-15 (begins at 9:00 am until 5:00 pm), Open to the public!

Guest Speakers:
Ronald Tobias from Montana State University, has authored six books including Insider's Guide for Writing for Screen & Television. Producer, writer, and director of over 30 films including many for PBS, National Geographic, Animal Planet, The Travel Channel, PBS, and TBS (Tokyo Broadcasting System), TV-4 (Sweden), and Pro-Sieben (Germany)

Tobias has also directed twelve films for The Discovery Channel including shows on wolves, piranha, wolverines, lions, anacondas, venomous spiders, lynx, wild mink, and the saiga.

Tobias will be joined by Ed George, director, cinematographer and editor who's worked on numerous documentaries, many for National Geographic.

ZGI Alumni Emily Warren gets great write-up in Microfilmmaker

http://www.microfilmmaker.com/critiques/Issue48/Luck1.html

"More Than a Kiss"

The Zaki Gordon Institute for Independent Filmmaking Presents:

A Free Public Screening of - More Than a Kiss

A thriller, presented by the class of 2010.

A succubus finds her victims nightly in a small desert town. She befriends the bartender, who ultimately falls under her spell and must face the consequences of his choice.

WHERE: Zaki Gordon Institute for Independent Filmmaking

4215 Arts Village Drive, Sedona Center for Arts and Technology, Sedona, AZ 86336, Room 34

WHEN:

November 13 at 7:00pm

We hope to see you there!

Narrative Students Get Ambitious with "More Than a Kiss"

ZGI narrative students and staff have been feverishly working on their midterm project, "More than a Kiss". This is the largest project that the students participate in during their Fall semester. Up to this point they have been in production groups of 4, during this production the entire class of 21 works collaboratively. It began with their approved script, "More than a Kiss". This is the blueprint for the large scale production that turned into 7 intensive shoot days. Everyone has their specific roles for the pre-production, production and post-production of the short.

The community has been extremely receptive and generous. Home Depot donated a massive amount of lumber for their extensive set builds, Savers in Flagstaff loaned students over 4 carts full of props and wardrobe and Wayne Norman, owner of the Wild Toucan restaurant in the Village of Oak Creek, donated his vacant space for the duration of the shoot.

"The students have done a superb job and I am impressed with their professionalism", remarked Stephan Schultze, Director of ZGI.

Stephen Schultze, ZGI co-founder, explains what it takes to create a great director of photography reel

Indie GoGo

ZGI student Robert Killian turned me on to this amazing site. IndieGoGo provides an open social network for filmmakers to pitch their projects to the world. It also allows fans to influence and fuel the projects they want to see.

Filmmakers get resources to build and engage a loyal fan base to assist in making their projects happen. They can raise money and awareness, and gain credibility because of their fans.

Indie GoGo Check it out, might be something to consider doing!

Prescott Film Festival Series

Open Call for Actors

When: October 18, 2009 from 10:30 a.m. to 8:00p.m. by appointment only.
Where: Room 34 at 4215 Arts Village Drive Sedona, AZ 86336

Character Breakdown:
Lead Female - mid 20s to mid 30s
Lead Male - mid 30s to mid 40s
Supporting cast - 5 males of various ages from 25 to 50 years old
Extras - 20 individuals, equal mix of male and female, of various ages from 18 to 80 years old
Synopsis:
A succubus finds her victims nightly in a small desert town bar. She befriends the bartender, who ultimately falls under her spell and must face the consequences of his choice.

Call backs will begin on October 18 after the auditions, and will continue through October 19.
Rehearsals will begin on October 21 and will continue through October 23.
Production days will be held on October 23-29. Depending on roles actors may not need to be available for all days.

Please contact Jessica Noe at 201-310-6182 or at jessicanoe@gmail.com for questions and to schedule an appointment to audition.

Do you know any young filmmakers?

Who, what and how.....

