We Connected Productions, LLC: PVIFF

Sharee and I attended the Peachtree Village International Film Festival(PVIFF)held August 20-22, 2010 in Atlanta, GA.

After spending the night with our cousin Friday night in Covington, GA(40 miles from downtown Atlanta), we started Saturday morning with a huge breakfast spread for the 20th Anniversary Celebration for House Party starring Christopher "Kid" Reid n Christopher "Play" Martin, Full Force, and Daryl "Chill" Mitchell. Although "Kid" and one of the members of Full Force were unable to attend, it was a great time for all with lots of networking. The comedian Rodney Perry from The Mo'Nique Show was the Breakfast host. He had everyone in stitches.

For the afternoon sessions it was back to back seminars/workshops:
From Homeless to Hollywood with Brown Sugar, Just Wright screenwriter Michael Elliot

Cast Me If You Can with Twinkie Byrd( LA casting director), Erica Hubbard- Actress ("Akeela & The Bee," "Lincoln Heights" etc.), Quinton Aaron- Actor ("The Blind Side"), Kristen Shaw (Actress/Acting Coach). Moderated by actor Clifton Powell.

Email Headshots/Resumes in Color
Do not snail mail Headshots/Resumes unless specified, it will not get open
Bring one or two extra copies of Headshots/Resumes during auditions
Do not come in costume or dress over the top for the character you are portraying

Film Finance & Distribution Workshop Many panelist including Ms.Landria Onkka ("Financial Expert in Entertainment, Media and Sports") & Tony Kiene ("Securities Broker").

Go through a lawyer if seeking investors
Fund your production with the use of the Internet with Kickstarter or Indiegogo
Network

How to get your film or TV project Greenlit by Executives Many panelists including Stephen Harris- (Director, Non Fiction and Alternative Programming A&E Television Network), Nikita S. Adams- (Creative Executive for Foxx/King Entertainment), Dean Hargrove- Emmy Award Winning Producer ("Perry Mason," "Matlock" etc.), Bill Hall- (VP of Programming TNT & TBS)

If you don't know how to Pitch a project learn how to do it or have your business partner do it for you
If you sell your script, it will be Revised, Revised, and Revised again, Do not take it to heart. Know it is a Business!!
Who is the audience for you film(where do they shop, what kind of clothes do they buy), more than just basic demographics(age, ethnicity, sex, etc)
Go to Film Festivals and network
Enter your Film in Film Festivals. Not only the ones in your area.
Do not be shy about talking about your project

PVIFF's Official Director's Workshop with Director Bille Woodruff

Get to know your AD. You will be spending lots of time with him/her.
Actors must be prepared on set(know their lines)
Respect everyone on set("A" list actors, background actors, PA, crew) the same

We attended the feature film Breaking Up is Hard to Do directed by and starring Tabari Sturdivant, Columbia, SC's Kendrick Cross(Army Wives & Drop Dead Diva), and Demetria McKinney(House of Payne). The film has won many film festival awards.

On Sunday Sharee and I attended Writing the Right Screenplay with Mark Brown and Michael Elliot.

Discipline yourself-Write EVERYDAY
For your feature screen play-Attempt to type 10 pages a day for 10 straight days
A page count near 104 is the magic number
Know the A, B, and C storyline
Pages 1-35 introduces you to the characters and their flaws
Pages 35-70 gives the character(s) a conflict(arc of the storyline)
Pages 70-105 is the Resolution
Revise, Revise, and Revise

We had a great time at PVIFF. We are looking forward to contacting the people we networked with. We have some exciting upcoming ventures for We Connected Productions, LLC. Thank you.