July 2013 Members in the News Edited by Flo Dwek Sciannella: Calling the Shots for High Harris: Behind End Cable the Scenes in Chris Sciannella, Africa owner of CAS Video As a producer for Productions in VIVA Creative in Huntingtown, MD, has Rockville, MD, been a fixture in the Jennifer E. Harris Washington, DC wears many hats in production scene for the world of live 29 yearsand has events and traveled extensively throughout the United multimedia States and overseas for various clients. In 1984, production. From Sciannella began his career as a cameraman producing content for and learned to edit. As he perfected those skills, international events to he added producing and directing to his list of launching the services. Sciannella's camera work can be seen company's first on several programs now airing on cable TV, internship program, Harris has had an exciting including Animal Planet's Tanked, HGTV's My year that has kept her on her toes! Recently, First Place, My First Sale, More Bang for Your Harris traveled to Libreville, Gabon, where she Buck and Home Makeover Special and RLTV's was a content producer for an event designed to Second Act. He recently produced, directed and recognize the economic achievements of Africa edited a series of training and intervention and spotlight business and investment procedures videos; shot a series pilot for an LA- opportunities. Several Heads of State, members based production company that will air on VH-1; of the media, and business leaders participated and edited a series of videos about WWII icon in the forum. "I was in charge of producing and Rosie the Riveter. Currently, Sciannella is managing anything that went to screen," Harris Director of Photography for I Want That, airing says. "Weeks of preparation were required for on DIY Network. His client base includes major this event, which included: researching session TV networks, large and small corporations and topics, communicating with the client to develop non-profit organizations. "I'm lucky to stay busy," a creative style that worked with the Sciannella admits. "I have a lot of repeat clients, configurations of the unique set, and planning which means I'm able to give them the service the logistics. It's a lot of work, but very rewarding and flexibility they need." For more information, when you see the final result." Harris notes that visit Sciannella's website at www.casvideo.com. the global exposure and experience that she gained as a producer in the past few years have Chancey: been incredible! "I just love what I do, and couldn't imagine doing anything else." To learn Romancing the more, contact Harris at Theater [email protected] Kudos to Tina Chancey for taking her first leap into professional theater this summer. She is devising, writing, producing and acting in Last Show at Max's Picture Palace, a film about a crisis that ensues at Max's 1908 Nickelodeon when its lead actress (his daughter) Bailes Now elopes over the dinner break, leaving the Freelancing and distraught staff to cobble together the last performance. DC audiences know Chancey as Blogging the Director of HESPERUS, a local Last December Dan early/traditional music group with an international Bailes left GVI to reputation. But it is Chancey's decade of return to freelance experience creating period soundtracks for such writing and producing. silent films as Mark of Zorro, Robin Hood, The Since then he's Golem, and Hunchback of Notre Dame that have written marketing copy given her the tools to attempt this new project. for a website, Chancey openly thanks Rob Farr, former director revamped his own, helped fundraise for a non- of the Slapsticon, for his encouragement, along profit, and participated in workshops on with the amazing WIFV listserve, for introducing advocacy, fundraising, social media and search her to the day-to-day workings of our local film engine optimization. Bailes also enhanced his community. To learn more about HESPERUS' blog The Vision Thing - which focuses on period silent film scores, visit creativity, innovation and vision with an www.hesperusplayszorro.com. To contact emphasis on storytelling and the inspirational moment. You can explore The Vision Thing at Chancey, go to www.tinachancey.net. danbailes.com/blog and Bailes' website at Sobel Co-Produces 55th Annual danbailes.com. "I'm about to start a ten week Regional writing project with Interface Media Group," he said. "I helped them with the proposal and happy Emmys® to say they got the contract." To learn more, Sharon Sobel email Bailes at [email protected] recently celebrated her 10th anniversary Dismukes: On a as a freelance Mission for WIFV producer/editor/cam Kathy Dismukes likes to era operator, with a think of herself as totally focus on corporate mission driven. "In my events. To world," she says, "John celebrate, she's Cusack's character in Say offering 10% off Anything has it