Check out this no-nonsense approach to screenwriting from professional screenwriter and Zaki Gordon co-founder, Dan Gordon.

Dan Gordon about the three act screenplay

New ZGI Students Already in Production!

ZGI's curriculum is designed to provide students with experience in all facets of digital filmmaking and production. The hands-on learning environment helps to foster creative confidence and artistic independence. In these photos, students gain familiarity with shooting on location.

Coyright Free Moby Music for Student Films!

How cool is this? Musician Moby, known for his sonic recipes that range from ambient to hard rock and techno, has free cuts of music for student filmmakers and non-profit projects.

Camera Coverage Workshop-ZGI

Director of Photography, Stephan Schultze, will demonstrate the aesthetics of lighting and camera setup for filmmaking. You will learn how to analyze story from a Director of Photography’s P.O.V., how to manage crew, the history of cinematography, the tools of lenses and cameras and how directors and cinematographers interface on a movie set.

September 19-20
9:00-4:00 both days
Register online at www.yc.edu
DFM 106 or call 928-649-4276 for more info.
or visit the ZGI website.

Spike Lee coming to Northern Arizona!

American iconic filmmaker, Spike Lee, will be speaking at Northern Arizona University, January 27th, 2010.

Lee's acclaimed films such as "Do the Right Thing", "Malcolm X" and "Jungle Fever" have sparked controversy throughout his prolific career. The man behind the camera doesn't shy from confrontation as well, once remarking on ABC's Good Morning America that Mississippi Senator, Trent Lott was a card carrying member of the Ku Klux Klan.

Lee and his production company, 40 Acres & A Mule have produced over 35 films since 1983. He works as a writer, director, actor, producer, author and educator with fervor. Don't miss this opportunity to be inspired by the infamous Spike Lee.

More info. regarding tickets will be available soon at nau.edu/calevents.

What do “The Godfather, Gene Simmons and Sedona have in common?

Zaki Gordon Institute co-founder, Dan Gordon, proved to be just as charismatic as the characters he creates on screen. ZGI students and the general public were captivated by Dan's forty plus years of writing experience and the candor with which he communicated his process. Workshop attendees seemed to appreciate his ability to demystify screenwriting, while stressing persistence and confidence. The audience was privy to some "tricks of the trade" while analyzing scenes from "The Godfather". It was an empowering weekend for all who attended.

Recently, Dan wrapped his film "The Christmas Story" which he directed and wrote about a pregnant teenager who runs away from her upscale life and ends up struggling in a trailer park in New Mexico. The film will be released around the holiday season and stars Elliott Gould, Linda Gray, Lainie Kazan, Cloris Leachman, Della Reese, Olesya Rulin, Cybill Shepherd, Gene Simmons and Fred Willard.
Thanks Dan!

To hear more from Dan Gordon and to understand the philosophy behind the Zaki Gordon Institute, watch this video!

Looking for Actors for Student Films!

Please join us for an Actor’s Open House, September 11th, 5-8:30 pm at the Zaki Gordon Institute for Independent Filmmaking. We will be videotaping and add you into our actor’s database.

ZGI student’s are always looking for talent for their upcoming student thesis projects. This is a great opportunity for new and experienced actors to learn more about acting for film, exercise acting skills or contribute a breakthrough performance in an independent film!

In the first semester, students shoot scenes every Tuesday. In the second semester students produce their short film thesis projects, which screens at the ZGI Shorts Film Festival on Memorial Day weekend.

If you can’t make it to the open house, send headshot and resume via e-mail as a jpeg to: jeremy_hawkes@yc.edu

ZGI offers Dan Gordon's Master Screenwriting Workshop to the Public

Zaki Gordon Institute co-founder, Dan Gordon , writer of The Hurricane, Wyatt Earp, Passenger 57 and many other screenplays, play adaptations and novels, will take you first hand through his writing process. From concept to polished script, this two-day workshop will cover what it takes to be a successful writer.