just right: 'I any freelance jobs booked from July 10- don't want to sell anything, October 10th! Sobel has expanded her services buy anything, or process into webcasting for production companies in the anything as a career.'" What area. In between her many gigs involving she really thrives on is helping independent webcasting, shooting, and teleprompting for local filmmakers get their projects to the screen- companies, Sobel also continued producing assisting them with everything from pre- feature segments for Fairfax County Public production, to production, fundraising, promotion Schools, and shooting/editing events for and marketing. Her clients have included Arlington Public Schools. In June, she was the Thinking Forward Media, Black Valley Films, supervising producer for the 55th Annual Birdman Productions, and James Regional Emmy® Awards held in Baltimore, Schneider/Paul Bishow. As a committed Maryland. The intrepid Sobel also directed and supporter of WIFV's mission to advance women edited three high school graduations and served in the media industry, she has volunteered in as a camera operator on four more--all in a span various capacities since 2007. For the past year of 10 days! Throughout the year, Sobel recruits she has served as chair of the Development judges from the region's TV professionals for Committee, crafting plans and fundraising Emmy® entries created in other parts of the campaigns, creating strategies and materials, country. To learn more about serving as an and cultivating relationships with WIFV Emmy® judge, or to take advantage of her 10th supporters. Dismukes also works to raise the anniversary discount, you can reach Sobel at organization's profile in the media and nonprofit [email protected]. communities. Believe in the WIFV mission, too? Reach out to her at [email protected] and get more involved! AutoExotica Drives On! You can now watch Media Central's third episode of the series, AutoExotika Presents: Walton Cars 'N Coffee on an internet connection near Receives you. We think it's the best one so far and we hope you agree. You'll know without a doubt Fulbright you're in southern California! Filmmaker and educator Ellie If you've yet to see the first two they're also on Walton was our YouTube channel. We're already viewing recently named a footage that will comprise our fourth episode US Department of from Cincinnati, OH and we expect that'll be State Fulbright available in just a few weeks. Following that will Scholar. In August, she will depart for rural India be Palm Beach, FL and then we'll wrap up the for nine months to complete a new participatory first season with Paris, France. Ooh-la-lah! film project - Never Too Late - following a group of adolescent girls on their journey through Open Chen Produced Doc on DC Schools, a new initiative in partnership with Chinatown Pratham, the largest NGO providing quality Shanghai native Yi Chen has education to underprivileged youth in India. The been busy shooting a verité film will interweave participant-authored video documentary called portraits with observational filmmaking, Chinatown, fiscally documenting the girls' journey from the first day sponsored by WIFV. Set in of class to the months following their graduation. Washington, DC's historic The Fulbright Scholarship will provide an Chinatown, it is the first opportunity to build upon the participatory documentary, she says, "to method of filmmaking Ellie has developed shed light on the real voices through a career dedicated to sharing stories and stories behind the impact that build mutual understanding between of urban renewal in the communities and cultures in Washington, DC neighborhood." Chen has been interviewed by and provide her an exceptional opportunity to both WAMU 88.5 and Voice of America about immerse herself in scholarly research, reflection the film as well as the challenges facing the and a supportive network of educators and residents. The film has been seen nationwide at filmmakers to strengthen her participatory venues including the DC Independent Film approach to filmmaking. Ellie has worked at Festival, SAG Foundation Shorts Showcase, Meridian Hill Pictures since 2011 as a director of Katra Film Series, Heritage Film Festival, Falls photography, editor and media teaching artist. Church Film Festival, DC Environmental Film She has also continued work on independent Festival, Link TV, MIT TechTV, UNESCO TV and productions including Voices from Within with Times Square. In April Chen was recognized as Joy Haynes and a WIFV fiscal sponsored the DC Office of Motion Picture & Television project. Send your congratulations to Development's "Filmmaker of the Month". She [email protected]. has also won two Peer Awards and the Best Narrative Short Award at the 2010 Our City Film Festival. Chen is also a film critic with published Gruber Multi- reviews in the newspaper, Asian Fortune.